BRAZIL - (Page 9)

Sports—Beyond Soccer Brazil’s aggressive push to host both the World Cup in 2014 and the Summer Olympics in 2016 is a testament to the importance and the enthusiasm Brazilians place on sports activities—an interest, no doubt, spawned by the very physicality of the environment in which most Brazilians have grown up. Brazil, by its very nature of biodiversity, geographic diversity and its huge variety of wilderness opportunities, has prompted an equally huge variety of activities for sports and thrill sport junkies from around the world and regardless of your client’s sports preferences, Brazil most certainly has a sport for them. We’ve already mentioned some of the best places for surfing, windsurfing and kite surfing in the “Sun & Beach” section. But what about hang gliding? Rio de Janeiro, with its panorama of beaches, mountains and shorelines, is a hang glider’s Nirvana. They take off from Pedra Bonita in the Floresta de Tijuca National Park just a few minutes away from the city’s South District, then land on Pepino Beach. Meanwhile, Sobral, about 143 miles from Fortaleza in the state of Ceará, is one of the best locations in Latin America for hang gliding and the town also hosts a number of national and international paragliding championships. Adventure junkies can hop on an inflated boat in Iguassu National Park and cruise right up to the base of the Iguaçu Falls at Devil’s Throat, raft on the rapids of the Iguassu River, trek on trails through the Atlantic Rain Forest, canyoneer or rappel down mammoth cliffs or even climb down the cliffs between the falls. The little town of Brotas in the state of São Paulo calls itself the “Brazilian Capital for Adventure Sports,” thanks to river rapids rafting, canyoneering, rappelling, zip-wiring and extreme trekking. The islands of Fernando de Noronha off Pernambuco offer one of the best diving spots off the Brazilian coast thanks to its sparkling clear water and variety of fish and turtles. In Bahia, the Abrolhos National Marine Park, formed by the volcanic islands of Santa Barbara, Sueste, Guarita, Siriba and Redonda, are another hot diving spot thanks to its shipwrecks, coral crop and sea turtles. Bombinhas in Santa Catarina is known as the diving capital of southern Brazil where specialized agencies run dive trips to the Avoredo Marine Reserve. The coast between Vitoria and Guarapai, in the state of Espirito Santo, is reputed to be one of the best places in Brazil for ocean sportfishing and the most important fishing tournament in the country is held here. The Roosevelt River and the Upper Rio Negro, meanwhile, offer some great freshwater fishing in the Amazon Basin, while the Paraguay River Basin in Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, where the Pantanal region is located, features boat-hotels for tours to the best fishing spots. There’s no better place for people who love sailing than Florianópolis, located on the coastal island of Santa Catarina, the geography of which is 31 miles long from north to south with two large bays, each of which is perfect for sailing. There’s a sailing environment similar to Windsurf in Jijoca de Jericoacoara, Ceará. Florianópolis in the state of São Paulo on the coastal island of Ilhabela, which has a calm bay between the island and the mainland, forming a wind canal with few waves. Many of Brazil’s main sailing competitions—including the Brazilian Ocean Championships—are held here. Like many other places in the world, Brazil knows how to cater to globetrotting golf enthusiasts and offers an enormous array of some the most challenging and beautiful courses you’ll find anywhere. Bahia has some of the best with the 18-hole Comandatuba Ocean Course on Comandatuba Island ranked by Golf Digest as the best in Brazil. The 18-hole Costa do Sauipe course located about 70 miles from Salvador is considered one of Brazil’s most beautiful courses and has facilities for national and international tournaments. Additionally, hotels and resorts throughout the country offer onsite golf courses that are ideal for the golf aficionado. Tennis anyone? Your tennis-playing enthusiasts can enjoy their on-court passion in some of the most beautiful environments in the world. Whether that be in Bahia, home to top-end hotels with well-lit tennis courts, or, send them to Costa do Sauipe—just 70 miles from Salvador de Bahia—where they’ll find the Costa do Sauipe Tennis Center, home to the Brazil Open. And, they’ll be in good company—Roger Federer and Carlos Montoya have spent entire training seasons here. And then, of course, there’s soccer. It’s apparent wherever one goes—from the beach to a jungle village—that Brazilians love, no die over, soccer. And on Sunday, it’s everywhere—wherever there’s a green lawn, there are also beams, a ball and at least two soccer teams for the games. In big cities, visitors can visit the main stadium, go to bars specializing in soccer and even visit the first museum of soccer in Brazil, located in São Paulo, Pacaembu Stadium. For visitors, especially children and young adults, there are countless options to learn a little about the art of soccer at classes offered at the many clubs throughout the country. What visitors to Brazil won’t want to miss is a game of footvolley, which combines the format of volleyball with the skills of soccer. It requires the players to use only their heads, feet and chests. U.S. tour operators to Brazil offer footvolley classes on Ipanema Beach as addons to regular tours. l june 2010 B9

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of BRAZIL

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

BRAZIL