Except for winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding, Brazil offers something for everyone. Most of the best tour operators are small companies that work only in a specific locality or region. A good place to start is with the trade groups that bring together the most reputable firms in different segments: For outdoor activities, there's the Brazilian Association of Adventure Tourism (http://www.abeta.com.br), the Brazilian Association of Rural Tourism (http://www.turismorural.org.br) and the Ecobrasil Institute for ecotourism (http://www.ecobrasil.org.br).
Beaches
Rio de Janeiro may be famous for its urban beaches, and deservedly so for its see-and-be-seen scene. However, with 5,000 mi/8,000 km of coastline, Brazil has no shortage of enticing beaches to choose among. The southern coastlines of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Santa Catarina are wild and unspoiled with small hidden coves backed by native Atlantic forest and many islands. For endless strips of deserted white sand, warm turquoise waters and palm trees galore, head to the northeastern states of Bahia, Alagoas, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte and Ceara.
Some of the country's top beaches include Porto de Galinhas (Pernambuco), Jericoacoara (Ceara), Praia de Pipa (Rio Grande do Norte), Praia da Gunga (Alagoas), Espelho and Curuipe (Bahia), Bombinhas (Santa Catarina) and the beaches of Ilha Grande (Rio de Janeiro).
Particularly pristine and unspoiled are Baia do Sancho, Baia dos Porcos and Praia do Leao—all on Fernando de Noronha Island, an ecological paradise off the coast of Pernambuco.
Fishing
The Pantanal and the Amazon are famous among the world's anglers, who descend on the two regions in pursuit of the
jau and
pintado catfish, and the dorado and peacock bass. The U.S.-based Highroller Adventures runs excursions in the Amazon. http://www.peacockfishing.com.
Golf
Golf came late to Brazil, though a small boom in golf-course construction is under way, with new courses opening in far-flung places such as Bahia. Sao Paulo boasts the highest concentration of courses, which for many years catered mostly to visiting and expatriate Japanese business executives.
Hiking & Walking
Rio Hiking Tours will lead you up Gavea Rock and Sugar Loaf as well as on treks through outlying regions surrounding Rio de Janeiro. Phone 21-2552-9204 or 21-9721-0594. http://www.riohiking.com.br.
Horseback Riding
Horseback riding is a popular activity in many rural areas, especially in the Pantanal and in the states of Minas Gerais, Parana Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul and Sao Paulo. Excellent outings that range from two hours to seven days are run by Campofora in Rio Grande do Sul. Phone 54-3278-1454. http://www.campofora.com.br.
Scuba & Snorkeling
With warm, crystalline waters, sunken galleons and a fantastic variety of tropical marine life, Brazil is a divers' paradise. Top spots for diving that rank among the best in the world include Arraial do Cabo in the state of Rio de Janeiro, the Abrolhos Marine National Park in southern Bahia, and the island of Fernando de Noronha off the coast of Pernambuco.
Surfing
People surf all along Brazil's coastline, but true world-class waves can be caught along the shores of the southern state of Santa Catarina. One great spot with good infrastructure for visitors is the Praia do Rosa. Many of the bed-and-breakfasts that dot the beach offer surfing lessons for their guests.
Shopping
Brazilian fashion has really taken off in recent years. The best buys are shoes, leather goods, jewelry and clothing by vanguard Brazilian designers (mostly from Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo), including Isabel Capeto, Reinaldo Lourenco, Ronaldo Fraga, Alexandre Herchcovitch, Gloria Coelho, Carlos Miele and Cris Barros. Brazilian swimwear—bikinis for women and
sungas for men—is some of the funkiest you'll ever see and is copied all over the world. You'll find some of the best at Blue Man, Salinas, Bumbum and Rosa Cha, all of which have boutiques in major shopping centers across the country. Other types of beach and surfwear are also cutting edge. And of course, you can't go to Brazil without purchasing at least one pair of high-fashion flip-flops.
