Islands and beaches in Brazil.

Canoa Quebrada - Ceara

2010-03-08T17:55:00.000-08:00

This is Canoa Quebrada, a great place in Ceara. It´s located 164km from the capital of the state, Fortaleza. The city has a famous symbol, it´s that moon with a star inside that you see in the first picture. Canoa landscape is incredible, full of coconut trees, lagoon and cliffs like the ones on the photo. Besides that, as usual, theres a lot of beaches.

As most of the best destinations in northeastern Brazil, this was once a small fishermen village, and, once again, thanks to hippies who found this paradise, Canoa Quebrada is now known around the world, as place with great people, that live a easy going life, always happy and ready to welcome new visitors.

What To Do:
Well, here in Canoa you´ll find every kind of activity that you expect to find on a city with great beaches and lots of good sites to explore. Some of the things you can do here are: Dune Buggy, Jeep and motorcycle trips, kitesurf, boat trips, horseback riding, paragliding, Capoeira classes and a lot more.

What to See:

Praia de Canoa Quebrada - it´s the main beach of the city, has a calm sea, perfect for relaxing, there´s also a lot of quiosques, with reggae and others styles of music, just choose the one you like best.

Praia de Majorlandia - A beach with a rustic feeling about it, good to buy gifts and souvenirs,

Esculturas do Refugio Dourado - It´s the work of a local artist who makes those beautiful sculptures that you see in the picture, to see it, just look for the Pousada Refugio Dourado, in Majorlandia.

Broadway - It´s the street where the nightlife happens, with bars, restaurants and nightclubs, if you want to have fun in the night, you gotta be there, the nightclubs are open untill 5 a.m.

Duna Por do Sol(Sunset dune) - It´s the best spot to watch the sunset in Canoa Quebrada, people say that when lovers watch this sunset together, they always end up marrying;

How to get there: By plane, you need to fly to Fortaleza´s Airport(Aeroporto Internacional Pinto Martins), and from there go to Fortaleza Bus Station and get a bus to Canoa Quebrada.

That´s it friends.
Link with more information about Canoa Quebrada: http://www.portalcanoaquebrada.com.br/portal_canoa_quebrada_in_english/

Praia de Pipa - Rio Grande do Norte

2010-02-09T10:22:00.000-08:00

This is Praia de Pipa, it´s always present in every list of the top 10 most beautiful beaches in northeastern Brazil. And since northeast is the best place for beaches in this country, you know that we´re talking about a very special place.
Praia de Pipa is a district of Tibau do Sul, but it have become much more famous than Tibau in the last decades. At first Pipa was a fishermen village, then after the seventies the beach started to receive a lot of surfers, and later, tourists, that finally discovered the beauties of this paradise.

What to do: Pipa is great for almost every kind of water activity, like kitesurfing, kayak, swimming with dolphins and sea turtles, and of course, a lot of waves for surfers there too. Besides that, the nightlife is supposed to be the best in the whole state, with nightclubs playing reaggae and forro all night long, and I really mean ALL NIGHT LONG, so prepare to see the sun rising, which by the way, you can´t loose. If you. are into other kinds of music, don´t worry, you´ll find it there too, unless you are into black metal stuff :D

What to see:

Chapadao: This spot in Tibau do Sul, is famous in Brazil due to a tv show called Fantastico, that said UFOs landed there, but despite this sensationalistic news report, Chapadao is a great place to visit, it has one of the best views in Praia de Pipa.

Santuario Ecologico(Ecological Sanctuary): Here you´ll be able to see the biggest Atlantic Rainforest reserve in the region. There´s a museum, and great views to see while hiking.

Baia dos Golfinhos(Dolphin´s Bay): This place has a good infrastructure, even a surf school. And the main feature here is the dolphins, a lot of them for everyone to see. To get to this beach you may get a bus, or even walk when the tide is low.

Praia do Amor(Love´s Beach): Has this name because this beach is shaped like a heart. And also used to be a nudist beach, but please don´t show up naked there, it´s no longer like that. It´s actually a place mainly visited by families(non naturist families).

Praia dos Afogados(Beach of the Drowneds): It´s the surfers spot in Pipa, with great waves, handcrafters, and that surf feeling. With beautiful faces from all over the world, it´s the place to meet new people and have fun. There´s always some sort of sport going on, volley, or football specially.

How to get there: I´ll just copy the instructions to get to Tibau do Sul here, once you are in Tibau it´ll be easy to find Praia de Pipa.
By plane, you need to fly to Natal-RN(Augusto Severo Airport), then take a bus, or a taxi, and 75km later you´ll be at Tibau do Sul. The price of the cab ride is around R$80,00.
To take a bus you´ll need to get to the bus station(Rodoviaria), the adress is:

Rodoviária de Natal - RN

Adress :
Avenida Capitão Mauro Gouveia, 1237
Tel :
(84) 3232 - 7310 and 3232 - 7311

That´s it friends! Anything you want to ask me, leave a comment.

Tibau do Sul - Rio Grande do Norte

2010-02-04T19:42:00.000-08:00

Tibau do Sul is all about tranquility, peace and of course, beautiful sites to see, the city is mainly remembered because of it´s most famous district, Praia de Pipa, but there´s much more to enjoy in this beautiful place. Horseback riding, kite surfing, flyingboats, these are just some of the things you can do here that will help you to appreciate even more those beautiful landscapes.

What to see: Well, mainly, you´ll see beaches, and beautiful ones. Here´s some of them:

Tibau do Sul: It´s a simple place, the kind of place to take your family, or some friends and relax, eat something, get a drink.

Guaraíras Lagoon(Lagoa de Guaraíras): There´s a lot to see here, mangroves, shrimp farms, the fishmen doing their business, and you can even watch dolphins in the high tide. Also, everyone says here is the best spot to watch the sunset in Tibau do Sul.

Praia do Giz e da Bóia: Deserted beaches, good for surfing, horseback riding, or even a simple walk.

