Why Travel to Brazil?

Brazil is a place that has a little bit of everything. Very few tourist destinations can offer such varied options as Brazil. Its natural beauties, the enormous popular festivities and the countless protected environmental reserves are valuable attractions that astound the foreign tourist when it comes time to choose a vacation destination. Its unique characteristics ensure international fame, attracting thousands of tourists for every part of the world all year long. The diversity of the culture and the scenery are the country's strong points. But the best part you only get to know when you arrive there: the Brazilian people.

This mix of races and colors makes this a happy and fun-loving people, yet strong, fighting and full of pride for its land. And it has a hospitable spirit unequalled anywhere else in the world. All of these qualities bound together make Brazil the ideal destination for those who wish to be well received and treated as if at home.

One of the most appreciated Brazilian destinations by visitors is Rio de Janeiro - the Marvelous City, with its stunningly beautiful scenery and home of the greatest popular party in the world: carnival. It is a grandiose commemoration that gathers thousands of partygoers annually to have fun and watch the Samba School parades, teeming with floats, resplendent color and dance.

Carnival is also among the main attractions of other Brazilian cities: like Rio, São Paulo also has fun-filled parades with Samba Schools; in Pernambuco, the carnivals of Olinda and Recife are the highlights as the people take to the streets in their costumes and follow the "blocos" and "maracatus" with their bands, carrying the famous giant dolls; in Salvador, the capital of Bahia, the entertainment is left up to mobile stages with electric bands that are followed through the streets by millions of people to the sound of axé, a typical rhythm from Bahia, until daybreak.

After the intense dancing and partying, nothing better than enjoying the country's beautiful beaches, which stretch for over seven thousand kilometers of coastline. No one fails to be enchanted by the natural beauty of these veritable paradises of white sand and turquoise waters. Among the most visited, there are the famous beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana, on the Rio de Janeiro coast; Joaquina, in the south of the country, famous for its national and international surfing championships; the Praia do Forte, on the northern coast of Bahia, home of the Tamar Project, for preserving sea turtles; and the marvelous beaches of the Fernando de Noronha archipelago.

The heart of Brazil also reserves natural treasures that enchant and surprise even the most experienced travelers. Among these rarities, there is Foz do Iguaçu, a city located along the triple border of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. Its greatest attraction is the series of 275 waterfalls a little more than 60 meters high known as Iguassu Falls - one of the most impressive sceneries anywhere.

And we cannot forget one of the world icons of ecology and biodiversity: the Amazon. Located in the north of the country, it encompasses an area of approximately 5.5 million square kilometers. It is considered the largest equatorial forest on the planet, occupying 61% of the national territory and extrapolating Brazilian borders. It is estimated that the regions forests concentrate 60% of all of the planet's life forms - more than half of which are still unknown to science.

That is how our country is, a unique mixture of happiness, beauty, colors, hospitality and great pleasure. Come and get to know Brazil, too. Those who come, become fans.

Brazil's climatic typology is very diverse. The huge territorial expanse, allied with factors such as temperature, altitude, barometric pressure and proximity to the ocean, provide the country with climatic conditions that can please everyone. It is one of the richest and most complex ecosystems in the world, with extremely diversified vegetation and sceneries. The Brazilian territory is divided into climatic strips: 92% of the territory is located between the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn. We can therefore say that the Brazilian climate is predominantly tropical, with equatorial and subtropical (temperate zones) strips distributed over the remaining 8% of the nation's territory. The predominance of lower altitudes throughout the country provides more elevated temperatures, with averages exceeding 20°C. The seasons are the exact opposite of those in Europe and the United States, except in the northern region of the country. The average annual temperature is approximately 28ºC in the northern region and 20ºC, in the south. Extreme temperatures are rare, but they may occur: in the winter, some cities in the south of the country experience negative temperatures, with frost and snow. And in Rio de Janeiro, in the peak of summer, the temperature may hit 40ºC. Now that you know about our climate, choose the temperature you find most pleasant and come fall in love with the beauty Brazil has to offer.

The currency used in Brazil is called the Real (R$) and the foreign exchange rate is published daily in the newspapers and other specialized sites. Foreign exchange can be handled in banks, travel agencies and authorized hotels. Travelers' checks as well as currencies are easily exchanged at these locations. International credit cards are accepted at most hotels, restaurants, stores, travel agencies, car rental companies and other companies that render services to tourists. A floating exchange rate is used. The Brazilian currency has remained reasonably stable. In May of 2008, the American dollar maintaned and average exchange rate of R$1,71, according to data from the Brazilian Central Bank.