Brazil Bucket List
Explorers, have you ever wanted to travel to Brazil but didn’t know where to start? You didn’t know which cities to go to, which cities were safe, or where the locals went to have fun. If you’re tired of only finding basic tourist traps, Empowering Explorers is here to change that. In this piece I’ll be going over the best places to go to in Brazil.
South America has always been on my bucket list as my mom is from Venezuela. Unfortunately due to the political climate, I’m unable to go to her homeland, so the next best thing is to go to a neighboring country. While this may sound silly, Brazil has been on my list ever since I was a kid and watched the Disney movie “Rio”. The movie made the country seem so beautiful. So in this article, I will be going over some of the places that I have been on my bucket-list along with some other activities that may cater to your desires.
Iguazu Falls
If you are looking for a natural beauty, Iguazu Falls should be on your bucket list. It’s one of the Natural World Wonders. While this is a popular tourist attraction, it’s one you won’t want to skip. It’s located in the state of Parana and borders Argentina and borders Argentina and Paraguay. Iguazu National Park consists of two national parks, one in Foz de Iguazu Brazil and the other one in Puerto Iguazu Argentina.
Iguazu Falls is a total of 82 meters in height and 2700 meters in width. It’s a remarkable sight to see whether it’s on land or in a helicopter. Along with the falls themselves, Iguazu has many native flora and species of animals that make the falls even more beautiful.
Lençóis Maranhenses
Another natural beauty that is more secret and popular within the locals is Lencois Maranhenses. Lencois is a desert landscape covered with white dunes and lakes. It’s located on Brazil’s north Atlantic coast. The lagoons are formed from rainfall and people travel specifically to swim in them. The lake’s diverse ecosystem also includes mangrove swamps. From the picture’s I’ve seen, it is stunning. I also love looking for places that locals enjoy, rather than tourist traps. It’s also pretty private, so if you’re looking to stray away from the noise of the city for a day and have some “me time”, this is definitely the place for you.
The Amazon
If you’re feeling ambitious and want to dive further into nature, the Amazon is a great one to add to the bucket list. This is another activity that has been on my list for a while. My in-laws just actually traveled to Brazil for a work program for several months and traveled down the Amazon. They had the best time exploring the jungle and wildlife, but it’s understandable how this journey can seem overwhelming.
The Amazon covers 40% of South America and is the largest rainforest in the world. The best way to get to the Amazon rainforest in Brazil is to fly to Eduardo Gomes International Airport in the city of Manaus. This is the most popular tourist city in the Amazon so if you want to travel to a quaint town you could fly to Santarem, which is a smaller town about 370 mi east of Manaus.
Due to the fact the Amazon is so large, you should plan to make this a longer excursion (preferably a week or more). It’s also smart to add a few days in case of poor weather or other unplanned obstacles. You should also plan a specific time to go depending on your desires as the Amazon does have a dry season and a rainy season. The rainy season is usually from January to July and the dry season runs from August to December. If you travel during the rainy season, you’ll have more opportunities to travel down the rivers in canoes though if you don’t love rain the dry season may be more up your alley.
The most notable thing to prepare for prior to traveling to the amazon is vaccinations. While they aren’t required, the vaccinations against hepatitis A, Typhoid, and yellow fever are recommended.
Panatanal
If you’re looking to see a jaguar in the flesh, this is the spot for you. Panatanal is a tropical wetland region recognized for its biodiversity. Due to the biodiversity, it’s a hotspot for wildlife enthusiasts and photographers. You can either take boat safaris or guided walks to see various wildlife such as jaguars, giant river otters, and an abundance of birdlife. I know for me personally, I have always wanted to see wildlife like this outside of a zoo. While this can be intimidating, as long as you remain respectful to the animals home, it can be an amazing experience.
Ouro Preto
If you’re looking to go somewhere with history to go that the locals cherish, Ouro Preto is the place for you. Ouro Preto is the country’s best-preserved town. It was the capital of Minas Gerais until the late 19th century and is located in the Serra do Espinhaço mountains of eastern Brazil. It’s known for its baroque architecture, including bridges, fountains and squares, and its steep, winding cobbled streets. It was also the first place in Brazil to be declared a UNESCO world heritage site.
Besides the enchanting historical aspect of this town, Ouro Preto is home to one of the largest festivals known as Ouro Preto Carnival. This festival occurs for four days leading up to Ash Wednesday. This celebration is unique because it’s organized by university students. An interesting aspect of this festival is there are different “Republics” in which attendees stay during the festival. These Republics are the university students’ houses that are rented out for this festival.
The festival is full of huge block parties, music, drinks, and food. Though, one of the largest attractions during this festival is the Samba Show. Dancers samba through the street wearing bright colorful costumes with large floats and live traditional samba music. As a college student who loves festivals, this is something that is right up my alley.
Rio de Janeiro
As I had mentioned previously, one of the main reasons I’ve wanted to go to Brazil is because of “Rio”. The movie portrayed the liveliness of the city so well. If you’re looking for more of a tourist attraction city filled with parties and clubs, Rio de Janeiro is the place to be. Rio is the most popular city in Brazil for tourists and for good reasons. Whether you want to see the views of the Christ the Redeemer statues, the mountains, the beaches, or carnival life, there’s probably something for you. The lively streets demonstrate so much culture and what the city means to the locals that live there. Rio is also known for its museums, such as the Museum of Modern Art.
There are many excursions to go on in this lively city. You can enjoy a bus tour through the city, go on a hiking tour to explore the native flora and fauna, participate in culture tours, do extreme sports such as paragliding, or visit the historical churches and cathedrals. There’s really something for everyone in this city (hence why it’s so popular).
