Whenever you're thinking about going
to Brazil, I think you're a very smart person. Brazil is an electrifying
country with plenty to see and do and a very warm people who enjoy to get and
share with whomever is receptive enough to make friends with them.
I would begin by Rio de Janeiro of
course. Rio is a very big metropolis and simply like any other city around the
world, you have to be aware. Rio de Janeiro has a lot of extraordinary places
that are sure to take the breath away. Corcovado, Sugar Loaf, The Vista
Chinesa, Tijuca Forest and so on and so forth. The beaches in Rio are an
experience for the newbie. In Ipanema beach, every day as the sun descends,
everyone watches in silence and finally clap in awe of the wonderful thing
about the scenery. The best place to go to the beach in Rio depends on what
kind of person you are.
If you're young and want to mingle and
see interesting brazilian youth exuding their charm and incredibly beautiful
bodies, go to Posto 9 in Ipanema, where they play footvolley whole day, the
boys and girls are golden and there's everything you could possibly want on a
beach day for you to enjoy. Sellers walking by selling everything from
popsicles to hammocks and sun glasses to shrimp cabobs. The service is nice.
Now, if you're a family and you are looking to really just enjoy the sun and
beach on a weekday (weekdays are much better at the beach in Rio de Janeiro),
then I suggest you try the Barra da Tijuca beach. It is so vast it never really
seems to be that full (except on Sundays when the so called 'suburbanos' are
there). But even then it's nice.
Personally, I like the Botanical
Gardens on Sundays. It is quiet and nice and you can see a lot of very cool
things, feed the fish and pelicans on the pond and rest under a Pau Brasil
tree. The beach is way too full to be nice on the weekends. Or to take a nice
hike up the many hidden waterfalls that make you forget completely that you're
right in one of the biggest cities in the world. It feels more like a tropical
jungle.
If you have much of time to really get
to know Brazil, like 3 or 4 weeks, I suggest obtaining a Brazil pass, it's a
ticket that costs about $500 US and that it allows you to travel by air to 5
major brazilian cities. My suggestion goes as follows: Start with Rio de
Janeiro because it is the major hub but do not spend too much time there. Just
enjoy the beauty of it for a few days, take a few of the escorted jeep tours
around the forests of Rio, visit Corcovado and Sugar Loaf, go to the beach and
then move on. Next stop, Salvador. This is one of the coolest places you are
going to be at in the world. It is a mix of New Orleans, Kenya, Jamaica and
Paradise beaches, all with the Brazilian "tempero" a seasoning that
only in Brazil you will find.
In Salvador, you will see Capoeira
rodas, music in the streets and art and life everwhere. It's a must. Since you
are already in Bahia, o Morro de Sao Paulo is not too far and neither is
Trancoso, these are classical beaches where you need not worry about shoes. It
is all sandy and it does not cost much to stay there either. You will feel a
level of warmth and service that might make you want to forget the States and
move there. Visit both and then move on.
Then, with 4 more air tickets to
spend, I'd do the following: Go to the Amazon River and take a jungle tour in
Manaus. There is no reason not to see the most beautiful rainforest in Brazil
and the world and it will enrich your life just to have been there and be able
to tell the stories.
Next, a stop in Minas to visit the old
town of Ouro Preto which seems like the entire town was carved by an artist and
it's fun and sweet. Not very dangerous either. Relax here and take the time to
enjoy the best brazilian cuisine you'll find in the entire country of Brazil.
After this, on your way back to Rio,
go visit Buzios and make sure you get souvenirs there and go walk on rua das
Pedras. It's classy and supposedly Brigitte Bardot (the French actress) used to
walk around topless there.
That's it for today. Please be sure to
visit Brasil101.com for more Brazilian Travel, Tourism in Brazil, Brazilian
Business and of Course, Brazilian Soccer info.
Brasil101.com <http://www.brasil101.com>
Adapted from article created by Marcio
Dias with some modification.