Brazil's attractions are equally divided between the urban and the natural; with the cultural delights of cities like Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, and the natural wonders of the Amazon and Pantanal rainforests, there's something to see and do in Brazil for just about anybody.Every year, thousands flock to the world-famous Carnival in Rio, when the entire city is awash in parties, parades, music and dancing. Rio also features the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue, which is one of the seven marvels of the modern world, and the architectural wonder Samba City. The mild climate of the major cities makes them an attractive destination all year round, with the coastal areas being even warmer and suited to year-round sunbathing. Brazil's major cities are known for their wild nightlife, with enough bars, clubs, dance halls, and parties to satisfy even the most hedonistic visitor.Brazil's beaches are just as famous, with several (Ipanema and Copacabana) immortalised in song. There are several well-known nude beaches, including one in the relaxed town of Pinho. The southern beaches, including Praia Do Rosa, offer big waves that attract top surfers from all over the world between April and November. There are also many popular scuba diving spots that boast beautiful coral reefs, volcanic islands, caves, and shipwrecks.Brazil is a huge country, with an area larger than the continental United States, and over half of that is rainforest. The Amazon, the world's largest tropical rainforest, covers seven million square kilometres and is a wildlife and bird watching paradise, home to countless species of plants and animals you won't find in any other country. The pink dolphin, for example, is only found in the Amazon and its tributaries. You might also find jaguars, howler monkeys, sloths, toucans and anacondas, among many other creatures.Brazil's oceans are also teeming with amazing animals. Dolphin and whale watching are popular activities in places like Fernando de Noronha, and snorkelling in Bonito, which fittingly means 'beautiful', is a delight. Praia do Forte and other beaches are also good places to witness the hatching of sea turtles.
This peninsula and group of 365 islands (one for each day of the year) is a holiday playground that contains 2,000 beautiful beaches and a natural wonderland of mountains, forests, waterfalls, lakes, and secret coves. Visitors can take trips by schooner, yacht, or motor launch to explore the delights of the area, particularly the main island, Ilha Grande. Fishing and scuba diving are the favoured activities for tourists amongst the various water sports, while on land there are hundreds of walking trails giving access to some of the less frequented beaches like Canto, Abraaozinho, Morcego, and Grande das Palmas. The beaches of Aventureiro and Lopes Mendes are also popular with surfers.The islands can easily be reached from Rio by road in just over three hours, or accessed by bus with daily departures every hour from the Novo Rio Bus Station.
Website : www.angra-dos-reis.com
This famous Rio beach neighbourhood was just a small fishing village until a new highway built in the early 1900s brought crowds of visitors to these golden shores. The Copacabana Palace Hotel first opened its doors in 1923, and since then the area mushroomed with Neoclassical and Art Nouveau skyscrapers, penthouses, and apartments. Visitors still flock, as they have always done, to the glamorous Palace Hotel, which is the place to be seen, especially to have tea or a meal at the famed Cipriani restaurant.The beach itself white sand and calm water and is festooned with kiosks. It is a popular spot for beach sports like soccer and volleyball, and a good place to sunbathe. Copacabana beach is particularly popular on New Year's Day. According to tradition, visitors dress in white and congregate here to celebrate in droves, with more than 2 million people crowding the beach.
The distinctive statue of Christ the Redeemer, arms spread to welcome the world, is the symbol of Rio de Janeiro and one of the seven New Wonders of the Modern World. It rests on top of Rio de Janeiro's Corcovado Mountain, 2,330 feet (710m) above the beaches below, and is accessed via a miniature train that runs from the Cosme Vehlo District through the Atlantic rainforest to the foot of the statue. The train ride offers stunning vistas of Rio, and the view from the summit is breathtaking.Spread out beneath the statue is the Tijuca Forest, resplendent with attractions to enchant visitors beneath the cooling canopy among natural pools and waterfalls. There is, for example, the Mayrink chapel, which features murals painted by Candido Portinari, one of Brazil's most well-known modern artists, and the Museu do Acude, housing colonial furniture and a collection of china from the East India Company.
Address : Corcovado Railroad Station. Rua Cosme Velho 513, Cosme Velho
Website : www.corcovado.com.br
Telephone : +55 21 2558 1329
Opening times : Open daily, from 8am to 7pm. Train departs every 30 minutes.
Admission : BRL 75 (adults - weekends and high season), BRL 62 (adults - low season), BRL 49 (children) for a round-trip and entry to the Christ the Redeemer Statue.
The Rio Iguaçu begins its journey in the coastal mountains of Paraná and Santa Catarina, snaking west for 370 miles (600km) before it widens majestically, plunging and crashing through the jungle in tiered falls at the border with Argentina and Paraguay. The Foz do Iguaçu (Iguaçu Falls) are more than two miles (3km) wide and 262ft (80m) high (almost twice the height of Niagara Falls), and their beauty is unmatched. Their name, fittingly, comes from the Guarani Indian word meaning 'great waters'. The deep flowing waters of the river tumble down 275 falls, the most famous of which is Devil's Throat on the Argentinian border, with a drop of 230ft (70m).As well as taking in the stunning views, visitors can enjoy kayaking and other water sports in the river. The best time of year to visit is August to November, when there is least risk of floodwaters hindering the approach to the boardwalks. The falls are surrounded by the Iguaçu National Park, a huge sub-tropical rainforest covering 135,000 acres that is home to thousands of different species of animals and birds including parrots and hummingbirds.
Immortalised in a popular song, 'The girl from Ipanema', this neighbourhood of Rio offers not only a legendary beach, but numerous excellent hotels, a bustling nightlife, sophisticated shopping opportunities, and quality restaurants, all within walking distance of each other. Ipanema, the name, incongruously, means 'bad water', is famous for setting fashion trends, particularly in the line of skimpy swimwear. Fashion followers should look out for the famous bikini boutiques like Salinas, Blue Man, and Bum-Bum. Tourists should make sure to explore the Rua Garcia D'Avila to shop for designer fashion, jewellery, and furniture. The nearby Amsterdam Sauer Museum of Gems makes for an interesting tour around the workshop. There are numerous other streets in and around Ipanema to explore, including the eclectic commercial street Visconde de Piraja, lined with speciality shops, bars, restaurants, and some of Rio's best boutiques. Visit the bohemian fair at General Osorio Square on Sundays for wooden sculptures, handcrafts, exotic musical instruments, and artworks.
Address : Avenida Vieira Souto
Where the dark waters of the Rio Negro join the lighter, muddy waters of the Rio Solimoes, an incredible natural phenomenon results. The separate shades of water run side by side for a length of more than four miles (6km) without mixing. The separation is caused by the difference in temperature, density, and flow of the waters from each river: Rio Negro travels at about a mile (2km) per hour with a temperature of 72ºF (22ºC), while Rio Solimoes flows at between two and four miles (4-6km) per hour with a temperature of 82ºF (28ºC). This phenomenon has become a major tourist attraction in Brazil, best accessed by taking an hour's journey by boat from the floating docks in Manaus to see the dramatically divided waters.
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