Country

BrazilBrasil

First trip: Rio de Janeiro 4–5 nights, plus one other region by air (Iguaçu Falls 2, Salvador/Bahia 4, the Amazon from Manaus 3–4 or the Pantanal 3–4); Brazil is larger than the contiguous US, so never plan it by bus.

Open Americas Plan a trip Compare in Americas

More: share, save offline, report a correction

2 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days

Every region, city and park in Brazil (Atlas) →

Key facts

Best months: Mar–Nov by month →
Visa: Depends on your passport
Currency: Brazilian real (BRL, R$)
Language: Portuguese
Plugs: N · C · 127 V (Rio, São Paulo) or 220 V (Brasília, much of the Northeast)
Time zone: Brasília time UTC−3

Month by monthIn detail ↓

Rules in force · 3Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the fir…

South America ↗Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the first day light; sleep lower where you can (Sacred Valley before Cusco) and descend if headache comes with vomiting or confusion.
South America ↗A yellow fever certificate is required on arrival in French Guiana, and asked for on some routes into Bolivia, Paraguay, Suriname and Guyana, or when arriving from Amazon areas — vaccinate at least 10 days before travel and carry the card.
South America ↗Overnight buses are the norm in Argentina, Chile and Peru, but pick top-tier companies and keep valuables on your body; on-board thefts from overhead racks are the common loss.

Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide

Checking your follows…

Understand in one strip

Capital: Brasília; São Paulo and Rio are the largest cities and main gateways
Language: Portuguese; English limited outside upscale hotels and tours; Spanish partly understood
Currency: Brazilian real (BRL, R$); cards and Pix everywhere
Plugs: Type N (three round pins), older type C; 127 V or 220 V depending on the city
Driving: Right-hand side; aggressive traffic; avoid driving at night outside cities
Tipping: 10% service charge usually on the bill; optional
Emergency: 190 police, 192 ambulance, 193 fire
Time zone: Brasília time UTC−3 (Rio, São Paulo, Salvador); Manaus UTC−4; no daylight saving

Brazil is continental in size: Rio to Manaus is about four hours by air, and São Paulo to Salvador about two. Trips break when they try to cover the coast, the falls and the Amazon in ten days with overnight buses. Pick Rio plus one region, fly between them, and take street safety seriously in big cities: phone and bag theft is the main risk. US, Canadian and Australian citizens need an e-visa again since April 2025, the Amazon and Pantanal call for a yellow fever jab, and Portuguese — not Spanish — is the language.

About Brazil

The largest country in South America and home to about 213 million people, Brazil is a federal republic of 26 states and a federal district. Portuguese colonisation, three centuries of slavery and waves of European, Japanese and Middle Eastern migration made one of the world's most mixed societies. Politics were polarised through the 2020s; the economy mixes agribusiness, industry and services.

Where's good this month

Each region's weather and verdict, holidays, crowds

NovemberGoCrowds medium· Prices medium

Summer building; São Paulo Formula 1 Grand Prix; 20 Nov national holiday.

Where's good: Northeast coast, North coast and dunes, South and Iguaçu

Northeast coastSalvador, Recife, Olinda, Maceió, Porto de GalinhasGood
Goodbest: dry, mild
Warm all year (26–30 °C (79–86 °F)); the rainy season is roughly April–July on the Salvador–Recife coast.Warm all year (79–86 °F (26–30 °C)); the rainy season is roughly April–July on the Salvador–Recife coast.
North coast and dunesFortaleza, Jericoacoara, Lençóis MaranhensesGood
Goodbest: dry, mild
Rain February–May fills the Lençóis lagoons, best to swim June–September; kitesurf wind July–January.
South and IguaçuFoz do Iguaçu, Florianópolis, GramadoGood
Goodbest: dry, mild
Hot summers, cool winters with frost in the highlands; the falls are fullest after rains, most often in summer.
Rio and the Southeast coastRio de Janeiro, Paraty, Ilha Grande, São PauloFair
Fairok: workable
Hot, humid summers with heavy downpours and floods (December–March); dry, sunny, 20–26 °C (68–79 °F) winters are the sightseeing season. São Paulo is cooler and rainier.Hot, humid summers with heavy downpours and floods (December–March); dry, sunny, 68–79 °F (20–26 °C) winters are the sightseeing season. São Paulo is cooler and rainier.
AmazonManaus, Amazon lodges, BelémFair
Fairok: workable
Hot and humid all year; high water around May–July lets canoes enter flooded forest; low water August–November exposes beaches. Fire smoke can haze the sky in September–October.
PantanalCuiabá, Poconé, Transpantaneira, BonitoFair
Fairok: workable
Dry season (June–October) concentrates wildlife around waterholes: the jaguar season; the wet season floods roads. Fires and smoke have hit August–October in recent years.

Holidays and festivals in November

All Souls / Republic Day / Black Consciousness Day · 2 Nov / 15 Nov / 20 Nov — 20 Nov became a national holiday in 2024.

Pick a route

Nights per stop, as the guide plans them

7 days10 days14 days

Rio and Iguaçu

Rio de Janeiro, 5 nightsArrival + day plans
Foz do Iguaçu, 2 nightsBasic guide

See both sides of the falls if your schedule allows; fly out of IGU or back via São Paulo.

Rio, the Costa Verde and the falls

Rio de Janeiro, 4 nightsArrival + day plans
Paraty, 2 nightsBasic guide
Ilha Grande, 2 nightsNo guide yet
Foz do Iguaçu, 2 nightsBasic guide

Shuttle vans link Rio, Paraty and the Ilha Grande boat pier.

City, culture and rainforest

Rio de Janeiro, 5 nightsArrival + day plans
Salvador, 4 nightsBasic guide
Manaus, 1 nightsBasic guide
Amazon lodge, 3 nightsNo guide yet
Manaus, 1 nightsBasic guide

Yellow fever jab 10+ days before; swap the Amazon for the Pantanal in July–October.

Customize this route Explore cities

Top destinations in Brazil, ranked

For a first or second trip

Ranked for a first or second trip; fly between regions.

Rio de Janeiro
Arrival + day plans
Mountains, beaches, samba.
4–5 nights in Rio de Janeiro · Best Apr–Oct
Iguaçu Falls
No guide yet
The great falls, Brazilian panorama.
2 nights in Iguaçu Falls · Best Mar–May, Aug–Nov
Salvador
Basic guide
Afro-Brazilian culture and colonial core.
3–4 nights in Salvador · Best Sep–Mar
Pantanal
No guide yet
Jaguars and wetland wildlife.
3–4 nights in Pantanal · Best Jun–Oct
Amazon (Manaus lodges)
No guide yet
Rainforest and rivers.
3–4 nights in Amazon (Manaus lodges) · Best Jun–Nov
Paraty and Ilha Grande
No guide yet
Colonial port and car-free island.
3 nights in Paraty and Ilha Grande · Best Apr–Oct
São Paulo
Basic guide
Food, art, nightlife.
2–3 nights in São Paulo · Best Apr–Oct
Lençóis Maranhenses
No guide yet
Dune lagoons.
3 nights in Lençóis Maranhenses · Best Jun–Sep
Ouro Preto
Basic guide
Baroque gold-rush town.
2 nights in Ouro Preto · Best Apr–Sep

Show all 9 destinationsShow fewer

Decide the trip

What the country is like, who it suits and how long to give it

Open Decide the tripClose Decide the trip7 partsUnderstand in one strip · At a glance · Understand · First vs second trip · Good for · Time math · Fit my nights

Understand in one stripCapital · Language · Currency · Plugs · Driving · Tipping · Emergency · Time zone8 parts

Capital: Brasília; São Paulo and Rio are the largest cities and main gateways
Language: Portuguese; English limited outside upscale hotels and tours; Spanish partly understood
Currency: Brazilian real (BRL, R$); cards and Pix everywhere
Plugs: Type N (three round pins), older type C; 127 V or 220 V depending on the city
Driving: Right-hand side; aggressive traffic; avoid driving at night outside cities
Tipping: 10% service charge usually on the bill; optional
Emergency: 190 police, 192 ambulance, 193 fire
Time zone: Brasília time UTC−3 (Rio, São Paulo, Salvador); Manaus UTC−4; no daylight saving

Brazil: open now, and what is next

3 regions planned

On this page

1 of 4 regions open, with where to sleep and for how long
1 trip line with arrival paths and day plans
484 basic city guides
How to split 7, 10, 14 days
Money: cash, cards and ATMs
Safety notes and the rules that apply on every page below

Coming as the guide grows

Iguaçu Falls (Foz do Iguaçu) — The Brazilian side of the falls; Argentine side as a day trip · 2–3 nights
Bahia and the Northeast — Salvador, beaches of Bahia, Recife/Olinda and Fortaleza · 4–6 nights
Amazon and Pantanal — Jungle lodges from Manaus; wildlife in the Pantanal from Cuiabá or Campo Grande · 3–5 nights

Meanwhile

At a glance

1–5, with the reason

Each bar is 1 to 5. Green means the score makes the trip easier, amber is middling, red is harder; the words next to each score say what that end of the scale means, so colour is never the only signal.

