THE FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE ARRIVING IN BRAZIL

 When to Go:

a) Before you plan to visit Brazil decide what it is you want to see. The main question is:

• Do you want to see Brazilian Carnival or do you want to see the real Brazil?

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

• 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!

1 - Language:

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

2 - Visa: British,Philand, New Zealand, Portugal and some others country passport, holders do not need a visa to enter Brazil but passport holders from some countries, such as the US, Australia do. If you have any doubts about the need for a visa, consult the airline with which you will be flying or contact the Brazilian Consulate . Tourists are normally allowed to stay in Brazil for three months and this - at the discretion of the Federal Police - can be extended for a further three months if necessary. A tourist does not have the right to work while in Brazil.

3 - 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 more than 210 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 20,5 million residents and Rio de Janeiro second with 9,0 million.

4 - 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 workingwomen 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.

And more:

5 - Money and Exchange Rates: Brazil’s currency since 1 July, 1994, is the Real (R$) which is roughly valued at R$1,90 = US$1.00 - It's a unsteady Exchange Rates depend on the day quotation.

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.

vejaBr© Brazilian tourism portal - All Rights Reserved  Copyright© 1998-2008 Minimal Resolution  1024x768 pixels -  Since 30/05/98