HUNTER
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TRAVEL GUIDES
TRAVEL GUIDES
Brazil
John Waggoner
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John Waggone
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Maps by Toni Wheeler
Contents
\Introduction 1
The Southeast 25
iv n Contents

113
Contents n v
The Northeast 199
vi n Contents
Contents n vii
viii n Contents
Contents n ix
The Central West 355
x n Contents
The Amazon 415
Contents n xi
The Southern Region 505
xii n Contents
Language 555
Index
n xiii
Introduction
B
razil is one of the most fas-
cinating countries on the
planet. Virtually a continent unto itself,
this largest and most important coun-
try of South America is also the least
understood. Travel here can be the
experience of a lifetime, and yet most
people don’t know where to begin in
planning their trip.
Everyone knows about the Amazon
and Carnival, and most have ideas
about the sultry city of Rio de Janeiro. People may think of the tropical

beaches, the soccer legends, the supermodels, or perhaps they have
seen films that expose the hard reality in the favelas like City of God.
Many people know about Brazilian coffee or the national drink cachaça,
or the churrascariasteakhouses that are opening up around the world.
It seems that every day more and more people are getting to know the
rich culture and the arts, the customs and the cuisine. The rhythms of
Brazil, the great musicians and singers, and its dances like capoeira,
catch everyone’s attention. But in spite of it all, the lyrics of this music
and the inspiration for these arts remain an enigma for most of the
world.
Unlocking these mysteries for you has been one of the greatest joys of
my lifetime.
I had been living in Brazil for nearly a decade before I started writing
this book. Working as a foreign correspondent and as the editor of a
now defunct English-language newspaper called the Brazilian Post,I
had a chance to study this country in detail. It was here that I met my
fiancée and it is here that I was made an honorary citizen in a tiny town
called Piancó, in the northeast of Brazil and the state of Paraíba.
As the plane descended the first time in São Paulo I recall being stag-
gered by the size of the country and those endless city blocks. I realized
that no matter what I had read, Brazil remained a blank page. The real
identity of Brazil, its essence, somehow was different from what I
thought I would find. The travel books I had read were hopelessly out of
IN THIS CHAPTER
n
History 4
n
Government & Economy 7
n
Geography 8

n
Language 9
n
Population 9
n
Culture 11
n Cuisine 12
n
Travel Information 14
date or even misleading, and they all said the same thing. So I decided
to write my own book from what I had seen with my own eyes, about the
very best of what Brazil has to offer.
This does not necessarily mean the most expensive places or the best
known, nor have I included every city or even every state. The idea all
along was not to chart out every square inch, but to suggest ideas based
on what visitors actually do – sightseeing, outdoor adventures, dining,
shopping, and getting to know the locals. Every destination in this book
has a compelling reason for you to visit – whether it be for the natural
beauty, for the nightlife, the cuisine, the shopping, or most importantly
for the culture.
On every page I have tried to bring you something unique.
In writing this book, I went wandering through cities to find the best
restaurants and nightclubs, came face to face with a charging tapir,
drifted through the Amazon after my boat ran out of fuel, peered over
rusty cannons through cracks in fortress walls, went rappelling and
scuba diving in a primordial cave, saw dinosaur tracks in the scalding
desert, traveled to indigenous villages and went scrambling through
abandoned mines.

Along the way I made some important discoveries. I spoke with locals to
get their advice and tried to avoid the clichés that seem always to find
their way into the travel literature. I discovered what was interesting
and what was not, what was safe and what was not, and have tried to
include something in this book for everyone, no matter what your age or
interests.
Most of all I found confirmation for what I suspected all along – that
Brazil is the most amazing country on the planet. I think that you will
agree.
History
Indigenous groups, mainly Tupis
and Guarnanis, lived here for as
much as 30,000 years, according to
some archeologists. We didn’t know
much about the way they lived until
the arrival of Europeans in 1500.
When Portuguese explorer Pedro
Álvares Cabral anchored his fleet of
13 ships at the coast in southern
Bahia (in the Northeast Region) he
discovered Brazil wood, a valuable
resource used to make red dye. It
that gave the country its name.
After the coast was mostly mapped
out, in 1532 King João III of Portugal
divided the country into 15 horizon-
tal bands, called capitanias. Each
4 n History
Pedro Alvares Cabral
was the responsibility of a different nobleman. The latter were more or

