Quick Guide to Visiting Brazil

QUICK GUIDE TO THE FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE ARRIVING IN BRAZIL

When to Go: Before you plan to visit Brazil decide what it is you want to see. Do you want to see Carnival or do you want to see the real Brazil?

Carnival in all the major cities is mainly about nightlife, exotic parades and wonderful parties. Carnival is for the young or young-at-heart who have money to spend. If this is what you want from your holiday then Carnival is the time to choose. If, on the other hand, you want to see the Brazil that has fascinated travelers and explorers for centuries for its warmth, diversity and outstanding beauty, you should think of coming to Brazil at any other time of the year but Carnival. That is when you learn about the true Brazil.

Weather: Most of Brazil from Rio de Janeiro to the north is blessed with a tropical climate where it is difficult to tell when spring becomes summer and summer, autumn.

Rio’s average temperature, for example, is around 27ºC (80º F) which climbs to 40ºC, the low hundreds, during the summer months that stretch from December through to March. In the middle of winter, July, the temperatures in Rio can drop as low as 18ºC (65ºF) during the day!

North of Rio, the weather becomes noticeable more tropical while to the south it can get quite cool, even cold, during the winter months.

Language: The language in Brazil is Portuguese. Spanish, and to a much lesser extent English, will help you get around.

Size: With an area of 8,512,000 square kilometers (3.3 million square miles), a coastline of 7,250 kilometers (4,500 miles) of warm, white beaches and a population of 170 million, Brazil is the world’s fifth largest nation in terms of area and population. Brazil has thirteen metropolitan areas with a population of over one million of which São Paulo is the largest with 10.5 million residents and Rio de Janeiro second with 5.9 million.

Dress: Brazilians, even in the major cities, dress casually outside the office. None of the country's top restaurants insist on collar and tie although the occasional private club does.

Collar and tie still predominate in formal office and business surroundings in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and most working women wear dresses or skirts. Ladies should remember to pack a jacket or shawl when coming to Brazil, as some of the buildings and restaurants can be a little enthusiastic with the air conditioning.

When packing keep in mind that cities like Rio and São Paulo are big, fashionable, cosmopolitan cities and not small tourist resorts. If you forget to bring some item of clothing, don’t worry; you will be able to find what you forgot in any of the big shopping centers.

When heading further south in South America, remember to pack some warmer clothes, especially during the Southern Hemisphere's winter months.

Drugs: Brazil, like most South American countries, takes a dim view of drug offences, including by foreign visitors. Your own consulate is likely to agree.

Money and Exchange Rates: Brazil’s currency since 1 July, 1994, is the Real (R$) which is roughly valued at R$2.19 = CD1.00 (as of December 2004)

Most Brazilians understand dollars and as a foreign currency it is by far the most widely accepted and throughout the country gives the best exchange rate. In the main cities there is little problem in changing other foreign currencies and there is an extensive network of ATMs. Most major credit cards are accepted in Brazil.

As when visiting any country, it is worth getting hold of some low denomination notes and coins on arrival.