Expert: Ken Rapoza Cruz - 9/18/2003

Question
My wife and I are visiting our son James who is in Belo Horizonte Brazil for 5 months of his UK university course. We will be in Brazil for 2 weeks in October this year and we would like some help choosing the places we should visit as we realise we can barely make a dent in all the country has to offer visitors in that short a time period.

We intend buying discounted air travel vouchers - probably a booklet of 5 from TAM - although this will cause problems for James who doesn't have a qualifying air ticket. We'll probably have to pay full price for him; which is a shame.

He's already visited some places in Brazil but will probably be happy to so some or all of the trips again (except the 36 hour bus journey he did from the NE back to Belo Horizonte where he's based!)

Any help you can give will be much appreciated. If you think we need more than 5 air trips please let us know and please also bear in mind when thinking about an itinerary that is a condition of the voucher scheme that you don't fly the same leg on the same route twice.

Answer
Hi Brian:

Two weeks is not going to give you a lot of time, you are right.  If I were you, I would stay in Minas.  There's plenty to see there and your son wont have to worry about flights.  Your first day or two will probably be spent in Belo.  Im sure your son knows some good restaurants in the area.  You have to eat top notch "mineira" food while in Belo.  That's a must.  So spend some time having your son take you around Belo.  I'll ask my friend in Belo if he has any recommendations for top notch restaurants in the city and you can contact me directly at rapoza@igc.org.  Do email me again, because Im going to contact this man (www.sensus.com.br  -- Ricardo Guedes) and have him give me some insider pointers about Belo that your son might not know.  

For SURE you should go to Ouro Preto in Minas.  Here's some info on it.

http://whc.unesco.org/sites/124.htm

Another good historic city is Tiradentes, but I dont know a helluva lot about it.

I recommend taking an off-road trip to one of the many Cachoeiras in Minas (water falls).  Its beatiful and nothing like youre going to see in the EU or UK.

Here's some info on it for you or your son, who must speak portuguese by now.  I recommend Macuco, only cuz it is closer to Belo.

http://www.planetaoffroad.com/p14c.htm

This is just in Minas. I recommend you spend at least the majority of your time there.  Take it in. Unless your knows these places, it is best you book a tour for a day, so they can show  you around...otherwise you will be wondering around sorta lost.  

Id also recommend, as a foreigner, that you go to Rio.  If you want to do the Rio tour thing -- see Pao de Acucar e Cristo Redentor e Ipanema -- then you have to stay downtown.  I recommend staying at the OTHON chain of hotels in Copacabana.  They will cost about $50-$150 a night.  I dont recommend the California Othon, it is old ...but it's good.  Ive stayed there before.  If you ve got money to burn, DEFINITELY stay at the Sofitel Rio Palace.  

From there, you would book a tour to see Pao de Acucar, Cristo Redentor.  Id also recommend an island tour and a favela tour, too.  Dont worry, you will be safe.  Also, go to a samba show at Scalas.

Also, if you go to Rio, never wear socks with sandals and only carry a max of R$50 in your wallet.  Never give money to street children.  Offer them food, yes. But never give money.  If you are forced to,or feel threatened, give it ssecretively.  Yo udont want to look like Robin Hood.

If you just want to hang out in a beautiful resort town and relax, pick a resort in Angra dos Reis in Rio. I dont have any recommendations in Angra, tho I can ask around.  Look here: http://www.angra2000.com.br/english/  

Good luck.

ken