How to get there: By plane, you need to fly to Natal-RN(Augusto Severo Airport), then take a bus, or a taxi, and 75km later you´ll be at Tibau do Sul. The price of the cab ride is around R$80,00.
To take a bus you´ll need to get to the bus station(Rodoviaria), the adress is:

Rodoviária de Natal - RN

Adress :
Avenida Capitão Mauro Gouveia, 1237
Tel :
(84) 3232 - 7310 and 3232 - 7311

Tibau do Sul most famous beach is called Praia de Pipa, a wonderful place, so beautiful that I think it deserves a post just about it, thats why I didn´t say anything about Pipa on this one. But don´t worry, I´ll tell you all about it soon enough.

Ilheus - Bahia

2008-02-26T15:21:00.000-08:00

Hey folks, I´m back, and this new article is about Ilhéus, a beautiful city in northeastern Brazil. This wonderful city is located in Bahia, a state known for it´s great coast, some of the most famous coastal cities in our country are in Bahia, like Salvador and Porto Seguro.

Ilhéus has the biggest coastal extension among all the cities in Bahia, and that means only one thing, lots of beaches to see. Another great side of this place, is it´s history. In the past Ilhéus was the biggest "cacau"(cacao bean, cocoa bean) exporter in the world, that changed after the farms were infested with a fungus, causing it´s production to decline. But the signs of the past are still in the city, where you can find the old "Casaroes"(Big Houses) where the Baron´s of cacau used to live. If you want you can also see some of the places where the cacau´s high society used to meet, by visiting the Bar Vesuvio and the Cabaret Bataclan.

Another interesting thing about Ilhéus is that it has inspired famous brazilian writer Jorge Amado. He mentions places like Bar Vesuvio in his work, and lots of other location in the city. So if you are a fan, you can´t miss this oportunity to see the house of Jorge Amado, now it´s known as "Casa De Cultura Jorge Amado"(House of Culture Jorge Amado).

You may also take a guided tour through the cacau´s farms. Where you can lear about the production of this fruit, most important ingredient in chocolate. By the way there´s also a chocolate factory you can visit.

There also a lagoon called "Lagoa Encantada"(Enchanted Lagoon), you can get there by ship, through the Rio Almada. It´s a 14 square kilometers lagoon, and in it´s surroundings you´ll find waterfalls, fisher´s villages, cacau farms and much more. It´s definetly a great place to see.

Here I´ll put some photos of the beaches. Hope you enjoy it. Bye.

New posts coming soon.

2007-09-25T20:41:00.000-07:00

Hi folks, I´m trying to post more often, but it´s kind of hard, college is taking most of my time now, but I made a decision, and I´ll post at least a post per week, so come back at least once every week to see the updates ok?

I think my next post will be about my last trip, it will have a lot of information about Ilha Grande.

So ´till my next post.

Trindade - Rio de Janeiro

2007-09-04T14:51:00.000-07:00

Trindade is a small village of fishermen, located in the south of Rio de Janeiro and this place is turning into a well known location of the state, even for people from other countries that go there to visit beautiful beaches and waterfalls.

This is a little place where you don´t need to spend much time, unless you really want to relax or have a romantic time with someone. Most people visit Trindade, while staying in Paraty, since Trindade is very close to it.

And there is even a better option, that is to visit also Ilha Grande, and spend about a week or more there, since you´ll have a lot to see, then spend some days at Paraty, and during those days go to Trindade. But if you wish to stay in Trindade, there you´ll find campings and Inns too.

Those places are full of travellers from all the world, I went to Ilha Grande two weeks ago, and I can surely say that there were more foreigners than brazilians visiting the Island.

Here a list with some of Trindade´s beaches:

Praia Brava
Praia do Cepilho
Praia do Rancho
Praia do Meio
Praia do Cachadaço
Praia das Figueiras (exclusive for naturists)

This is it, if you are looking for a good place to do some trekking, or just relax, Trindade is the place for you. And bring your surfboard and your diving equipment, since here you´ll have good spots for both sports.

Balneario Camboriu - Santa Catarina

2007-03-13T13:47:00.000-07:00

Balneario Camboriu was founded in 1964, when it was emancipated from the city of Camboriu. And since it´s foundation this has always been a place dedicated to tourism, it´s main financial activity. The city has around 95000 citizens and an infra-structure that can receive around 1.000.000 visitants, there are 100 hotels, 15000 houses and flats to rent for the summer, and plus that you can always find some "Pousadas", resorts and campings near the beaches.

Balneario Camboriu is a great option for people that want to spend some days or weeks in a place with nice beaches, friendly people and a lot of things to do and see. It has beaches for all kinds of tastes, from almost untouched to very crowded and full of beautiful people. There you will find Brazil´s first nudist beach, called Praia do Pinho.

Well, if you didn´t believe me when I said that it was full of beautiful people, check this video out. By the way, if you don´t want to see a lot of girls in bikinis then do not watch it hehe.

Told you, in this beaches you even see from time to time, a lot of brazilians top models like Alessandra Ambrosio, Adriana Lima and Gisele Bundchen, and others brazilians celebrities.

If you like sports, you´ll wont be disapointed. In the main beach you find special areas to play soccer, voleyball, futevolei(a variation of voleyball that is played with feet), do exercises... Plus that there are other areas where you can ride jetskis(you can rent one there). Surf is also a good option, as the state of Santa Catarina is one of the most famous surf spots in Brazil. And there are more options but they are too much to list here.

The nightlife is very intense, with a great number of dance clubs and "bares"(kind like pubs, but with a more brazilian feeling). The most famous dance club is called Baturite, and a lot of other bares are located around it. If you are not a big fan of dancing, you can just sit in a bar and relax eating something and drinking, it´s a great to way to meet people.

This is it, see ya later.

Rio das Ostras - Rio De Janeiro

2007-02-02T07:09:00.000-08:00

This is the city where I spent my last vacation, and what a nice vacation it was. It´s a calm city, with a great infra-structure, beautiful spots to enjoy the nature and a lot of places to enjoy a little nightlife.

