Expert: Sandra - 1/4/2011

Question
I am planning a 10 day vacation to Brazil and have been told to go to Rio or Porto Seguro. I am mainly interested in a great beach, good nightlife and a chance to meet the people of and absorb the culture of Brazil. What are Ur opinions of each place, which beaches are the best and is there anywhere else in Brazil that I should consider? Thank U

Answer
Hi Bill.
First of all, please tell me when you are planning to travel. Brazil is a huge country with many different climate zones. It can be cold in one area, rainy in another and great beach weather in still another, for example. Also, nightlife ( a big part of the “culture” in many places) in many places can vary according to the season (high, low, shoulder), so you should ask your advisors when they were in the places they recommend. Another factor, also somewhat dependent on time of year, is airfare prices (which may rise at busier times of the year, like Brazilians’ vacation periods in January and July, Reveillon and Carnaval).
Secondly, meeting Brazilians requires learning Portuguese. Hardly anyone, even in touristy areas, speaks good English. Try to get a good grammar book or online materials to help you learn as much of the language as you can.  It will pay off once you arrive. At the very least, carry a phrase book and/or dictionary.
Rio and Porto Seguro can be full of foreign tourists, so most local Brazilians you might encounter could be the service workers at your hotel and at the beach, but perhaps Brazilian travelers (if the time of year is right). All the beach towns and cities people have told you about (and are in the guidebooks) are much quieter out of season, with the fabled nightlife considerably toned down, although major cities still have some.
As for places to go, you should get yourself a good guidebook at the library or bookstore, study it and then do more research online. Brazil has many lovely beach towns up and down the coast, as well as cities with beaches both in the city and in the area, as well as history and nightlife, such as Rio, Salvador, Recife, etc.
In 10 days, you could see 2-3 places. Rio is seen as a must by many tourists, for sights, music and beaches. It takes about 4-5 days to get a good idea of the city. Check www.ipanema.com for info. Porto Seguro and neighboring Arraial D’Ajuda and Trancoso have miles of lovely beaches. Porto Seguro is usually a reasonable airfare from Rio. Nearby Rio, you could go to Paraty (Trindade beach) and Ilha Grande or in the other direction to Buzios. Salvador, a 2 hour flight from Rio,  is known for its unique music, heritage, architecture and beaches in the city and surrounding areas, including Morro do Sao Paulo. Recife and historic Olinda are fairly close to Porto de Galinhas beaches in one direction and Itamaraca in the other. If you go in the SA summer, the island of Santa Catarina is also a possibility. And on and on, up and down the coast…..The difficulty is choosing one place…but…once you come, you will be back again, or dreaming of coming back, to explore more of the county, guaranteed.
Boa viagem,