| Places and Destination | Art and Culture | Geography and Wildlife | History

Places and Destinations:

Chapada Diamantina - Brazil's "Lost World"
Chapada Diamantina National Park in Brazil's Bahia state is called the Lost World, compared to the Grand Canyon and to a Jurassic Park landscape, but the region stands on its own for the fantastic rock formations, rivers and waterfalls, and a vast underground river system that creates astonishingly beautiful caves that attract divers and spelunkers all year around.

Walking Tours of Central Rio de Janeiro
Walking the centro, also called the cidade, provides the visitor with a glimpse into Rio's cultural and historical past and up-to-date present with lavish architecture and glorious views, proving that there is more to Rio than spectacular beaches, sizzling nightlife and carnaval. Boa viagem!

Belem, Brazil - Gateway to the Amazon
Belem has a long and varied history as colonial port, wealthy from the rubber boom, economic and cultural center of northern Brazil, plus the jumping off spot for many of the Amazon river destinations.

Brasilia, Capital of Brazil
Brasilia is a monument to what Brazilians can do and have done. It's a city pointing like an arrow into the future. It's built on a massive scale, with large, innovative buildings, a freedom of spirit and imagination.

Brazil for Visitors
Discovering the regional variations in South America's largest country.

Buzios, Brazil
An international resort, Buzios is two hours north of Rio de Janeiro, and its twenty plus beaches and relaxed hedonistic style likens it to Saint Tropez.

Exploring Brazil's Northeast
Things to do and see in the states of Alagoas, Bahia, Ceará, Maranhão, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio Grande do Norte and Sergipe include great beaches and lively nighlife.

Highlights of Southern Brazil
Three states reflect much of their European heritage, including language and Octoberfests, and offer the traveler great vistas, splendid beaches and Iguazu Falls.

Iguazu Falls
The huge thundering falls are a popular destination. See why!

Ilhabela, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Ilhabela, in the state of Sao Paulo, on Brazil's largest maritime island, is a rain forest ecological reserve, with miles of pristine beaches, spectacular waterfalls and mountain views, and is popular for both land and sea sports and recreation.

Fernando de Noronha
This spectacularly scenic archipelago off the northeastern coast of Brazil is a paradise for divers and snorkelers for the crystalline, warm waters and variety of marine life. Have you been there?

Nude Beaches in South America
The legal beaches and naturist resorts or clubs are in Brazil, and surprisingly few of them given the almost nude state of many beach goers on Rio's famed beaches.

Paraty, Brazil
During Brazil's Ciclo de Ouro, Paraty was the main port for shipping gold to Portugal. Now, it's a charming colonial town offering visitors a lot of history, great beaches and a relaxing vacation.

Pelourinho, Salvador, Brazil
Pelourinho, the old historic center of Salvador, is a city within a city. Centered around the old slave auction, Pelourinho has pastel-hued buildings, churches, museums, shops, restaurants and fantastic nightlife.

Recife - Top 10 Things to Do
The capital of Pernambuco state, Recife is called the "Venice of Brazil" and offers the visitor two carnivals a year, plus beaches, dance, music, and Olinda.

Rio de Janeiro
Truly a cidade maravilhosa, Rio is spectacularly located, and to live up to the scenery, cariocas and visitors enjoy a vivid lifestyle nestled between fabulous beaches and rainforested hills.

Salvador Bahia Brasil
Impressions of this lively city by guest feature author Candice Kohl include Candomble, Baina do Acarages, the water, streets, Cairinhas, architecture and lots of beach time.

São Paulo!
The city is South America's largest, Brazil's center of trade and industry. Paulistanos work hard and play hard. Here are some of the things you'll enjoy when you visit São Paulo.

Caipirinha, anyone?
Brazil's national drink, made with limes, sugar, water and the sugar cane brandy known as cachaça is an international favorite. Check out these recipes in various languages and enjoy a taste of Brazil wherever you are!

Carnaval
Get out your dancing shoes for the festivities in Rio de Janeiro and other Brazilian cities Bolivia and Colombia.

Christmas in Salvador, Bahia
Christmas in Salvador, Bahia is a combination of religious celebrations, ethnic traditions and pageantry. You're sure to enjoy the festivities, but no matter where you are for the season, Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Nova!

Festa de Iemanjá
The Goddess of the Sea and Mother of the Waters is worshipped on New Year's Eve in Rio de Janeiro and on August 15 in Salvador.

Gauchos, Huasos and Llaneros, Part 1
The cowboys of South America: all brilliant horsemen, with similar histories and yet so different. Begin this series with the Gauchos of Argentina, Uruguay and southern Brazil.

Samba!
Infectious rhythms and a contagious beat - Brazilian spoken here.

Survivor: the Amazon
The sixth in the Survivor series was filmed around the Rio Negro, a major tributary to the Amazon River. A switch in this set is male and female teams. Take a look at the setting with photos and maps, then cast your vote for the survivors. Follow the fun with Survivor: the Amazon Episodes!

Amazonia
A look at travel on the Amazon from Iquitos, Peru to Belém, Brazil.

The Dinosaurs of South America
Patagonia and other sites are fossil-rich with numerous new species.

The Matto Grosso
Brazil's land of Big Wood offers history, mystery and great ecotouring in the Pantanal, the cerrado and the Amazon rainforest.

The Pantanal and the Environment
The Pantanal is a huge wilderness region of swamps and marshes - wetlands created by the seasonal flooding of the river Paraguai and its many tributaries. It's the site of the popular annual International Fishing Festival, but at what cost to the environment?

Brazil Independence Day - September 7
Brazil boasts of many unique attributes, including having had an empire, a reigning monarch and a relatively bloodless independence from Portugal. And rather than having the populace revolt and proclaim independence, it was the king himself who declared in the Grito do Ipiranga, "By my blood, by my honor, and by God: I will make Brazil free” with the motto Independence or Death!

Jesuit Missions of South America
The Jesuit Missions in South America began in Brazil, then spread to what is now Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay, with one in Uruguay. They are all on the tourist mission circuit, and a worthwhile visit to learn about Spanish and Portuguese colonial history.

Alberto Santos Dumont
Alberto Santos Dumont, the Brazilian aviation pioneer, raised in Europe, is called the Pai da Aviação, Father of Aviation, for his experiments with dirigible balloons and aircraft, resulting in early heavier-than-air flights.

Tiradentes - Joaquim Jose da Silva Xavier
Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, known as Tiradentes, or tooth-puller, was executed in 1792 for his role in encouraging Brazilian independence from Portugal, and is today honored each April 21st as the Civic Patron of the Brazilian nation.