Rio das Ostras is located in the Sun Coast(Costa do Sol), and it´s about 190km from Rio de Janeiro, that´s about 1hour and 30 mins. Nearby you´ll find the cities of Arraial do Cabo, Cabo Frio, Araruama, and Buzios, all of them famous tourist places, and less than an hour from Rio das Ostras.

But now let´s talk about this wonderful city. As any of the cities in Sun Coast, the main atraction in Rio das Ostras are the beaches, and it had to be, since the city has one of the most beautiful coasts in the country. There´s a beach really close to the town centre, that´s not a really pretty beach, but it´s ok if all you want is to take a swim and relax. But if you want to see a beautiful place you should go to Costa Azul, that´s the most famous beach in the city, it has some surf activity, but it´s ok too for people that just want to swim, there are "Quiosques"(place where you can get food and drinks) all over the beach and also some stores in the street, where you can buy souvenirs and maybe get an ice cream. You can also visit Praia Virgem, it´s beautiful, but people say that sometimes nudists go there. That can be a good or bad thing, it´s up to you.

Once you leave the beach, go to Praça da Baleia (Whale´s Square), it´s a famous spot, where you can see a sculpture, in almost real size, of a Jubarte Whale, but be careful cause it throws water up, and from time to time, and uncautious tourist get his cloathes all wet. I know cause it almost happened to me. Near the square you´ll find a place called "Tocolandia" it´s a kind of Shopping Center, but not as we are used to, it´s worth to take a look.

During the night, you can walk in the town centre, where you´ll find restaurants and ice-cream parlours, some live music, places to shop and play some video game classics. Night life may not be as intense (but you can find some dance clubs too, I just don´t care much about them) as in Cabo Frio, but that can be a positive point, if you like a more calm and relax atmosphere. This photo is from Rio das Ostras Jazz & Blue Festival:

Well, another great city. bye folks.

Porto de Galinhas - Pernambuco

2006-12-21T04:23:00.000-08:00

Hi people, today I´ll talk about Porto de Galinhas in the southern Pernambuco. It´s a great beach, one of the most famous in the northeastern part of Brazil. It´s situated in the city of Ipojuca at 70 Km from Recife.

The name Porto de Galinhas means, Chicken´s Port and it has an interesting history behind it. The original name was Porto Rico, but after the slave market was prohibited, slaves had to be brought secretly to Brazil, in this port the buyers and sellers started a code, when there were ships with slaves in the docks they would say "There´s new chicken in the port", and that´s how the city of Porto Rico, became Porto de Galinhas.

This is a wonderful region, with clear waters, natural pools, corals and reefs, also has a great infrastructure for the tourists, with restaurants from the whole world, nice hotels and a lot of entertainment.

During the day you can visit the famous beach of Porto de Galinhas, and also the nearby beaches of Muro Alto and Macaraípe(the place to be if you want to surf). If you don´t want to be swimming and sunbathing the whole day, you can always go to a ship or Buggy trip, this way you´ll be able to see the best spots of the region.

During the night you can go to "Villa de Todos os Santos" it´s a street in front of the Macaraípe Beach, full of restaurants and bars, great to meet someone while enjoying live music. And in Porto de Galinhas you´ll find also nice restaurants, plus a wide selection of handcraft stores.

So, this is it. I´ll place some videos here too, check it out if you want to know a little more about this place

This video is recorded at Maracaípe Beach, take a look to see how are the waves there.

This one is in Porto de Galinhas, it´s a ship trip. Enjoy it, and see ya in the next post.

Paraty - Rio de Janeiro

2006-12-11T16:04:00.000-08:00

Today I´ll write about Paraty, a little town in the southern part of the state of Rio de Janeiro. A city with great things to see, and of course, islands and beaches to enjoy. Also it´s near others great tourism areas, like Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande.

Nowadays this town is very famous as a tourism destination, one of the most visited places in the state, but Paraty is also an important city in the history of Brazil, it was in a route used for imprisoning native americas to work as slaves, also was the most important port for the exportation of gold to Portugal. But around 1710 the king of Portugal prohibited the miners to ship their production trough Paraty, this started the decay of the town, that in the XX century became a famous tourism spot.

But were these events that made Paraty become what it´s today, a historical sanctuary, and a Paradise for Eco-tourism, with great architecture, beautiful waterfalls and a perfect coast.

As soon as you get to Paraty you will probably see the Historical Center, the most famous part of Paraty, it´s a great sample of the architecture of the Colonial Period, so take a little time to see it, I´m sure you´ll like it.

But here´s what a lot of people don´t know, most tourists think that the best thing to do in Paraty is just to visit the Historical Center, that´s a huge mistake, this region is one of the most beautiful areas in the whole brazilian coastline and anyone that visit it should take a tour around the many great places of this paradise.

A good option is to take a boat tour, this way you´ll be able to see the beautiful beaches and islands of the Paraty´s Bay, plus you can dive in the calm and clear waters of the bay.

You can also sign in for a Jeep tour, this way you´ll visit the most famous spots of the region, like the Toboga waterfalls and the Golden Trail. And you also visit the place where they make the famous Cachaça or Pinga, Paraty is also known as the city of Cachaça.

During the night the Historical Center is the point, there you find shops to buy souvernirs, and also there´s always some kind of artistic exhibition. Maybe you want to enjoy live music in one of the bars and restaurants of the area, this is a great chance to meet others travellers like yourself.

Well, this is it people, I´ll be back soon with more updates.

Costa do Sauipe - Bahia

2006-12-09T12:07:00.000-08:00

Hi folks, I´m back, and I think that this time of few updates per month is over. From now on I´ll post a lot more, and with better content too, I´ll even repeat some destinations because I want to make better posts about them. So this is it, now to what really matters, let´s talk about beaches...

Today´s post is about Costa do Sauípe, it´s the tourism complex with the best infrastructure in this whole country, even used to business meetings of the most importants companies in Brazil. Some even call it "The Cancun of Brazil". It has more than 8 km of beaches with white sand and crystaline waters.