Cost3/5 · middling

Moderate; Rio and lodges are pricey, the Northeast and buffets are cheap.

Cash necessity2/5 · cards everywhere

Cards, tap-to-pay and Pix everywhere.

English on the ground2/5 · rare

Limited English; Portuguese needed outside hotels.

Connectivity4/5 · fast everywhere

Good 4G/5G in cities; nothing deep in the Amazon or Pantanal.

Transport ease3/5 · middling

Good domestic flights and buses; huge distances.

Safety2/5 · high risk

Street crime in big cities is the biggest travel risk; plan routes and use apps.

Heat / climate risk4/5 · severe

Hot and humid in most regions most of the year.

Understand

People, belief, history that matters on the ground

People: About 213 million; largely mixed (pardo), white and Black; large Japanese, Italian, German and Lebanese-descended communities.
Government: Federal presidential republic.
Land: Fifth-largest country; about 60% of the Amazon rainforest, the Pantanal wetland and 7,400 km (4,598 mi) of coast.Fifth-largest country; about 60% of the Amazon rainforest, the Pantanal wetland and 4,598 mi (7,400 km) of coast.
Economy: Soy, beef, coffee, iron ore, oil, aircraft and services.

History that still shows on the ground · 8 dates

When	What happened	Where you meet it today
1500	Portuguese fleet under Cabral lands in Bahia	Porto Seguro, the start of the colony.
1549–1763	Salvador is the colonial capital; sugar and slavery	Pelourinho in Salvador.
1700s	Gold rush in Minas Gerais	Ouro Preto's baroque churches.
1808–22	Portuguese court in Rio; independence as an empire	Rio's imperial buildings; 7 September.
1888	Abolition of slavery, the last in the Americas	Afro-Brazilian culture.
1960	Brasília becomes the capital	Niemeyer's modernist city.
1964–85	Military dictatorship	Memorials in São Paulo and Rio.
2025	E-visa reinstated for US, Canadian and Australian citizens; COP30 climate summit in Belém	Entry planning; Amazon focus.

Read or watch before you go

Jorge Amado — Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon.
Peter Fleming — Brazilian Adventure.

First trip vs second trip

Which regions, and what to leave

Trip	Go to	Why	Leave for later
First trip (7–10 nights)	Rio de Janeiro + Iguaçu Falls	The city and the falls, 2 h apart by air.	Adding the Amazon in the same week.
First trip, longer (14 nights)	Rio + Paraty/Ilha Grande + Salvador or the Pantanal	Beaches, colonial towns and Afro-Brazilian culture, or wildlife.	Overnight buses between regions.
Second trip	Amazon from Manaus + the Northeast coast (Recife, Porto de Galinhas, Jericoacoara)	Rainforest lodges and dunes.	The Salvador coast in its April–July rains.
Third trip	Minas Gerais (Ouro Preto, Inhotim), Lençóis Maranhenses, Bonito, Chapada Diamantina	Colonial towns and inland nature.	Trying to combine them all.

Good for…

Where each kind of traveller does best

Verdict is how well Brazil works for that traveller.

Rewarding but demanding: street safety, Portuguese and distances need planning.

1Rio de Janeiro — the classic entry point.

Time math

How to split a stay, by total days in the country

7 days in total: Rio 5 + fly to Foz do Iguaçu 2
10 days in total: Rio 5 + Iguaçu 2 + São Paulo 3 (or Paraty 3 by road)
14 days in total: Rio 5 + Salvador 4 + Manaus and a jungle lodge 4, plus 1 buffer, all by air

Which regions fit my nights?

Tick the regions you are weighing up. The nights are the ranges this guide gives for each region.

Regions you want to see

Rio de JaneiroRio (Copacabana, Ipanema, Sugarloaf, Christ the Redeemer); Paraty and Ilha Grande nearby4–6 nights
Iguaçu Falls (Foz do Iguaçu)The Brazilian side of the falls; Argentine side as a day tripPage still planned2–3 nights
Bahia and the NortheastSalvador, beaches of Bahia, Recife/Olinda and FortalezaPage still planned4–6 nights
Amazon and PantanalJungle lodges from Manaus; wildlife in the Pantanal from Cuiabá or Campo GrandePage still planned3–5 nights

Nights you have

Tick the regions you are considering.

Cities

Regions, cities and the places between them

Open CitiesClose Cities5 partsRegions · Cities · Other destinations · See · Do

Regions

4 regions · 1 open

Rio de Janeiropublished

Rio (Copacabana, Ipanema, Sugarloaf, Christ the Redeemer); Paraty and Ilha Grande nearby

4–6 nights in this region

Rio de Janeiro

Iguaçu Falls (Foz do Iguaçu)planned

The Brazilian side of the falls; Argentine side as a day trip

2–3 nights in this region

Bahia and the Northeastplanned

Salvador, beaches of Bahia, Recife/Olinda and Fortaleza

4–6 nights in this region

Amazon and Pantanalplanned

Jungle lodges from Manaus; wildlife in the Pantanal from Cuiabá or Campo Grande

3–5 nights in this region

Cities

The ones to know; each says what Voykit has for it

Rio de JaneiroArrival + day plans

Beaches, mountains, samba and Carnival; the classic first stop.

São PauloBasic guide

Megacity of food, art and nightlife; main air hub.

SalvadorBasic guide

Afro-Brazilian capital; Pelourinho old town, capoeira, Carnival.

Foz do IguaçuBasic guide

Base for the falls, Itaipú and the triple frontier.

ManausBasic guide

Gateway to Amazon lodges; opera house and meeting of the waters.

Recife and OlindaNo guide yet

Colonial hilltop town and frevo Carnival.

ParatyBasic guide

Colonial port on the Costa Verde, islands by boat.

Ouro PretoBasic guide

Baroque gold-rush town in Minas Gerais.

FlorianópolisBasic guide

Island of beaches and surf in the south.

BrasíliaBasic guide

Modernist capital for architecture fans.

Show all 10 citiesShow fewer

Other destinations

Parks, bays, heritage sites, islands

Place	What	Getting there	Why go / verdict
Iguaçu Falls	Waterfalls (UNESCO)	Fly to IGU; 15 min to the park	The Brazilian side gives the panoramic view; the Argentine side gets you closer.
Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf	Rio landmarks	Train or van up Corcovado; cable car to Sugarloaf	The views that define Rio; go early or at sunset.
Amazon lodges near Manaus	Rainforest	Boat or road transfer 2–4 h from Manaus	Canoe trips, jungle walks, pink river dolphins.
Pantanal	Wetland	Fly to Cuiabá, drive the Transpantaneira	The best place in the Americas to see jaguars (June–October).
Salvador's Pelourinho	Historic centre (UNESCO)	Fly to SSA	Colourful colonial squares, churches and drums.
Paraty and Ilha Grande	Coast	4 h by road from Rio	Colonial streets, schooner trips and car-free island trails.
Lençóis Maranhenses	Dunes and lagoons	Fly to São Luís, drive to Barreirinhas	Rain-filled lagoons between white dunes (June–September).
Bonito →	Clear rivers and caves	Fly to Bonito or Campo Grande	Snorkelling in crystal rivers; strict visitor quotas.
Fernando de Noronha	Island marine park	Fly from Recife or Natal	Diving and beaches; daily environmental fee and caps — check.
Chapada Diamantina	Mountains	Bus or fly from Salvador to Lençóis	Tabletop mountains, waterfalls and caves.

Show all 10 placesShow fewer

See

By theme, not by list

Rio icons

Christ the Redeemer · Rio de Janeiro
Sugarloaf Mountain · Rio de Janeiro
Copacabana promenade · Rio de Janeiro
Escadaria Selarón · Rio de Janeiro
Arpoador · Rio de Janeiro

Check the weather cam before going up Corcovado; clouds hide the view on many summer afternoons.

Colonial Brazil

Pelourinho · Salvador
Olinda historic centre · Pernambuco
Ouro Preto churches · Minas Gerais

Colonial centres are safest by day; take an app car back at night.

Nature

Devil's Throat viewpoint (Brazilian side) · Foz do Iguaçu
Meeting of the Waters · Manaus
Transpantaneira road · Mato Grosso

Book lodges and jaguar boat trips months ahead for July–October.

