Brazil

Brazil is South America's giant, a dazzling land of pristine beaches, steamy jungles and manic metropolises. Music and dancing are as integral here as eating and sleeping, and you'll find as many regional styles as there are shades of people, from samba's sensual rhythms to Bahia's -charged beats.

In contrast to the Inca and Maya, the Brazilian Indians never developed a centralized civilization. Assisted by the jungle and climate, they left very little evidence for archaeologists to study: just some pottery, shell mounds and skeletons. The Indian population was quite diverse and there were an estimated two to six million living in the territory that is now Brazil when the Portuguese first arrived. Today there are fewer than 200,000, most of them in the hidden jungles of the Brazilian interior.

In 1500 Pedro Alvares Cabral set sail from Lisbon with 13 ships and 1200 crew, ostensibly for India, and arrived on the Brazilian coast near present-day Porto Seguro by 'accident'. Some historians say it was his intended destination all along, and it's true that his 'discovery' was reported to the king in such matter-of-fact terms that it seems that the existence of Brazil was already well-known to mariners. In 1531 King João III of Portugal sent the first settlers to Brazil and, in 1534, fearing the ambitions of other European countries, he divided the coast into 15 hereditary captaincies, which were given to friends of the Crown.

The colonists soon discovered that the land and climate were ideal for growing sugar cane, and solved the prodigious labour requirements by enslaving the Indian population, despite their resistance. The capture and sale of slaves soon became one of Brazil's most lucrative trades, and was dominated by the bandeirantes, men from São Paulo usually born of Indian mothers and Portuguese fathers. They hunted the Indians into the interior, and by the mid-1600s had reached the peaks of the Peruvian Andes. Their brutal exploits, more than any treaty, secured the huge interior of South America for Portuguese Brazil.

From the mid-16th century, and particularly during the 17th century, African slaves were compelled to replace Indians on the plantations. They were less vulnerable to European diseases, but their lives were short nevertheless. Quilombos, communities of runaway slaves, were common throughout the colonial era. They ranged from mocambos, small groups hidden in the forests, to the great republic of Palmares that survived for much of the 17th century. In the 1690s, gold was discovered in Minas Gerais and the rush was on. Brazilians and Portuguese flooded into the territory and countless slaves were brought from Africa to dig and die in the mines.

In 1807, Napoleon's army marched on Lisbon. Two days before the invasion, the Portuguese Prince Regent, later to become Dom João VI, set sail for Brazil. Soon after arriving, he made Rio de Janeiro the capital of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarve; Brazil became the only New World colony to serve as the seat of a European monarch. In 1822 the Prince Regent's son, Pedro, who had been left behind to rule the colony when his father returned to Portugal, pulled out his sword and yelled the battle cry 'Independência ou morte!' (independence or death). Portugal was too weak to fight its favorite son, so Brazil became an independent empire without spilling a drop of blood.

During the 19th century, coffee replaced sugar as Brazil's major export. At first the coffee plantations used slave labour, but with the abolition of slavery in 1888, thousands of European immigrants, mostly Italians, poured in to work on the coffee estates, called fazendas. In 1889, a military coup, supported by the powerful coffee aristocracy, toppled the Brazilian Empire, and for the next 40 years Brazil was governed by a series of military and civilian presidents supervised by the armed forces.

In 1929, the global economic crisis weakened the coffee planters' hold on the government and an opposition Liberal Alliance was formed with the support of nationalist military officers. When the Liberal Alliance lost the election in 1930, the military seized power on their behalf and installed the Liberal leader, Getúlio Vargas, as president. Vargas, whose regime was inspired by Mussolini's and Salazar's fascist states, dominated the political scene for the next 24 years, until he was forced out of office in 1954. His replacement, Juscelino Kubitschek, was the first of Brazil's big spenders; he built Brasília, the new capital, which was supposed to catalyze the development of the interior. By the early 1960s, the economy was battered by inflation, partly because of the expense of building the new capital, and fears of encroaching communism were fuelled by Castro's victory in Cuba. Again, Brazil's fragile democracy was squashed by a military coup in 1964. The military rulers set about creating large-scale projects that benefited a wealthy few, at the expense of the rest of the population.