It´s the perfect place if you want luxury with all the options that a city in the coast has to offer, from coconut water 'till all the kinds of watersports. And not only water sports, there you find almost every kind of sport that you want, like football(soccer), squash, tennis and golf(fields of international level).

Costa do Sauípe is only 76 km from Salvador, so a good idea while you are there is to visit Salvador, the most famous city in the northeast of Brazil with famous beaches like Praia do Forte, and intense nightlife.

But if you don´t want to leave to Salvador, there´s no problem Costa do Sauípe has also a good night life, not as intense as in the capital of Bahia, but some people find it even better. The place to be during the night is Vila Nova da Praia, is a little village full of entertaiment. There you´ll be able to buy all kinds of stuff, like handcrafts, clothes, decoration, jewerly. Also it´s famous for it´s restaurants, with food from all over the world, and has some typical food if you want to taste the flavours from Bahia. Here´s a aerial view of Vila Nova:

After a day of beaches and shopping the best option is to sit at one of the bars in Vila Nova and listen to a good live music while you enjoy a drink or two chatting with friends or your wife. And if you don´t have a husband or wife don´t worry, it´s a easy place to meet someone.

This is it, to get to Costa do Sauípe you need to fly to Salvador, as you get there you´ll find in the airport, people that do transfers and resarvations to Sauípe.

Bye folks, and ´till next post.

Fernando de Noronha - II

2006-12-02T08:02:00.000-08:00

Hi folks, just a little more pics of paradise.

Here you can see the "Morro do Pico", it´s that rock on the back.

And here you´ll see a lot of dolphins in Dolphin´s Bay

Here we have a view of Sancho´s Beach. Another great beach in this paradise.

Well, this is it friends, ´till next post.

Fernando de Noronha - PE

2006-11-28T08:52:00.000-08:00

Hi folks, I´m back for a little post. This is about what´s maybe the destination most desired by brazilians, the beautiful island Fernando de Noronha. I will place here some photos of it, some information too, but very few. Later(maybe next week) I´ll make a big post about it, cause this island deserves it.

The two first photos will be of the Two Brothers Hill(Morro Dois Irmão), this name is self explaning after you see them.

The next two photos are of the Pig´s Bay(Baia dos Porcos), it´s a beautiful place, it has a the best view for the Two Brothers and in the low tide it has incredible natural pools.

Well, for now it´s over, but I´ll definetly post more stuff about this paradise. For now just watch this video with some surfing at this incredible island, and for people that don´t care much for surf, there ´s also some great views in this video. Bye Folks, see ya soon.

Good News for travellers from South America.

2006-11-25T04:32:00.000-08:00

12 Countries of South America signed an agreement to allow their citizens to travel between their countries without passports.

Here´s a some parts of the article that I took from BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6182760.stm

"The measure, designed to boost tourism and business activity, allows travellers to cross borders for up to 90 days, with only an identity card.

Visa-free travel "represents a step in our efforts to eliminate our traditional divisions," said Chilean Foreign Minister Alejandro Foxley.

Mr Foxley said that three basic areas were important to boost regional integration - transport, energy, and the reduction of social inequalities.

The countries covered by the new agreement are Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Uruguay, and Venezuela."

This is a good thing to read, it will make my travels much easier. :D

A Video about Parati

2006-11-24T07:02:00.000-08:00

Parati is a little historical city in the state of Rio de Janeiro, it has great beaches, and it´s near some great islands like Ilha Grande. Enjoy it.

Fernando de Noronha, New Video

2006-11-18T20:24:00.000-08:00

Hi folks, well, I´m here to say that I probably won´t update the blog much this month, I´m studying for a test to enter college. But to keep this thing alive, I´ll try to place here some photos and videos, so check it out from time to time to see any new stuff.

And the first video will be about this paradise called Fernando de Noronha, it´s mainly about surf, but you will also see here the beauties of this island, from it´s beaches ´till it´s bikini girls :D

This is it, and as soons as this test is over I´ll start to make new posts again. Bye Friends

Arraial D'ajuda - Bahia

2006-11-11T07:17:00.000-08:00

Arraial D'ajuda is located near Porto Seguro in the state of Bahia, it´s a rustic and elegant little city, with historical buildings and wonderful beaches.

This city is famous for it´s religious parties, some of the most tradicional are Saint Sebastian(20 January) and Saint Cosme and Saint Damian(September 27).
But the biggest is on August 15, it´s for a saint called Nossa Senhora D'ajuda it attracts thousands, tourists and locals to participate in this celebration.

There are too many beaches to list here but the most visiteds are Araçaí, Apaga Fogo, Canoas, Mucugê, Tororão e Pitinga. You´ll find all kinds of beaches there, even some nudism beaches.

While in the city there are inumerous activities for you, if you are into scuba diving there are operators there, they´ll take you to dive in Abrolhos(one of the most famous diving spot in Brazil). You´ll also find in the city, Lambada Classes and trekking trails.

The right place to be during the night is the "Broduei"(it´s pronounce is exactly like "Broadway"). There you´ll find bars and restaurants all over the street with all kinds of food(and I really mean all kinds, from Acarajé to Sushi) and live music. Besides that you also find there some people selling their handcrafts, a good souvenir to remember this paradise.

Here´s a little description of the most famous beaches. I took it from this site: http://www.bahia.com.br/viver_detalhe.asp?idl=5774&id=256

Apaga Fogo beach
It is good for swimming, fishing and nautical sports such as kayaks, windsurf and jet ski. The reefs form natural pools at low tides. After the ferryboat crossing,it is the first beach of Arraial d?Ajuda,on the right margin of Buranhém River.

Araçaípe beach
It is across from a private property. The sea is calm and there are natural pools due to the existence of reefs. There are many shells on the sand. A modern water park was built there.

Mucugê beach
It has calm waters with natural pools formed by the reefs. Good for swimming. It has beach kiosks.

Parracho beach
Due to its calm waters, it is very sought after by divers. Tourists can rent nautical equipment in kiosks.

