Maps and Guidebooks
Brazil for travelers (Download .pdf - 4Mb)
Map Brazil for travelers (Download .pdf -1Mb)
Our website already provides maps and links for further information, but nothing beats a good hardcopy guide.
Guidebooks
Guia 4 Rodas - Updated yearly, gives the most complete overview of hotels, restaurants and sights to see in Brazil. Publishes maps and separate guides as well. In Portuguese, but uses a lot of international icons, so it is understandable for foreign users. Available at most newsstands in Brazil.
Guias Philips-Insight type guides, with good background information and quality photographs of Amazon, Pantanal & Bonito, NorthEast and South Brazil and the National Parks. Available through their own site Horizonte Geográfico.
Non Brazilian Guides : Lonely Planet; Footprint, Rough Guide, Fodor’s, Routard.
City Maps
Online maps : Maporama and Apontador
Visas and passports
An entry visa is not required for holders of passports from many (but not all) European* and all South American* countries for a stay of up to 90 days (60 days in the case of Venezuela). Entry visa are required for most citizens from Africa*, Middle East*, Asia* and Oceania.
As a matter of reciprocity, a visa is required for citizens of North American countries.
Tourist visas can be renewed for a period of 180 days per year. Passports must be valid for at least six months after the planned date of arrival in Brazil
As visa requirements can change, always check about the necessary documentation and where visas can be obtained, with your travel agent or directly with the Brazilian consulate in your country. A list of Brazilian embassies and consulates abroad and foreign embassies and consulates in Brazil can be found at this address.
Brazil Foreign Ministry site
• At the moment (April 2004) citizens from these countries do not require a visa to enter Brazil for tourism purposes and a stay of up to 90 days (except Venezuelans for a stay of up to 60 days):
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Andorra |
Argentina |
Austria |
Bahamas |
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Barbados |
Belgium |
Bolivia |
Chile |
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Colombia |
Costa Rica |
Denmark |
Ecuador |
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France |
Finland |
Germany |
Greece |
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Hungary |
Iceland |
Ireland |
Israel |
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Italy |
Liechtenstein |
Luxembourg |
Malaysia |
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Mexico |
Monaco |
Morocco |
The Netherlands |
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Namibia |
Norway |
Panama |
Paraguay |
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Peru |
The Philippines |
Poland |
Portugal |
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San Marino |
Slovenia |
South Africa |
South Korea |
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Spain |
Surinam |
Sweden |
Switzerland |
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Thailand |
Trinidad & Tobago |
United Kingdom |
Uruguay |
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The Vatican |
Venezuela |
Currency
The currency in Brazil is the Real (abbreviated to R$). Dollars and traveler''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''s checks can easily be changed in hotels, authorized banks and travel agencies. International credit cards are accepted in most hotels, shops and restaurants. In big cities it is possible to draw cash using Cirrus or Maestro cards.
International Currency Converter
To help you in budgeting your trip, enter a local currency amount to check the equivalent amount in Brazilian Reais (or Reals). Or enter a Brazilian Real amount to convert to your local currency. Exchange rates are updated daily so rates are not exact.
Health Matters
With some sensible planning before your departure, simple precautions during your travels, you can avoid most health problems in Brazil. See your doctor (especially if you already have some health problem) and make sure your vaccinations are up to date. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended (and is required if you are coming from certain countries to Brazil) for all lowland tropical areas. Malaria is present in the Amazon states (Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima, Tocantins, western Maranhão and northern Mato Grosso). The use of anti-malarials, which do not offer complete protection and have side-effects, should be weighed against the real risk of exposure (which varies over time and by region). Check with your doctor.
Make sure you have adequate health insurance and travel with a basic health kit. Brazil has a very good network of pharmacies.
Language
Portuguese is the national language, but the Portuguese spoken in Brazil is quite different, in accent and intonation, from the language spoken in Portugal. Brazilians like to communicate. They appreciate people using some basic Portuguese, but know that not many foreigners can speak their language. Many Brazilians understand some Spanish and the number of Brazilians learning English is increasing and if all else fails will use "sign" language. So you will be able to make yourself understood.
Accommodation
With more than 28,000 options to choose from, Brazil offers a huge variety of accommodation, able to satisfy the most varied and demanding of tastes.
Booking a Trip Locally
Brazil has about 10 thousand travel agencies (Brazilian Travel Agency Association - ABAV and tour operators. The major tour operators have their own organizations: Braztoa and Bito
Air Travel
Distances are large in Brazil, so you should consider using domestic flights to get from one region to the other. Brazil has a good flight network. The main Brazilian airlines cover most domestic flights. There are also regional airlines, offering high levels of comfort and security.
Domestic flights map
Amadeus
Bus Transport
The bus is the most popular form of transport for traveling between states and there are very comfortable buses for long distance trips.
Car rental
Rental cars, with or without a driver, are available for tourists at the main airports and in city centers. Most big international companies are represented and there are also good Brazilian companies.
Taxis
There are a large number of taxis in most cities. Regular taxis, with a meter, can be hailed in the street. Radio-taxis can be called by phone. Taxis are very cheap compared to Europe and USA. In some Brazilian regions the taxis that have air-conditioning are a bit more expensive.
Tipping
Most restaurants and bars include a 10% service charge on the bill. It is usual to leave a little more if the service was good. When it is not included on the bill, the general rule is a tip of between 10 and 15%. Taxi drivers do not expect to be tipped.
Voltage
In the majority of Brazilian cities the electric current is either 110 or 220 volts, although it is advisable to confirm the voltage before plugging in any appliance.
Communications
Any part of the world can be reached in real time by phone, fax or e-mail.
Climate
The climate in Brazil varies according to latitude and altitude. The seasons are exactly the opposite of those in Europe and the United States (except in the north of the country). The average annual temperature is approximately 28oC in the north and 20oC in the south.
Average Temperature:
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See the temperature at this moment in Rio de Janeiro:
