Jaroslav told us his favorites places in Brazil.

When I first came to Brazil, I wanted to explore as much as I could. Brazil is the fifth biggest country in the world and it goes from the very north util to the very south of the continent. It might be very challenging to travel the whole country unless you have plenty of time and money. So far I had a chance to discover the state of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Throughout my experience here in Brazil, I have traveled a bit of the coastline of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. I would like to give you some tips for my favorite places which are close to São Paulo.

• Guarujá

Guarujá is a municipality in the São Paulo state and the distance from São Paulo city is only 1 hour by car. Guarujá is and island so you need to cross the bridge. There are several beaches which you can enjoy and the signs which will direct you to the beaches are all over the city. Just be careful with parking, it is better to put your car on the parking place and pay the fee unless you want to risk some issues with your car. In order to leave you need to take the ferry boat and sail back to the continent. The ferry costs up to 10 reais and will take you to the city of Santos in about 10 minutes. What I found really interesting were those inclined buildings in Santos which are titled due to proximity of the beach. It is really hilarious!

• Trindade

To reach this beach you will need at least 3,4 hours by car – depending on the traffic jams which are quite common in the peak season. This was the first beach I have visited when I came to Brazil but I immediately fell in love with this place. To reach this place you will have to drive through the hills with some tortuous  and dangerous roads. The spot is surrounded by the forrest and the beach has a lots of big stones which are really cool for taking some selfies, your friends on Facebook will „like“ it. This site is also favorite for those who like to surf due to big waves.

Ps. Last time we went to Trindade, it was a bit cloudy and windy.

• Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro is the main touristic point. Point of interest for majority of international turists. If you are travelling from São Paulo then it takes around 5 hours by car. By plane the duration of the trip is 1 hour. If you search well and a manage to find some promotion tickets, you could find really cheap plane tickets from São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro.

I have seen Rio de Janeiro many times on pictures, but when you actually do visit the city – it just takes your breath away! It exceeds your expectation! It is beautiful in every aspect. We visited the city at the end of the year and the day was really hot. It did not stop us from visiting the “Christ the Redeemer“. You can either walk all the way up to the mountain and save some money or you can take the bus up to the peak of the hill. I do recommend taking the bus, it is far away! Get ready for crowds and bring water – lot of water. The view from the “Christ” is worth! You will have Rio de Janeiro in the palm of your hands! I will come back to this place ASAP!

• Foz do Iguaçu

This was in my mind for a long time. Long before I came to Brazil. Long time before I even met my Brazilian girlfriend.

Plane tickets were off the table due to high prices in late December. We hopped on the bus which took 15 hours to get there. Foz de Iguacu is about 15-20 kilometers off the city so you need to take the bus – find the main bus terminal and you will find signs in English saying “Foz do Iguaçu – cataratas”. Get ready for the long queues, we were waiting over 90 minutes to buy ticket and to get inside the premises. But it could be because we visited this place during the peak season. Then you take double-decker bus which takes you to the waterfalls. Good tip! If you have time and money, pay for the boat trip and you will be taken underneath the waterfalls –amazing experience! Otherwise, walking on the trails around the waterfalls is also incredible. From the Brazilian side of waterfalls you can see the whole thing, it is really huge. I was a bit excited, because people were selling raincoats and umbrellas, I was wondering why? Then I realized, the end of the trail will take you above the waterfalls and the water thunders around you and you get all wet. Very pleasant in hot days! Also, you will be accompanied by Coatis and lizards along the way.

And yet it is not over, because you can visit „Parque das Aves“ which is a bird park with hundred of different types of birds. Staff from park do an incredible work when taking care of injured animals and rescuing them from trafficking! Among others I was attracted by toucans and colorful macaws. This place is magical and I do recommend to spend 1 afternoon here.

• Arraial do Cabo

This place is almost 600 kilometers from São Paulo alongside the coastline. You need to pass Rio de Janeiro to reach Arrail do Cabo. We had no other option but to drive by car. It took us over 7 hours of driving. Arraial do Cabo is a little peninsula with magnificent beaches and a place for diving and snorkeling. I was diving here for the first time in my life and had a chance to see ray, colorful fish, turtles, Long-spine porcupine fish and much more! For the fans of beaches, I would recommend you to visit „Praia do forno“. Clear and calm water, white sand. To reach this place, you have to walk through short trail but then you get to see a great view over the beach! Another beach, which is a bit further and you should take a car to get there is called „Prainhas do Pontal do Atalaia”. This beach is often times crowded, but it is a great place to spend your afternoon! Another option is to pay for the boat and reach the island of Farol with the „Praia do Farol” beach. Your stay there is limited so enjoy every minute as it was your last!