less on their own to explore the lands and make them profitable, but
most were unsuccessful. In 1549 João III decided to set up a Colonial
government with a strong military and Jesuit presence in Salvador (in
the Northeast Region).
At that point, under the governor Tomé de Sousa, colonization became
more violent. The colonies produced sugar by use of indigenous and
African slave labor, and warfare and disease began wiping out the indig-
enous population.
The Dutch took control in 1578 of most of the Northeast coast. In the
Southeast the Brazilian settlers, many of them by now mestizos, contin-
ued to explore inland in mercenary groups called Bandeirantes, search-
ing for wealth and slaves. By 1640 Portugal reconquered the Northeast
and continued into the Amazon and the Southern Region. By 1670 gold
was discovered, starting another phase of intense migration inland.
Empire & Gold
One after another, gold was found in the Southeast, the Center West
and the Northeast. Brazil became the envy of the world. With the wealth
came new ideas and, in 1778, a revolution called the Inconfidência
started in Minas Gerais but was rapidly crushed.
In 1807 something unheard of happened. The Portuguese royal family
fled Europe to escape Napoleon Bonaparte, and moved to Rio.
Expanding the borders in a war with Argentina, they continued to face
growing internal opposition. In 1822, the royals returned, and crown
regent Pedro I declared Brazil independent. Rio de Janeiro became the
capital of this new “constitutional empire.” After a flurry of hope among
Brazilians tired of the old ways, the situation grew more and more cha-
otic, and Pedro I was forced to abdicate in 1831.
His young son, Pedro II, remained in Brazil and took power in 1839.
Opposition began to rise in Europe against the slave trade – on which
Brazil relied heavily. Meanwhile, more and more immigrants were pour-

ing into Brazil from all over the world.
In 1865 Paraguay declared war and the Triple Alliance was formed
between Brazil, Uruguay (by this time independent) and Argentina. In
three years Paraguay was defeated and Brazil expanded into its terri-
tory. But the Empire was crumbling.
In 1887, Pedro II, plagued with scandal and losing power, finally fled to
Europe. One year later his daughter, Princess Isabel, abolished slavery
with the Áurea law and a short while later ended the monarchy and
transferred power to a Republic.
Empire & Gold n 5
Introduction
Old & New Republics
The new government implemented major social changes, and it was a
period of hope and inspiration for Brazil. The gold was long gone and
agriculture became the source of Brazil’s wealth: coffee, rubber, and
cocoa.
As the country began to industrialize, social
problems became more apparent in the grow-
ing cities. In 1917 a huge labor strike para-
lyzed Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, and
radical new political parties were taking
shape with socialist and anarchistic views.
By 1922, frustration with the corruption and
inefficiency of the government led to military
uprisings in the cities. The greatest of these
was the Prestes Column, a group of lieuten-
ants under the command of Luis Carlos
Prestes, which marched through the entire
country from 1924 to 1926, before fleeing
into exile.