Pitinga beach
One of the most beautiful beaches of Arraial, it has an inlet of strong waves. During the low tide, the tourists can swim in its natural pools. The sand is soft and there are some kiosks. There is a nudism area, on a calmer stretch in the south.

Taípe beach
It is a calm beach, isolated by high cliffs of up to 20 meters in height. Open sea, with big waves, good for fishing. Once it is a desert beach, Taípe is sought after by nudists and by turtles during the spawning season. Four kiosks offer bar and restaurant services, restrooms and a parking area. This beach has access for cars, before the bridge over Taípe River.

Well, this is it, another great place, Bye folks, and see ya in the next post.

Cabo Frio - My last travel.

2006-11-09T08:29:00.000-08:00

Hi folks, I´ll just post here some photos of my last trip. This is Praia do Forte in Cabo Frio

It´s one of the best beaches I´ve have been, has a part with waves and another without it, perfect for kids. Clear water and a beautiful landscape with a Fortress in the back ground.

This is a view of the Fortress from the "Morro do Arpoador". Beautiful view.

This photos is from a place where you can just sit and relax, listeaning to the sound of waves hitting the rocks, and we saw a Penguim while we were sitting there. But I wasn´t with my camera.

This is a little island near the Praia do Forte, I think it´s a public island cause there was a lot of little boats there.

Well, this is it, a friend of mine took more pictures, maybe I´ll post some of his photos later. Bye friends.

Hi Friends, sorry for the lack of posts.

2006-11-08T20:47:00.000-08:00

I just want to thank the people that are coming to see if there are any new posts during these days. I´m having some troubles to place new updates here, cause it has been a crazy month. First I travelled, then I got sick, then travelled again and this week I have an impotant exam called "vestibular", I´ve got to pass in it so I can go to college next year.

But Anyway, I travelled to Cabo Frio this weekend, I´ll try to post some photos of my trip tomorrow, check it out later to see some pictures of this great place.

That´s it, bye and this busy times will pass soon.

Morro de São Paulo - Bahia

2006-10-30T15:16:00.000-08:00

Quote of the day: "Do you ever get the feeling that the world is a tuxedo, and you are a pair of brown shoes?" by George Gobel on Johnny Carson show

Hi friends, I´m sorry about the lack of posts, but has been a busy month,and I have a feeling that it will get worse before it gets any better, but I´ll try to come here more often. Now let´s talk about what really matters. Today I´ll make an article about one of the most famous islands in Brazil.

Morro de São Paulo is a village in the Tinharé island, but due to the famous village, the island is more known as Morro de São Paulo.

With beautiful beaches, coral reefs and surf activity, this island is certainly a very good option for people that are spending some time in Salvador, it´s about 20 minutes away by plane, and 2 hours by boat.

This place is for people that want to relax and practice all kinds of water sports. If you´re into diving, there are dive operators in the islands. They offer boat trips to the best sites, you can choose free dives or use tanks, you can also rent all the equipment needed. The best time for diving is from octobert to february.

Yatchism and sailing are also very strong in the island, with full infra-structure for it.

What most people don´t know is that Morro de São Paulo is one of the best spots for surf in Bahia.

The best points are:

Pé de Moleque: On First Beach, the best waves on the island that come with a swell that reaches its greatest height from the East. Breaking from two to six feet over a coral reef.

Quebrancinha: On the left corner of First Beach. The waves break rapidly and sharply from the left, over a rocky, coral-littered bottom. Waves only break when the height over Pe de Moleque is greater than four feet. Wave heights reach between two and four feet.

Fourth Beach: There are various "secret points" on Fourth Beach that can only be surfed with an island local. Wave heights between two and four feet.

If you want to take a look at the list of beaches, check this site http://www.morrodesaopaulo.com.br/praiase.shtml it has info about it, and some pictures.

Well, this is it, this url above is from a good site about Morro de São Paulo, if you want more info you can search there, probably you´ll find what you need.

Bye friends, take care.

WCT in Floripa. Slater X Irons

2006-10-19T17:34:00.000-07:00

Hi friends, this post is to show a little bit of surfing in Florianopolis, this is a video with Slater and Irons on the WTC. Enjoy It.

Ilhabela - São Paulo - Brazil

2006-10-16T17:47:00.000-07:00

Ilha Bela is the biggest island in Brazil and one of the most visited, maybe because it´s near the two main cities in Brazil.It´s located 210 miles south of Rio de Janeiro and 138 miles north of São Paulo.

Ilhabela is portuguese for Beautiful Island, and that´s what this island really is. A paradise for people that like to be outdoors. The island is ideal for who want to practice aquatic sports. There are great 35 km of beaches, a coastal Atlantic rain forest, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, mountain peaks to climb and over 400 cool waterfalls cascading into the ocean. Add to that legends of pirate treasure, underwater wrecks to explore, great sailing, enough to make Ilhabela's annual Sailing Week a must.

The best time of the year to go there, depends on what you are looking for. In the summer and during weekends the island is a little crowded but not enought to make it impossible to find a place for relax and enjoy the nature, off season or during the week most likely you´ll have the beach to yourself or will share it with a few people. For diving it´s best during the summer, but if you are a sailor you should go during Sailing Week in July when international sailors participates in races and regattas. Since the coast between São Sebastião(a city near Ilhabela) and Rio de Janeiro is popular cruising water, there are numerous facilities for sailors.

This is it friends, I have a video on the previous post about this island, where you can see more of this beautiful place.

For more info about this island check this site: http://www.packtours.com.br/dest/saopaulo/ilhabela/

Ilha Bela - Brazil

2006-10-14T00:11:00.000-07:00

This another video of a great island in Brazil.
Enjoy

Wonderfull video about Abrolhos

2006-10-11T21:14:00.000-07:00

Hi people, I didn´t expect to post again so soon, but I found this video on youtube that shows what Abrolhos really is like. A lot better than my post.