In the mid-1980s, Brazil's economic miracle, supported largely by loans from international banks, petered out and the military handed power back to a civilian government. In November 1989, Brazilians had their first opportunity to elect a president by popular vote in almost 30 years, and chose ex-karate champion Fernando Collor de Mello, over the socialist Luíz Inácio 'Lula' da Silva by a narrow but secure majority. Collor gained office promising to fight corruption and reduce inflation, but by the end of 1992, had been removed from office and was being indicted on charges of corruption - accused of leading a gang that used extortion and bribery to suck more than one billion US dollars from the economy.

Vice President Itamar Franco became president in December 1992 on Collor's impeachment, and with the introduction of a new currency, the real, stabilized the economy. In November 1994, Fernando Cardoso, architect of the Plano Real was elected president. Through the mid-'90s Cardoso presided over a Brazil with a growing economy, stable currency and record foreign investment. These achievements were offset by the legacy of longstanding problems: the loss of two million jobs between 1989 and 1996 and ongoing problems with agrarian reform. A 1996 United Nations report showed that Brazil had the world's most unequal distribution of wealth.

The country's ongoing problems didn't stop Cardoso from persuading congress to change the constitution to allow him a second term, and he comfortably won a second four-year term in 1998. Following the election the real had to be devalued, ushering in a period of belt-tightening, but by 2000 the economy was growing again.

Brazil's 2002 presidential election swung the country's political agenda to the left when Workers Party (PT) candidate Luíz Inácio 'Lula' da Silva won 61% of the vote. Lula (as he's fondly called) secured the vote by promising to curb hunger and create jobs. As Lula's first term neared its end, however, scandals showed that even the PT could not avoid the taint of corruption. A cash-for-votes rumpus in Congress in 2005 was followed in 2006 by the exposure of an attempt by the PT to buy damaging information about the opposition. Lula's reelection hopes were further jeopardized by the continuing drug-gang violence in the main cities.

Nevertheless Lula's popularity and commitment to the poor carried him to a second resounding presidential victory in October 2006, over center-right challenger Geraldo Alckmin. Lula's first significant act after reelection was to raise the minimum wage by 8.5%, well above the rate of inflation. Brazil's poor were a little less desperate than four years previously, but land reform and education now have to join welfare programs as real priorities if the country's first workers' president is to narrow the wealth gap in a lasting way.

Although not in every large city, but one of the unfortunate sides of travel in Brazil is the endemic violent street crime. Brazil's large cities, especially of the north, northeast and southeast states, are notorious for attacks (against foreigners and locals alike). However, taking extra precautions and using common sense to keep yourself safe while travelling in Brazil will allow you to enjoy your stay without any incidents, like millions of visitors do every year.

Do not walk around big cities late at night -- take taxis instead. On no account ever try to enter a slum ( favela ) without a guide and do not walk down shadowy streets at night. If you cannot depend on a Brazilian friend or relative to be your guide, consult a travel book to learn which areas of the city to avoid, as well as other safety tips.

Use your hotel's safe for any valuables. Avoid carrying large amounts of cash, wearing expensive or expensive-looking jewelry, and carrying any unnecessary electronic gadgets, loose purses or bags. Try to stash some extra money in a hidden spot, such as a shoe or money belt -- to make sure you can get back to your hotel. Pay attention to the way the locals dress and try to blend in the crowds: looking like a foreigner (e.g. dark socks with sandals) is not wise as thieves will be after you for your money if they instantly see you are a gringo.

Always carry a small amount of cash that you can hand over quickly in a case of a mugging. However, don't keep it somewhere easily seen such as in a men's shirt pocket, as that will increase your risk. Under no circustances try to run away or resist. Do not carry deterrence weapons. Stay calm and comply with their demands, and you're unlikely to be hurt. Muggers will almost certainly outnumber and outsmart you, and trying to be a hero will achieve nothing apart from injury or death.

You don't need to carry your passport to walk in the city but if you like this, use a little pocket inside your clothes (you can buy in airport mall). But be sure to have a photocopy of your passport with you at all times as required by law (Brazilian police have the right to request identification, i.e. documents, from anyone behaving suspiciously).

As of January 2008, new cases of Yellow fever yellow fever have been reported from the Centre-West region. All situations involve visitors to rural areas of the state of Goiás and the Federal District (Brasilia). If you are visiting the area, and especially if you intend to go out of the cities, make sure you take the appropriate vaccine at least 10 days before traveling. The local public health services also provide vaccine shots for free.