Do

Where, when, what it costs

Activity	Where	Best months	Cost (2026 estimate)	Verdict
Carnival parade at the Sambadrome	Rio de Janeiro	Carnival week	US$50–1,000+ by sector	Book months ahead; street blocos are free.
Jaguar safari	Porto Jofre, Pantanal	Jul–Oct	US$300–700 a day with lodge	High sighting rates in the dry season.
Amazon lodge stay	Around Manaus	All year	US$150–400 a night all-in	Choose by water season and distance from the city.
Hiking in Rio	Pedra da Gávea, Dois Irmãos, Tijuca Forest	Apr–Oct	Guide US$40–80	Go with a guide; some trails have had robberies.
Samba and forró nights	Lapa (Rio), Pedra do Sal, Salvador, the Northeast	All year	Free–US$20	Take an app car home.
Football at the Maracanã	Rio de Janeiro	Most of the year	US$15–80	Buy from the club site or an organised tour.
Snorkelling in clear rivers	Bonito	All year; clearest May–Sep	US$80–150 per trip	Pre-booked through licensed agencies only.

Connect the cities

Ready-made routes, the route builder and the legs between cities

Open Connect the citiesClose Connect the cities3 partsItineraries · Route builder · Between cities

Itineraries by length

Nights per stop (the number after each place); fly the long legs

Fly between regions; one region per 3–5 nights.

7 days

Rio and Iguaçu

Rio de Janeiro → fly Foz do Iguaçu

See both sides of the falls if your schedule allows; fly out of IGU or back via São Paulo.

10 days

Rio, the Costa Verde and the falls

Rio → Paraty → Ilha Grande → Rio → fly Foz do Iguaçu

Shuttle vans link Rio, Paraty and the Ilha Grande boat pier.

14 days

City, culture and rainforest

Rio → fly Salvador → fly Manaus (via Brasília or São Paulo)

Yellow fever jab 10+ days before; swap the Amazon for the Pantanal in July–October.

Build a route

Days and interests in, cities, nights, transfers and cost out

Days in Brazil

Interests (optional)

Based on: Rio, the Costa Verde and the falls (10 days, itineraries by length)

Rio de Janeiro4 nights
Bus / van · Bus about 4–5 h · 5–6 h All options →
Paraty2 nights
Transfer not on file yet: check the A-to-B tool.
Ilha Grande2 nights
Flight · Fly
Foz do Iguaçu2 nights

Shuttle vans link Rio, Paraty and the Ilha Grande boat pier.

Open the trip planner

What this route costs

StyleTravelers

Rio de Janeiro4 nightsUS$1,000
Paraty2 nightsUS$500
Ilha Grande2 nightsUS$500
Foz do Iguaçu2 nightsUS$500
Flights inside the countryDomestic flight (one way): 1 × 2US$250

Total, 2 travelers

US$3,000

Per person per day: US$140

2026 estimate (check): rooms for two, food, local transport and sights; international flights, visas and insurance excluded. Tweak it in the budget calculator.

Getting between cities

Door to door, fastest first · 2026 estimate, check fares

Between	Fastest	Other ways
Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo	Flight · about 3 h 30 minFlight about 1 h	Bus / van · about 6 h	All options →
Rio de Janeiro to Paraty	Bus / van · 5–6 hBus about 4–5 h	—	All options →
Rio de Janeiro to Petrópolis	Bus / van · about 2 h 30 minBus about 1.5 h	—	All options →
São Paulo to Cuiabá	Flight · about 2 hUS$60–250 one wayDomestic flight	—	All options →
Salvador to Lençóis	Bus / van · about 6 hUS$15–60Long-distance bus	—	All options →

How each mode works here Any two places: A-to-B Is a rail pass worth it?

This month

Weather and crowds by month

Open This monthClose This month2 partsYear at a glance · Climate

Year at a glance

Every month in one list: how it rates, how busy and pricey it is, and which holidays land in it.

Good value and quiet: May
Busiest or big holidays: Jan–Mar, Jun, Jul, Dec

Jan
CautionCrowds: highPrices: high
- New Year (Réveillon) (high impact)
Feb
CautionCrowds: highPrices: high
- Carnival (high impact)
Mar
GoodCrowds: mediumPrices: medium
- Carnival (high impact)
- Holy Week (medium impact)
Apr
GoodCrowds: mediumPrices: medium
- Holy Week (medium impact)
- Tiradentes (medium impact)
May
GoodCrowds: lowPrices: low
- Labour Day (medium impact)
- Corpus Christi (medium impact)
Jun
GoodCrowds: mediumPrices: medium
- Festas Juninas (São João) (high impact)
- Corpus Christi (medium impact)
- Parintins Folklore Festival (medium impact)
Jul
GoodCrowds: highPrices: medium
Aug
GoodCrowds: mediumPrices: medium
Sep
GoodCrowds: mediumPrices: medium
- Independence Day (medium impact)
Oct
GoodCrowds: mediumPrices: medium
- Our Lady of Aparecida / Children's Day (medium impact)
Nov
GoodCrowds: mediumPrices: medium
- All Souls / Republic Day / Black Consciousness Day (medium impact)
Dec
CautionCrowds: highPrices: high
- Christmas (high impact)

Climate by region and month

When each region works

Zone	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Rio and the Southeast coastRio de Janeiro, Paraty, Ilha Grande, São Paulo	hot	hot	wet	best	best	best	best	best	best	ok	ok	wet
Northeast coastSalvador, Recife, Olinda, Maceió, Porto de Galinhas	best	best	best	wet	wet	wet	wet	ok	best	best	best	best
North coast and dunesFortaleza, Jericoacoara, Lençóis Maranhenses	ok	wet	wet	wet	wet	best	best	best	best	best	best	ok
AmazonManaus, Amazon lodges, Belém	wet	wet	wet	wet	wet	ok	best	best	haze	haze	ok	wet
PantanalCuiabá, Poconé, Transpantaneira, Bonito	wet	wet	wet	ok	ok	best	best	best	haze	haze	ok	wet
South and IguaçuFoz do Iguaçu, Florianópolis, Gramado	hot	hot	ok	best	best	cool	cool	ok	best	best	best	hot

best: dry, mildok: workablecool: jacket, greyhot: short walking windowswet: daily rainhaze: smoke, air quality

Rio and the Southeast coast: Hot, humid summers with heavy downpours and floods (December–March); dry, sunny, 20–26 °C (68–79 °F) winters are the sightseeing season. São Paulo is cooler and rainier.Hot, humid summers with heavy downpours and floods (December–March); dry, sunny, 68–79 °F (20–26 °C) winters are the sightseeing season. São Paulo is cooler and rainier.
Northeast coast: Warm all year (26–30 °C (79–86 °F)); the rainy season is roughly April–July on the Salvador–Recife coast.Warm all year (79–86 °F (26–30 °C)); the rainy season is roughly April–July on the Salvador–Recife coast.
North coast and dunes: Rain February–May fills the Lençóis lagoons, best to swim June–September; kitesurf wind July–January.
Amazon: Hot and humid all year; high water around May–July lets canoes enter flooded forest; low water August–November exposes beaches. Fire smoke can haze the sky in September–October.
Pantanal: Dry season (June–October) concentrates wildlife around waterholes: the jaguar season; the wet season floods roads. Fires and smoke have hit August–October in recent years.
South and Iguaçu: Hot summers, cool winters with frost in the highlands; the falls are fullest after rains, most often in summer.

There is no single best month: April–June and August–October work for Rio and most of the country; the Northeast shines September–March; the Amazon and Pantanal each have a wet and a dry trip.

Cost

What a day costs, and how to pay

Open CostClose Cost4 partsMoney at a glance · Daily budget · Costs · Money & passes

Money at a glance

Cash or card, ATMs, a day's spend, tipping

Currency and cash

Brazilian real (BRL, R$); cards and Pix everywhere

Card-friendly; small cash for markets

Cash or card

About R$5–5.8 per US dollar in 2026 — check. Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere, even at beach kiosks.

ATMs

Carry a little cash in small notes; use ATMs inside banks or malls in daytime.

On landing: Pay by card; withdraw a little cash inside a bank or mall.

A day, per person

BackpackerUS$42–95
Mid-rangeUS$110–220
ComfortUS$300–690

Per person per day, bed included

What that covers ↓

Tipping

Restaurant: 10% service (serviço) usually on the bill; optional but normal.
Beach kiosk / bar: Often included; round up.
Taxi / Uber: Not expected; round up.
Guide: US$5–15 per person per day.

Also

Locals pay with Pix (instant bank transfer by QR code). A Pix key needs a Brazilian tax number (CPF), but several travel apps now let foreigners pay Pix QR codes from a foreign balance — check which ones work; cards usually work anyway.

Money & passes Card, cash or ATM: the cheapest way to pay Tipping calculator

Budget per day, per person

2026 estimate · converted to your currency · totals include a bed

Per person per day, sharing a room at mid and comfort. Flights, lodges and Carnival premiums not included. 2026 estimate.