Abrolhos - Bahia

2006-10-11T15:33:00.000-07:00

Abrolhos is located south of Bahia and it shelters Brazil's richest coral fauna. Five volcanic islands and a group of coral reef comprise the archipelago that has one of the largest fish gathering in the globe, both in quantity and variety. You can find in Abrolhos all kinds of fish from the South Atlantic.

Abrolhos is visited every year, from august to november, by the humback whales. This time of the year they are easily spotted in Abrolhos area perfoming a show of jumps and characterists sounds.

The whole archipelago is protected by IBAMA(The instution that take care of natural resources in Brazil), all this to keep this paradise alive.

This is also an excellent place for diving, one of the best in Brazil, with good visibility, shipwrecks and corals.

As you probably have already noticed, Abrolhos is not one of those places that are full of tourists, it´s more like a place for adventurers. Great for people that want to get in touch with nature.

This site www.ilhasdeabrolhos.com.br has a lot of good info about Abrolhos, including more photos, it has an option to see the site in english.

Here´s a video of whales in Abrolhos.

This is it, I really think you should see the site I linked, it has a lot of info about it.
See ya people.

Hi people, can you do me a favor???

2006-10-10T07:10:00.001-07:00

Hi folks, it´s just that now I am on the Amazon associates program. So, if you want to buy something why don´t you do it through my site? It will help me a lot if you do. You can buy the products that appear on the banners, or search for one through the search box from Amazon that´s on the side bar.
This is it, I think that this will help you and me.
Thanks for visiting :D

Abrolhos - Bahia - Brazil

2006-10-09T10:04:00.000-07:00

Found this video on youtube. Amazing clear water in Abrolhos, I´m thinking about post something about Abrolhos soon.

Some Great Capoeira Moves

2006-10-06T22:07:00.000-07:00

Hi, found this video on youtube, impressive stuff, worth to watch.

Porto Seguro - Bahia

2006-10-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

Hi folks, today I´ll post some info about Porto Seguro, a very famous city in Brazil, that receives all kind of tourists during the whole year.

Porto Seguro is the place where Cabral(the portuguese who discovered Brazil) first landed in 1500, that makes Porto Seguro one of the most important places in the brazilian history, and since 1973 is a National Historic Patrimony.

So, if history isn´t one of your favorite things you probably are thinking, "Besides looking at old churches, what else can I do in Porto Seguro?"
Well, this little text from a great site about Porto Seguro will answer your question: Click here for the site

"In Porto Seguro, visitors of all ages ? young fellows alone or in groups of friends, families with children, couples in honeymoon, elders, business travellers , all of them have entertainment, fun and security guarantee. Besides the countless beaches ? with crystal-clear and unpolluted waters and a services structure that give confort and security to the visitors ? scooners rides, scuba dives, ecological tracks, indian reserves, one of the biggest water park of Latin America, diversified shopping centers, handcrafts, good restaurants, all these explain why Porto Seguro is today one of the most important tourists centers of Brazil."

Porto Seguro has also a great nightlife, in each night there is a party going on, offering to the visitors many options of entertainment from Sunday to Sunday. The ?Luaus?, as it?s call the parties on seaside, offers fruit tables, tropical decoration, bonfires, shows with dancers and bands of ?axé? and ?forró?.

So, this is it, Porto Seguro. I´ll place here two sites about Porto Seguro with more detailed info.

This site has a lot of pics about Porto Seguro:
http://www.banstur.com.br/galeria/pseguro.htm

This one has a lot of info, I even used it for making this post:http://www.portosegurotur.com.br/ingles/

Bye Friends, untill next post.

2006-10-04T09:28:00.000-07:00

Hi, just some useless information:

"Shakira wants to buy an island in Angra dos Reis - Brazil.
Acording to latin american tv show "America Showbiz", Shakira is searching an private island in Brazil, to be more accurate, in Angra dos Reis - RJ.
The tv show said that her brother, Antonio Mebarak, came to Brazil for a Few months to supposely, buy the island.
The tv show also said that Shakira´s representants didn´t deny, but also didn´t say it´s true."

Yup, that´s my dream, buy an island in Angra dos Reis.

Salvador - Bahia

2006-09-30T11:14:00.000-07:00

Fist a little history:

Salvador, capital of the state of Bahia and the largest city in north-eastern Brazil, was the first town to be founded in Brazil, on March 29th 1549; and until 1763, when it was succeeded by Rio de Janeiro, it was the seat of government of the colony. For three centuries it was the principal port for the import of slaves from Africa. Blacks and mulattos now form the majority of the population, and African influence is evident in the life of the city in many different fields - in music, in religious cults such as Candomblé and Umbanda, and not least in the local cuisine, which makes lavish use of dendà oil (palm oil), coconut milk and groundnuts.

Salvador is 1649km from Rio de Janeiro, so, if you want to get there, I suggest you take a plane, by car it would take more than a day to arrive. But by plane, or by car it will be worth as soon as you see the beauties of this place.

Salvador is not only beaches, the historical center has over 1,000 buildings and churches built in the XVIth, XVIIth, and XVIIIth centuries. It has been proclaimed part of Brazil's historical patrimony and declared humanity's patrimony by UNESCO, a must see for people who want to see the history of this historical city.

Another interesting thing to see in this city is the Capoeira, a mix of dance and fight created by the slaves, nowadays it´s part of the culture of Brazil, and it´s becoming popular in the whole world. Here´s a video with a capoeira group doing some movements in the beach:

But, this blog is about beaches, so, let´s talk about them. Salvador´s shore is one of the most beautiful in Brazil, perfect for swimming and for watersports, it has some of the bests diving spots in Brazil, with a lot of interesting shipwrecks.

Wthout a doubt the main characteristic of Salvador is its cycle of popular parties that begin on New Year's day and continues throughout the summer - with its climax at Carnival, then comes the saint parties in June, the washing of the church's staircases until New Year's Eve when everything begins again.

Salvador's Carnival is becoming the biggest in Brazil. The ability to fully participate in high energy events as well as a complete integration of the city's rich and central Afro-American art, culture and music means Salvador's hotel rooms will sell out before Rio's for the Carnaval season.