Meanwhile, Paraguay is having its worst yellow fever epidemic in over 60 years. Vaccination is highly recommended near the Brazil-Paraguay border areas. This includes far southern Mato Grosso do Sul and far southwestern Parana . The state capitals Campo Grande and Curitiba are of no concern at this time. Other parts of Mato Grosso do Sul and the rest of the Amazon region are sometimes affected (see below), but unrelated to the current situation in Paraguay.

Less serious (though on rare occasion, fatal) dengue fever epidemics occur regularly during the wet season. This is mostly an urban disease which affects big cities such as Rio. No vaccine -- use insect repellant.

It's probably best to avoid the food peddled by vendors on the beach (before you buy any food from them, take a look at their hygiene and cleanliness). A sanduíche natural (natural sandwich) may or may not be organic as represented, but if you buy one late in the day a tummy-ache or worse is a likely result. Food and drink in formal restaurants is safe, excellent, and inexpensive.

If you are going to rent a flat and live on your own, store perishable foodstuffs with extra care, as the hot climate can make them rot quite soon.

Only buy closed drinks sold from street vendors (like cans and bottles). Always use a straw or rinse the drink container with fresh water, because the water used to cool the drinks is sometimes not fit for consumption. Unless you have been in the country for a few weeks or more, avoid all ice in drinks. Mineral water is normally safe. The quality of tap water, on the other hand, may vary from place to place (from contaminated, saline or soaked with chlorine to plain drinkable) and Brazilians themselves usually prefer to have it filtered.

Vaccination against yellow fever and taking anti-malaria medication may be necessary if you are traveling to central-western (Mato Grosso) or northern (Amazon) regions. If you're arriving from Peru, Colombia or Bolivia, proof of yellow fever vaccination is required before you enter Brazil. Some countries, such as Australia and South Africa , will require evidence of yellow fever vaccination before allowing you enter the country if you have been in any part of Brazil within the previous week. Check the requirements of any country you will travel to from Brazil.

If you get ill, don't look for help in public hospitals, which tend to be crowded and not too good. In most cities of at least 60,000 inhabitants good healthcare is available at a fair price.

Dentists abound and are very cheap (so cheap indeed that people come from other countries to treat their teeth there). However, the quality of their work is not always consistent, so ask a local for advice.

The emergency number is 190, but you must speak Portuguese.

Throughout its history, Brazil has welcomed several different peoples and practices. Brazil constitutes a melting pot of the most diverse ethnic groups thus mitigating ethnic prejudices and preventing racial conflicts (though long-lasting slavery and genocide among indigenous populations have taken their toll). Prejudice is often directed towards different social classes rather than between races. Nevertheless, race (or simply skin colour) is still a dividing factor in Brazilian society and you will notice the skin typically darkens as the social class gets lower: wealth and middle-class are mostly white; many middle-class are mixed; and the majority of poor people are black or indian. Nowadays, however, Afro-Brazilians and Amerindian populations are increasingly aware of their civil rights and of their rich cultural heritage, and social mobility is achievable through education.

In general, Brazilians are a fun-loving people. While attitude in the South may be somewhat colder and more reserved, from Rio upwards people usually boast a captivating attitude towards life and truly enjoy having a good time. Some may even tell you that beer, football, samba and barbecue is all they could crave for.

Friendship and hospitality are highly praised traits in the Brazilian society. Family values and social connections are also strongly valued and the distinction between known and unknown people may acquire a significant weight in day-to-day interaction. To people they have met, or at least they know the name, Brazilians are usually very open, friendly and sometimes quite generous. Once introduced, until getting a good reason not to, a typical Brazilian may treat you as trustfully as he would treat a best friend. This may have an agreeable impact, but it also means that outsiders not always get the same special treatment as locals. Nevertheless, Brazilians are reputedly one of the most hospitable people in the world and foreigners are usually treated with respect and often with true admiration.

Attitudes towards foreigners may also be subject to regional differences:

The state of Santa Catarina welcomes their Spanish-speaking tourists with bilingual signs and welcome committees.
In Salvador, the largest city of the Northeast, anyone talking, acting or looking like a tourist (even other Brazilians!) could be charged higher prices, such as in parking lots, in restaurants, etc.

