Brazil is a country that offers something for everyone with its pristine beaches, islands, national parks, glittering cities, rich folklore, and of course, the Amazon and Pantanal. The essence of this country lies in its diversity in every aspect. There is a variety of stunning natural settings and an ethnically and culturally diverse people. The Brazilian people love their country and show their appreciation for its natural wonders by maintaining a system of ecological sanctuaries and parks. Those who decide to travel to Brazil are confronted with so many options that it can be difficult to narrow the itinerary. A lot depends on the ultimate goal a visitor has in mind. If you want to mix with the people and savor a very colorful culture, then a trip to one of the main cities like Rio de Janeiro followed by visits to the old colonial towns of OuroPreto, Tiradentes, Mariana and others is a good choice. Those who prefer to concentrate on the natural beauty of the landscape can plan an ecotour that can include visits to any of the five ecological regions:

• Amazon Basin with the world’s largest rainforest
• Remote Carajás mountain range with primary forests and rare birds
• NortheasternSertao with a semiarid climate and sculpted plateaus formed over millions of years
• Coastal Sierra (Serro do Mar) with its mountain range that parallels the Atlantic Ocean
• Southeast holding three of Brazil’s four largest cities – Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte and São Paulo

Of course, Brazil is famous for its beautiful well maintained 2,000 tropical beaches. Even the beaches offer variety in that there are busy beaches like the Copacabana or Ipanema in Rio de Janeiro where you can mingle with the locals and other visitors, many of whom are wearing the famous but skimpy Brazilian bikini. Visitors can also find a wealth of white sand beaches that are quiet and beautiful like the Buzios or Praia do Forte. There is even a beach you can only reach by traveling 20 miles over sand dunes – Jericoacoara.

Many of the beaches outside the main cities are protected from development and serve as wildlife refuges and preserved natural habitats. Eco-travelers can combine swimming and sunning with appreciation for the rich and ecosystem that defines Brazil. In addition, the money you spend in the local beach towns and visiting museums and historical sites help residents maintain these stunning beaches by contributing to economic sustainability.

Defined by Diversity

It’s possible to talk about Brazil’s beaches for hours. However, it’s important to understand the culture of the country to fully appreciate its current status and what it has to offer visitors. The best place to start is learning about the diversity that defines Brazil’s people. Brazil is best called a melting pot of ethnicities, races and cultures. The culture represents a blend of historical events bringing diverse groups of people together. These people include the indigenous Indians; Portuguese and Italian explorers; West African slaves; Italian, Spanish and German immigrants; and, most recently, the Japanese and Korean immigrants arriving between the early 20th century and the 1950s. Unlike other South American countries the main language of Brazil is not Spanish – it’s Portuguese.

The cultural diversity explains the enormous variety of festivals that are held throughout the year. Of course, the largest and most colorful festival is the pre-Lenten Rio de Janeiro Mardi Gras Carnival, which is an extravaganza of dancing, costumes and partying. However, there are many other festivals and religious celebrations that reflect the ethnic, cultural and religious diversity of Brazil. For example, the elaborate Holy Week (Semana Santa) processions held in cities and towns reflect the large Catholic population. The Tiradentes festival honors the colonial patriotism of the colonialist Tiradentes who was executed in 1789 for seeking independence for the population of Minas Gerais.

In June, the popular holiday of BumbaMeuBoi is celebrated with cultural dancing through the streets and the symbolic honoring of an ox meant to be social satire. Since 1793, up to two million people celebrate the October religious holiday named Cirio of Nazaré in Belém by walking a procession from the cathedral to the Basilica while expressing ardent love for NossaSenhora de Nazaré or the Virgin of Nazareth. Some find this the most fascinating event and it’s one of the largest processions held in the world.

A Natural Itinerary

If your goal is to plan sustainable travel or ecotravel to explore some of the natural wonders of Brazil, your biggest challenge will, once again, be deciding an itinerary, since there are so many choices. For a first trip, the Amazon and Pantanal could be high on the list. A good strategy is to use the tourism operators who are diligent about creating as little disturbance as possible within these ecosystems and take visitors to parks and sites where entrance fees go towards environmental protection.

Visiting the Amazon rainforest is a unique experience and places you in one of the last great wildernesses in the world. You can take day long or multi-day trips on a riverboat or travel to the heart of the Amazon and from there take hikes through parts of the rainforest. It’s difficult to adequately describe the ecosystem mosaic of the Amazon River Basin with its lush vegetation, unique and diverse wildlife and the longest river in the world. To give you an idea of the size of the Amazon River, it has 11 times the water volume of the Mississippi River.

The Pantanal, lying primarily in MatoGrosso du Paul, is another favorite site for ecotravelers. It’s an enormous wetland system that is classified as pristine. This is another area that contains a myriad of flora and fauna, but it’s also home to an amazing array of wildlife, some endangered, that includes Capuchin monkeys, anacondas, jaguars and giant river otters. It’s a beautiful wildlife area that birdwatchers and naturalists will find delightful. The Pantanal is a bit of a well kept secret because it’s often overshadowed by the Amazon.

It’s just impossible to mention everything to see and do in Brazil in one brief discussion. You can visit Iguassu Falls National Park with its system of 275 waterfalls stretching along three miles or travel the Jalapão desert in Brazil’s center in an overland vehicle or go mountaineering in the Mantiqueira Mountain Range. You can name a natural terrain and Brazil has it – rivers, desert, mountains, rainforest, beaches, islands and so much more.

Slow Down and Visit

Of course, the only real way to understand the people is to visit with them. Brazil’s culture is welcoming and its residents friendly. It’s possible to stay active the entire trip visiting museums, shopping, swimming, partying and enjoying the immense national wilderness areas. At some point, though, you will need to slow down for an hour, choose a restaurant and order a bowl of Feijoada, a stew made of beans and smoked meat and considered the national meal. As you savor the thick hearty stew, it’s time to chat with some of the residents. It doesn’t take long before you begin to savor the company too.

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