BRAZIL - (Page 15)

Fast Facts Getting Around: Rental cars are available for tourists with or without a driver at the main airports and in city centers. There are also a large number of taxis in most cities. Regular taxis, with a meter, can be hailed in the street. Radio-taxis can be called by phone. The bus is the most popular form of transport for traveling between states. For air travel, the main Brazilian airlines cover most of the country, and there are also regional airlines, both offering high levels of comfort and security. Climate: Brazil’s climatic typology is very diverse. The huge territorial expanse, allied with factors such as temperature, altitude, barometric pressure and proximity to the ocean, provide the country with climatic conditions that please everyone. In Brazil, seasons have the following pattern: spring (September-December), summer (December-March), autumn (March-June) and winter (June-September). The country is dominated by a tropical climate; some areas of the north have summer almost year-round. The south has a different climate pattern, where winters can sometimes be severe; in the months of June and July, temperatures may drop very low. Vaccination: It is recommended that tourists receive the measles vaccination if they intend to visit Bahia state. Additionally, visitors should get vaccination against Yellow Fever to visit the following Brazilian states: Acre, Amazonas, Amapá, Distrito Federal, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso do Sul, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima and Tocantins. It is necessary to have the shot at least 10 days before the departure. Please consult a nearby Brazilian Consulate or the Brazilian Embassy of the visitor’s country. Entry Documents: As a matter of reciprocity, a visa is required for those tourists from North America. Visas can be obtained from your local consulate office. Tourist visas can be renewed for a period of 180 days per year. United States citizens will be charged a non-refundable processing fee of US$130 per visa. Passports must be valid for at least six months after the planned date of arrival in Brazil. More information can be found on mre.gov.br or braziltour.com. Time Zones: Brazil’s standard time is Brasília’s, the country’s capital city. It is three hours behind Greenwich. However, there are three other time zones within the country of Brazil: Acre, two hours behind GMT; Amazonas, Rondônia, Roraima, Pará, Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul are one hour behind; and the territory of Fernando de Noronha, two hours behind GMT. October through February, the time changes in accordance with Daylight Savings Time—clocks are set ahead one hour. Currency: As of 1994, Brazil’s currency is the real. It is available in 1, 2, 5,10, 20, 50 and 100 bills and 1, 5,10, 25 and 50 cent pieces. It is recommended that one changes some of their money before they come to Brazil at a local bank branch or an exchange agency. International credit cards generally are welcome in most major hotels, restaurants, hotels and other tourist-related businesses. Electricity: In Brazilian cities, voltage may vary from 110 to 220 volts. Although the plug holes may look different, no plug adapter is normally required. In Brazilian cities, voltage may vary depending on the hotel. Those that only offer 220 volts 60 cycles AC, have electricity converters available at no charge. Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. Getting There What a difference a decade makes! At the turn of the century, flying on down to Brazil meant mostly taking off to São Paulo, with on-going flights to Rio de Janeiro. Today, travelers are benefiting from a phenomenal boom in air services between the two countries: eight airlines now operate flights from 12 U.S. gateways to seven cities in Brazil, adding up to more than 350 flights weekly both south- and northbound. And more are on the way. In October 2010, Delta opens the first-ever air service between Detroit and São Paulo, and in November 2010, American expands its operations to Brazil with a nonstop flight from New York/JFK to Rio and from Miami to Brasília. Let’s take an overview of current nonstop flight connections between U.S. and Brazilian gateways: • Atlanta to Rio, Brasília, Manaus, Fortaleza, São Paulo (Delta) • Boston to São Paulo & Rio (United) • Charlotte to Rio (USAir) • Chicago to Sao Paulo (United) • Dallas to São Paulo (American) • Houston to São Paulo & Rio (Continental) • Los Angeles to São Paulo (United, daily; Korean Air, 3 x weekly) • Miami to Recife, Rio, São Paulo (American & TAM); to Manaus (TAM); Belo Horizonte & Salvador (American) • New York (JFK) to Rio & São Paulo (TAM and American); to São Paulo (Delta and JAL, 2 x weekly) • New York (Newark) to São Paulo (Continental) • Orlando to São Paulo (TAM) • Washington D.C. to São Paulo & Rio (United) june 2010 B15 Resources: www.braziltour.com/network – Brazilian Tourist Board website for Travel Professionals www.bito.com.br – Brazilian Incoming Travel Organization www.fbcvb.org.br – Brazilian Confederation of Convention & Visitors Bureaux www.brasilemb.org – Brazilian Embassy in US www.resortsbrasil.com.br – Resort Brasil www.studyinbrazil.org/en/ – Brazilian Bureau of Cultural Exchange www.brasilgolfe.com.br/en/ – Brazilian Bureau of Golf www.brazilnature.travel/ – Brazilian Bureau of Ecotourism www.braziltouroperators.com – Brazil Tour Operators Association http://mre.gov.br http://www.braziltour.com http://www.braziltour.com/network http://www.bito.com.br http://www.fbcvb.org.br http://www.brasilemb.org http://www.resortsbrasil.com.br http://www.studyinbrazil.org/en/ http://www.brasilgolfe.com.br/en/ http://www.brazilnature.travel/ http://www.braziltouroperators.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of BRAZIL

Sun & Beach
Ecotourism & Adventure
Sports
Culture, Brazilian-Style
Itineraries
Fast Facts/Getting There

BRAZIL