Tier	Bed	Food	Transport	Sights	Extras	Total, bed included
BackpackerDorm, per-kilo buffets, buses and metro	US$12–30	US$15–25	US$5–15	US$5–15	US$5–10	US$42–95
Mid-rangeHotel or pousada, restaurants, Uber, sights	US$40–80	US$30–50	US$15–30	US$15–40	US$10–20	US$110–220
ComfortBeachfront hotels, fine dining, private guides	US$120–300	US$70–130	US$40–80	US$40–120	US$30–60	US$300–690

Costs per day

Per person, 2026 estimate

Backpacker

US$45–65

Hostel dorm, per-kilo buffets, buses and metro.

Per person per day · Includes a bed

Mid-range

US$120–200

Mid-range hotel (shared), restaurants, Uber, entry fees and a tour.

Per person per day · Includes a bed

Comfort

US$300+

Beachfront hotels in Rio, Amazon or Pantanal lodges, guides.

Per person per day

Typical price	Amount
Coffee (cafezinho)	US$1–3
Per-kilo buffet lunch	US$8–15
Churrascaria rodízio	US$25–60
Beer (600 ml) at a bar	US$3–6
Coconut on the beach	US$2–3
Rio metro ride	About US$1.50 — check
Christ the Redeemer by train	About US$20–30 — check
Sugarloaf cable car	About US$30–35 — check
Iguaçu National Park entry, foreign adult	About US$20–30 — check
Amazon lodge, 3 nights all-inclusive	US$450–1,200

Show all 10 rowsShow fewer

2026 estimate; the real's rate moves, so prices in dollars shift. Rio and São Paulo cost more than the Northeast.

Budget calculator

DaysTravellersStyleInternal flights

Beds1 room × 10 nightsUS$700
Food and drink2 × 10 daysUS$900
Local transport2 × 10 daysUS$400
Sights and tours2 × 10 daysUS$500
Domestic flight (one way)2 × 1US$250

Trip total, 2 travellers

US$3,000

Per person per day: US$140

2026 estimate. Beds priced per room for two; international flights, insurance and visas excluded. Amazon and Pantanal lodges are sold as all-inclusive packages; add them separately.

Money & passes

Cash necessity: 2/5 (5 means cash for most things)

Currency is the Brazilian real (BRL, R$). About R$5–5.8 per US dollar in 2026 — check. Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere, even at beach kiosks.
Locals pay with Pix (instant bank transfer by QR code). A Pix key needs a Brazilian tax number (CPF), but several travel apps now let foreigners pay Pix QR codes from a foreign balance — check which ones work; cards usually work anyway.
Carry a little cash in small notes; use ATMs inside banks or malls in daytime.
Choose to be charged in reais, not your home currency, when a card machine asks.

Before you fly: eSIM before you fly · Visas and entry

Getting in

Before you go, entry rules and the first day

Open Getting inClose Getting in5 partsBefore you go · Arrive · Entry · Documents · First 24 hours

Before you go

Dated steps for your passport

What to sort, and by when, before a trip to Brazil. Pick your passport and flight date; everything else follows.

My passportI fly on

Add your flight date to turn “weeks before” into dates.

No arrival card
No arrival card; passport scanned. Keep your entry record for extensions at the Federal Police (Polícia Federal).
No visa needed: 90 days
Visa-free for 90 days, extendable to 180 days in any 12 months at the Federal Police. Airlines often ask for proof of onward or return travel.
Entry rules Brazil e-visa (brazil.vfsevisa.com) ↗

Passport valid long enough
90 days before
Six months beyond arrival is recommended; the e-visa passport must match the one you travel on.
Passport check
Vaccines and medicines
6 weeks before
Recommended for most itineraries; needed for onward travel to some countries. Ask a travel clinic about: Yellow fever, Malaria. Some vaccines need weeks or two doses; carry prescriptions in their boxes.
Health Medicine rules
Travel insurance
30 days before
Private hospitals charge; evacuation cover for the Amazon.
Insurance check
Driving permit (only if you drive)(optional)
30 days before
IDP recommended.
Driving abroad
eSIM or roaming
2 weeks before
Vivo, Claro and TIM cover the country; buying a prepaid SIM needs a passport and sometimes a CPF — an eSIM before you fly is easier.
eSIM finder
Cards and cash
2 weeks before
Card-friendly; small cash for markets (cash need 2/5). Carry a little cash in small notes; use ATMs inside banks or malls in daytime.
Money & ATMs
Pack a plug adapter (type N or C)
7 days before
Sockets here: type N, C. UK plugs need an adapter. Mains is 127 V against 230 V at home: phone and laptop chargers cope (check the label says 100–240 V); hair dryers and straighteners usually do not.
Packing list

Lead times are Voykit's safe margins, not official deadlines (check the official portal). The full countdown with calendar reminders: Before-you-go countdown · Passport check.

Arrive

GRU

São Paulo–Guarulhos International

Largest hub in South America; 45–90 minutes to central São Paulo by road

GIG

Rio de Janeiro–Galeão International

About 45–75 minutes to Copacabana or Ipanema by taxi or app

SSA

Salvador International

Gateway to Bahia

IGU

Foz do Iguaçu International

About 15 minutes from the Brazilian side of the falls

MAO

Manaus – Eduardo Gomes International

Gateway to Amazon lodges; some direct flights to Miami and Panama

REC

Recife – Guararapes International

Northeast hub with direct flights to Europe

Entry: visas and borders

2026 rules — confirm on the official portal

EU, UK, New Zealand, Japanese, South Korean and most Latin American citizens enter visa-free for up to 90 days (extendable to 180 in 12 months). Since 10 April 2025 citizens of the US, Canada and Australia need an e-visa (US$80.90 — check), applied for online at brazil.vfsevisa.com at least two weeks ahead; it is multiple-entry and valid for up to 10 years for US citizens and 5 years for Canadians and Australians — check. Mercosur citizens can use ID cards. A yellow fever certificate is not generally required on arrival but is needed for onward travel to some neighbours.

My passport

Visa-free90 days

Visa-free for 90 days, extendable to 180 days in any 12 months at the Federal Police.

Cost: Free
Form to fill: Passport only.
Arrival card: No arrival card; passport scanned. Keep your entry record for extensions at the Federal Police (Polícia Federal).
Passport: Six months beyond arrival is recommended; the e-visa passport must match the one you travel on.
Onward ticket: Airlines often ask for proof of onward or return travel.

Brazil e-visa (brazil.vfsevisa.com) ↗

Who	Rule	Stay	Watch
EU, UK, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, most of Latin America, South Africa, Israel, Turkey	Visa-free	90 days, extendable to 180 in 12 months	Extensions at the Federal Police before the 90 days end.
United States, Canada, Australia	E-visa (US$80.90 — check)	90 days per entry, 180 per year	Apply at least two weeks ahead at the official VFS portal.
Mercosur and associated states	ID card or passport	90 days	Keep the same document for exit.
China, India, Nigeria and other visa nationals	Consular or electronic visa — check	Up to 90 days	Apply weeks ahead.

By land and river

Crossing	To / from	Mode	Visa there	Trap
Foz do Iguaçu – Puerto Iguazú (Tancredo Neves bridge)	Argentina	Bus, taxi	E-visa for US, Canadian and Australian citizens	Buses don't always wait at immigration; day-trippers should still be stamped if staying overnight — check.
Foz do Iguaçu – Ciudad del Este (Friendship Bridge)	Paraguay	Walk, taxi, bus	As above	Crossing without stamps is easy but illegal for travellers continuing onward.
Chuí – Chuy	Uruguay	Bus from Porto Alegre or Montevideo	As above	Immigration offices are outside town; ask the bus to stop.
Corumbá – Puerto Quijarro	Bolivia	Taxi across; train or bus to Santa Cruz	Bolivia visa for some passports	Yellow fever certificate may be asked.
Tabatinga – Leticia (Triple Frontier)	Colombia and Peru	Boat on the Amazon	As above	Get Brazilian exit stamps at the Federal Police in Tabatinga; this area is near FCDO advise-against river zones — check.

Brazil's e-visa must be approved before check-in; third-party sites charge extra for the same form.
Minors travelling without both parents need notarised authorisation — check.

Documents checklist

Tick as you go; saved in this browser

0/6 ready

Passportbefore bookingSix months' validity recommended.
E-visa (US, Canada, Australia)2+ weeks before flyingUS$80.90 — check; official site only. Official site ↗
Yellow fever certificate10+ days beforeRecommended for most itineraries; needed for onward travel to some countries. Official site ↗
Travel insurancebefore flyingPrivate hospitals charge; evacuation cover for the Amazon.
Onward ticketat check-inAirlines may ask.
Driving licence + IDPif rentingIDP recommended.

First 24 hours

Tick these before you leave the airport

Do these on arrival.