I was going to list the attractions of the city here, but I found two sites that has all the info you need.
This site has info on the beaches of Salvador, such as Porto da Barra, Farol da Barra and Itapoã(this last one even inspired the music "Tarde em Itapoã" from Vinicius de Moraes and Toquinho): http://www.bahia-online.net/TheBeachScene.htm

And this site has every kind of tourist attractions, such as historical churches, the Pelourinho, and the Lacerda Elevator(Elevador Lacerda): http://www.brazil4you.com/pontur/?CodCid=5

I really recommend those two pages, nice info on both.

So, this it, just a little sample of what is Salvador, cause it´s impossible to make a report good enough, to show the magic of this place, you got to see it to understand.

Bye friends, till next post.

Guarujá - São Paulo

2006-09-30T09:07:00.000-07:00

89 km from São Paulo, Guarujá has one of the bests tourist infrastructure in the south-east region of Brazil. It has a lot of white sand beaches extended all along urbanized roads.

It´s a beautiful place, but In my opinion there are better places to visit while in Brazil, but if you are near it, like in São Paulo or Santos, it is worth to check it out, there are some very good things to see.

Check this site for a map with links to the beaches:

http://pqi.ep.usp.br/eventos/cepac_guaruja.htm

The most important beaches:

Pitangueiras: It is located in the centre of the island. It covers 1800 meters of a scenery enclosed by buildings and large commercial centres, some of them, surround The Beira-mar Avenue.
This beach is ideal for surfing. In the middle of the beach, there is a rocky islet.

Enseada: The beach of Enseada is situated to the north of the island. It covers 11 kilometres bordered by a residential neighbourhood. Its sand is clear and soft. Its main characteristic is the presence of coconut trees and kiosks all over the beach. It is perfect for water sports like windsurf, jet ski y surfing. At the left side of the beach, there is a marina which counts with showers, sanitary and a life-saving post. It is also called "Isla de las Convenciones" (Conventions Island).

Costa de las Tortugas: (Turtle´s Coast) In this beach , there are tours on kayak, ski and motor launch, as well as boats and the possibility of swimming under the water. If someone prefers walking on the ground, the wide strip of sand is ideal for comfortable hikes.

The beaches of Do Eden and Sorocotuba-: Are placed in a closed village.

The beach of Pernambuco: Located in front of Dos Arboredos Island, is constantly visited because of water sports.

The beach of Iporanga: Is situated on a bay close to the native glade, inside a private village.

The beaches of Branca, Preta and Do Camburi: Are vacant and surrounded by vegetation. They are recommendable for surfing.

The beaches of Astúrias and Do Tombo: Are placed to the south. They are ideal for surfing too.

Do Tombo: The beach of Do Tombo is located in front of The Moela Island, a site where there is a lighthouse constructed in 1836. This beach is very well known because of its huge waves, ideal for surfing, and its restful locations for sunbathing.

This is it for now, but check it out later, cause I will post something about Salvador today.

Bye friends

Surf in Guarujá - São Paulo

2006-09-27T14:07:00.000-07:00

Some people surfing at Pitangueiras beach in Guarujá - São Paulo.
I Think that the next post will be about Guarujá, so check it out later.
Bye Friends

2006-09-23T20:10:00.000-07:00

Hi folks, well, this post I will make a little different from the others, because it ´s about something that I don´t know much. For this subject I will put here some texts of websites and the links leading to them.

Ah, and just another thing, I know it has nothing to do with islands and beaches, but I found a video on youtube of Frank Sinatra and Elvis Singing together, it has nothing to do with the blog, but what heck, it´s great . The links is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFZJJdaJO0Q they are singing Love me Tender/Witchcraft, hope you like it :D

But here it goes... Carnival !!!

2007 CARNIVAL RIO DE JANEIRO -PARADE TICKETSSAMBODROME - Rio de Janeiro - Brazil

Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is unforgettable. The city explodes in joy and music. There are hundreds of street festivities and bands everywhere, but nothing compares to the gigantic party at the sambodrome parade.

The Link for this site is: http://www.rioturismoradical.com.br/carnival_rio.htm it has some info about buying tickets for the shows

This is from wikipedia:

The carnival in Rio de Janeiro has many choices, including the famous Escolas de Samba (Samba schools) parades in the sambódromo exhibition centre and the popular 'blocos de carnaval', which parade in almost every corner of the city. The most famous ones are the following:

Cordão do Bola Preta: Parades in the centre of the city. It is one of the most traditional carnivals. In 2006, it gathered 200,000 people in one day.
Suvaco do Cristo: Band that parades in the Botanic Garden, directly below the Redeemer statue's arm. The name, in English, translates as 'Christ's armpit', and was chosen for that reason.
Carmelitas: Band that was supposedly created by nuns, but in fact it is just a theme chosen by the band. It parades in the hills of Santa Teresa, which have very nice views.
Simpatia é Quase Amor: One of the most popular parades in Ipanema. Translates as 'Friendliness is almost love'.
Banda de Ipanema: The most traditional in Ipanema. It attracts families as well as gays and drag queens.

The links for this one is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_de_Janeiro

This is another site that seens to have good info about it:
http://www.carnaval.com/cityguides/brazil/rio/in_riocarn.htm

Well, this is it, if you need more info just contact me, and I´ll research for you.
Bye friends.

Cabo Frio - Rio De Janeiro

2006-09-23T09:17:00.000-07:00

Cabo Frio is one of the cities of "Região dos Lagos", a region with many wonderful beaches. The city is less than an hour away from Arraial do Cabo(see previous posts), and also has some great beaches, like Praia do Forte and Praia do Peró.

It´s a very well developed city with wide-ranging commerce, an excellent hotel infrastructure and entertaining options for both day and night. There are restaurants with almost every type of cuisine, agitated nightclubs, fairs, exhibitions, and a vast cultural calendar.

During the night, people gather in the street, usually near the Praia Do Forte or in the fairs. At the Praia do Forte, there´s all kind of entertainment, from games untill dance clubs. In the fairs you´ll find good souvenirs, handmade stuff, clothes and places to eat hot dogs or anyother fast foods.