Whereas the Western roots of Brazilian culture are largely European (evidenced by its colonial towns and even sporadic historic buildings between the skyscrapers...), there has been a strong tendency in the last decades to adopt a more American way of life which is found in urban culture and architecture, mass media, consumerism and a strongly positive feeling towards technical progress. In spite of that, Brazil is still a nation faced to the Atlantic, not to Hispanic America, and the intellectual elites are likely to look up to Europe (especially France), not the U.S., as source of inspiration. Many aspects in Brazilian society (such as the educational system) are borrowed from the French and may seem strange at first to Anglo-Saxon visitors.

Brazilians are not Hispanic, and there are even some locals who question whether Brazil is part of Latin America.

The contrasts in this huge country equally fascinates and shocks most visitors, as well as the indifference of many locals towards the social, economic and ecological problems. Whereas an emerging elite of young, well-educated professionals indulge in amenities of modern society, child labor, illiteracy and subhuman housing conditions still exist even in regions blessed by economic growth and huge foreign investments such as Sao Paulo or Rio.

As much as Brazilians acknowledge their self-sustainability in raw materials, agriculture, and energy sources as an enormous benefit for the future, most of them agree that without huge efforts in education there will hardly be a way out of poverty and underdevelopment.

Brazil has a growing Chinese population, made up significantly of immigrants from Macau , a former Portuguese colony.

Owing to Brazil’s continental dimensions, varied geography, history and people, the country’s culture is rich and diverse. It has several regional variations, and in spite of being mostly unified by a single language, some regions are so different from each other that they could have become different countries altogether.

Music plays an important part in Brazilian identity. Styles like choro, samba and bossa nova are considered genuinely Brazilian. Caipira music is also in the roots of sertanejo (the national equivalent to country music). MPB stands for Brazilian Popular Music, which mixes several national styles under a single concept. Forró, a north-eastern happy dancing music style, has also become common nationwide. New urban styles include funk - name given to a dance music genre from Rio's favelas that mixes heavy electronic beats and often raunchy rapping - and techno-brega, a crowd-pleaser in northern states, that fuses romantic pop, dance music and caribbean rhythms.

A mixture of martial arts, dance, music and game, capoeira was brought to Brazil by African slaves. Distinguished by vivacious complicated movements and accompanying music, it can be seen and practiced in many Brazilian cities.

Candomble and Umbanda are religions with African roots that have survived prejudice and persecution and still have a significant following in Brazil. Their places of cult are called terreiros and many are open for visitation.

Indigenous traits can be found everywhere in Brazilian culture, from cuisine to vocabulary. There are still many indigenous groups and tribes living in all Brazilian regions, although many have been deeply influenced by western culture, and several of the country's surviving indigenous languages are in danger of disappearing completely. The traditional lifestyle and graphic expressions of the Wajãpi indigenous group from the state of Amapá were proclaimed a Masterpiece of the World's Intangible Heritage by UNESCO.

Globo, the largest national television network, also plays an important role in shaping the national identity. Nine out of ten households have a TV set, which is the most important source of information and entertainment for most Brazilians followed by the radio broadcast. TVs broadcast sports, movies, local and national news and telenovelas (Soap Operas)– 6-month-long series that have become one of the country’s main cultural exports.

Brazil has a reciprocal visa policy with all countries, meaning that whenever prices and restrictions are applied to Brazilian visiting a country, Brazil adopts the same measures for that country's visitors.

That applies to the United States. As of January 2008, expect to pay at least US$131 for a tourist visa and US$191 for a business visa, not counting the fee for having an agency handle your visa application and other service charges levied. However, it is a wise idea to check before you travel in case of another increase. If you live close enough to the embassy or consulate for your area (other regions won't accept application), you can go in person, but you must go two times about one week apart (check the list of consulates and embassies). Don't forget they are closed on Brazilian holidays as well as those of your country.

Citizens from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay may enter the country with a valid ID card and stay up to 90 days.

No visa is required for stays of up to 60 days from holders of passports from Venezuela.

No visa is required for stays of up to 90 days from holders of passports from Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Rep., Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong (British National (Overseas) passports only but not HKSAR passports), Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, South Korea, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Monaco, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uruguay and Vatican City. Note that the immigration officer has the right to restrict your visa to less than 90 days, if he deems fit. He will then state the number of days (e.g. 60 or 30) in pen writing inside the stamp just given in your passport. No pen writing means 90 days.

