Paraty, four hours to the west of Rio by car.
When I ask friends what they know about Brazil, their first answer is almost always Rio de Janeiro and Carnival. Sadly, tourists who only go to Rio and Carnival are missing out on the fantastic attractions of the rest of Brazil, which spans nearly half of the South American continent.
That is not to say that Carnival is something to skip. It is one of the greatest human events of the globe with a world-class party that happens annually on the weekend before lent. Besides the main parades of the major samba schools at the Sambódromo, the weekend is full of gala parties ( some gay ) and street samba parades in the neighborhoods.
The favorite band by the GLBT community is the Banda de Ipanema which is accompanied by transvestites in creative costumes, including a drag queen traffic cop whom the local police have allowed to direct traffic during Carnival. Needless to say, the best looking guys on foot or in cars get priority treatment in that intersection!
RIO DE JANEIRO: Carnival, Beaches and the Good Life
Rio de Janeiro is one of the most scenic cities in the world.
The city is spread out along Guanabara Bay and the Atlantic Ocean among spectacular mountains like Sugar Loaf and Corcovado crowned by the Christ Redeemer statue. Rio is where beach culture flourishes on level with Miami Beach in locales like Ipanema, Copacabana and Leblon. Sidewalk cafes, some gay-friendly, are filled with beachgoers for a fresh Brazilian Chopp draught beer and snacks. There are also some wonderful side trips from Rio that are becoming popular destinations for the international visitor.
Búzios is a beach resort located about three hours east of the city by car. It straddles a beautiful peninsula peppered with various beaches and coves where some pousadas ( inns ) sit right on the beach. Charming shops and great seafood restaurants round out the appeal of this jet-setter beach resort. More tranquil Paraty is located four hours to the west of Rio by car along the shores of the spectacular Angra dos Reis Bay. This colonial gem is a UNESCO World Heritage site where the buildings and cobblestone streets have been restored to its appearance in the 1750s. Besides charming inns, good restaurants and art galleries, wonderful beaches are nearby and it is also easy to take a guided hike of the Atlantic rain forest or to hire a schooner for a six-hour tour of the bay for less than $100 U.S.
Brazil is South America's giant, being larger in area than the continental U.S. minus Alaska with a population of over 160-million people. Highway infrastructure is improving rapidly in the country, but the most convenient and easiest travel mode for tourists is still by air. It is also one of the most economical ways to travel for foreign tourists who are qualified to buy Brasil Air Pass tickets outside of Brazil for greatly reduced domestic fares on either VARIG or TAM Airlines. Think of it as a Eurailpass for air travel which will save a visitor hundreds of dollars; the only difference here is that you must reserve and confirm your specific flights at the time of purchase. Train travel in Brazil is not recommended for visitors.
IGUAÇU FALLS: Thunderous Waters and Jungle Safaris
The second most popular destination for foreign tourists after Rio is the natural wonder of Iguaçu Falls —which are both taller and wider than Niagara. Brazil and Argentina share the falls and it is important to visit both sides of the cataracts in order to appreciate the sheer immensity of Iguaçu. Visitors normally spend two nights there because it requires about a day and a half to experience the highlights. The Macuco Safari is one popular tour, which is a combination of hiking through rainforest and an exciting boat ride up to the Devil's Throat Gorge falls. Good hotels are located on either side of the border.
PANTANAL:
The Naturalist's Paradise
Another natural attraction in Brazil's southwest is the Pantanal. This freshwater glade is South America's answer to the Florida Everglades—covering an area the size of Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands combined. This area is gaining in popularity with naturalists, as it is the home of the Giant Anteater, the Capybara, the Jaguar and millions of birds.
While the accommodations are not luxurious five-star properties, there are clean and comfortable eco-lodges in several areas. The Pantanal Safari tour is on land, water and light aircraft for four days through the Pantanal staying at simple eco-lodges along the way. Wildlife and tour locations are determined by the season and the water levels in the area. June and July are the best months for overall wildlife observation.
Surprisingly, scuba diving is a popular seasonal sport in some of the sinkholes and rivers in the area.
AMAZON: Brazil Nuts, Piranhas and Adventure
The third most popular destination for foreigners is the Amazon region. Visitors normally fly into Manaus, the capital of the Amazonas state, to overnight there before traveling to one of the numerous eco-lodges in the area.
