Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Video: Voice of America (Voz da América), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Find your Bliss in Brazil
Brazil, made simple: beaches, samba, rainforest and thundering falls, without the worry
Brazil is a country the size of a continent. Rio de Janeiro wraps mountains around its beaches, São Paulo feeds and entertains millions, Salvador beats to Afro Brazilian drums, Iguaçu Falls roars through the jungle and the Amazon stretches beyond the horizon. This guide takes the guesswork out of entry, money, safety, transport and costs, so you can plan with confidence.
Your trip, step by step
- Before you flyEntry rules, money, health and seasons, answered
- LandingGuarulhos or Galeão and your first hours in Brazil, explained
- Your days in BrazilBeaches, cities, falls and rainforest, planned with care
- Home againDeparture tips so the last day is calm too
Where to go, eat and stay
- Plain answersClear, honest guidance on the questions first-timers actually ask.
- Official sourcesEntry, health and safety facts point you to the official pages to confirm.
- No price surprisesWe explain how money and Pix work in Brazil, so your budget holds.
- Free to useEvery guide and the trip planner are free.
Our promise
Brazil should feel like a welcome, not a worry. We answer the questions before they start, so you arrive confident and ready to find your Bliss.
First trip to South America, or coming home to see family in Minas Gerais, Goiás, Bahia or anywhere in between? This guide was written with you in mind.
How to use this guide
Four steps from first idea to a trip that feels easy.
- Choose your BrazilRio's beaches, São Paulo's food, Salvador's culture, the falls or the Amazon: start with the destinations.
- Sort the essentialsEntry rules, vaccinations, money and the right season, checked against official sources.
- Pick your placesUse our places to visit list for botecos, churrascarias, samba nights, trails and stays in each area.
- Plan your routeUse the free trip planner to fit huge distances into a realistic route, with domestic flights where they save days.
Everything your Brazil trip needs
Free tools and guides for every stage of the journey.
Destinations
Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Salvador, Iguaçu Falls and the Amazon, each explained in depth.
Explore destinationsPlaces to visit
More than a hundred restaurants, bars, beaches, trails and stays, from classics to hidden corners.
See places to visitFlights and stays
Search flights into São Paulo or Rio and onward, and stays in each area.
Plan travelPlaces finder
Restaurants, sights and stays mapped around each base.
Find placesFree trip planner
Tell us your dates and interests and build a route that fits.
Plan your trip
The classic Brazil trip
Rio, the falls, Bahia, then the jungle
Most first trips start with several days in Rio de Janeiro, then use domestic flights to reach the highlights: Iguaçu Falls on the Argentine border, Salvador and the Bahian coast for Afro Brazilian culture and beaches, and Manaus as the gateway to a jungle lodge on the Amazon. São Paulo suits food lovers and anyone visiting family.
- Sugarloaf, Christ the Redeemer and Ipanema
- Both sides of Iguaçu Falls
- Drums and colonial streets in Salvador
- Nights in an Amazon jungle lodge
Start with the destinations
See how the cities, the falls, the coast and the rainforest fit together.
Brazil destinationsPlan with confidence
Your route, without the worry
Brazil is bigger than the contiguous United States, and distances surprise almost every first-timer. Our free planner helps you build a realistic route, so you spend your days on the beach or in the forest rather than in transit.
- Realistic flight and bus times
- The right season for the Amazon and the northeast
- Where to base yourself safely
Where to go in Brazil
From Rio's beaches to the heart of the rainforest, the places most travellers build their trip around.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Mountains, beaches and samba in one of the most beautifully set cities on earth.
Read the guidePhoto: .mw-parser-output .commons-creator-table{background-color:#f0f0ff;box-sizing:border-box;font-size:95%;text-align:start;c, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
São Paulo
São Paulo
A vast, energetic megacity with the best food, art and nightlife in the country.
Read the guidePhoto: Diego3336, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Bahia
Salvador
Brazil's first capital, the heart of Afro Brazilian culture, music and food.
Read the guidePhoto: Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Paraná
Iguaçu Falls
Hundreds of waterfalls thundering through subtropical forest on the border with Argentina.
Read the guidePhoto: W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Amazonas
The Amazon
The world's largest rainforest, explored from riverside lodges near Manaus.
Read the guidePhoto: Redbaobab, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
A note from our founder
A note from our founder
My first time visiting Kenya, I was genuinely surprised with how fast it began feeling like home. The people are so friendly, the food is delicious and familiar, and the accommodations are modern and upscale.
During my travels throughout the continent, I commonly hear tourists share stories about being scammed or taken advantage of, which is both frustrating and disheartening.
Living in Kenya for the last 2 years, I have had the great fortune to meet a network of wonderful Kenyans who have continuously help guide my family's journey. Their shared knowledge has not only greatly enhanced our overall experience here, but it has also saved us tons of time, energy, and resources.
With BlissPoint Travel, my hope is to build a global community that is willing to share useful, uncommon knowledge so that we can all blissfully enjoy the wonders our world has to offer.
Questions we hear most
Is Brazil safe for tourists?
Millions of visitors travel in Brazil every year without trouble, but street crime is higher than in Europe or North America. Phone snatching, pickpocketing and robbery are the main risks in big cities. Stay in well known neighbourhoods, keep your phone out of sight on the street, use ride apps at night, never enter favelas without a reputable guide and read your government's travel advice before you go.
Do I need a visa for Brazil?
It depends on your passport. Many travellers, including most EU and UK citizens, can visit for tourism without a visa, while others, including US, Canadian and Australian citizens, now need an electronic visa. Check the Brazilian foreign ministry site or your nearest Brazilian consulate before you book.
How many days do I need in Brazil?
Two weeks lets you see Rio, Iguaçu Falls and one more region, such as Salvador or the Amazon, without rushing. With three weeks you can add São Paulo, Paraty or a beach town in the northeast. Fly between regions, because overland journeys often take a day or more.
What is the best time to visit Brazil?
It depends on the region. Rio and the southeast are pleasant from about April to October, the northeast coast is driest from about September to March, and the Amazon is a different experience in the high water and low water seasons. Carnival falls in February or early March.
Do I need to speak Portuguese?
Brazilians speak Portuguese, not Spanish, and English is limited outside hotels and tourist businesses. A few polite phrases, a translation app and some patience go a long way, and people are usually warm and helpful.
Can BlissPoint help me plan my trip?
Yes. Our free trip planner helps you shape a route around your dates and interests, and you can send us a question through the contact page. We are a travel guide, not a tour operator, so you book directly with airlines, hotels and operators.
Ready to plan your Brazil trip?
Use the free trip planner to build a route around your dates, interests and budget.