Brazil
Taking up the majority of the continent, Brazil is a real mammoth of a country, and one that just cannot be fully explored without a considerable amount of time! Blessed with an abundance of pristine, white sandy beaches, some overrun by tourists and some secluded, untouched gems! Home to some of the most diverse wildlife on earth, you can explore the Pantanal & the mysterious monster that is The Amazon! Feel the aura of the Iguazu Falls as they cascade thunderously in front of your eyes! Dance to the samba beat through the streets of towns and cities throughout the country, join in playing the beautiful game (that is football for you non-football worshipers) on the streets or beaches with the people who play it best and marvel at the "Marvellous City" itself, Rio De Janeiro!
Brazil literally has everything you would ever need! Now go and explore it!
Planning a trip to Brazil?
This country cannot be taken lightly, and was in fact never in our plans! As much as we did want to visit, we just thought that it wouldn't be worth even attempting with the amount of time/money that we had for this trip.
Oh, how glad are we that we did eventually choose to cross its border, even if it was only briefly! This country now holds a special place in my heart and I cannot wait to return to finish off what we started!
Our first stop was crossing the border from Argentina to Foz do Iguacu, yeah that's right! We're here to see the falls! This tiny town sits in a peculiar place, sitting not far from the border of three countries (Argentina, Brazil & Paraguay) it was hard not to stroll over the border to see what Paraguay has to offer! But, short on time we now had a decision to make, and at the time this decision seemed like, life or death! Ok, so even though we had chosen to stay on the Brazilian side of the falls, we did still have the choice to visit the falls from the Argentinian side. After much deliberation, google searches and countless messages to friends for recommendations, we finally decided to visit the Brazilian side of the falls!
YOU HAVE TO VISIT! Now if like us, you just cannot decide then go to both sides.. If you are short on time (like us!) then flip a coin, you will not be disappointed, just to have the opportunity to witness this natural wonder up close will (Quite literally..) blow you away! Make sure to bring a poncho or even a change of clothes because you will be soaked!
As soon as we had dried off, it was time to head back to the hostel, BUT, the falls aren't the only thing that Foz do Iguacu has to offer! There is one other attraction that was massively unexpected for us, that was the Parque das Aves (Bird Park in English..). We almost overlooked this, and nearly shrugged it off as another tourist trap, but it actually turned out to be incredible! You are literally surrounded by hundreds of tropical birds, strolling past Giant Macaws, Toucans, Cassowaries, Flamingos & so many more! You must visit!
Our next stop in this magnificent country was in fact our last stop of our 8 month long Latin American trip, and we could not have picked a better place to say Ciao to the trip of our lives!
Famously named 'The Marvelous City', and rightly so. Rio de Janeiro has a feel like no other! A country within a country, a city that is well and truly marvelous, and a city that blew us away, taking the crown of our favourite city in the world! Explore the countless beaches along the coast, from Copacabana to Ipanema, to Botofogo to Leblon and many, many more! You can spend all day watching the locals show off playing beach football or volleyball and watch the sunset while sinking a few caipirinha's. Everywhere you look is a postcard moment.
I'm sure that this is already on everyone's list but just so that you do not forget, make sure you ride the famous cable car or in fact you can save a bit of money and hike to the top of Sugarloaf mountain for jaw-dropping views over Rio!
Lots of people will say that this is the best viewpoint in Rio, and lots of people will also argue with that. Rio is blessed with some incredible hikes and viewpoints but for me the best view of Rio has to be from the top of Dois Irmaos! This short hike is grueling in the midday sun, so make sure that you wake up early and set out to beat the sun and the crowds.. Starting at the base of Vidigal Favela, this is a perfect place to get a taste of Favela life without the added risks of course. After taking a moto or collectivo through the winding streets, you start the hike at a small football pitch in the centre of the Favela, from here it is roughly an hour and a half hike! You will then be rewarded by a view that will leave you breathless (or that might just have been the hike itself..)!
Another attraction that for some will be at the top of their list, Cristo de Redeemer! One of the seven wonders of the world and rightly so! This can be seen from all around the city, walking the streets near our Air BnB in Botafogo, you can see the big man himself prominently high up in the sky. However, we had to see him up close and as much as I have seen pictures all over the internet and on the TV, I was not prepared for how overpowering it truly is! The view from the top of Corcavado wasn't too bad either, you definitely need to add this to your bucket list!
Rio is also a foodie heaven, filled with unbelievable street food and restaurants to die for! You just have to be open to try EVERYTHING and if you're a meat eater, then you're in luck. Brazilians are obsessed with their steaks and you can try any cut possible with their traditional eat as much as you can offers! Bear in mind, you will leave crawling out of the door with a food baby on its way!
As well as food, Rio also has a spirited nightlife! Even though you have to be wary, the neighborhood of Lapa and Santa Teresa are must visits, with great bars and even better parties, it would be rude not too! While you are there you may also stumble across a certain flight of stairs.. The famous Escadaria Selaron!
There is so much more to see in Rio and I will be writing a few blog posts on our time here in more detail, so keep your eyes peeled! As well as Rio, Brazil definitely has more to offer and if you have more time then you have to visit these places! I know that we will be back to finish off what we started!