Citizens from the following countries currently need a visa for Brazil: Angola, Armenia, Australia, Canada, Cape Verde, China (HK and Macau see below), Cyprus, El Salvador, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Japan, Lebanon, Mexico, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Russia, Syria, Taiwan, the United States, former Soviet countries and others not listed above (complete list here - Portuguese only). Caution -- Passports issued by Hong Kong (HKSAR) and and Macau may not be accepted. In such case, travellers with those passports must apply for a Brazilian laissez-passer, which authorises a single entry into Brazil.

Tourist visas (including those granted on the spot in immigration control, as for most Europeans) can be extended at any office of the Policia Federal. All state capitals, and most border towns and international ports have one. Your visa can maximum be extended for as long as your original visa was granted (i.e. another 90 days if you originally got 90 days.), and under no circumstance can you be granted more than 180 days with a tourist visa for any 365-day period. You should contact the federal police about 1-3 weeks before your visa expires. You have to pay a fee of about R$ 20. Mostly you will be asked for an outbound ticket (book a fully refundable one on the internet, then cancel when your visa is extended), and a proof of subsistance (for which your credit card is mostly accepted.)

By law you are required to produce your outbound ticket upon entry, but this is only enforced in exeptional cases. Even if you are asked, you could often get away with explaining that you are taking the bus to Argentina, and couldn´t buy the ticket in, say, Europe.

Even if you receive a tourist visa that is valid for a longer period of time, a tourist visa is invalid unless it has been initially used within ninety days of its issue.

If you overstay your tourist visa, you will be fined R$ 8,28 per day (as of October 2007), for a maximum of 100 days. This means that even if you stay illegally for 5 years, the fine will never exceed R$ 828. You will be made to pay this at the border crossing. As this can take time, it could be wise to do it a few days up front at a federal police office, especially if you have a domestic to international flight connection. The federal police will then give you 8 days to get out of the country. If you don´t pay your fine upon exiting, you will have to pay the next time you enter. The fact that you have been fined for overstaying in the past does not imply future difficulties with immigration, but you´d better keep all receipts and old passports for reference.

If you want to enter/exit the country for some reason without coming in contact with the immigration authorities, there are numerous tiny border towns that have virtually no control. You will perhaps be told by the local police (who don´t have stamps or computer registers for immigration) to contact the federal police in such and such nearby town. Just say yes and do nothing.

When you are travelling from certain tropical regions to Brazil you need a yellow fever vaccination and the certificate showing you had this. http://travel.guardian.co.uk/askatraveller/story/0,8915,673944,00.html

It is illegal to bring in animals, meat, dairy, seeds, plants, eggs, honey, fruit, or any kind of non-processed food without a permit. Contact vigiagro@agricultura.gov.br for more information.

By plane

Most travelers from other continents will land in São Paulo (city) São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro (city) Rio de Janeiro . There are also regular flights from Europe ( Lisbon ), and Miami , Florida , USA to Recife, Fortaleza, Natal, and Salvador. (Natal and Recife may be seasonal.) Some regional airports such as Belem and Manaus are also served by flights from Miami , French_Guiana French Guiana , Suriname and Guadeloupe . Besides, weekly 4-hour flights connect Fortaleza to Cape Verde , and onwards to Lisbon (with further connections available to Senegal).

Charter tourism flights from Europe often land directly in Salvador, Recife, Fortaleza, and Natal. Direct flights from Sāo Paulo and/or Rio de Janeiro to Lisbon, Madrid, Paris, London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Milan and Zurich are also available.

North American cities served by non-stop flights to Sāo Paulo include Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Mexico City, Miami (RJ also), Newark, New York, Panama City (RJ also), Toronto and Washington DC (RJ also). From the west coast, it has become more difficult since Varig no longer serves Los Angeles. The best routes are LAN Chile to Rio, LAN Peru to Sāo Paulo (note unscheduled change of aircraft in Lima ), COPA via Panama City (exactly half way), AeroMexico via Mexico City (SP only), or connect in Texas on American or Continental Airlines. Avianca Brazil/Oceanair plans to have new non-stop service to Los Angeles sometime in 2008, but no details as of yet.

TAM is now the largest international Brazilian carrier, with flights from Paris, London, Miami, New York, Lima and Mercosur capitals. Former leader Varig Airlines was purchased by GOL in 2007 and is but a shadow of its former self. Varig is no longer a member of the Star Alliance code-sharing consortium (which includes United Airlines, Lufthansa, Air Canada, USAirways, and other major carriers), but still manages international routes. GOL also flies from several South American cities.

