Selfie-ing it to the tune of Iguaçu Falls
Brazil is a GORGEOUS country, yet when I went there, I realized that most tourists reduce their trip to Rio de Janeiro, maybe São Paulo and maybe Jericoacoara for the more adventurous explorers.
That’s it.
Do you realize that Brazil is basically bigger than the continental US?
So stop reducing Brazilian tourism to three cities in a place BIGGER THAN THE CONTINENTAL US!
Similarly to its northern counterpart, Brazil has a very diverse landscape and vegetation from one area to another.
Did you know that there’s a Brazilian Savannah?
Did you know that there’s a second Rainforest in Brazil aside from the Amazon?
Did you know that it can snow in Brazil?
If any of this is news, then this article is for you. It’s why I’ve put together this mini-list of places to see and things to do in the immensity of the country.
To be quite honest, some of these locales are on my own bucket list, because my five months there weren’t enough to see everything.
1.Inhotim for Art
Are you interested in learning more about art?
There are quite a few places to go in Brazil for that, including São Paulo. I got to see an exhibit on Frida Kahlo while visiting, and it was honestly amazeballs.
But Inhotim was a personal favorite of mine.
In my three days exploring Inhotim, this became a favorite spot to simply rest and watch
Located in the verdant state of Minas Gerais, north of Rio, it takes about an hour driving from the state’s capital Belo Horizonte to get to the town of Brumadinho, next to which Inhotim is located.
Specialized in the very concept of “contemporary art”, Inhotim is one of the largest open-air art exhibits in the world. Located on a beautiful property of 1000ha, you’ll have the chance to admire both the beautiful tropical environment in which Minas Gerais is located and some very interesting and sometimes controversial modern art exhibits.
Exploring a range of media, you can visit traditional galleries with oil on canvas paintings, walk on glass, have your sense overwhelmed in the Red Room or even hang in a hammock to the tune of strange music and psychedelic images projected in all corners of the space.
The Red Room. Where everything, even the water and the inside of the fridge is red
You’ll even be able to explore Inhotim and go in search of its famed triplet cars, the Troca-Troca, whose place in the park often changes.
There are a few permanent galleries throughout Inhotim, presenting work from such artists as Adriana Varejão, the recently deceased Tunga, and Paul Mcarthy.
Some of the works presented might resonate with you, others won’t. But I’ll always remember what my artist father once told me: “Art isn’t always meant to be liked. It’s meant to cause a reaction.”
2.Bahia, the Northeast and Afro-Brazilian Culture
Let me tell you, Brazil has it all: beautiful and diverse landscapes, a rich and diverse culture, and one hell of a history to go with it in addition to some of the friendliest people I’ve met on my travels.
No, I’m not saying this because I might happen to be half-Brazilian. I promise!
Bahia is one of those places where that trifecta of amazing, exploration-worthy stuff can be found.
Typically, when I say Bahia, people think “Salvador da Bahia.” It makes sense, since that’s basically the biggest and most famous city in the state. However, it’s far from being the only thing to go visit in that part of the country.
I loved Salvador da Bahia. You just can’t go out walking at night, so be careful!
The state of Bahia is home to both coastal beaches and towns, perpetually warm water and the yummy-but-spicy acarajé a deep-fried piece of dough usually stuffed with seafood. It’s a place where the carnaval is a tad more traditional than the one in Rio, where the colorful costumes of Frevo dancers walk down the street and where the Orixas (the gods of many an Afro-based religion) are more respected than in most other parts of Brazil.
It also just so happens that Bahia is more than just a coastal state. There are mountains, forests and some amazing national parks, including the truly beautiful Chapada Diamantina. If you’re a nature-lover and enjoy taking INCREDIBLE pictures of a natural landscape, go explore the Chapada Diamantina. You can stay there for weeks and still be discovering something new about the national park.
The Chapada Diamantina is huge. One visit probably isn’t enough to see it all.
If you’re curious about history, go visit Salvador da Bahia! You’ll get to discover the history of slavery of the country, understand more about its mixed heritage and how many an African culture came to make Brazilian culture what it is today. Special celebrations occur throughout the year, with long processions of Umbanda and Candomblé devotees walk the streets all dressed in white.
If you want to go swim and enjoy the sun with a few yummy coconuts, go explore Bahia’s coast!
…you know what? You don’t even need to keep it to Bahia. If you want to spend time at the beach but see more of the country, just go on an adventure in the northeast (or nordeste as it’s called in Portuguese). Explore Bahia, the state of Pernambuco and everything in between.
Few people realize how differently the carnaval is experienced and performed in different parts of Brazil.
There’s even a place called Porto de Galinhas, which literally translates to “The Port of Chickens.” It’s an awesome place, with the interesting recurring theme of chicken decorating very random parts of the small fisherman town.
3.The Brazilian Savannah and its Cowboys
I’m betting you didn’t even know that there was a Savannah in South America.
The Pantanal is actually an area of western Brazil that bleeds over borders with Paraguay and Bolivia.
It’s flooded for a part of the year, so choose the time to visit very carefully. If you go when it’s flooded, you might end up soaked and disappointed.
Even when it’s flooded you can visit. But this is what you’ll get most of the time…and there’s crocs in the water!
But when the water levels recede… Then the Pantanal becomes a thing of beauty.
It’s famous for having some rare wildlife, so if bird-watching, jaguar-following and giant otter-observing is your cup of tea, this is the place to go.
That said, it’s also very famous for its cowboys, or Gauchos Pantaneiros.
Ranching has quite the rich history in Brazil. If you either have a love for horses or a love for good-quality meat then a week or two spent exploring the Pantanal will be right up your alley.
You can even help the gauchos cattle ranch while you’re there
I hope that you’ll give Brazil a chance rather than say, “I went to Rio, so I went to Brazil!”
This list is far from being complete, but it’s a good nudge in the right direction when exploring the country.
Got an opinion on Brazilian travel? I’d love to hear about it, or just practice my Portuguese with someone. Leave a comment or shoot me an email at rebeccazeines@gmail.com!
Becca is a multicultural and multilingual vagabond, who never stays put long. The travel bug bit her years ago, and since then she’s had the fortune to explore more than 20 countries, live in 5 and randomly pick up words or languages while she was at it.
Now an active copywriter and editor, she loves sharing stories of life, love and challenges on the road with anyone patient enough to sit down and listen.
You can find more of her work at ww.rebeccazeines.com or follow her on Instagram @travellinblondie. If you have any questions or comments to address her directly, she will promptly answer from rebeccazeines@gmail.com