- Salvador
- Manaus & The Amazon
- The Pantanal
- Itacare
- Sao Paolo
- Paraty
- Florianopolis
- Ilha Grande
- Recife
- Bonito
- Belo Horizonte
- Ouro Preto
- Tiradentes
Staying Safe in Rio..
With all that is good with the city, it also comes with its downfalls.. Plagued by a torrid past, this city has seen it all, and unfortunately although not as bad as past times, this city is still riddled with crime and drugs. Of all the places that we have visited on this trip, and that includes travelling through El Salvador & Honduras as well as visiting Mexico, Guatemala & Colombia, Rio was the only place were we felt on edge! That being said, Rio is actually our favourite city in the world!! You will hear horror stories, and lots of advice on where to go and what not to do, so by all means, listen to them but do not run in fear. This is a special city which does have its problems, take the tips and advice on board but try not to let it ruin your time here! Trouble is easily avoided, do not walk the streets alone at night, take Uber's. If a local tells you not to go to a certain area of town, listen to them. Don't walk around flashing your money (Fancy cameras, big watches, cash etc), you're asking for trouble. Don't get to drunk and wander around on your own, stay in big groups. Do not enter non tourist friendly Favelas on your own, although most Favelas are now civil, with a crack down from police presence and certain Favelas are now tourist friendly for example the Vidigal. However, some are still very dangerous places to be, so just be careful. Even with the tourist friendly Favelas, be wary and do not flash your valuables.
Getting Around..
As I said earlier, this is a HUGE country and in-turn travel time is very, very long! If you have the time, you can take buses, including night buses. But if like ourselves you are short on time or want to cover large amounts of the country, then flying is probably your best bet! Make sure to search through Skyscanner for really cheap deals, you may end up changing your plans if you find a cheap flight to somewhere you didn't have in your plans, so remember to keep your option open! When you are in the big cities, again we found that Uber was by far a lot cheaper and SAFER than regular taxi's, remember never flag down a taxi in the street, especially in Rio, always arrange one from your hostel/hotel or just order an Uber! Along with Uber's, Rio also has the metro line, which is very quick, efficient and from our own experience, safe!
Our Route..
Useful Info
- Capital City: Brasilia
- Time Difference: GMT minus four hours.
- Language Spoken: The official language here is Portuguese, although similar to read and write to Spanish it is completely different when spoken. So, if you are travelling throughout South America, make sure that you scrub up on Portuguese as well as Spanish!
- Local Cuisine: There is often a competitive edge between Brazilian's & Argentinian's, for whose barbecued meat is the best in the world, so I had to try both! Now I couldn't pick a winner between the two, BUT I do now have a favourite cut of meat and that was from Brazil.. The Picanha (also known as the rump cap) is melt in your mouth perfect and you just have to try it! Other must eats are; the Pao de Queijo (Cheese bread), Acai (Blended Amazon palm berries, sometimes mixed with other fruits and granola), Tapioca (Often in the form of a crepe, with either a savoury option of meat & cheese or a sweet version of chocolate& fruit), Pastel (Deep-fried pastry covered in oil, more commonly filled with cheese or meat), and finally my favourite dish is Feijoada (A stew of black beans and pieces of meat).
- Local Beers & Drink: The most common beers that you will come across here are Skol, Antartica & Brahma. You must also try the famous Caipirinha (The famous cocktail, is made with cachaça, sugar and lime and can be seen being drank throughout the country).
- Visa: Not required for most countries for stay of up to 90 days. However, some nations such as USA, Canada & Australia do have to pay a hefty fee!
- Entrance & Exit Fee: For British citizens and most other countries there are no fees, but certain countries such as, USA, Canada & Australia do have to pay a substantial reciprocity fee.
- Proof of Onward Travel: This is a little unclear, we already had our flight home booked before we entered the country, but we did not get asked for proof of this. Although lots of people do get asked to provide proof that they are leaving within 90 days, so do your research and it may be worth to be organised and prepare this in advance.
- Currency & Exchange Rate (Aug 2018): Brazilian Real (R$) £1 = $4.98 R$ / $1 = $3.90 R$
- Useful prices to note;
- 1 night in a hostel (Dorm Bed) = $24.90 - $59.80 R$ / £5 - £12 / $6.35 - $59.80
- (Private Double Room) = $69.70 - $274 R$ / £14 - £55 / $19.10 - £70
- 1 local beer = $4.5 - $7 R$ / £0.90 - £1.40 / $1.15 - $1.80
- A typical meal for one = $20 - $30 R$ / £4 - £6 / $5.10 - $7.65
- Average cost of an overnight bus journey = $99 - $124.50 R$ / £20 - £25 / $25.40 - $31.80
Brazilian Real (R$) / British Pound (£) / US Dollar (USD)
Our Must Visit Place..
Although we only spent around ten days in the country and only visited two places, we did manage to fit a lot into our time in Brazil, with lots of memorable highlights. However, one thing does stand out for me and I will never forget the experience of not only seeing a Favela up close and personal, but hiking through the centre of it to the most incredible view point, with overlooked the whole city, catching glimpse of the big man standing tall on top of Corcavado Mountain and then looking down below on to the beautiful Ipanema beach. Yeah, that is right, our favourite place to visit in Brazil was in fact, the MORRO DOIS IRMAOS (The Two Brothers Mountain!).