In 1929, the price of Brazil’s main product,
coffee, fell drastically and the economy spi-
raled into ruin. Unemployment and poverty
plagued the country, and the solution came
in 1930 with the rise of a charismatic politi-
cian named Getúlio Vargas, who staged a revolution, declared a New
Republic and began to rule with an iron hand.
The dictatorship made sweeping changes to help the urban working
class, while at the same reducing the power of the unions that threat-
ened it. The economy was departmentalized into separate political
groups, which consolidated Vargas as the supreme authority and led to
the emergence of Brazil as a global economic power.
Vargas admired the fascist state of Europe at the time, but was thrown
into World War II on the side of the Allies after the Nazis sank Brazilian
ships. When the war ended in 1945 and fascism was crushed, the dicta-
torship lost support and Vargas was forced to renounce.
From Dictatorship to Democracy
Under the new democratic government, in 1950 Vargas once again rose
to power – this time as an elected President. Incredibly popular among
some segments of society, he faced increasing opposition from more
conservative officers in the military. On the brink of a military revolu-
tion to depose him, Vargas committed suicide in 1954.
6 n History
Getúlio Vargas
Juscelino Kubitschek was elected President in 1955 with a new vision
for Brazil. He moved the capital to Brasília (in the Center West Region)
and oversaw more social reforms. This was a great period in Brazil,
when music like bossa nova gained popularity around the world and the
Brazilian soccer team won a dramatic World Cup victory in 1958.
Through successive presidents and a period of cultural growth, the

economy continued to decline, and in 1964 the military seized power.
This dictatorship was supposed to be temporary but remained in power
until 1984, with periods of harsh social repression.
Though the dictatorship had ended, Brazil’s
huge foreign debt led to constant crises for
the next 10 years. In 1994 President
Fernando Henrique Cardoso initiated
reforms that almost overnight halted infla-
tion of thousands of percentage points per
year. This stability strengthened the young
democracy and set the stage for economic
prosperity.
In 2002, President Luiz Inácio Lula da
Silva, an opponent of Cardoso, became the
first working-class leader. His government
struck a balance between economic stability
and concern for the poor, particularly in the
Northeast, representing a significant mile-
stone in the country’s history. He was re-elected in 2006.
Government & Economy
Brazil is a Federative Republic, with a democratic government
and socialized medicine and education. The President and Fed-
eral Legislature (Senate and Chamber of Deputies) are elected.
The Judiciary is independent. The state and municipal governments
have elected executive and legislative bodies.
Despite an effort to streamline the government, it remains highly
bureaucratic. For many Brazilians, the highest professional goal is to
secure a public sector job, as these provide better wages and job secu-
rity than the private sector. As most of the jobs are in the cities, every
year more and more people move to the urban areas, creating huge

strains on infrastructure and social services, and leading to the cre-
ation of shantytowns called “favelas.”
Brazil’s economy is one of the largest in the world and split more or less
equally between agriculture and industry. The agricultural sector is the
world’s largest producer of coffee, sugar, orange juice, beef, ethanol,
and soybeans. The industrial segment is also very important as one of
the largest producers of iron and steel, petroleum and other raw materi-
als.
From Dictatorship to Democracy n 7
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Introduction
Brazil is a modern country – it is surprising to many first-time visitors
just how modern. Brazil is known for its advanced technology such as
ultra-deep-water oil drilling, high-tech medicines, a satellite base, a
state-of-the-art jet manufacturer, advanced nuclear power plants, and,
until recently, the world's longest free-standing bridge, as well as the
world's largest hydroelectric dam. Its disproportionate size when com-
pared to its neighbors is controversial, but Brazil has contributed
greatly to regional cooperation and stability in recent years.
The economy has grown steadily since hyper-inflation was eradicated,
and today Brazil is as prosperous as it has been in many years. Depend-
ence on foreign debt continues to be a weakness for the economy.
Wages remain low and, while health care and education are provided
free to all citizens, both have major institutional problems.
Most of the former state-owned companies in the telecommunications,
mining, transportation and electricity sectors were privatized in the
past decade. This has led to greater availability of products and mod-
ernization of services, but some segments of society criticize the reduc-
tion in jobs and higher prices. While the press is free as a rule, the
media is dominated by one large organization which depends heavily on

