Brazil travel guide
Brazil is South America's largest country, covering most of the Amazon rainforest, thousands of kilometres of Atlantic beaches, the wetlands of the Pantanal and some of the world's liveliest cities. Its music, food and festivals vary enormously from region to region. It suits beach lovers, nature travellers, music fans and anyone with time to cover long distances.
Places worth the trip
Rio de Janeiro
A city between mountains and sea: take the train up Corcovado to the Christ the Redeemer statue, ride the cable car up Sugarloaf Mountain, and spend time on Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. Santa Teresa and Lapa are known for music and nightlife.
Iguaçu Falls
On the border with Argentina, a vast series of waterfalls set in rainforest. The Brazilian side offers the best panoramic views, and the walkway leads close to the Devil's Throat.
The Amazon
Manaus, at the meeting of the dark Rio Negro and the sandy Solimões, is the base for jungle lodges and river trips to see pink river dolphins, caimans, monkeys and the forest itself.
The Pantanal
The world's largest tropical wetland, in the centre-west, and one of the best places in South America to see wildlife, including jaguars along the rivers, giant otters, capybaras and hyacinth macaws.
Salvador
The first colonial capital, with the brightly painted Pelourinho district, baroque churches and a strong Afro-Brazilian culture seen in its music, capoeira and cuisine.
Lençóis Maranhenses
A national park of white sand dunes in the north-east. After the rainy season, freshwater lagoons fill the hollows between the dunes, making it possible to swim in the middle of a desert-like landscape.
Paraty and Ilha Grande
Paraty is a colonial town of cobbled streets on a bay of islands, and Ilha Grande is a car-free island of rainforest trails and beaches, both along the coast between Rio and São Paulo.
Fernando de Noronha
A volcanic archipelago off the north-east coast, protected as a marine park, with clear water, sea turtles, dolphins and some of Brazil's most beautiful beaches. Visitor numbers are controlled.
Interesting facts about Brazil
- Brazil borders every country in South America except Chile and Ecuador.
- Rio de Janeiro served as the capital of the Portuguese Empire from 1808 to 1821, when the royal court moved there to escape Napoleon.
- Brasília was built from scratch as the new capital and inaugurated in 1960, with buildings designed by Oscar Niemeyer.
- Brazil has won the men's football World Cup five times, more than any other country.
- Brazil is the largest Portuguese-speaking country in the world by population.
Best time to visit Brazil
Brazil is so large that the weather depends on the region. Rio and the south-east are hot and humid from December to March, with summer rain, and pleasant from April to October. The north-east coast is sunny much of the year, with more rain from around April to July. The Pantanal is best in the dry season from about July to October, when wildlife gathers. Carnival, in February or March, is the busiest and most expensive time to visit Rio, Salvador and Recife.
Getting around
Domestic flights are the practical way to cover long distances, such as Rio to Manaus or Salvador. Long-distance buses are comfortable and connect most cities, and overnight buses can save a night's accommodation. Ride-hailing apps are widely used in cities. Rio and São Paulo have metros, and boats are the main way to travel in the Amazon. Car hire works well on the coast, but traffic in big cities can be heavy.
Practical details
- Capital
- Brasília
- Currency
- Brazilian real (BRL)
- Languages
- Portuguese
- Plug types
- C, N
- Voltage
- 127 V or 220 V depending on the region (60 Hz); check before plugging in
- Emergency
- 190 police, 192 ambulance, 193 fire
- Driving side
- right
- Tipping
- A 10 per cent service charge is usually added to restaurant bills. Extra tips are not expected, though rounding up is appreciated.
Staying online in Brazil
Mobile coverage with 4G and 5G is good in cities and most coastal areas. Coverage is patchy in the Pantanal and much of the Amazon, where jungle lodges may have only limited Wi-Fi, and absent on long river journeys. Wi-Fi is common in hotels, cafés and restaurants. WhatsApp is used for almost everything, from booking tours to contacting businesses. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.
Brazil eSIM plans
2 GB
2GB eSIM Data for 1 Day for Brazil
1 GB
1GB eSIM Data for 7 Days for Brazil
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Unlimited eSIM Data for 1 Day for Brazil
2 GB
2GB eSIM Data for 15 Days for Brazil
Useful apps
- Uber: Ride-hailing in most Brazilian cities, often safer and simpler than hailing taxis on the street.
- 99: A widely used Brazilian ride-hailing app, useful for comparing fares.
- WhatsApp: Essential in Brazil for communicating with hotels, tour operators, restaurants and drivers.
- iFood: The country's most popular food delivery app.
- Google Translate: Portuguese translation; English is limited outside tourist areas.
Brazil travel FAQs
Portuguese is the language of Brazil. English is limited outside hotels and tourist businesses. Spanish speakers can often be understood, but replies will be in Portuguese.
Yes, modern phones work on Brazilian networks, with good coverage in cities and on the coast. A travel eSIM gives you data from arrival, which is especially useful for ride-hailing and WhatsApp.
Two weeks lets you combine Rio with one or two other regions, such as Iguaçu and the Amazon or Salvador. Brazil is huge, so it is better to focus on fewer places.
Cards are accepted almost everywhere, and the instant payment system Pix is widely used by locals. Carry a little cash for beach vendors, markets and small towns.