While the level of amenities and services vary with each lodge, the activities remain about the same. One can expect to hike and explore jungle flora and fauna, visit local homesteads and fish for piranhas. Yes, piranhas actually taste great!
A favorite activity is to canoe in the waters after dark with flashlights to experience the eeriness of seeing various pairs of glowing red eyes staring calmly back at you from the caimans ( relatives of the alligator ) which float silently nearby.
For those who prefer the water, there is an Amazon Clipper cruise of three to six days, which travels up and down the Amazon instead of staying at a land-based lodge. One of the interesting Manaus day trips is by boat to the Meeting of the Waters, where two rivers ( one black with vegetable tannin and the other tan from muddy sediment ) run side-by-side for miles until they finally blend together in the main channel of the Amazon River.
THE NORTHEAST:
Colonial Cities and Coconut
Beaches The northeast region of Brazil is also opening up to more international tourism with a variety of locations and things to do.
Salvador, the capital of Bahia state, was the original capital of Brazil before the seat of government moved to Rio de Janeiro in the mid-1700s. Salvador has charming neighborhoods like Pelhourinho and it is also the undisputed Afro-Brazilian cultural center of Brazil.
The city is a heady mix of colorfully restored colonial buildings ( another UNESCO World Heritage site ) , the trade winds off of the All Saints Bay, the Bahiana women in their giant petticoat dresses and the smells of exotic but deliciously rich Bahian food like spicy shrimp in coconut milk and palm oil.
Salvador has its own brand of Carnival, which is becoming more popular with visitors. While is it not as flashy of Rio's party, it is more like the Carnival of old Brazil with a distinctive Bahian flavor of music and festivities.
FERNANDO DE NORONHA:
Diving's Hottest Discovery
One of the hottest destinations in Brazil is situated 600 miles out in the mid-Atlantic from the mainland. Fernando de Noronha island is an ecological reserve and national park which some have called 'the Galapagos of Brazil,' as it is becoming one of the most-coveted Scuba diving destinations in the world.
The Federal Government strictly limits the number of visitors who can be there at any given time. There are a handful of pousadas and restaurants on the island, but capacity is small, so planning well in advance is mandatory to visit here. Also, only one or two of the pousadas offer English-speaking guides.
April to December is the best time of year to scuba dive when the surrounding waters are calmer with clearer visibility. There are many more places to discover in Brazil, like the developing diving center of Abrolhos islands off of Bahia state, the city of João Pessoa with one of the most extensive examples of Baroque Colonial architecture in Brazil or the sprawling giant sand dunes of Natal in the northeast.
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Overall, the gay traveler can feel perfectly comfortable in any of the venues named in this article. While predominately gay neighborhoods do not exist in Brazil as they do in North America, even smaller cities in the country have bars, nightclubs and cafes to cater to the GLS ( Brazilian name for GLBT ) crowd.
A few locations even have gay-friendly or gay-owned accommodations across the country. While the majority of hotels in Brazil do not discriminate against gay couples, most do have policies about not bringing outside guests up to rooms that are sometimes rigorously enforced—more of a security measure than anything else.
There is a final word of caution for those who are looking to book online reservations directly in Brazil. Make certain you know with whom you are dealing. There have been a few instances, particularly during Carnival, where travelers have arrived to find that the package they paid for was never reserved at the hotel and the online company was no longer in business. Also, a more widespread practice is a Web site that advertises an especially low price while other places are advertising that same hotel at a higher rate. The less reputable site will advertise the National rate converted into dollars. That rate is only available to Brazilians, so when a visitor arrives with a foreign passport, it is likely the hotel will not honor their package rate and request the difference in dollars that foreign visitors pay.
Hotels in Rio and other resort sites like Búzios will charge higher rates during Carnival and other holidays—included in a package of a three- or four-day minimum stays.
Whether you go to see the nature, the colonial villages and the modern cities, the Brazilian melting pot of people of all races or just to enjoy the beaches and party, Brazil has a lot of everything to offer everyone.
Your travel writer Michael P. Mahoney is a travel counselor at Aqua Terra Travel, Inc. Cynthia A. Marquard along with Ted Lally owns and manages Aqua Terra Travel, 65 E. Wacker Place, in Chicago. Michael, Cynthia, or Ted can be reached at 312-787-2400 or 1-800-44-ENVOY. Visit their Web site at www.aquaterratravel.com .