Transport: Take an app car or the official taxi desk from GIG/GRU.
Avoid touts and wrong turns into unsafe areas.
Phone: Set up an eSIM and keep a spare phone for the street.
Phone theft is the main risk.
Money: Pay by card; withdraw a little cash inside a bank or mall.
Street ATMs are cloning targets.
Pix: Install a foreigner-friendly Pix app if you want to pay small vendors — check which work.
Some kiosks prefer Pix.
Beach kit: Take only cash, a towel and a copy of your passport.
Theft from the sand is common.

Getting around

Modes, times and the clock

Open Getting aroundClose Getting around2 partsGet around · Local time

Get around

Door-to-door, 2026 estimate

Mode	Rio de Janeiro → Manaus	Cost	Use it when	What breaks
Domestic flight	Rio – Salvador 2 h, – Foz do Iguaçu 2 h, – Manaus 4 h; São Paulo – Cuiabá 2 h	US$60–250 one way	The default between regions (LATAM, GOL, Azul).	Check which airport: Rio has GIG and SDU, São Paulo has GRU and CGH; basic fares exclude checked bags.
Long-distance bus	Rio – São Paulo 6 h, Rio – Paraty 4 h, Salvador – Lençóis 6–7 h	US$15–60	Good for trips under about 8 hours; leito (sleeper) class on overnight routes.	Book on ClickBus or company sites; bus stations (rodoviárias) are often outside centres — take an app car.
Metro and BRT (Rio, São Paulo)	City	About US$1–1.50 a ride — check	Rio's metro links Centro, Botafogo, Copacabana and Ipanema; São Paulo's is extensive.	Avoid crowded buses in Rio at night; phone theft on buses is common.
Uber / 99	Cities	US$4–15 in town; GIG to Copacabana about US$15–30	Safest and easiest way around cities, especially at night.	Check the plate before getting in.
Rental car	Paraty coast, Minas Gerais, Bonito	US$30–70 a day	Good for the Costa Verde and colonial Minas.	Avoid night driving; speed bumps and potholes; map apps can route into unsafe areas.
Amazon riverboat	Manaus – Belém about 5 days	US$100–400 (hammock to cabin)	Slow travel on the river; most visitors use a lodge transfer instead.	Theft on board; keep valuables locked.

Local time

What time it is there now, compared with the clock on your device.

Rio de Janeiro
…
Checking your clock…America/Sao Paulo

Practical

Money rules, safety, holidays, health, phones and phrases

Open PracticalClose Practical14 partsNext 90 days · Holidays · Safety & health · Safety · Safety by region · Health · Scams · Emergency card · Practical · Connect · Talk · Survival phrases · Cope · Who travels

Holidays in the next 90 days

What closes, sells out or costs more

Nov 2
in 1 day
All Souls / Republic Day / Black Consciousness DaySome impact
Nov 2
20 Nov became a national holiday in 2024.
Dec 25
in 54 days
ChristmasBig impact
Dec 25
Family holiday; summer travel peak starts.
Jan 1
in 61 days
New Year (Réveillon)Big impact
Jan 1
Copacabana fireworks with millions on the beach; Rio booked out.

The full holiday list Holidays on your dates Festivals by month

Holidays and festivals

Operational effect, not a calendar

When	What	Impact	What it does to a trip
1 Jan	New Year (Réveillon)	high	Copacabana fireworks with millions on the beach; Rio booked out.
5–10 Feb 2027 (moves yearly)	Carnival	high	Rio Sambadrome parades, street blocos; Salvador and Olinda street Carnival; many businesses shut.
Good Friday (26 Mar 2027)	Holy Week	medium	Long weekend; beach towns busy.
21 Apr	Tiradentes	medium	Long weekend.
1 May	Labour Day	medium	Offices closed.
May or June (Thursday)	Corpus Christi	medium	Long weekend in many cities; carpets of sawdust in colonial towns.
June (around 24 Jun)	Festas Juninas (São João)	high	Huge festivals in Campina Grande and Caruaru; Northeast flights full.
Last weekend of June	Parintins Folklore Festival	medium	Boi-bumbá contest on an Amazon island; book boats months ahead.
7 Sep	Independence Day	medium	Parades.
12 Oct	Our Lady of Aparecida / Children's Day	medium	Pilgrimage to Aparecida.
2 Nov / 15 Nov / 20 Nov	All Souls / Republic Day / Black Consciousness Day	medium	20 Nov became a national holiday in 2024.
25 Dec	Christmas	high	Family holiday; summer travel peak starts.

Show all 12 datesShow fewer

Safety and health at a glance

Advice, risky areas, water, shots, numbers, scams

Emergency numbers

Where to take care

2/5 for a careful visitor · Street crime in big cities is the biggest travel risk; plan routes and use apps.

high Rio de Janeiro (Zona Sul and Centro) · Phone snatching on beaches and promenades, robberies on buses and empty streets at night, stray bullets near favelas; stick to busy areas and apps.
high Salvador and Northeast cities (Recife, Fortaleza, Natal) · High urban crime rates in parts of these states; Pelourinho is policed by day but empties at night.
high Western Amazonas river areas · FCDO advises against all but essential travel along parts of the Solimões, Japurá, Itaquaí and upper Rio Negro — check.
medium São Paulo · Phone theft in the centre and at traffic lights; Cracolândia area; use apps at night.

Tap water

Do not drink tap water; filtered water is provided in most homes and hotels. Tap water by country

Health

Ask a travel clinic about: Yellow fever, Malaria.

Main risks: Dengue, Zika and chikungunya, Sun and heat, Methanol in spirits, Healthcare.

Top scams

1. Phone snatching (arrastão, bike thieves) · Keep phones away at the kerb and on the sand; carry a spare phone.
2. Fake e-visa sites · Only brazil.vfsevisa.com; lookalikes charge double.
3. Card cloning and switched machines · Keep the card in view; check the amount; use tap-to-pay.

Safety Stay healthy Emergency card Scam spotter Health check

Safety

Emergency: 190 police, 192 ambulance (SAMU), 193 fire.
Street crime: carry a cheap second phone or keep yours in a front pocket; do not walk on empty beaches or streets after dark.
Only enter favelas (communities) on a tour with a reputable local operator; map apps can route drivers into them by mistake — follow official roads.
Use ride-hailing apps rather than street taxis at night.
The UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to some river areas in western Amazonas State; standard Manaus lodge trips are outside these areas, but check the detail.
Sea currents are strong on many beaches: swim where lifeguards are posted.
Mosquito-borne diseases (dengue, Zika, chikungunya) occur: use repellent.
Drink spiking linked to dating apps and methanol-tainted spirits have been reported: buy your own drinks and keep them in sight.

São Paulo is the main air hub for South America; Iguaçu connects overland to Argentina and Paraguay.

What four governments say

Comparison not available yet for this country

Read each government's own advice: US State Dept, UK FCDO, Australia Smartraveller, Canada Travel Advice.

Strikes and disruptions

Official notices for the next 90 days. Open the full calendar.

No official-source strike or disruption notices for the next 90 days

That is not a promise that nothing is planned. This calendar lists only what a government or a public authority has published. Check US State Dept, UK FCDO, Australia Smartraveller, Canada Travel Advice and the transport operator for your dates.

Safety by region

Risk to a careful visitor, not a crime index

Crime varies sharply by state, city and even street. Visitors are mostly hit by phone and bag theft; violent crime concentrates in poorer districts and some northeastern and northern cities.

Region	Risk	What to watch
Rio de Janeiro (Zona Sul and Centro)	high	Phone snatching on beaches and promenades, robberies on buses and empty streets at night, stray bullets near favelas; stick to busy areas and apps.
São Paulo	medium	Phone theft in the centre and at traffic lights; Cracolândia area; use apps at night.
Salvador and Northeast cities (Recife, Fortaleza, Natal)	high	High urban crime rates in parts of these states; Pelourinho is policed by day but empties at night.
Iguaçu and the South	low	Petty theft at borders; generally the calmest region.
Amazon — Manaus and lodges	medium	City street crime; lodges are safe.
Western Amazonas river areas	high	FCDO advises against all but essential travel along parts of the Solimões, Japurá, Itaquaí and upper Rio Negro — check.
Pantanal and Bonito	low	Wildlife, heat and fires, not crime.

Stay healthy

Risk	Where / when	Do this
Yellow fever	Much of the country, including the Amazon, Pantanal, Iguaçu and parts of the Southeast	Vaccine recommended for most itineraries outside the northeast coast cities — ask a travel clinic 10+ days before; carry the card for onward travel.
Dengue, Zika and chikungunya	Nationwide, peak in summer	Repellent day and night; pregnant travellers should read Zika advice.
Malaria	Amazon region outside Manaus city	Ask a clinic about tablets for rural Amazon trips.
Sun and heat	Beaches, Northeast	High-factor sunscreen, water, shade at midday.
Methanol in spirits	Reports in 2025 from bars in São Paulo and elsewhere	Drink sealed beer or known brands; avoid cheap spirits — check current alerts.
Healthcare	Big cities	Private hospitals are good but expensive; SUS public care is free but crowded. Insurance recommended.

