BRAZIL | GENERAL INFORMATION
CLIMATE| Brazil is marked by highly varied climates. It goes from
the humidity of the Amazon Region, the dry heat of the Northeastern region and the permanently pleasant warm weather of
most of the coastal area, to cool evening temperatures in many
parts of the plateau and a temperate climate in the South.
TIPS| The service charge is included in the bills in most restaurants and bars. Therefore, tips are optional and are usually
between 10% and 15% of the bill. For porterage service, it is
recommended the equivalent to USD 1.00.
The seasons in Brazil, are the opposite from Europe and United
States. The medium annual temperature is 28° C on the North
area and 20° C on the South Area.
CUISINE| The Brazilian cuisine is very rich and varied with Portuguese and African influences. The most typical Brazilian dish
is the “feijoada”: served in big casseroles of black beans with a
tick juice cooked together with salty pork meat. It is garnished
with manioc flour, rice and slices of fresh orange. There is also
the famous Brazilian barbecue, usually served in restaurant in
a “rodízio” system, where several kinds of grilled meats are
brought to the tables and cut directly on the plates of the costumers.
VISAS & PASSPORTS| An entry visa is not required for holders
of passports from European or South American countries. As
a matter of reciprocity, a visa is required for those from North
America. For further information about the necessary documentation and where visas can be obtained, please consult the local
Brazilian embassy.
Tourist visas can be renewed for a period of 180 days per year.
Passports must be valid for at least six months after the planned
date of arrival in Brazil.
The food from Bahia has stronger condiments. There is the famous “Vatapá”: made with shrimps, fish oil, coconut milk, bread
and oil.
The national drink is the famous “Caipirinha”: made with an
alcohol called cachaça, mixed with lemon, sugar and ice.
CURRENCY| The currency in Brazil is the Real (abbreviated to
R$). Dollars and traveler’s checks can easily be changed in hotels,
authorized banks and travel agencies. International credit cards
are accepted in most hotels, shops and restaurants. The exchange rate is floating. The American dollar, in the past months,
has been around R$ 2,30.
AIRPORT TAXES| International and domestic airport taxes are
charged. Most of the times, these taxes are already included in
the air ticket. However please check it out before departure.
LANGUAGE| The national language is the Portuguese.
CLOTHING| Light clothes and comfortable shoes are recommended. Passengers should take sun glasses, sun block of strong
protection and swimming clothes. A jacket is recommended as
most of the places have strong air conditioning.
TIME ZONES| Brazil covers three time zones. The time in Brasilia
is the official time in Brazil, usually 3 hours behind GMT (London). This changes with the start of Summer Time (the clocks go
forward an hour).
ELETRICITY| The electric current in Brazil can be either 110 V or
220 V, depending on the city. Most of the hotels have adaptors.
SHOPPING| Brazil offers a great variety for shopping: from
boutiques to hippie markets; from precious and semi-precious
stones, to creative handcrafts. Shopping centers are open from
10am to 10pm.
HEALTHY| It is recommended to have the vaccination against
yellow fever, for tourists that intend to visit the following Brazilian states: Acre, Amazonas, Amapá, Federal District, Goiás,
Maranhão, Mato Grosso do Sul, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima and
Tocantins. It is obligatory the vaccination against yellow fever for
those passengers coming from endemic zones. For further information please consult the Brazilian Embassy of your country.
TELEPHONES| Public telephones accept phone cards that cost
around R$ 20,00 and can be bought at local newspapers stands.
Mobile phones: The main providers of GSM 1800 technologies
are: TIM Brasil, OI and Claro.
The Brazilian code for international calls is 00 + 55.
The regional codes for the main cities are:
Rio de Janeiro: 21
São Paulo: 11
Salvador: 71
Manaus:
92
Foz do Iguaçu: 45
INTERNET ACCESS| Most hotels in Brazil and airports offer
internet service.
Copyright Berkana Travel DMC - All rights reserved. For further information visit our website: www.berkanatravel.com.br
4
BRAZIL | GENERAL INFORMATION
The country
regions
THE NORTH REGION
THE NORTHEASTERN REGION
In this region we can find the
amazing Amazon Forest. The states
are 7, including the Amazonas State
(Capital: Manaus)
This is where the history of Brazil has
began. Among the 8 states that form this
region we can highlight:
Bahia (Capital Salvador, Costa
do Sauípe, Praia do Forte);
Pernambuco (Recife); Rio
Grande do Norte (Natal);
Alagoas (Maceió); Maranhão
(São Luis and Lençóis) and
Ceará (Fortaleza).
CENTRAL WESTERN REGION
This region is famous for the
Pantanal. The 3 states are: Mato
Grosso (Cuiabá), Mato Grosso do Sul
(Campo Grande) and Goiás (Goiânia)
where is the Capital of Brasil:
Brasília.
THE SOUTHERN REGION
Where the Iguaçu river joins the River
Paraná to form the Natural Border
of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. It
includes the states of Paraná (Curitiba),
Santa Catarina (Florianópolis) and Rio
Grande do Sul (Porto Alegre).
THE SOUTHEASTERN REGION
It is formed by the states of Espírito
Santo, Minas Gerais (where the
colonial Cities are), São Paulo and
Rio de Janeiro(Búzios, Angra dos
Reis, Paraty and Petrópolis).
Copyright Berkana Travel DMC - All rights reserved. For further information visit our website: www.berkanatravel.com.br
5