The most important information when travelling in Brazil

When to go

If you're heading to the Amazon, I recommend you go between July and September. For the rest of the country, going between April and October is best if you want to avoid hordes of tourists and really enjoy the country. Bear in mind temperatures in the south are not as high as elsewhere.

Entry requirements

For trips lasting three months or less, most European nationals won't need visas but must have a valid passport with an expiry date no less than six months after the date of travel. Canadians must apply for a tourist visa within 90 days of their departure date.

Health advice

Disease carrying mosquitoes can cause illnesses including dengue fever, yellow fever and malaria. So it's important you see your doctor for malaria tablets and the obligatory vaccinations. If you're going to the Amazon, remember a yellow fever vaccination is imperative.

Airline tickets

The cost of plane tickets varies according to the time of year and destination. For sought after towns, such as Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo, you can pick up a return ticket for 650 Euros/USD out of season, but expect to pay more than 2000 Euros/USD during carnival time!

The average price for a return ticket is 1000 Euros/USD.

Time difference

Brazil is divided into 4 time zones. The time difference with France is between 3 and 5 hours, depending on the region and date. For example, if it's 11am in France, it will be 8am in Brasilia from October to February and 6am for the rest of the year. Check out the time difference in advance, as moving between winter and summer times does not happen in all towns, nor in every year.

Language

Brazil's official language is Portuguese. It's a bit different from the European version, as Brazil has kept much of its indigenous tongues. You'll also pick up on regional accents and differences in pronunciation.

Relevant contacts

The French Embassy in Brazil

SES Av. das Nações, lote 04, quadra 801 - CEP : 70404-900 - Brasília - DF.

Tel : 0055-61 3222-3999

Website: http://www.ambafrance-br.org/

Brazilian Embassy in France

34, cours Albert 1er

75008 Paris

Tel : 01 45 61 63 00

Website: http://paris.itamaraty.gov.br/

Phone and internet connection

Telephone dialling code for Brazil: +55 followed by the city code

In towns, internet access is easy to find and there are cybercafés all over the place. What's more, most hotels/hostels have Wi-Fi (free or paying).

Electricity

The voltage is not always the same as Europe or the States and, depending on where you are, can vary from 110 to 220 volts. You'll need to take a socket adapter/travel plug as, once again, there are no norms.