As most of you have never been to Brasil, I thought I would list my top 10 destinations in Brasil to see, visit or stay, if you are ever there.
Fingers crossed this post doesn't dissappear as it is a long one.
I have ranked the places in order of my preference, but it is personal taste, and what I may love, you may hate and vica versa.
Anyway, here it is in order.
1)Foz Do Iguacu
The Iguacu Falls are on those things that you should not miss in your lifetime. They are the most beautiful and spectacular natural sight that you will ever see. Bigger and more powerful than Niagra and Victoria, these falls spread over Argentina and Brasil. When staying in Foz Do Iguacu, you can also drive across the border to Paraguay which is only a few kilometres away. The Iguacu falls were the setting for the movie "The Mission" featuring Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons.
2)Jericoacoara
This is another of Brasil's beautiful places of nature. What started out as a tiny fishing village is now regarded by many travellers as the most beautiful beach in the world. It is surrounded by huge majestic sand dunes, and can only be accessed by a 7 hour drive on sand buggy, so it is remote and cut off from everything else. One of the hidden jewels in the world with not many international tourists going there.
3)Amazonas,Manuas
Well, who can resist going to Brasil and not seeing the famous Amazon river. I must admit, it is not one of my favourite all time Brasillian destinations, but it is famous and impressive. Manaus on the amazon, also has a famous jungle opera house. There are many different tours on the amazon you can do, fish for piranha etc etc.
4)Rio de Janeiro
One of the most famous cities in the world. It is famous for its carnival,famous beaches, hotel copacabana, cristo redento and much much more. My favourite parts of Rio are the beaches, Ipanema and Leblon. It is an absolute paradise there. The one disadvantage with Rio is the violence and poverty. Over one third of Carioca(people from Rio) live in favelas or on the streets, so it can be dangerous in certain areas.
5)Pantanal
The Pantanal is a wildlife habitat,half the size of France, split between the Brasillian cities of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul. The main beauty of the Pantanal is the lack of tourism awarness, so it has not been overrun by tourists so far. For lovers of wildlife, it is a paradise. You choose your guide and he will take you on his 4wd and you can choose your own safari. All types of wildlife are present and because the terrain is flat, visibility is high. Another of the hidden jewels of Brasil.
6)Salvador
Salvador is the capital of the state Bahia, and more importantly the capital of the african heritage in Brasil. It is one of Brasil major highlights. There is a major historical part of Salvador, but its main appeal is the afro brasillian music, food and culture which you saviour when you are there. It is another world from Rio or Sao Paulo. If you want to see part of Salvador, it is featured in the film Central Station.
7)Pernambuco
There is two must see cities in Pernambuco, Recife and Olinda. Recife for its wonderful famous beaches, and Olinda for its historic town which dates back to the 1600's. Olinda is only 6klm from Recife, so you can see them both easily. Olinda always has street music, street art exhibitions, dancing etc. It is a vibrant happy town.
8)Cabo Frio
This is a beach resort in the state of Rio de Janeiro(as distinct from the city). Cabo Frio(which has the resort Buzios) is where the millionaires from Rio go for their holidays. So, if you have been to Rio or Sao Paulo and seen the extreme poor of Brasil, now is a chance to see how the rich live. Besides that, it is a very nice town with beautiful beaches.
9)Curitiba
Curitiba is a southern Brasil city and you could think you were somewhere in Europe. It looks like a european city, the people like europeans but the prices arn't european. The highlight of Curitiba is catching a train which takes you through the rainforest to a town called Paranagua. Then you can travel to Ilha do Mel, the island with a fortress on it. Here, for about $50 you can stay in a 4 star resort with dinner and lunch provided. It is amazing.
10) Fortaleza
The great city in the north of Brasil, it is also one of the most beautiful cities in the world. From the state of Ceara, it is also gateway to some of the worlds best beaches. It has a relaxed lifestyle, a happy ambience and is surrounded by ocean. It is also famous for being named after an IAP poster. Well okay, I made that up, but the rest of it is all true. It is a beautiful city.
