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Posts Tagged travel to Brazil

Two Latin America Countries Make Lonely Planet Top 10

Nov 5

Posted by dillon in Antarctica Cruises | No Comments

Brazil and Panama have made the top 10 countries to visitin 2011 from Lonely Planet’s new book Best in Travel 2011. Lonely Planet has drawn on the knowledge, passion and kilometres travelled by its staff, authors and online community to present the Top 10 Countries to visit in 2011.

BRAZIL

Famous for samba, football and cinematic scenery, Brazil has always been known for celebration (Carnaval being the most obvious manifestation of this national joie de vivre). Yet, Brazil rings in 2011 with even more cause for jubilation. Winning the bids to host both the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is undertaking a flurry of new projects, with billions of dollars earmarked for infrastructure (there’s even discussion of building a high-speed rail line between Rio and São Paulo). Despite the strong Brazilian real, travellers should benefit from the addition of thousands of new hotel rooms, while increased competition from low-cost airline carriers (including Azul, established by the Brazilian-born founder of JetBlue) should make travel across this vast country more affordable.

Panama City

Panama City

PANAMA

The belly button of the Americas, Panama has rhythms that hip-hop between modern and primitive, such as the line of skyscrapers and container ships set against clear seas and dense, dark rainforest not so far away. For many, the culture of commerce has defined this tiny tropical nation, best known as the world’s most famous shortcut. Yet its treasures – from millennial indigenous cultures to a biodiversity that astounds – run far deeper. Panama was always there, but who knew? On the world map and in the ether of sentiment, Panama occupies a continental crossroads where the 21st century meets the dawn of the ages.

Source: SMH.com

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New Bullet Train for Brazil

Sep 20

Posted by michelle in South American Tours | 1 Comment

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil will soon start a bullet train and combrazil trainpanies from Japan, South Korea, China, France, Austria, Spain and Germany have expressed interest to build and operate it for 40 years.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva launched the bidding for the construction of the high-speed rail service between the country’s two biggest cities – Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro – a project expected to cost 33 billion reais ($18.75 billion).

The rights for construction, operation and maintenance of the rail line for 40 years will be granted to the firm that commits itself to charging the lowest fare for the service, the president said.

The trains will run at speeds of up to 350 kph along the 510.8-km route. The trip between the two cities would take 97 minutes. Nine stations are to be built on the line, including stops at the Rio and Sao Paulo international airports.

The corridor for the proposed train is home to some 40 million people – 20 percent of the Brazilian population – and to firms and industries that generate a third of the country’s gross domestic product.

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Talking the South American Lingo

Sep 20

Posted by michelle in Chile, Galapagos Islands Tours, Inca Trail Tours, South American Tours | No Comments

All countries antalkd cultures have their conversational idiosyncrasies, the culturally approved dos and don’ts of people speaking together. Countries with a common heritage, such as the Hispanic countries of South America share some common traditions, but each has its specific customs.

As an example, many South Americans like to talk in close proximity to each other. To North Americans, and others, this may seem like an invasion of personal space, but to Latin Americans, it’s the norm. Stepping back, an unconscious gesture to reclaim that space is seen as a rebuff, a rudeness, whilst keeping eye contact while speaking is an asset.

Latin Americans are also more effusive, flowery and more formal in their speech. While other nationalities pride themselves on being bluntly honest, a South American tends to be more diplomatic and tactful. The honorific Don or Doña, used with the first name in a friendly or family relationship, or with the surname, is a token of respect. Even though informality in conversation is more common now, particularly among younger people, it’s still worthwhile to maintain a polite distance until you are better acquainted.

Some specific tips:talk 2

  • Argentineans aren’t thrilled to discuss the Peron years and past human rights issues. They are also sensitive to the Falklands War, and call the islands the Islas Malvinas
  • Bolivians are sensitive to the loss of territory to Chile.
  • Brazilians are not Hispanic. They are proud of their Portuguese heritage. They are also exuberant, talkative, but sensitive to discussions about the rainforest destruction. Marital status is not a good conversational topic.
  • Chileans love to talk about their country, but avoid politics and the Allende/Pinochet years. Human rights are an ultra-sensitive topic.
  • Colombians like bullfighting, so negative comments aren’t welcome. Don’t discuss drugs, political situations, or terrorist activity. Interest in emeralds and coffee are welcome.
  • Ecuadorians like to talk about their families and their jobs. Discuss their country in favourable terms, but avoid politics, sexual or personal topics.
  • Paraguayans are tremendously proud of their hydroelectric dams. Discuss family. sports, touring, but avoid any political talk. Conflict between the liberales and the colorados is still tense.
  • Peruvians enjoy talking about families and jobs. They’ll ask about your country, and welcome discussions of their own, but avoid politics, money and government.
  • Uruguayans enjoy talking about their country – what to see and do, where to eat – but are more reticent about personal matters. You can discuss international politics.
  • Venezuelans are sensitive about politics, government and family matters. If you are asked, be prepared to discuss the economy.