paid advertising by the public sector.
Public security tends to be weak overall with less than 3% of GDP spent
on the military and daunting institutional challenges for the police such
as low salaries, corruption, and the lack of integration among police
divisions. Private security is a huge business that dwarfs the public
security sector.
Geography
Brazil is the largest country in all of Latin America, and covers
just about half of the total land mass in South America. That
makes it the fifth-largest country in the world after Canada,
Russia, China and the United States.
Brazilians think of themselves as Americans, or South Americans, and
consider people from the United States to be North Americans. The term
“gringo” applies to any foreigner, is not meant to be offensive, and is
used by just about everyone.
Brazil is mostly tropical, with the equator passing through the north
and the Tropic of Capricorn passing through the southeast. Average
annual temperatures vary around 28°C (82.4°F) in the north and 22°C
(71.6°F) in the south. Information on local climates is included in each
chapter.
Brazil borders Argentina and Uruguay to the South, Paraguay, Bolívia
and Peru to the west, and Colombia, French Guiana, Suriname, Guiana
and Venezuela to the north – that is to say, practically every other coun-
try in South America. Its border along the Amazon region was only very
8 n Geography
From Dictatorship to Democracy n 9
recently defined, with the help of satellite photos. The Atlantic Ocean
forms the longest coastline in South America, extending some 7,367 km
(or 4,578 miles).
One curiosity is that Brazil is practically the same size from north to

south as it is from east to west. Its easternmost tip in Paraíba (in the
Northeast Region) is closer to Africa than it is São Paulo and it is here
that the first rays of the rising sun hit the South American continent.
Here there is practically every type of topography, including deserts,
dunes, mountains, rainforests, canyonlands, plains, including special
environments called Caatinga and the Cerrado, as explained in each of
the chapters.
Language
Portuguese is the national language, but is a little different from that
spoken in Europe, Africa and Asia. About 81% of the world’s Portuguese
speakers are Brazilian. It is possible to communicate in Brazilian Portu-
guese with other speakers of the language, but there is a striking differ-
ence in the accent and intonation, as well as certain important
grammatical and orthographic differences.
Portuguese speakers can usually understand Spanish to some degree,
but not the other way around. In a pinch you can try speaking Spanish.
Within Brazil there are also great differences in vocabulary, accent and
the use of the familar tu rather than the more universal você. It can be
difficult at times for a non-native speaker to follow what is said in parts
of the country. The most obvious differences are between the north and
south of the country, but each region has its own peculiarities. Because
of the influence from African and indigenous languages as well as many
words borrowed from English and other languages, Brazilian Portu-
guese has one of the richest vocabularies in the Americas.
Other languages are also spoken by certain Brazilians, including a dia-
lect of German and Italian (or a dialect of Italian called Veneto) princi-
pally in the Southern Region. As well, Hengatu, a general Tupi dialect,
is spoken in parts of the Amazon. English is spoken by a small popula-
tion in the region called Americana, in São Paulo – the accent is similar
to that in the Southern United States since these are the descendents of

a Confederate colony that moved to Brazil during the Civil War.
Population
At the last census there were 170 million people people living in Brazil,
but official estimates raise the number to over 185 million now. Of this
total, about 43% live in the Southeast Region, 29% in the Northeast
Region, 15% in the Southern Region, 7% in the Northern Region
(Amazonia), and 6% in the Central West. The population is 51% women
and 49% men, and a little over 80% of the population lives in urban
Introduction
10 n Population
areas. Additionally, close to 6½ million Brazilian citizens live overseas,
primarily in the United States, Europe, and Japan.
Brazil has one of the most ethnically diverse populations anywhere in
the world. This phenomenon began in the very first days of colonization,
when it was the custom of the Tupis to offer a wife to all newcomers.
Similarly, during the expansion inland, there were very few European
women among the colonists, who started families with indigenous or
African women.
There is such a generalized mix of races that it is difficult to define exact
parameters for any individual. In general, just over 53% of the popula-
tion declare themselves as “white” or Caucasian. Although well over half
the population probably has at least some African and or indigenous
ancestry, the official “grey” population (an unspecified mix of races)
declares itself at only 38% of the total. Only about 6% declare them-
selves to be “black” or Afro-descended. Asian and indigenous popula-
tions each declare themselves as under 1% of the total, and an equal
number claims to represent no race.
A predominately Catholic country, Brazil in recent decades has become
more open to other religions. About 74% of the population is Catholic,
over 15% is Protestant, 7% have no religion, and over 1% are Animists