Direct flights are available to most South American capitals (Buenos Aires, Santiago, Montevideo, Asunción, La Paz, Lima, Bogotá, Caracas), as well as to other regional hubs (Córdoba, Rosario, Santa Cruz de la Sierra). Other Latin American cities with direct connection to Sāo Paulo or Rio de Janeiro include Mexico City and Panama City.

South African Airways offers direct flights from Sāo Paulo to Johannesburg or Cape Town, with onward connections to Australia, New Zealand and the Far East. TAAG Angola Airlines also has two weekly direct flights from Rio de Janeiro (city) Rio de Janeiro to the Angola n capital of Luanda .

Asian cities with connections to Brazil include Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka (Japan), and Seoul (Korea).

On October 1st new flights were launched from Dubai, United Arab Emirates to Sao Paulo. Direct flights between the two cities operate 6 days a week .

By car

The main border crossings are at:
Chuy / Chuí , Bella Unión / Barra do Quaraí , Artigas / Quaraí , Aceguá / Aceguá , Río Blanco / Jaguarão , and between Rivera / Santana do Livramento (from Uruguay )
Paso de los Libres / Uruguaiana , Santo Tomé / São Borja , Bernardo de Irigoyen / Dionísio Cerqueira , Tobuna / Paraíso ( Santa Catarina ), Comandante Andresito / Capanema , and between Puerto Iguazu / Foz do Iguaçu (from Argentina )
Ciudad del Este / Foz do Iguaçu , Salto del Guaira / Guaíra , and between Pedro Juan Caballero / Ponta Porã (from Paraguay )
Puerto Suarez / Corumbá , Cobija / Brasileia / Epitaciolandia , San Matías / Cáceres and between Riberalta / Guayaramerin / Guajará-Mirim (the bridge over Mamoré river will be ready in 2007) (from Bolivia )
Iñapari / Assis Brasil (from Peru )
Letícia / Tabatinga (from Colombia )
Santa Elena de Uairén) Santa Elena / Pacaraíma (from Venezuela )
Lethem / Bonfim (from Guyana )

The conection from Colombia to Brazil has no continuity inside both countries, and traffic is restricted to the twin-cities area (Leticia and Tabatinga).

By bus

Long-distance bus service connects Brazil to its neighboring countries. The main capitals linked directly by bus are Buenos Aires , Asunción , Montevideo , Santiago de Chile , and Lima . Direct connections from the first three can also be found easily, but from Lima it might be tricky, though easily accomplished by changing at one of the others. Those typically go to São Paulo , though Pelotas has good connections too. It should be kept in mind that distances between Sāo Paulo and any foreign capitals are significant, and journeys on the road may take up to 3 days, depending on the distance and accessibility of the destination. The national land transport authority has listings[https://appweb.antt.gov.br/transp/linha_internacional.asp] on all operating international bus lines.

By boat

Amazon river boats connect northern Brazil with Peru, Venezuela and Colombia. The ride is a gruelling 12 days upriver though.
From French_Guiana French Guiana , you can cross the river Oyapoque, which takes about 15 minutes.

By train

Train service within Brazil, let alone from other countries, is almost nonexistent. However, there are exceptions to the rule, and the most famous way to enter Brazil by train is on the Trem da Morte, or Death Train, which goes from Santa Cruz (city, Bolivia) Santa Cruz , Bolivia , to a small town just over the border from Corumba Corumbá in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul . There is still a train line from there all the way to Sāo Paulo (city) São Paulo which at the moment is not in use, but bus connections to São Paulo via the state capital, Campo Grande , are plentiful. The journey itself is reputedly replete with robbers who might steal your backpack or its contents but security has been increased recently and the journey can be made without much difficulty. It goes through the Bolivian agricultural belt and along the journey one may see a technologically-averse religious community which resembles the American Amish in many ways.

By plane

Air service connects all major areas of Brazil. Note that not all air routes are as direct as they would seem on a map, and are often required to go through hubs such as Brasilia or Sāo Paulo. Most all airports with regular passenger traffic are operated by the federal Infraero. http://www.infraero.gov.br. They have a very convenient website, with an English version. It lists all the airlines operating at each airport, and also has updated flight schedules.