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Lose yourself in the pristine beaches and dive sites of Ilha Grande

Jul 15

Posted by dillon in South American Tours | No Comments

Brazil’s Ilha Grande is indeed, as its name humbly translates, a Big Island. It’s just, well, so much more than that.

Ilha Grande attractions
Why not tell the world of the vast array of assets that it boasts: impeccable white sand beaches; a dense and vibrant Brazilian jungle; azure and aqua lagoons; world-class dive sites;  an adorable car-less township arced by sharp mountain peaks; and its uninterrupted blessedness.

All visitors to Ilha Grande, a three-hour bus and boat trip from a Rio de Janeiro tour, are afforded a spectacular introduction to island life, as the boat slinks into a bay of clear blue waters, slowly revealing a settlement towered over by mountains and seemingly swallowed by jungle. This is Vila do Abraao, a tiny township that from the shoreline resembles only an adorable collection of  rustic hammock-clad beach houses and remnant colonial buildings that stretch along the foreshore.

There is no indication of the fascinating offerings that lie behind. There’s a village back there that follows no clock or schedule, where excitable barefoot kids churn up the dusty streets, where lighthearted locals gather for hours outside the tiny shops, where ageing locals congregate in dimly lit cafes to laugh and gamble over cards, where distant samba beats echo through the trees.

It’s not surprising that this place has an international flavour to its workforce, those who travelled here as wide-eyed tourists only to forgo their former lives and set up camp under the Brazilian sun, having succumbed to Ilha Grande’s charm. They elicit much envy.

The crystal clear waters of Ilha Grande, Brazil

The crystal clear waters of Ilha Grande, Brazil

There are no ATMs, no cars, no neon lights. Internet facilities are scarce and after three days I’m yet to see a mobile phone.

Theirs is a blissful existence, from the hirsute Laurent, a Frenchman who spends six months of the year looking after the Pousada Naturalia guesthouse to affable Peter, who understandably swapped his dull desk job in freezing Copenhagen to operate a funky lay-about bar and barbecue joint on the sands of Vila do Abraao.

Here, night after night, patrons dip their toes into the soft Brazilian sand and watch the sun fade to nothing, as their fresh fish is barbecued to perfection by this gabby Dane.

Getting around
There are two (affordable) ways to navigate your way around – aboard a grand schooner or hiking over the steep mountains in search of glory. And no glory is like Lopes Mendes glory; a 3km ocean beach so white it hurts your eyes, hemmed in by lush green verdure and inviting blue waters.

This stretch of sand is often quoted among the top 10 beaches in the cosmos. Some say it has no peer. The purists love it because of the lack of infrastructure. There are no hotels, restaurants, or even toilets – nothing but three sandwich and beer vendors.

The naturalists love it because the only way into Lopes Mendes is a sweaty 30-minute hike over a jungle pass, an adventure guaranteed to include howler monkeys. Boats are not allowed to land directly on the sand. Myself? After spending a week crushed by the ebb and flow of 100,000 buffed and brown Brazilians on Copacabana and Ipanema beaches in Rio, I’m digging the utter serenity.

Everywhere your schooner skipper directs his craft around this isle, an empty white sand beach stands to amaze its guests. After naming 22 coves and beaches, locals simply gave up on the rest, such is the glut.

Underwater delights
Even where sand is not present along the shoreline, this island still serves up delicacies. Snorkelling off the back of a speedboat (less affordable) in the Green Lagoon  yet another underwhelming title that understates its true beauty  we share a treasured moment with a trio of turtles, inquisitive, but gracefully keeping a few feet of distance.

If green is not your colour, the Blue Lagoon is a mere kilometre away and sheltered by a privately owned isthmus. It’s a fashionable parade of who’s who in the aqua realm.

The last dive site deserves mention, not for its abundance of marine life, or the aquatic tapestry of colours. It’s a helicopter. In 8m of water at Laja do Matardz. Rotors still intact. Thankfully, pilot nowhere to be seen.

Smirking islanders will quickly tell you it was a classic life insurance con, executed by a businessman up to his eyeballs in debt, who staged his own death by parking his chopper on the ocean floor.

Nice try buddy. If you really wanted to escape the hazards of city living and flee to Ilha Grande to live an anonymous lifestyle in tropical jungle or hulled up in a deserted beach bungalow, just catch the ferry.

Nobody here would care.

