OFTEN DESCRIBED as Portugal’s beautiful but
However, once you see the stupendous beaches, all becomes clear… Copacabana and Ipanema are the most famous, but there are thousands more that are just as beautiful.
If you’re planning a trip to Brazil, it’s useful to view the country as being broadly divided into five regions, each with its own unique character, but all with one important factor in common – the Brazilian people, who are incredibly friendly, happy and welcoming to tourists.
Up in the north east region, you’ll find seaside resort cities such as Recife, Natal and Fortaleza, where holidays cost a fraction of comparable packages in the Caribbean. To the north are the seven Amazon River states – each contains part of the Amazon River system, and the area is known for adventure travel and bird watching holidays. The central western region is home to the capital city of Brasilia, a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its architecture. It is also where you will find the Pantanal, the world’s largest wetland and home to huge numbers of crocodiles and anacondas. The southern region has the world famous Iguazu waterfalls and the resorts of Santa Catarina and Florianopolis, which are just coming into fashion as holiday destinations.
If you’re in search of a holiday with a difference, why not consider one of the new eco resorts based in more isolated areas with their own private beaches, such as the Lagoa Eco Resort in Tibau. Finally, you’ll find the established resort cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in the south east.
Riotous Rio
Thanks to its world famous carnival, Rio, the cidade maravilhosa (marvellous city), is best known for its year round revelry. “Your buzz is your charm,” wrote poet Carlos Drummond de Andrade. Meanwhile, the locals, known as Cariocas, take pride in their reputation as world-class party people. They live for dance, drink, sport, sun and, of course, the beach. While Copacabana offers endless sand and crashing waves, Rio’s beautiful people tend to prefer Ipanema. Further out of town, Joatinga beach offers peace and tranquility, while surfers head for Prainha.
When the sun goes down, it’s time to party – no trip to Rio is complete without a night on the tiles. This is the year of choro, a kind of samba. The godfather of contemporary choro was Rio native, Pixinguiha (1897-1973), and the music is currently enjoying a revival, with choro played in bars across the city. So, make like the Cariocas – dance choro and toss down caipirinhas (traditional cocktail) until the sun comes up!
When to go
The high season runs from December to March,
Here at PDM, we have constant promotions to the various regions in Brazil, especially in wintertime, when a week long package holiday to Fortaleza can cost as little as 465 euros. We can also book great value two centre holidays, featuring a week in Cabo Verde followed by a week in Brazil.
