Sightseeing Sao Paulo and its art and restaurant scenes; the Amazon; Iguaçu Falls; Salvador with its historical and well-preserved Old Town; Rio de Janeiro with its famous Copacabana Beach, the famous Corcovado, Sugar Loaf Mountain and Tijuca National Park.
Accommodation
Luxury city centre and beach hotels, offering the best in location and comfort.
Shopping
What you can buy – Artefacts and sculptures, which showcase the Brazilian tradition.
Entertainment
Rio Carnival and Samba dance shows.
Sports and leisure
Water sports – Sailing, surfing, parasailing, jet-skiing; spa and beauty treatments in deluxe hotels; football; nature trails in the rainforest and hang gliding.
Sao Paulo Fashion Week (January); Rio Carnival (February); Salvador Carnival (February); Sao Paulo Carnival (February); Sao Paulo Turf Grand Prix (May); Brazil Formula One Grand Prix (September); Festival of Traditional Paulista Culture (September); International Film Festival (October); Sao Silvestre Run (December).
Visas:
All visitors require passports valid for at least six more months from the date the visa is requested. A recent 3x4 or 5x7 coloured photograph with white background must also be presented.
Nationals of the following countries require a valid passport but no visa and can remain in the country for up to 90 days: Austria, Andorra, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Great Britain/RU, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Morocco, Monaco, Namibia, Norway, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Suriname, Thailand, The Netherlands, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uruguay and the Vatican. Nationals travelling from Venezuela require a valid passport but no visa and can remain in the country for up to 60 days.
Nationals of the following countries require a valid passport and a visa for single and multiple entries: Angola, Armenia, Bulgaria, Cape Verde, Cameroon, China, Ivory Coast, Croatia, Cuba, Egypt, El Salvador, Slovakia, Gabon, Guatemala, Guiana, Guinea Bissau, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Mozambique, Dominican Republic, Romania, Russia, St. Thomas and Prince, Senegal and Vietnam.
Health requirements:
For Brazil, a yellow fever vaccination is recommended for those travelling to rural areas and parts of Sao Paulo and Parana. Those travelling from infected areas require a yellow fever certificate. Immunisation is also recommended for typhoid and hepatitis A. Mosquito-borne diseases like dengue fever and malaria are prevalent in rural areas and insect protection is strongly advised.
Travel insurance:
Adequate holiday and travel insurance is vital. Emirates Holidays offers a comprehensive insurance package to enable you and your family to travel with peace of mind. Please contact your nearest Emirates Holidays office or your travel agent for details of our HolidayGuard Travel Insurance cover.
Currency:
The Brazilian currency is Real R$.
Notes in denominations of R$100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1.
Coins in denominations of 1 Real and 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 cent.
Approximate exchange rate:
AED1 = R$0.50
EUR1 = R$2.67
USD1 = R$1.84
Please check the rate of exchange prior to travel.
Banking hours -
1000 to 1600 hours,
Monday - Friday.
Clothing:
Summers can get very hot and humid, therefore it is advisable to wear clothing made of natural fibres. Rainwear is required throughout the year. Appropriate footwear (sneakers or trainers) is recommended, as there is a lot of walking to do.
Airport information:
Sao Paulo - Sao Paulo Guarulhos International Airport is located 25 kilometres North-East of Sao Paulo. The two terminals are situated close to each other and are accessible by foot. The airport telephone number is 011 6445 2945.
Rio de Janeiro - Rio de Janeiro Galeao (Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport) is located 20 kilometres north of Rio de Janeiro. The two terminals are linked by a travelator. The airport telephone number is 021 3398 4526/2155.
Customs:
Visitors are allowed to bring in items of personal use during their trip, including electronics such as a camera and laptop. If you are bringing in new electronic items you may be asked to register the item to ensure that you will take it with you when you leave. Gifts purchased abroad worth more than US$500 must be declared. Merchandise for sale or samples should also be declared upon arrival.
Driving licence:
Driving is on the right-hand side of the road. An International Driving Permit is required along with your local driving licence from your country of residence and law requires third-party liability insurance. Minimum age for driving is 18 years.
Emergency telephone numbers:
Ambulance, fire and police - 911
Hours of work:
Business: 0900 to 1800 hours, Monday - Friday,
0900 to 1300 hours, Saturdays.
Closed on Sundays.
Shopping: 0900 to 2200 hours, Monday - Saturday.
Some stores are open on Sundays as well.
Public holidays (fixed):
1st January - New Year
20th January - Patron Saint of Rio de Janeiro: Sao Sebastiao Day (Rio de Janeiro only)
21st April - Tiradentes Day
23rd April - Saint Jorge Day (Rio de Janeiro only)
1st May - May Day (Labour Day)
7th September - Independence Day
12th October - Our Lady of Aparecida Day
2nd November - All Soul’s Day
15th November - Proclamation Day
20th November - Zumbi Day (Leader of the renegade slaves, Rio de Janeiro only)
25th December - Christmas Day
Public holidays (moveable):
Carnival 2nd to 6th February (Parade in Rio on 3rd and 4th February). Officially the holiday is on 5th February, however, the commercial holiday extends from 2nd to 6th February.
Easter Sunday Corpus Christi Day (Religious)
Time zones:
Brazil has four time zones, although the majority of the tourist and business destinations (Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, etc.) are located in the same time zone (Brasilia time).
Winter (March - November) - GMT- 3 hours.
Summer (December - February) - GMT- 2 hours.
Language:
The spoken language in Brazil is Portuguese, however Spanish and English are also used in the cities.
Tipping:
A tip of around 10 per cent is customary. You don’t need to tip taxi drivers. It is customary to tip highly trained, bilingual tour guides about US$3 to US$5 per person per day and your coach or car driver about US$2-US$3.
Dress code:
Dress style in Rio de Janeiro is casual in almost all circumstances, while in Sao Paulo is usually more formal. However, smart casuals is widely acceptable in public.
Electricity:
In most Brazilian cities the voltage is either 110 or 220 volts, 60 cycles, with the exception of Salvador and Manaus, where it is 127 volts. Most hotels have sockets of both 110 and 220 volts and/or supply voltage transformers. Make sure you bring an AC adaptor from 3 to 2 pins as some inlets in Brazil do not have a hole for the 3rd pin or ground pin.
Safety tips:
Brazil is a safe country overall, however, as a result of the rather large disparity between the rich and poor, poverty remains a social problem. Consequently various incidents are known to occur. Visitors should adopt a common sense approach to safety issues. To enjoy exploring the cities and the country safely it is best to join tour groups. Emirates Holidays reputed local partner operates a wide range of tours and excursions. It is advisable for visitors to avoid attracting attention and follow basic precautions which will help make travel to Brazil safe and enjoyable.