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Rio’s Christ the Redeemer statue re-opened after $5m face lift

Jul 2

Posted by dillon in Antarctica Cruises | No Comments

Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue is back in plain sight after a four-month long $5 AUD million renovation. The news is a welcome sight for the popular tourist attraction and Rio and to the many catholics in Brazil.

As it was unveiled, the monument was lit up in green and yellow to honour the Brazilian football team as it played in the World Cup. The Selecao play Holland tonight in the world cup quarter final which will bring the country to a stand still.

Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro

Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro

Scaffolding had encircled the mountaintop statue that overlooks Rio’s white-sand beaches as workers repaired its eroded face and hands.

The renovation to the 125-foot Christ the Redeemer, which draws nearly two million visitors a year, was funded through public and private donations. In an effort to match the colour of the soapstone, the restorers used more than 60,000 pieces of rock from the same quarry used when the statue was erected in 1931.

In April, vandals covered the head, arms and chest of the 130-foot statue in graffiti. They spray-painted phrases like “when the cat is away, the mice play”, as well as apparent references to Rio residents who were killed or who disappeared in recent crimes.

For more information on chimuadventures Rio de Janeiro and Brazil tours, visit our website.

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A Port of Chickens – Brazil

May 7

Posted by dillon in South American Tours | 1 Comment

Chimu Adventures’ blogger and employee Miles describes a fascinating Northern Brazil Tour.

I stepped out of the airport at Recife at 1 o’clock in the morning, to feel the full brunt of a northern Brazil winter, after the sun has gone down: 30C heat with 80% humidity! Here I was met by my hosts, the Brazil National Travel Mart and whisked down the coast to the wonderfully-named

Porto de Galinhas - Northern Brazil

Porto de Galinhas - Northern Brazil

(Hens’ Port) where I checked into my hotel, The Dorisol, and went straight to bed.

Having arrived after dark, aside from the heat, it had been hard to get a sense of ‘Brazilianness’. This immediately changed in the brilliant light of day, when I took a walk down to the beach, which the hotel overlooked, to find a vast, empty stretch of impeccable sand, and water temperatures in the high 20s. Then, at breakfast, the buffet had a distinctly non-standard flavor: cashew nut juice, bananas cooked in cheese, pao de queijo (balls of cheese-stuffed tapioca bread); and one dish that I really wasn’t expecting … couscous.

It is the wonderful beach that has transformed Porto de Galinhas from a tiny fishing village to a resort destination, with some ten large hotels on the beachfront, catering to sun-worshippers. Nonetheless, the centre of Porto has managed to maintain an element of its past. So-named for the 19th Century practice of smuggling slaves to the port in boats officially carrying chickens, a few streets have been pedestrianized and there is still a sense of community, in the games of football on the beach; the capoeira band practicing on a nearby boat; and the bars filled with locals watching Flamengo of Rio de Janeiro v Corintians of Sao Paulo in the Copa Libertadores (Flamengo won 1-0, incidentally).

And it is a couple of hours’ drive to the historic city of Olinda, with a wonderful old quarter built on and around a hill, with great views of the Atlantic Ocean, and which is the focal point for one of Brazil’s most famous Carnaval celebrations.

It was while wandering Olinda that I was approached by a Brazilian TV crew to give my views on camera – in abysmal Portuguese – on the virtues of tapioca! The interview went as follows:

Q. What is your name?

A. Miles

Q. Where are you from?

A. England.

Q. What do you think of tapioca?

A. Very nice.

I am sure the viewers were suitably enlightened by my insight!

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Amazon Ecopark lodge – Manaus, Brazil

Mar 24

Posted by greg in South American Tours | No Comments

A travellers favourite, The Amazon Eco park lodge is one of the Amazon regions largest lodges. It boasts great facilities and is well located close to Manaus for easy access to the rest of Brazil.

Amazon Ecopark Jungle Lodge is a privately owned tourism complex and scientific and educational enterprise, operating since 1991. The lodging infrastructure was inaugurated in 1995.

Ecopark Jungle Lodge is located on the Tarumã River, approximately one hour from the Manaus airport. (transfer by van or bus and regional river boat).

The lodge has 64 comfortable apts, divided among 20 wooden bungalows and one concrete bungalow, (total 21 bungalows). Each wooden bungalow has 3 apts, with separate entrances, varandas, and bathrooms. All apts have air conditioning, electric showers, and screened windows.
The only all concrete bungalow has 4 apts, all with air conditioning, electric showers and screened windows. The concrete bungalow is especially recommended for guests with special needs, (2 apts have wheelchair access and bathroom handles). This bungalow is also very suitable for families, (2 apts each with 4 beds, or one double and 2 single beds).

All bungalows are comfortable and pleasantly decorated, while maintaining a rustic and original atmosphere.

