Tips and Recommendations for Brazil

Quick access to the chapters

    Generalities
      Guide Book
      Postal Service
      Food and Drink
    São Paolo
      Excursions
      Buying Electronic Gadgets
    Ubatuba (SP)
      Eating
      Sleeping
    Paraty
      sleeping
      Eating / Drinking
    Rio de Janeiro
      Sleeping
      Eating
      Visiting
      Excursions
    Ouro Preto
      Sleeping
      Visiting
      Eating
    Curitiba
      Visiting Special: The Train
      A good restaurant in Morretes
      Special Jewelry
    Iguazu Falls
      Visiting
      Sleeping
    Other places

Generalities

Guide Book

For all South America, I used the Lonely Planet South America. Although some people find it a bit too directing, it is still a good book. However, the version I had (8th edition - Jan 2002) was getting old (particularly about Argentina as it was written before the currency devaluation).

Postal Service

It's really good ! You can send whatever you want (from Mexico you can not send tee-shirt if they are not brand new). It's cheap and efficient !
For example, I sent a 14 Kg package (in fact a big bag), for 138.40 Reales beginning of December (6th) ... and that arrives safely within a week ! !

Food and Drink

In many restaurant, a meal is for two people, but you get a discount (usually about 40%) if you are alone !
An other restaurant practice (in particular for buffet) is that you pay your food by the weight. That's not always that cheap ... specially for me ! ;-)

Another particularity about Brazil, are the juices bar that you get everywhere ... nice fresh juices with plenty of unusual flavours.

São Paolo

There's not much to see in São Paolo. And there's no much point of going there ... except to visit a friend.
Still it's a good city to go out drinking, eating, and clubbing. And the coast up to Rio is well worth a visit : you might want to hire a car and drop it in Rio.

Excursions

Next to São Paolo, plenty of outdoors activities at Brotas. See www.brotas.tur.br.

Buying Electronic Gadgets

In Santa Efigênia street ... but watch your belongings and avoid flashing jewelry money and all !

Ubatuba (SP)

A little beach resort north of São Paolo: quite nice ! !

Eating

Restaurant Lagostao
Tel: (12) 3836.1464
On the sea front street. For the lobsters ... of course !

Sleeping

Vivendas Do Morro Verde Pousada Av. Profa Dionisia Bueno Veloso, 210 B. Toninhas - Ubatuba
A bit difficult to find in the little streets opposite the hotel one sea front with the statue of the 2 dolphins. Nice hotel, many languages spoken (Spanish, English, French - Belgian owner), swimming pool, TV, A/C, nice breakfeast, ... 60 Reales

Paraty

Nice little cool town. You might want to take a cruise, go scuba diving (see my diving sites), go to a near by beach ... or simply shop for crafts and gifts !

sleeping

Hotel Remo do Imigrante
rua da Floresta, 06 centro Tel: (24) 3371.1423
In front of the petrol station, next to the bus station. Simple but clean and cheap: 20 Reales for 1 person, 30 for 2 persons.
Other cheap places
... on the main road: Rua Roberto Silveira. The places in the Lonely Planet are much more expensive.

Eating / Drinking

Restaurante Netto
rua da Lapa, 402
centro
(in front of ITAU bank)
Tel: (0xx24) 3371.2346
Good food (particularly the local sea food) & price ... And get to hear the music from Paraty 33
Paraty 33
rua da Lapa
(next to ITAU bank)
Tel: (24) 3371.7311 / 7308
Web site: www.paraty33.com.br
E-mail: paraty33@paraty33.com.br
Live music every night: nice place.
Dinho bar
rua da Matriz, 11
Tel: (21) 9698.2209
E-mail: dinhos_bar@bol.com.br
Nice bar, not touristy and good crepes (savoury & sweet).

Rio de Janeiro

That's a fantastic place ! ! ;-)

Sleeping

The HI hostel Albergue da Juventude Chave Rio de Janeiro is quite cool, and is not (eventually) as far away as it seems. Moreover the neigbourhood is great and you can get a glimpse of the real life of the Cariocas by staying there.
But if you stay in town for a while, it might be worth to go to another hostel. There's apparently a nice one in Ipanema.

Eating

There are loads of cheap places to eat everywhere. Next to Albergue da Juventude Chave, the hostel people will tell you where to go.
But you can also get a cheap place in Copacabana ... but not in the street at the front of the beach. However, I have been recommended to go and eat at Mariu's.

And you can not leave Rio without eating some fijualas: that's the local specialty.

Visiting

Of course, there are the Must:

Excursions

I have been recommended to go to:
Buzios
That's a beach resort close to Rio. However, some people found it a bit to touristy and tacky.
Barra Tijuca
That's a beach close by.
Metropolis
A town 50 min away, with an interesting museum ... apparently.

Ouro Preto

Sleeping

Pousada São Francisco
Rua Padre José Marcos Pennna 202
That's a HI so you should find more on their web site.
Really good hostel but watch for attacks at night: I got attacked going back at the hostel on a sunday evening. Try not to be alone and hopefully nothing will happen. The persons from the hostel were really surprised by that.

Visiting

Touring the town

The tour in the Lonely Planet contains a few mistakes.
The Museum Aleijadinho is at the church Matriz N. Sra. Conceição de Antõnio Dias ... and I don't remember the others ! ;-)
It's still a good tour, but stop at the information centre on Praça Tiradentes, to get a few brochures and maps, but there's no need to get a guide (unless that's a group of you: you always get more information from a guide).

