It seems like many PanAmerican overland travelers skip Brazil. We get this impression both from reading others’ blogs and by the number of locals there who were very surprised to see a non-South-American registered car in Brazil. (In fact, many people surprisingly guessed that we were from Argentina!)

When we were staying with our friends Rob and Grace in Atibaia (which is just north of São Paulo), we discussed this and wondered why this was the case. Brazil has a reputation for being an expensive country to visit, and while it does charge a reciprocity fee for some nationalities (similar to that charged by Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay), with current exchange rates, day-to-day expenses are similar to the rest of Latin America. The other big reason is probably timing and logistics. For many travelers, Ushuaia is the logical goal for the trip, and with good reason. Being able to see the amazing scenery there in person and making it to the “other end” of the Americas is a worthy goal.

Because our work obligations slowed our pace of travel significantly, we missed our first window to arrive in Patagonia during the summer. Since we had friends in Brazil, we were planning to go there anyway, and the beaches of Brazil seemed a better place to spend the Austral Winter than in the snowy Andean highlands.

In the end we have decided not to visit southern Patagonia on this trip. Had we not seen this area before, I’m sure this would have been a painful decision. But instead we got to see at least some of the amazing country of Brazil. We’re not saying future travelers should skip Patagonia in favor of Brazil – but they should extend their trip and see both!

Here are five things we loved about Brazil.

The Beaches

Brazil is famous for its beaches, and after having sampled a very small number of them we are fortunate to understand why. And, according to our Brazilian friends, the coastline to the North and East of Rio de Janiero are just as spectacular and even less crowded than ones we saw between Rio and São Paulo.

The Culture

Brazil is culturally very distinct from the rest of Latin America. The language is the most obvious distinction, but the differences go deeper than that. Towns don’t necessarily have a central plaza (though many do) and the churches aren’t all cut from the Spanish-influenced mold. Brazil has a thriving middle class, and for the most part you don’t see the strong class divide separating tourists from locals. You’ll share caipirinhas on the beach with Brazilians, not other foreign travelers.

The Food

While I have to say that Brazilian food still comes in second to Mexican as the favorite of our trip, it is a type of cooking all it’s own. In Brazil the buffet is king, and it’s good. We adopted the habit of having our lunches at the buffets offered at roadside gas stations – no kidding. It might not be fancy cuisine, but the good ones featured a wide selection of tasty salads, veggie side dishes and desserts in addition to the ubiquitous rodizio, with the guy behind the grill serving up delicious meats.

Rio!

From its geographical setting on a beautiful bay beneath the jungle-clad coastal mountain range to its amazing beaches and cosmopolitan sophistication, Rio de Janiero should be on every traveler’s must-see list. The vibe in Rio is unique from that of other major world cities and it has to be experienced to truly understand. Where else can you find people in beach attire riding the subway at the same time as well-heeled business people?

So Much to See

Brazil is a huge country, and in the six weeks we spent traveling there, we saw the southern third of it, from the wildlife in the Pantanal to a couple of busy days in Rio to the best microbrew beer outside the US in the southern regions made by European immigrants. With another few months, it would be great to explore the wild northern coastline and the Amazon region.