The Brazilian airline scene completely changed at least twice over the last 10 years or so. The largest carriers are now TAM http://www.tam.com.br and Gol http://www.voegol.com.br. The traditional Varig http://www.varig.com is but a shadow of its former self. Others include BRA http://www.voebra.com.br (Grounded in November 2007, on the verge of collapse), WebJet http://www.webjet.com.br, TAF http://www.voetaf.com.br/empresa/site/default.asp and Oceanair http://www.oceanair.com.br. Price differences, at least if a ticket is purchased on the internet well in advance, are so small that it´s rather meaningless to call any of these low cost .

For international travelers, air passes for several in-country flights may be available while buying your flight to Brazil in your home country. These are offered by TAM and Varig, and your international flight must be provided by either of these companies or their international partners.

Booking online for domestic flights can be frustrating for non-Brazilian citizens. Often, you will be asked for your CPF national identity number while paying by credit card. Of course, as a foreigner, you don't have one. Some airlines such as GOL will accept American Express cards (but not VISA or Master Card) without a CPF. One trick that often will work is to visit one of the airlines' foreign websites (such as Gol´s in Argentina) If all else fails, try calling or e-mailing the airline and ask how to proceed.

Beware of flight listings at the airport which only show the final city in route (which you're probably not aware of). Always know and check your flight NUMBER, not just the city you're flying to (it might not be listed). Expect that a more distant city might be the only one listed for your flight, but the plane will still stop at the airport for which you have a ticket. Strangely, international flights are just the opposite, with only the first destination in Brazil shown -- even though the same flight may go directly to other cities.

Some domestic flights in Brazil are considered international, giving flyers a chance to purchase items at a duty free store in the airport. (There may be passengers on board from other South American countries who have not yet cleared customs.) Also, you must go through immigrations and customs again upon arrival, even though you never left Brazil. Foreign travelers on flights within Brazil do NOT fill out a new immigration form, but show the carbon copy of the one completed upon arriving internationally (with their passport and visa stamp).

By car

Road maps of the brand Guia 4 Rodas can be bought from most newstands. They provide not only maps and distances but also information about current conditions of the roads (which can be indeed very bad). There are the usual car rental companies at the airports. A car is a good idea if you want to explore scenic areas, e.g. the historic cities of Minas Gerais, the Rio-Santos highway, or the beaches in North-East Brazil.

Driving in Brazil can be quite scary if you are used to European (even Mediterranean) or North American road culture. Distances kept to other vehicles are kept at a bare minimum, overtaking whenever close to possible, and changing lanes without much of a prior signal. Many large cities also suffer from hold-ups when you wait at a red light in the night. In rural areas, many domestic animals are left at the roadside, and they sometimes wanders into the traffic. Pedestrians take chances that would qualify them for medals if they were in a uniform. The quality of the paving is very varying, and the presence of enourmous potholes is something that strongly discorages night-driving. Also consider the risk of highway hold-ups after dark, not to mention truck drivers on amfetamine (to keep awake for days in a row).

In Brazil cars are driven on the right hand side of the road.
A flashing left signal means that the car ahead is warning you not to pass, for some reason. If the car ahead of you wants to show you that it is safe to pass it will flash the right signal. The right signal is the same signal to indicate that you're going to stop on the side of the road, so it means you're going to slow down. On the other hand the left signal is the same signal to indicate you're going to pass the car ahead, meaning you're going to speed up.
Flashing, twinkling headlights from the cars coming on the opposite side of the road means caution on the road ahead. Most of the time, it indicates that there are animals, cops or speed radar ahead.
Keep the doors locked when driving, especially in the larger cities, as robberies at stop signs and red lights are quite common in some areas. You'll make it much easier for the robber if he can simply open up the door and sit down. Be equally careful with keeping your windows wide open, as someone might put their hands inside your car and steal a wallet, for instance. Leave your handbags and valuables under the seat or as close as possible to your body, so you can hold them back in case of a theft.

By bicycle

In rural areas in Brazil the bicycle is a common means of transport. This does not mean that cyclists are respected by car, truck, or bus drivers. But you may find good roads with little traffic outside the cities. It is also easy to get a lift by a pickup or to have the bike transported by a bus.
Cycling is not very stimulated in big cities. Two exceptions are Rio de Janeiro and Recife where there are cycle tracks along the beaches.