(mainly indigenous religions). While each is under 1%, there are also
followers of Afro-indigenous religions Candombé or Umbanda, Juda-
ism, Jehovah’s Witness, Buddhism, and a very small number of other
religions such as Islam, new Asian religions, or Hinduism. Many Brazil-
ians, while declaring themselves Catholic, also practice Candomblé or
Umbanda in what is called syncretism.
As a developing country, many of the social indicators in Brazil are
sobering.
Among the population at least 25 years old, only 6.8% had completed a
college degree or higher, whereas about 84% of the population over five
years old can read. Almost one third of children aged four to seven do
not go to school, a number directly related to poverty. It is interesting to
note that excellent higher education at state and public univerisities is
free. The problem appears to be enabling students with lower income
levels to advance far enough in the primary and secondary school sys-
tem to take advantage of those opportunities.
Brazil has one of the most unequal societies in the world in terms of
wealth distribution, with huge gaps in access to health care, education,
and basic utilities. Half the population earns two minimum monthly
salaries or less – or about $200 per month. And many children – even
younger than 10 – work to support their families.
Though there has been slight improvement in recent years, it is offi-
cially estimated that the richest 1% of the population earn as much as
the poorest 50%, and the richest 10% earn 18 times more than the
poorest 40%. Moreover, of the 1% richest population, 88% declared
themselves to be “white” (Caucasian), while of the 10% poorest, 70%
declared themselves to be “black” (Afro-descended) or “grey” (of mixed
race).
Culture n 11
Culture

It is sometimes hard to understand how a population that lacks
so much, at least on paper, can be so rich in terms of culture.
Ever since colonization, Brazil has been trying to define its iden-
tity against a European standard while some of its greatest characteris-
tics come from its home-grown mix of so many different races and
cultures.
Some of the most remarkable national virtues are flexibility and sponta-
neity. Perhaps because things don’t always work out as one would
hope, Brazilians are masters at coming up with creative solutions to
problems. There is even a term for it, the famous “jeitinho brasileiro,”
which means “doing things the Brazilian way.”
This anarchistic streak goes back at least a hundred years. During the
colonization, the more conservative European segments of the popula-
tion worried about contraband, sexual morals and the overall state of
affairs in the country. Even today it can be surprising how conservative
some Brazilians can be about certain traditional social values and
taboos, when they couldn’t care less about so many others.
This very fine line between what is tolerated and what isn’t can be mys-
tifying to outsiders. One example of this are Brazil’s notoriously tiny
bikinis, considered pretty daring practically anywhere in the world.
Toplessness, meanwhile, common enough elsewhere, is frowned on
here and until quite recently prohibited (except during certain times
such as Carnival). Again, the famous “jeitinho brasileiro” allows room to
bend the rules a little bit just for fun.
In spite of the various social problems, there is incredible national
pride. While Brazilians complain frequently about the economy, crime
and other issues, almost nothing gets people more upset than hearing
foreigners say the same thing. Brazilians love Brazil and they expect
visitors to love it too, or at least not to point out the problems. So when
problems arise, the best advice is to keep a sense of humor. Getting

angry or upset in public is rare, considered shockingly rude, and tends
to backfire. If you are patient, normally a half-way solution will be pro-
posed. But keep in mind that laughing at a joke is fine, but laughing to
show you appreciate what someone is saying might be interpreted as
mockery.
Brazil may be the only country on the planet where just about anyone is
accepted, regardless of their race, religion or sexual orientation.
Gringos will always be gringos, even when they become citizens, but
they are accepted.
Even among the very humble, or perhaps especially among the most
humble, there is great generosity of spirit. Cordiality and respect for
others’ opinions is a common virtue. Brazilians as a rule, maybe more
than any other nationality, are truly interested in what other people
Introduction