When travelers think about South America, the image that immediately comes to mind are street parties, fiestas, beaches, and tanned and beautiful Spanish-speaking people. Once you reach the continent though, you will begin to realize that the continent has so much diversity. In particular, Brazil has a lot of unique and exotic things to offer a curious visitor.
Unlike its neighbors, such as Bolivia, Colombia, and Argentina, Brazil is a culturally diverse country that uses Portuguese as its primary language. Brazil, the place associated with beaches, jungles, jazz, bikinis, and religion seems like an altogether different planet when contrasted against neighboring countries. Here are three tips that will help you improve your Brazilian vacation:
Avoid Urban Beaches
Unless its Ipanema or Copacabana, you shouldn′t allocate time to visit urban beaches in Brazil. After all, most of its coastlines cannot compare to the charming towns you can visit while in the country. Beaches can be enjoyed in many countries but seldom can you experience what the Brazilian history and culture is really all about.
Learn Portuguese
Don′t immediately assume that everyone knows English. Most of the time, there are only two types of people who do: the financially-privileged Brazilians and people involved in tourism. But the second classification can include all types of people from tour guides to scammers.
In Brazil, your high school Spanish won′t be enough because though the Spanish language has some similarities with Portuguese, some words can have an altogether different meaning. Learning Portuguese will enable you to communicate with the real Brazilians and gain more interesting insights about the country.
Lower your Expectations on Brazilian Buses
Before traveling to Brazil, it is important for you to determine which type of transportation is best for getting around. Buses here are not as reliable as they should be, so looking for alternatives is recommended. Some travelers decide to travel around by long distance taxis, vans, or motorcycle taxis. There are also boats of all shapes, sizes, and colors if you want to go around an area with rivers.