Gold Mine next to Ouro Preto

Mina da Passagem
5 min. from Ouro Preto in direction of Mariana. Take a local bus to get there and ask the driver for the mine.
Visits Tue. Wed. 9h to 17h, Thu. to Sun. 9h to 17h30.
Web site: www.minasdapassagem.com.br
Great visit: well worth going !

Eating

Restaurante Maximus Colonial
Rua Direita, 151 - Centro
Tel: (31) 9914.1209 - (31) 9927.2742
Not in the Lonely Planet: a nice place to eat by kilos (you pay for the weight) !
Restaurante Casa do Ouvidor
Rua Direita 42
Centro
Tel: 31.3551.2141
E-mail: www.casadoouvidor.com.br
Nice food but not cheap.

Curitiba

Visiting Special: The Train

Take the scenic train through the mountains. The train station is just across the street from the bus terminal.
Cool trip: get the touristic for a couple Reales more you get fed and drinks are offered too ! You also get a guide explaining the different sites (in Portuguese :-) ! ).You may take a round trip or come back by bus. I went by bus as I arrived too late in town to catch the morning train. That works as well.
When I took it the train was not going all the way to Paranaguá but stopped in Morretes (because of work on the tracks). Not a big deal as the good part is in the mountains before Morretes.
One train leaves at 8h from Curitiba and returns at 15h from Morretes (for 69 Reales return touristic trip).
The other (luxury train) goes at 9h and returns at 14h30 (for 140 Reales return).
For all prices (way in, way back, return, different classes, ...) and latest information and timetable, check out:
Web site: www.serraverdeexpress.com.br
Check-ou a nice place to eat in the next chapter.

A good restaurant in Morretes

Restaurante Serra & Mar
rua Visconde do rio Branco, 145
CEP 83350-000 - Morretes
Tel: (41) 462-2294
Straight up from the train station, going to the church !

Special Jewelry

Pietra Nobile
Praça Garibaldi, 39
On the side of the clock of Flores
Tel: 041 223.2501
Web site: www.pietranobile.com.br
I was told to go to that shop as the prices are even cheaper than in Ouro Preto (the mining region where the stones come from ! ? !). The owner is a really nice italian guy who speaks Portuguese, italian and french (and may be more).

Iguazu Falls

They are quite extraordinary.
Don't miss them it's really worth it ... on both the Argentinean and Brazilian sides ! You will need at least two days to explore both sides, a bit more if you want to see more.

Visiting

To me, the best way of doing it is to go to the Brazilian side first, and to the Argentinean side the next day. You could do the Brazilian side in less than a day, but you definitely need a full day for the Argentinean side. The Brazilian side provides you with a nice overview more like a general view. When the Argentinean side provides closer views.
Also on the Argentinean side, you can walk around a lot and take a few optional boat trips. I recommend the boat trip under the falls and the raft trip from Garganta del Diablo (at the start of the catwalks (or end of the train), to close to the start of the train. It's a good trip where you will see some wildlife. We didn't think the trip going from down the river up to the falls was really worth it.
Take loads of rolls of film as you will quite probably take a lot of pictures.

You may want to visit the Itaipu dam close by, on the Brazilian side. I was told it's quite impressive. On the other hand, the Brazilian wild life park (on the main road before the turn of to the falls) didn't seem too interesting and was quite expensive.
The only reason to go to the Paraguayan side will be to shop for cheap electronic devices. Be careful though, as I was told it's quite a risky place because of people getting robbed.

Sleeping

The place recommended by everybody is Albergue Paudimar Campestre
Tel: 0xx45 572.2430
Web: www.paudimar.com.br
It's an ex-finca (i.e. farm) reconverted as a mini-resort hostel: there is a restaurant, swimming-pool, football pitch, internet, ...
To get there is a bit uneasy, from the Brazilian side, you take a bus to the intersection with the dirt road going to the Albergue, and there you take another bus. However the Albergue will pay for half of a taxi ride from the bus station. But from the Argentinean side, you need to take three buses, one to the main road on the Brazilian side (no need to go all the way to the Brazilian bus station), and then the same two buses as from the Brazilian side. Although it seems a bit of a drag, it still easily feasible and you have time anyway (you are on holidays) ... and the Albergue is well worth it.

If you want to be in town, there are also a few places on both the Argentinean and Brazilian sides. Puerto Iguazú (Argentinean) is more relaxed than frenzy and trendy Foz do Iguaçu (Brazilian).

Drinking out / Eating out

There are quite a few nice bars and restaurant in Puerto Iguazú (Argentinean side) on Av. Victoria Aguirre and Av. Córdoba. Avoid the Paraguayan side at night, it's really risky.

Getting Around

You will need to go to both side, if you really want to enjoy the full experience of Iguazu falls. That means crossing the border of course, but it's easy to do and the bus will even wait you get your passport stamped ... if you don't take too long. You don't really need the currency from the other side as shops and even buses will take Brazilian Reales, and Argentinean Pesos.
You can also take a taxi, that will cost more money but is still affordable. If you stay at Paudimar, when visiting the Argentinean side, it might be interesting to stay for dinner in Puerto Iguazú for a change. But then you will need to get a cab back.
Note:
There are no buses going to the Argentinean airport: you will need to book a passage in a bus ran by agencies. You can do that at the airport, and at travel agents in Puerto Iguazú (they will pick you up from your place).

Other places

The places that I have been recommended to go to, in Brazil, but I did not go (that's for next time).
Fernando de Norona
An excellent surfing spot.
Morro de São Paolo
An island two hours away from Salvador de Bahia
Ilha Grande
An island off the coast between Rio and São Paolo, close to Paraty
Ilha Tinhare
Another island ... with quite a few French people