By train

Brazil's railway system was mostly wrecked during the military regimes. Today there are few passenger lines left:
From Curitiba to Paranaguá - This scenic 150km-long railroad links the capital of Paraná to the coastal cities of Morretes and Paranaguá , through the beautiful Serra do Mar mountains covered with mata atlântica forest. The trip takes about 3 hours and has bilingual guides. Trains leave daily at 08:00 and prices start from about R$ 40 (round-trip)
From São João del Rei to Tiradentes - This 35-minute trip on a steam train is almost like time travel. The train operates Fri-Sun, with departures from São João at 10:00 and 15:00 and 13:00 and 17:00 from Tiradentes. The round trip costs R$ 16.
From Belo Horizonte to Vitória - Daily trains operated by Companhia Vale do Rio Doce http://www.cvrd.com.br/cvrd/cgi/cgilua.exe/sys/start.htm?sid=65 leave Belo Horizonte at 07:30 and Vitória at 07:00. Travel time is about twelve and a half hours. Tickets are sold at the train stations and a single 2nd class fare costs about R$ 25. Seats are limited and it is not possible to reserve, so it is advisable to buy in advance.
From São Luis to Carajás - interesting because part of it passes through the Amazon rainforest.
From Macapá to Serra do Navio

By bus

Long-distance buses are a convenient, economical, and sometimes (usually if you buy the most expensive ticket), rather comfortable way to travel between regions. Bus terminals in cities play a role akin to train stations in many countries. You should check travel distance and time while traveling within Brazil, going from Rio de Janeiro to the south region could take more than 24 hours, so it may worth going by plane if you can afford it.

Brazil has a very good long distance bus network. Basically, any city of more than 100.000 people will have direct lines to the nearest few state capitals, and also to other large cities within the same range. Pretty much every and any little settlement has public transport of some kind (a lorry, perhaps) to the nearest real bus station. Mostly you have to go to the bus station to buy a ticket, although some of the large companies now have internet sales. In a few cities you can also buy a ticket on the phone and have it delivered to your hotel for an extra charge of some 3-5 reais. Some companies have also adopted the airlines´ genius policy of pricing: In a few cases buying early can save you more than 50%. The facility of flagging a bus and hopping on (if there are no available seats you will have to stand, still paying full price) is widespread in the country. This is less likely to work along a few routes where armed robberies have happened frequently, such as those leading to the border with Paraguay and to Foz do Iguaçu .

ANTT, the national authority for land transportation, has a search engine[https://appweb.antt.gov.br/transp/secaoduaslocalidades.asp] (in Portuguese) for all available domestic bus lines.

By boat

In the Amazon region as well as on the coast west of Sao Luis, boat travel is often the only way to get around.

Brazil is the fifth largest country on earth. It is divided into five regions, mainly drawn around state lines, but they also more or less follow natural, economic and cultural borderlines.

North (Brazil)

Acre (Brazil)
The Amazon, the rain forest and frontier life, with remarkable indian influence.

Northeast (Brazil)

Alagoas , Bahia , Ceará , Maranhão , Paraíba , Pernambuco , Piauí , Rio Grande do Norte , Sergipe

Strong black culture (especially in Bahia ) mingles with early Iberic folklore. This is often considered the country's most beautiful coastline, and has the sunniest and hottest climate; but it is also the country's driest and poorest region.

Central West (Brazil)

Distrito Federal (Brazil)
The Pantanal wetlands, great farms, young cities, the cerrado and the Distrito Federal (Brazil)

Southeast (Brazil)

Espirito Santo , Minas Gerais , Rio de Janeiro (state)
São Paulo and Rio are the largest cities of the country and it's economic and industrial hub; there are also some century-old colonial towns.

South (Brazil)

Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina

Is a land of valleys and pampas where a strong gaucho culture (shared with Uruguay and Argentina) meets European influences. Florianopoolis in Santa Catarina was rated as the best and safest place to live in Brasil by Veja Magazine in 2004. Accordingly it is experiencing much growth and tourism. It has the best standard of living in Brazil with only two large cities ( Curitiba and Porto Alegre ) and several mid-size cities with very low crime rates. German, Italian and Portuguese immigrants colonized the region in the mid 19th century. It is also the only region in Brazil where it snows every year, mainly in the central mountains of Santa Catarina State.