Scams and overcharges

Trap	Where	Defence
Phone snatching (arrastão, bike thieves)	Rio beaches, Copacabana promenade, São Paulo centre	Keep phones away at the kerb and on the sand; carry a spare phone.
Fake e-visa sites	Search ads	Only brazil.vfsevisa.com; lookalikes charge double.
Card cloning and switched machines	Bars, beach vendors, ATMs	Keep the card in view; check the amount; use tap-to-pay.
Dating-app set-ups and drink spiking	Big cities	Meet in public, buy your own drinks, tell someone where you are.
Express kidnapping	Big cities, rare	Use apps, avoid flashing valuables and street ATMs at night.
Beach vendor overcharging	Rio, Salvador	Ask the price first; check the card machine amount.
Unlicensed tour guides and favela tours	Rio	Book through reputable operators run with community involvement.

Emergency card

Numbers, disasters, who to call

Brazil emergency numbers — screenshot this card

190

Police

192

Ambulance (SAMU)

193

Fire

199

Civil defence (floods

+55 21 2332-2924 — check

Tourist police Rio (DEAT)

Natural and on-the-ground hazards

Hazard	When / where	Do this
Floods and landslides	Summer rains Dec–Mar in Rio and the Southeast	Follow Civil Defence SMS alerts; avoid hillside roads during storms.
Rip currents	All year	Swim near lifeguard posts.
Fires and smoke	Aug–Oct in the Amazon and Pantanal	Check lodge status and air quality.
Floods in the South	Heavy-rain events (e.g. Rio Grande do Sul, 2024)	Check road and airport status.

Alerts and apps

Civil Defence alerts by SMS (send your postcode to 40199) — check.
Uber / 99 for safe transport.

Police, embassies, paperwork

Private hospitals (e.g. in Rio and São Paulo) are good; carry insurance details.
Lost passport: police report (boletim de ocorrência, online in many states), then your consulate.

Insurer and 24-hour linePolicy numberWhere I'm staying

Kept only in this browser; nothing is sent anywhere.

Emergency card · Brazil

My passport: — · find my embassy
Insurance: —
Staying at: —

Hospitals with emergency care

Private hospitals in the Zona Sul · Copacabana, Botafogo, Leblon, Rio de Janeiro
Pharmacies (farmácias) · Every neighbourhood, Rio de Janeiro

Emergency numbers, every country

Practical

Plugs, water, tips, hours

NtypeCtype

127 V (Rio, São Paulo) or 220 V (Brasília, much of the Northeast)

Check the voltage on the socket; most chargers are dual-voltage.

Tap water: Do not drink tap water; filtered water is provided in most homes and hotels.
Toilets: Put toilet paper in the bin, not the toilet, in most places.
Weekly closing days: Carnival shuts many businesses for several days; museums often close on Mondays.

Tipping by situation

Situation	What locals do
Restaurant	10% service (serviço) usually on the bill; optional but normal.
Beach kiosk / bar	Often included; round up.
Taxi / Uber	Not expected; round up.
Guide	US$5–15 per person per day.
Hotel staff	Small tip for porters.

Opening hours

What	Typical hours	Watch
Shops	09:00–18:00 or 19:00; malls 10:00–22:009:00 AM–6:00 PM or 7:00 PM; malls 10:00 AM–10:00 PM	Many shops close Saturday afternoon and Sunday.
Restaurants	Lunch 12:00–15:00, dinner 19:00–23:00Lunch 12:00 PM–3:00 PM, dinner 7:00 PM–11:00 PM	Per-kilo buffets are lunch only.
Banks	Mon–Fri 10:00–16:00Mon–Fri 10:00 AM–4:00 PM	Use ATMs inside banks in daytime; many limit night withdrawals.
Museums	Tue–Sun, 10:00–17:00Tue–Sun, 10:00 AM–5:00 PM	Closed Mondays.

Connect

Vivo, Claro and TIM cover the country; buying a prepaid SIM needs a passport and sometimes a CPF — an eSIM before you fly is easier.
No signal on Amazon rivers or in much of the Pantanal; lodges have Wi-Fi of varying quality.

Uber or 99 (ride-hailing)Google MapsGoogle Translate with Portuguese offlineWhatsApp (used by hotels, guides and restaurants for everything)iFood (food delivery)Moovit (city transit)

Numbers: Country code +55; two-digit area code (21 Rio, 11 São Paulo) then 8–9 digits.
Wi-Fi: Common in hotels, cafés and malls.
Payments: Tap-to-pay everywhere; Pix QR codes for locals and via some foreign travel apps — check.

Talk

Brazilians speak Portuguese, and Spanish is not a substitute, though many understand it when spoken slowly. English is limited outside upscale hotels and tours. A few Portuguese phrases change how you are treated.

Where	Lingua franca	English	Note
Nationwide	Brazilian Portuguese	Limited	Obrigado (men) / obrigada (women) = thank you; tudo bem? = all good?
Amazon	Portuguese; Indigenous languages in some communities	Guides at lodges	Nheengatu is still spoken on the upper Rio Negro.
Southern border	Portuguese and some Spanish	Rare	Portuñol common near Uruguay and Paraguay.

The thumbs-up is used for everything; the OK hand sign is rude.
Download offline Portuguese in your translation app.

Survival phrases

7 phrases · tap one to show it full screen

Translate a sign or menu Diet and allergy card

Cope

Embassies, laundry, lockers, media, lost things

Embassies: In Brasília; consulates in Rio, São Paulo and other cities.
Laundry: Lavanderias self-service US$5–10 a load.
Pharmacies: Drogaria São Paulo, Pacheco, Raia; many 24 h.
Money: Use ATMs inside banks or malls (Banco do Brasil, Bradesco, Itaú, Banco24Horas) in daytime.

Travellers with specific needs

Short and factual

Traveller	On the ground	Do this
Solo women	Common but harassment happens; street safety rules apply.	Use apps at night; women-only carriages on Rio's metro at peak hours.
LGBTQ+	Same-sex marriage legal since 2013; São Paulo Pride is one of the world's largest; violence against LGBTQ+ people remains high.	Relaxed in Rio, São Paulo, Florianópolis; discretion in rural areas.
Families	Child-friendly culture.	Iguaçu and Bonito's clear rivers suit kids; heat and mosquitoes need care.
Wheelchair users	Improving in big cities (metro, malls); pavements are poor.	Iguaçu's Brazilian side has an accessible walkway and lift.
Older travellers	Comfortable with private transfers.	Priority queues (preferencial) for over-60s.

Culture and food

Rules, manners, what to eat, where to sleep and what to buy

Open Culture and foodClose Culture and food6 partsRules · Respect & laws · Eat · Drink · Sleep · Buy

Country rules

Inherited by every page below

US, Canadian and Australian citizens need an e-visa (about US$81 — check) applied for online at the official VFS portal before travel; EU and UK citizens do not. Check your passport with Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs before booking.
Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for many areas, including the Amazon and Pantanal; check with a travel clinic at least 10 days before travel.
Keep your phone out of sight in the street and on beaches; phone theft is the most common crime against visitors in big cities.
Carnival 2027 runs about 5–10 February (Tuesday 9 February; Salvador from 4 February): book Rio, Salvador and Recife/Olinda months ahead or avoid those dates.

Etiquette

Speak Portuguese or English, not Spanish, as a default; basic Portuguese greetings (bom dia, obrigado/obrigada) go a long way.
A 10% service charge is usually added to restaurant bills; extra tipping is optional.
Brazilians are physically warm: handshakes, hugs and a kiss on the cheek are normal greetings.

Carnival (February or March): Rio, Salvador, Recife and Olinda full; businesses close for several days.
New Year's Eve: Copacabana hosts huge crowds; hotels and flights sell out.
Summer holidays (December–February): Beaches and domestic flights at peak demand.
July school holidays: Domestic travel peak; Iguaçu, the Pantanal and mountain towns busy.

Respect and laws that surprise

What gets visitors fined, refused or arrested

Topic	The rule	What happens
Favelas	Communities are neighbourhoods, not attractions; visit only with community-linked guides and do not photograph people or armed men.	Danger and offence.
Race and history	Brazil received more enslaved Africans than any other country; Afro-Brazilian religion (Candomblé) and culture deserve respect — ask before photographing ceremonies.	Offence.
Language	Do not assume Spanish; Brazilians are proud of Portuguese.	Mild offence.
Beach culture	Small swimwear is normal, but topless sunbathing is not; don't take valuables to the beach.	Fines, theft.
Indigenous lands	Entry to Indigenous territories needs FUNAI permission; visits only via authorised community tourism.	Arrest and harm to communities.
Wildlife	Do not buy animal products (feathers, turtle shell) or pay for wildlife selfies.	Legal penalties.