The Ecopark Jungle Lodge complex also offers a pier for embarking and disembarking of guests; large open air reception area with bar; handicraft and convenience boutique; open air, thatched roof restaurant (kitchen is open to guests); air conditioned events salon; games salon; air conditioned TV and meeting salon; thatched roof hammock area; 4 natural bathing pools and private beach.

There are several fresh water streams, jungle trails with diverse vegetation, including virgin forests, natural savannas, and creeks for canoeing.
There is unlimited opportunity for guests to view different bird spieces, giant trees, exotic orchids, medicinal plants, and much more!

Chimu Adventures offers a variety of different packages to the Amazon eco park including our 5 day Manaus jungle adventure and Highlights of Northern Brazil package.

Brazil is one of the world’s hottest destinations, the land of Samba and Sun has something for everyone!!

Why not take a look at one of our large range of Brazil tours at www.chimuadventures.com – From our Rio de Janiero Stopover, Pantanal lodges, Iguacu falls tours and much much more! www.chimuadventures.com

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The Quieter side of the Party Capital

Feb 3

Posted by dillon in South American Tours | No Comments

Whether you’re sunning yourself next to the beautiful people on Ipanema Beach, admiring the spine-tingling views from Sugarloaf Mountain or dancing samba in the ocean of colour on your Rio Carnival Tour, it’s hard to deny that Rio de Janeiro deserves its moniker, the Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvellous City).

Unbeknown to many tourists, however, Brazil’s most exciting metropolis is also the capital of Rio de Janeiro state, a region dotted with quaint colonial towns, classy beach resorts and gorgeous tropical islands.

When the big, bustling city gets too much, look no further than these laid-back gems, which are all within easy reach while you are on your Rio stopover tour and are sure to further your appreciation of this stunning part of the world.

Buzios

Until the mid-1960s, Buzios was just a simple fishing village on a peninsula jutting into the Atlantic Ocean. Then Brigitte Bardot breezed into town with her Brazilian boyfriend and things were never the same.

The relaxing town of Buzios

The relaxing town of Buzios

The French actress told her friends about Buzios, who told their friends, and it’s now Brazil’s most glamorous seaside resort, a kind of Latin American Saint Tropez.

Affluent Cariocas (Rio city folk) have second homes here and flood in for weekends and public holidays, filling many of the peninsula’s 20-plus beaches, up-market seafood restaurants and trendy clubs such as Pacha and Privilege.

Of course Bardot is everywhere as she even has her own promenade names after her. The walkway leads to the charming old village of Praia dos Ossos (Bones), which is sprinkled with cute little cottages, humble pousadas (guesthouses) and family-run shops and diners.

It’s close to the peaceful, secluded Azeda and Azedinha coves, where I spend the best part of two days snorkelling in the calm, warm, crystal clear waters, slouching in a deck-chair, reading books and drinking mango juice freshly squeezed by cheerful vendors trading out of old fishing boats. It’s a world away from the often-frantic vibe of Copacabana but definetly worth a visit to Buzios.

Ilha Grande

With no ATMs or cars, Ilha Grande (the Big Island) is the perfect place to get away from it all – although you don’t have to endure Robinson Crusoe-like living conditions to enjoy it.

The main port, Abraao, backs on to a village with all the necessities – hotels, hostels, restaurants, cafes and tour agencies. But away from there I found numerous blissfully peaceful and photogenic spots.

Ilha Grande offers plenty of fabulous beaches, plus enough adventures to satisfy your inner wanderlust.

Ihla Grande

Ihla Grande

A network of trails hugs both the coastline and delves into the mountainous interior, matted with lush Atlantic rainforest. Hiding in the undergrowth are hummingbirds, monkeys, toucans and sloths – as well as waterfalls and mangroves.

You can enjoy a three-hour trek to the spectacularly desolate Lopes Mendes beach, a long arching curve of sand that squeaked as I walked on it and where I waded into the sea to ride warm, gentle waves back to shore.

Some of the island’s treats are only reachable by boat, including a couple of lagoons blessed with vivid green and blue tones.

Despite its beauty, Ilha Grande has a dark history. It was used as a penal colony for much of the 20th century and in the distant past it was a slave trafficking centre and pirate hub.

Myriad myths and legends are attached to the island, the most famous of which concerns a shipwrecked pirate named Jorge Grego.

Though there are several variations to the story, the most popular states that in a jealous rage, he killed his daughter and her lover and spent the rest of his life solemnly roaming Ilha Grande before burying his treasure.

Some people still look for this loot on their Ilha Grande tour, others just prefer to relax.

Chimu Adventures offers many tours Brazil. All of our tours are fully customisable, check out our website for details.

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