Clothing aside, other great buys include coffee, traditional handicrafts (such as sculptures, ceramics and woven hammocks—particularly from the northeast), lace and embroidery, rosewood products, and semiprecious and precious stones (such as amethyst, opal, topaz, citrine, tourmaline, emerald). Artifacts from Brazil's many indigenous tribes include jewelry, baskets and pottery. Brazilian gold is generally 18K.
Take care when buying live animals or native products such as headdresses made from bird feathers. The sale of these items is often prohibited, and you may have trouble at the airport if you try to transport them out of the country.
Don't neglect Brazilian music—samba and chorinho are just part of the story. Consider buying CDs of some of the best musical artists. Traditional icons include Chico Buarque, Milton Nascimento, Elis Regina, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa and Maria Betania. Some recent noteworthy artists are Lenine, Zeca Baleiro, Marisa Monte, Virginia Rodrigues, Marcelo D2, Rita Ribeiro and Seu Jorge.
Brazilians love their "shoppings" (malls). Not only are they safe and air conditioned, but they combine all kinds of shopping and dining options with myriad services and cinemas. Many offer activities ranging from aerobics to skating rinks. Rio and Sao Paulo have some extremely chic "shoppings" with both national and international designer boutiques, as well as some fine restaurants. Among the largest and most centrally located are Shopping Leblon, Shopping Sao Conrado and Shopping Rio Sul (in Rio), and Shopping Frei Caneca, Shopping Iguatemi and Patio Higienopolis (in Sao Paulo).
Shopping Hours: Monday-Friday 10 am-6:30 pm, Saturday 10 am-6 pm. Many shops and most department stores in "shoppings" remain open until 10 pm, with most open during the afternoon on Sunday. Some boutiques—particularly in tourist areas—are also open on Sunday.
Day By Day
Itineraries will vary, depending on your arrival point. If you plan on seeing a lot of the country at one go, we suggest you begin in Manaus—saving Rio de Janeiro for later will make that city seem all the fresher when compared with other parts of the country. An increasing number of quality hotels and bed-and-breakfasts (known as
pousadas) are springing up all over the country, including—because of an increasing trend in ecotourism—on deserted beaches and in isolated patches of jungle. Unless you really get off the beaten track, you're likely to find accommodations in line with your standards and pocketbook.
The following is a bare-bones itinerary for first-time visitors to Brazil:
Day 1—Arrive in Rio or Sao Paulo. Fly to Manaus and tour the city.
Day 2—Day trip on the Amazon River.
Day 3—Fly to Salvador, afternoon city tour.
Day 4—Salvador.
Day 5—Morning flight to Brasilia, city tour, then evening flight to Rio.
Days 6 and 7—Rio.
Day 8—Fly to Sao Paulo.
Day 9—Sao Paulo. Evening flight to Iguacu Falls.
Day 10—Iguacu Falls.
Day 11—Morning flight to Rio or Sao Paulo and depart Brazil.
If you have more time, consider taking the coastal road from Rio to Santos. It will take one day if you drive straight through, but if time permits allow an overnight along the way so you have time to stop at beaches as you go: Ilha Grande and the colonial town of Paraty are particularly beautiful. Other alternatives are to spend time in the Pantanal or visit the wild beaches surrounding Florianopolis, capital of the southern state of Santa Catarina. You can also add on trips to the historic cities of Minas Gerais (Ouro Preto, Tiradentes and Diamantina are particularly charming and well-preserved) or to Recife and Olinda (Pernambuco).
Remember: Brazil is a large country. Traveling from one region to another is time-consuming and costly. Many tourists decide to tackle the country one region at a time: the south (including Iguacu Falls and Florianopolis), the southeast (Rio de Janeiro, Ouro Preto and other historic cities of Minas Gerais, Paraty and Sao Paulo), the northeast (Bahia, beaches), the center-west (including Brasilia and the Pantanal) and the north (the Amazon). This approach often leads to less stress and less time spent in airports.