Everyday manners

Situation	Do	Avoid
Greeting	Handshake, hug or cheek kiss (one in São Paulo, two in Rio)	Being stiff with new acquaintances
Gestures	Use thumbs-up freely	The OK hand sign (it is rude)
Language	Try Portuguese; say obrigado/obrigada	Defaulting to Spanish
Time	Expect relaxed social punctuality	Being late for tours and flights
Beach	Bring only a towel, cash and a copy of your ID	Leaving things unattended

Eat

Regional food, diets, allergy card

Brazilian food is regional: black-bean feijoada and churrasco in the Southeast and South, dendê-oil and coconut cooking of Afro-Brazilian Bahia, Amazonian fish and fruit in the North, and cheese breads and slow stews in Minas Gerais. Per-kilo buffets make lunch easy and cheap.

Region	Style	Order this
Rio and São Paulo	Feijoada, churrasco, bar snacks	Feijoada (Saturday), picanha, coxinha, pastel
Bahia	Afro-Brazilian, dendê oil and coconut	Moqueca, acarajé, bobó de camarão
Amazon	River fish and fruit	Tambaqui, tacacá, açaí
Minas Gerais	Comfort food	Pão de queijo, tutu, doce de leite

Dish finder

Region

Diet

13 of 13 dishes

Black bean and pork stewRio; nationwide on Saturdays
Feijoada
Black beans with salted pork and sausage, with rice, collard greens and orange.
Saturday lunch · Usually has pork, beef
BarbecueSouth, churrascarias everywhere
Churrasco / picanha
Skewered beef, especially rump cap, carved at the table in rodízio restaurants.
Lunch or dinner · Usually has beef, pork, chicken
Fish and coconut stewBahia
Moqueca baiana
Fish or prawns stewed in coconut milk and dendê palm oil.
Lunch · Usually has fish/seafood, fish stock or sauce
Black-eyed pea fritterSalvador
Acarajé
Deep-fried in dendê and filled with dried shrimp paste (vatapá) and salad.
Street snack · Usually has fish/seafood · vegetarian version exists — ask
Cheese breadMinas Gerais; nationwide
Pão de queijo
Chewy manioc-starch balls with cheese.
Breakfast, snack · Usually has milk, egg · vegetarian version common
Chicken croquetteNationwide
Coxinha
Teardrop-shaped fried dough filled with shredded chicken.
Bar snack · Usually has chicken, milk, egg
Fried pastryStreet markets
Pastel
Thin fried pastry with cheese, meat or palm heart, with sugarcane juice.
Market mornings · Usually has beef, milk, egg · vegetarian version exists — ask
Açaí bowlNationwide (Amazon origin)
Açaí na tigela
Frozen açaí pulp with banana and granola; in the Amazon it is eaten savoury.
Snack · No meat or fish in the usual version · vegetarian version common
Amazon tucupi soupBelém, Manaus
Tacacá
Hot yellow manioc broth with jambu leaves that numb the lips and dried shrimp.
Late afternoon · Usually has fish/seafood
Prawn and cassava stewBahia
Bobó de camarão
Prawns in a creamy cassava and coconut purée.
Lunch · Usually has fish/seafood
Toasted cassava flourNationwide
Farofa
Side sprinkled on everything, often with bacon and egg.
Every meal · Usually has pork, egg · vegetarian version exists — ask
Chocolate truffleNationwide
Brigadeiro
Condensed milk and cocoa balls, a party staple.
Dessert · Usually has milk · vegetarian version common
Tapioca crepeNortheast
Tapioca
Griddled manioc-starch crepe with cheese, coconut or meat.
Breakfast · Usually has milk · vegetarian version exists — ask

Tags describe the usual recipe, not every kitchen. Stocks and sauces hide animal products: ask, or show the allergy card below.

Table manners

At a por quilo buffet you weigh your plate and pay by weight.
Rodízio means all you can eat: turn your card to green for more, red to stop.
Many Brazilians eat pizza and chicken with a knife and fork.

Allergy / diet card — show it, do not say it

Tenho alergia grave a ___. Este prato contém ___ ou é preparado com ___? Por favor, pergunte na cozinha.

“I have a severe allergy to ___. Does this dish contain ___ or is it prepared with ___? Please ask the kitchen.”

Peanuts: amendoim
Tree nuts: castanhas (castanha-de-caju, castanha-do-pará, nozes)
Shellfish: frutos do mar (camarão, camarão seco, lagosta, caranguejo)
Fish: peixe
Milk: leite, queijo, manteiga
Egg: ovo
Wheat / gluten: trigo / glúten
Soy: soja
Sesame: gergelim
Pork: porco / bacon / linguiça

Diets: the reality

Diet	On the ground	Do this
Vegetarian / vegan	Easy in big cities; buffets have salads and beans (ask if beans contain pork).	'Sou vegetariano/a — sem carne, sem frango, sem peixe.'
Gluten-free	Manioc-based foods (tapioca, pão de queijo) are naturally wheat-free; labels say 'contém glúten' by law.	Ask about cross-contact.
Halal / kosher	Available in São Paulo; limited elsewhere.	Lebanese restaurants are common.
Allergies	Dried shrimp and peanuts hide in Bahian sauces; cashews and Brazil nuts are common.	Show the card below.

Drink

Laws, what to order, what it costs

Legal age: 18.
Drink-driving: Zero tolerance (Lei Seca); checkpoints common.
Elections: Alcohol sales may be restricted on election days — check.

Drink	What it is	Typical price
CaipirinhaCaipirinha	Cachaça, lime and sugar; the national cocktail.	US$4–10
CachaçaCachaça	Sugarcane spirit; aged versions sipped neat.	US$2–6 a shot
BeerCerveja (chopp = draught)	Served ice-cold in small glasses from 600 ml bottles.	US$3–6
Coconut waterÁgua de coco	Straight from the coconut on beaches.	US$2–3
GuaranáGuaraná	Amazon-berry soft drink.	US$1–2
CoffeeCafezinho	Small, strong and sweet; offered as hospitality.	US$1–2

Do not drink tap water; ice in bars is made from filtered water.

Sleep

Types, registration, booking

Type	Price (2026 estimate)	Use it for	Watch
Hostel dorm	US$12–30	Rio, São Paulo, Paraty, Salvador	Check lockers and neighbourhood safety.
Pousada	US$40–120	Beach and colonial towns	Great value outside peak dates.
Mid-range hotel	US$70–160	Cities	Rio beachfront costs more; Carnival and New Year have minimum stays.
Jungle or Pantanal lodge	US$150–400 per person all-in	Amazon, Pantanal	Transfers and activities usually included; check what is.

Registration and the law

Motels in Brazil are short-stay love hotels, not roadside inns.
Carnival and New Year packages require 4–5-night minimum stays at inflated prices.

Booking reality

Book Carnival and New Year 4–6 months ahead; Pantanal lodges 3–6 months for July–October.

Buy

Tax-free, bargaining, customs

Havaianas, beachwear, cachaça, coffee and Indigenous crafts; tax refund for tourists is limited — check.

Prices and bargaining

Possible at markets and with beach vendors; not in shops.

What to bring home

Item	Where	Watch
Havaianas and beachwear	Anywhere	Cheaper than abroad.
Cachaça	Minas Gerais and Paraty distilleries	Check import limits.
Coffee	Supermarkets, specialist roasters	Minas beans.
Indigenous crafts	Artíndia and community shops	No feathers or animal parts.

Customs allowances on arrival

What	Limit or rule
Cash	Declare over R$10,000 (≈ US$1,900) — check
Food	Fresh produce and meat restricted

Deep dive

Questions, where next, photos, reading and every source

Open Deep diveClose Deep dive3 partsGo next · Deep dive · Sources

Go next

Rio de Janeiro

City guide

Arrival base.

Rio de Janeiro state

Region page

Paraty, Ilha Grande and more.

Argentina

Cross at Iguaçu or fly to Buenos Aires

Visa-free for most.

Paraguay

Friendship Bridge from Foz do Iguaçu

Stamp in and out.

Uruguay

Bus via Chuí or fly to Montevideo

Visa-free for most.

Bolivia

Corumbá border or fly to Santa Cruz

Visa for some passports.

French Guiana

Oiapoque border from Amapá

Yellow fever certificate required.

South America

Subregion

Combine countries.

Sources compared: Wikivoyage — Brazil · Wikitravel — Brazil. Section coverage was checked against these community guides (CC BY-SA) as secondary sources; the text on this page is Voykit's own, with facts cross-checked against the official sources above.

Deep dive

4 min read · 6 chapters

This deep dive is for the traveller who wants to understand Brazil beyond beaches and Carnival: a Portuguese-speaking giant shaped by sugar, gold and slavery, a society mixed from Indigenous, African, European and Asian roots, and a territory that holds most of the Amazon. It ends with the entry, money and safety realities of 2026.

