Below you will search useful informations to come to Brazil.

Visa

If you are a national of the European Union or Switzerland, a tourist visa valid for 90 days will be issued to you on your arrival in Brazil, just on presentation of your passport. To obtain a visa for another 90 days, you just have to go with your passport to the head office of the federal police in the nearest city, fill out a few forms and pay a nominal amount. Another solution could be to leave the territory and get a fresh visa for 90 days but the total duration should never exceed 6 months in a single year.

If you are a national of any other country, please check with the services of the Brazilian Embassy in your country’s capital.

Caution: an immigration form mentioning the date of your entry into Brazil will be issued to you on your arrival at the airport. Keep it carefully as you will be asked to present it again when you leave the territory.

Airline tickets

It`s convenient for you to buy tickets for your international flights with us.

Brazil Air Pass

The Brazil Air Pass is a lump-sum airfare offered by Varig and Tam airlines which enables you to visit up to 10 Brazilian cities. The lump-sum fare comprising 4 to 9 flight coupons costs around 100 US$ per flight coupon.

A note of caution: Brazil Air Pass is only sold outside Brazil, to foreigners or Brazilians residing outside South America and holding an international return ticket. It is valid for 21 days from the date you use the first flight coupon and you have to reserve the dates of your flights before leaving for Brazil.

Health

No vaccinations are compulsory except against yellow fever if you are travelling to the Amazon and Pantanal or if you are coming from infected regions (particularly Black Africa, Peru and Bolivia). For these two regions, anti-malarial drugs are advised.

During the rainy season, there is a risk of dengue fever everywhere. The carrier of this disease is the mosquito. Symptoms of the disease are similar to those of influenza (fever, stiffness, headaches), but it must be treated only with paracetamol. Taking aspirin is not advisable. The incubation period of the disease is around eight days; you should inform your doctor when symptoms similar to influenza appear after returning to your country from Brazil, even if it was for a short trip. There is no vaccine for prevention.

In your personal medicine kit, take along anti-mosquito sprays or mosquito repellent creams. For the Amazon, you should also take quinine-based medication for malaria. To prevent and cure stomach upsets, put in anti-diarrhoea and anti-infection drugs. Also take along an antihistamine for allergies and itching due to insect bites, a disinfectant and an ointment for burns (like Biafine).

Climate

Situated between the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn, Brazil mainly has a tropical climate, which means hot and humid. In most of the territory, the seasons are marked by the rains. As the country is located in the Southern hemisphere, remember their pattern is the opposite of seasons in Europe:

• Summer in Brazil starts end of November and goes on till March. The hottest months are December, January and February. During this period, temperatures vary between 30ºC and 40ºC. Summer is not the ideal season for going to the Amazon as it rains heavily. It is extremely hot and humid.

• Winter is almost non existent; it simply means the arrival of the rains. However, considering the vastness of the country, temperatures are far from uniform. In Rio, nights are cool and daytime temperatures are pleasant (15ºC - 25ºC). In the Northeast, temperatures are lower than in summer but still close to 28ºC. The months of June, July and August bring tropical rains, which means cool weather. Finally, winter is the best time to go to the Amazon. This is the dry season, lasting from March right till September, with relatively lower temperatures and humidity levels.

• Spring (September to November) is an excellent compromise. It does not rain much and you still don’t get the summer heat.

Safety

As in other parts of the world, the metropolitan cities in Brazil are dangerous and tourists could be easy targets for thieves and crooks. To avoid unpleasant experiences which could ruin your holiday, here is a list of simple dos and don’ts which we ask you to follow. As you will see, most of them are just common sense rules and hold for all your travel.

Be careful and discreet (avoid external signs of wealth like jewellery and expensive looking clothes which could attract attention and envy).
Try not to be too obvious as a tourist. Don’t flaunt your cameras and camcorders all the time.
In case of attack, do not resist the aggressor.
Take precautions when you use credit cards (destroy carbon copies, see that the card does not leave your sight when making a payment, check whether you are being followed before approaching an ATM. It is preferable to use the ATMs inside bank premises and make your withdrawals during the day).
Make photocopies of your official documents and leave the originals in the hotel safe.
Do not carry large amounts of money, but make sure you always have a 50 Real note to hand over, without hesitating and without wasting any time, in case you are attacked.
When you go to the beach, take only the minimum you need.

Insurance

We insist that taking a medical and repatriation insurance before your departure is compulsory. For your information, if you pay for your airline ticket with a Gold Card, several types of insurance will be given free (medical and repatriation, insurance against cancellation of trip, flights and baggage loss). So the cost of the Gold Card is soon recovered. Check with your bank.

Customs

Personal effects as well as small gifts not exceeding 500 US$ (approx. 400 €) can be brought into Brazil duty free. You can import 2 cartons of cigarettes or 50 cigars and 2 bottles of wine or spirits.

Currency

Brazilian currency is the Real (R$). For several years now it has been quite stable. To get the latest exchange rate, go on: http://www.xe.com. You could take euros or dollars (in cash) and a credit card (it is possible to withdraw cash in most cities at the Banco do Brasil, Citibank, HSBC, Bradesco). Travellers’ cheques can be encashed on payment of a commission at the Banco do Brasil, at exchange bureaus and at branches of American Express which are located only in the main cities.

Time zones

Brazil has four time zones! To make it simpler, we’ll just say there is a difference of 3 hours between Brasilia and London in winter and 4 hours in summer.

What you should take with you

• your passport with a validity of at least six months + photocopies,

• the numbers of your insurance company (policy number and telephone number) or photocopy of insurance policy,

• cash (in euros or dollars) and/or travellers’ cheques and a credit card,

• personal medicine kit (see paragraph on Health),

• anti-mosquito lotion,

• light clothes (Tee-shirts, shorts...),

• light rainwear,

• swimwear,

• sun glasses,

• sun screen lotion with strong sun protection,

• hat or cap,

• sandals,

• walking shoes in case you plan to do some trekking.

Voltage

Voltage is not standardized; it varies between 110 and 220 Volts, depending on the cities and the regions. Most plug points are adapted for flat or round pins. It may be a good idea to take along an adaptor.