Expert: Ken Rapoza Cruz - 2/6/2008

Question
Hi Ken,
I am curious what whould be the best way to get from Rio to Iguaza waterfalls? Is there a train that goes there? Also I know the answer but would you recomend someone a Brazil in 7 days, we want to see Rio, San Paolo, waterfalls.
thanks
Lilly

Answer
Depends on two things...your financial situation and your time constrains.   You can get to Rio to Foz by bus; a very nice bus I might add that has large first class airplane style seating where the chairs recline almost like a bed. That will cost you about R$150 round trip, I believe. Maybe a bit more, and will take you almost 2 days to get there. Youll get to meet the people on your bus, esp if you took a bus-package tour to the falls, where you all stay in a hotel at night. Otherwise, you will be sleeping and living on the bus, eating at roadside truck stops along the way. VERY tiring, but i fyou're young, or an Indiana Jones type...there will be some nice scenery and you never know what's going to happen on a long drive like that.

A flight is the best way. You will probably have to take a RIO to Curitiba, Curitiba to Foz flight. UNlesss you book a Foz package tour, I dont think there is any one way to Foz from Rio. Ask a travel agent, or check with the airlines. You can find out on the websites for TAM, BRA, GOL, Varig. Also, try BrazilNuts travel. They speak English and they can book some of these in country trips for you if you want the comfort of knowing someone who knows what they are doing has everything set up for you.

A flight from RIO to FOZ will cost you about R$500 round trip, easily.

Ther are no trains.


Regarding a 7 day trip.  You ave to keep in mind that Brazil is about the size of teh US. So if you were a Parisian or a Brazilian with just seven days to kill in the US, and wanted to see Disney, NYC and the Grand Canyon...youd spend a fortune and have a hard time getting to these places. Youll spend a lot more time traveling than actually enjoying your trip.

So when you tell me you are going to Brazil for just 7 days, I would say RIO absolutely...Foz is good too.  Depends what you want to see, do. Are you a beach person? A city person? A night life party person? See what I mean?

I wouldnt really spend more than maybe a night in Sao Paulo, max two. It's a working city. And unless you speak Portuguese, the cultural aspects of teh city you wont really be able to take in.  Tho I guess you could go to some neighborhood bars where people are playing the samba on guitar and singing in small groups.  Tho you can get that in Rio, too.  

If you go to Sao Pualo, Id recommend dinner at the piano bar at Edificio Italia in the old center, top floor, get to see the entire cityscape of Sampa (SP nickname) as we call it. >And they are very used to serving foreigners. Menu is in English.

Rio -- the usual tourist attractions. If youre adventurous, try a favela slum tour. See how the other half lives. If you can get there, or find a package tour, see if yo ucan go to Angra dos Reis islands. Wow. QUaint village there too. Very nice.  Again, this is all ocean front, with Rio being wild and Rio and romantic, and Angra being quaint, with some wealth in pockets, and romantic.

Foz is foz...you go there to see the waterfall. There  is a huge museum on site. Ive never been there, might be worth checking out. And there is a zoo in the city, too, but I suspect it is a piece of crap and could even be depressing.  Animals in very small cages, like US zoos in the 70s.

You can easily spend 4 days in Rio, fall in love with it if the weather is great, and not want to leave.  Believe me.

If you need travel agent help, let me know at rapoza@igc.org.  I know this ex federal judge who speaks English and gives great tours of Rio...anyting you want: parties with the rich? He can get you in. A historic tour of Rio artist homes? He can do it.