1Sugar, gold and an empire in the tropics1 min

Millions of Indigenous people lived in what is now Brazil when a Portuguese fleet landed in Bahia in 1500. Tupi-speaking peoples of the coast traded brazilwood, the red dyewood that gave the country its name, before disease, war and enslavement devastated them.

From the 1530s Portugal built sugar plantations in the Northeast worked by enslaved Africans; Salvador was the colonial capital until 1763. Gold and diamonds found in Minas Gerais around 1700 shifted wealth south and paid for the baroque churches of Ouro Preto.

In 1808 the Portuguese royal family fled Napoleon to Rio, making it the capital of the empire. When the king returned, his son Pedro declared independence in 1822 and ruled Brazil as an emperor. The monarchy fell in 1889, a year after slavery was finally abolished.

Portuguese arrival: 1500, Porto Seguro (Bahia)
Independence: 7 September 1822
Republic: 15 November 1889

See itPelourinho, SalvadorOuro Preto baroque churches, Minas GeraisEscadaria Selarón, Lapa, Rio →

2Slavery and Afro-Brazilian culture1 min

Brazil received around 4–5 million enslaved Africans, more than any other country in the Americas, and was the last to abolish slavery, in 1888. Runaway communities (quilombos) such as Palmares resisted for decades; Zumbi, its leader, is honoured on 20 November, Black Consciousness Day, a national holiday since 2024.

African heritage shapes Brazil's music, food and religion: samba grew from Afro-Bahian rhythms in Rio's hillside neighbourhoods, capoeira combines martial art and dance, and Candomblé worships the orixás. Salvador, where the majority is Black, is the centre of this culture.

Inequality follows the same lines. Many favelas grew from settlements of freed slaves and migrants who were never given land. Visitors see both the energy of these communities and the violence that affects them.

Abolition: 13 May 1888 (Lei Áurea)
Black Consciousness Day: 20 November, national holiday since 2024
Capoeira: UNESCO intangible heritage, 2014

See itPedra do Sal and Little Africa, RioAfro-Brazilian Museum, Salvador

3People: a mixed nation of 213 million1 min

Brazil's population is among the most mixed on earth: Indigenous, Portuguese and African roots, then waves of Italians, Germans, Spaniards, Lebanese and Japanese from the late 1800s. São Paulo has the largest Japanese community outside Japan; German-speaking towns such as Blumenau and Pomerode dot the South.

Everyday life is warm and social: hugs and kisses on greeting, long weekend lunches, beach culture in Rio, and football as shared language. Regional identities are strong — cariocas (Rio), paulistas (São Paulo), baianos and gaúchos (the South) tease each other constantly.

Politics are polarised, and inequality is among the highest in the world. The military dictatorship of 1964–85 ended peacefully, and democracy has held through impeachments and bitter elections, including the unrest of January 2023.

Population: About 213 million
Language: Portuguese
Dictatorship: 1964–1985

See itCopacabana promenade, Rio →Liberdade district, São Paulo

4Food: feijoada, moqueca and açaí1 min

Rice and beans are the daily base of Brazilian eating. Feijoada, black beans slow-cooked with pork and sausage, is Rio's Saturday ritual, served with farofa, collard greens and orange slices. Churrasco, the gaúcho barbecue of the South, spread across the country as all-you-can-eat rodízio restaurants.

Bahia cooks with dendê palm oil, coconut milk and dried shrimp, an African-Portuguese mix seen in moqueca stews and acarajé fritters sold by baianas in white dresses. Minas Gerais gave the country pão de queijo and slow stove-top cooking.

The Amazon has its own kitchen of river fish (tambaqui, pirarucu), manioc derivatives such as tucupi, and fruits like cupuaçu and açaí, eaten there as a savoury purée rather than a sweet bowl. Cachaça, the sugarcane spirit, goes into the caipirinha.

National dish: Feijoada
National cocktail: Caipirinha
Lunch format: Per-kilo buffets (comida a quilo)

See itMercado Municipal, São PauloAcarajé stalls, Salvador

5Landscape: Amazon, Pantanal and Iguaçu1 min

About 60% of the Amazon rainforest lies in Brazil. The rivers rise and fall by over 10 m a year, flooding forest from about May to July. Deforestation for cattle and soy peaked in the early 2020s and has fallen since, but fire seasons still bring smoke in August–October. Belém hosted the COP30 climate summit in 2025.

The Pantanal in the centre-west is the world's largest tropical wetland. In the dry season wildlife crowds around shrinking waters, making it the best place in the Americas to see jaguars, along with giant otters, caimans and hyacinth macaws. Severe fires burned large areas in 2020 and 2024.

The Atlantic Forest once lined the coast and survives in fragments around Rio (Tijuca, the largest urban forest), Paraty and Iguaçu. At Iguaçu the river drops over a 2.7 km horseshoe of falls shared with Argentina; the Brazilian side has the panoramic view. The Northeast adds dunes, reefs and the lagoons of the Lençóis Maranhenses.

Share of the Amazon: About 60%
Pantanal: About 150,000 km² (57,915 sq mi) across Brazil, Bolivia and ParaguayAbout 57,915 sq mi (150,000 km²) across Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay
Yellow fever: Vaccine recommended for most rural itineraries — check

See itSugarloaf Mountain, Rio →Iguaçu National ParkTranspantaneira road, Mato Grosso

6Travelling Brazil in 2026: e-visas, Pix and street sense1 min

Entry changed in 2025: after six years of visa-free access, citizens of the US, Canada and Australia again need an e-visa, applied for online at the official VFS portal (US$80.90 — check), valid for multiple entries for several years. EU and UK citizens remain visa-free. Apply at least two weeks ahead, and ignore lookalike sites.

Money is mostly digital. Brazilians pay with Pix, an instant transfer system run by the central bank, by scanning QR codes; a standard Pix key needs a Brazilian tax number, but some travel apps now let foreigners pay Pix codes — check. Foreign cards and tap-to-pay work almost everywhere anyway.

Safety depends on state, city and street. Phone and bag theft in Rio, São Paulo and Salvador is the common problem; visitors who use apps at night, carry little and avoid empty beaches rarely have trouble. Plan the calendar too: Carnival 2027 falls around 5–10 February, and a yellow fever jab is needed for the Amazon and Pantanal.

E-visa (US, CA, AU): Since 10 April 2025; US$80.90 — check
Carnival 2027: About 5–10 February
Emergency: 190 police, 192 ambulance, 193 fire

See itChrist the Redeemer, Rio →Rio de Janeiro →Rio de Janeiro state →

Read, watch, wordsReading · Watching · Glossary · Sources4 parts

Reading

Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon — Jorge AmadoBahia's cacao coast in fiction.
The Hour of the Star — Clarice LispectorA short, sharp novel of a migrant in Rio.
Brazil: A Biography — Lilia M. Schwarcz and Heloisa M. StarlingReadable modern history.
The Lost City of Z — David GrannExploration and myth in the Amazon.

Watching

City of God — Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund, 2002Life and violence in a Rio favela.
I'm Still Here — Walter Salles, 2024A family under the dictatorship; Oscar winner.
Black Orpheus — Marcel Camus, 1959Carnival and bossa nova in Rio.

Glossary

Term	Local	Meaning
carioca / paulista		Person from Rio / São Paulo.
favela / comunidade		Informal neighbourhood.
Pix		Instant payment system.
CPF		Brazilian tax ID number.
rodízio		All-you-can-eat service, often barbecue.
comida a quilo		Buffet paid by weight.
bloco		Street Carnival party.
pousada		Guesthouse.
rodoviária		Bus station.
orixá		Deity in Candomblé.

Read for this deep dive

Background reading only: the text above is written by Voykit, not copied from these pages.

Sources

officialUK FCDO travel advice: Brazil
secondaryWikivoyage — Brazil
officialBrazil e-visa portal (VFS, official)
officialBrazil Ministry of Foreign Affairs — e-visa for US, Canadian and Australian citizens
officialUS State Department — Brazil country information
officialTravelHealthPro — Brazil (yellow fever)
officialParque Nacional do Iguaçu (official)

Open Americas Up to South America

Ask about Brazil

Loading…

Was this useful?

About Brazil

Holidays and festivals in November

Read or watch before you go

Also with a guide 476

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Budget calculator

By land and river

What four governments say

Strikes and disruptions

Natural and on-the-ground hazards

Alerts and apps

Police, embassies, paperwork

Tipping by situation

Opening hours

Etiquette

Everyday manners

Dish finder

Table manners

Diets: the reality

Registration and the law

Booking reality

Prices and bargaining

What to bring home

Customs allowances on arrival

Reading

Watching

Glossary

Read for this deep dive

Ask about Brazil