Here I´ll put a list of good things to see there.

Conchas Beach
Praia das Conchas - Shell Beach - A beautiful shell shaped beach that is cozy and charming. It?s ideal for water sports and fishing, with incredible natural surroundings. Credits: Associação de Hotéis e Pousadas de Cabo Frio.

Dunes
Nature set aside these incredible sand hills, called dunes, in Cabo Frio. It?s covered by ?restinga? vegetation at some spots, very common in the area. The white fine sand shines in the sun and is shaped by the wind. Mother Dune, by the road that takes to Arraial do Cabo, is also called White Lady, the highest dune in the area. Don?t miss the wonderful sunset from the top of Dama Branca. Credits: Associação de Hotéis e Pousadas de Cabo Frio.

Itajuru Channel
Locate in the city center , the canal is bordered by the Rua Jonas Garcia an AV dos Pescadores. Navigable over 6 kilometers, it connects Araruama lagoon to the Atlantic Ocean. There are many options of boat tours with distinguished routes. Along the sidewalk you?ll find a handicraft market and beautiful mansions. Credits: Associação de Hotéis e Pousadas de Cabo Frio.

Pero Beach
With clear blue water, constant waves and kiosks on the sand. The dunes along the coast are known as Peró Golden Dunes. A surfers and net fishing lovers hang out, it?s 7 km long. Credits: Associação de Hotéis e Pousadas de Cabo Frio.

Praia do Forte
It?s 7.5 km long and has different names at certain spots, like: Praia das Dunas, Praia do Foguete, Praia de Cabo Frio, and Praia da Barra. Located downtown, it has many bars and restaurants around, besides the kiosks on the sand. With clear blue waters and white fine sand, it has Saint Mathews Fort in the left end, built in the XVII century.

This is it friends, Cabo Frio, great place near Rio de Janeiro.

Untill next post, It will be about Carnival(Carnaval), maybe I will post it today.

Florianópolis and Fernando de Noronha

2006-09-21T21:35:00.000-07:00

Hey folks... Here´s a video I found on youtube with some views from a plane of those two beautiful islands. Also there are great musics on these videos, like Welcome to Paradise do Green Day, I think that the second one is Flake from Jack Johnson, and the last is Wicked Game from someone whose name I forgot :D.
Well, Anyway, enjoy it.

NEW YEAR´S EVE!!! (Reveillon) - Rio de Janeiro

2006-09-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

Hi friends, I decided to make this post now, I know that we still have some months before New Year´s Eve, but the thing is, if you wait untill december to make your reservations, probably you won´t be able to do it. The city gets so crowded in the end of december, that all the good hotels may be full, so I suggest that if you intend to come here to enjoy our summer, try to make everything earlier, so you won´t have any problems, only fun :D

But now let´s go to the good part. New Year´s party in Brazil, is one of the most famous in the whole world, Copacabana beach receive around two millions watchers every year for the fireworks show.

There you´ll find all kind of people, and I really mean all kind, but the atmosphere is of peace and celebration.

If you don´t want to stay with the crowd during the fireworks, you can also rent an apartmen in front of the beach, you´ll have a beautiful view, and all the confort of the best hotels in Rio, like Copacabana Palace. Another thing you can do to escape from the crowd, is watch it from a boat, many people do this, not only to espace from the crowd, but also to have an even better view of the show.

And the party is not only about the fireworks, music is played throughout the day, but it really kicks off around 7pm when live act and DJs start up the sound systems on the official stages. Three stages are set up over a 4km stretch: there is a Brazilian popular music stage playing sambas, pagodes and choros, a rock stage and another playing older music such as boleros, samba-canção and old carnival songs.

There´s also parties everywhere in the city, including the Copacabana Palace, Excelsior, Le Méridian and the Sofitel Rio Palace. Tickets for these can be bought from most large travel agents. And smaller parties can be found in every bar, club, beach, in fact everywhere, at new year´s eve, Rio is a Big Party.

If you need more information people, just leave a message.

bye folks

Penguim - Praia do Forte - Cabo Frio

2006-09-15T13:52:00.000-07:00

Just as a preview for the next beach... Penguim swimming at Praia do Forte

Brazilian Hotels

2006-09-15T13:48:00.000-07:00

Hi, I´ll put here a list of hotels that I´ve found on the internet, I think it might help someone

Hotels In Brazil:

São Paulo: Paulista Area Central Business District
Hotel: Maksoud Plaza Hotel *****
Address: Alameda Campinas, 150
Tel.: (55-11) 3145-8000
Fax.: (55-11) 3145-8001
E-mail.: maksoud@maksoud.com.br
Website: http://www.maksoud.com.br
Comments: Breakfast not included. 40 minutes from Guarulhos International Airport - 15 minutes from Congonhas Domestic Airport, Limousine service on request. Shuttle van service to/from Guarulhos Airport.

Hotel: Gran Meliá Mofarrej Hotel *****
Address: Alameda Santos, 1437
Tel.: (55-11) 3146-5900
Fax.: (55-11) 3262-3368
E-mail.: reservas1.mofarrej@granmelia.com.br
Website: http://ww.solmelia.com
Comments: Breakfast not included. Indoor and outdoor swimming pools, health club with sauna and an on-premises shopping arcade, featuring jewelry stores, boutique, Brazilian handcrafts and a travel agency.

Hotel: Crowne Plaza São Paulo *****
Address: Rua Frei Caneca, 1360
Tel.: (55-11) 4501-8000
Fax.: (55-11) 3253-5665
E-mail: reservas@saobr.com.br
Website: http://www.crowneplaza.com.br
Comments: Breakfast included. The Health Club offers an outdoor pool, wet and dry saunas, massage, gym and hairdresser. Crowne Plaza Theatre and Business centre.

Hotel: Paulista Wall Street *****
Address: Rua Itapeva, 636
Tel.: (55-11) 3141-3000
Fax: (55-11) 3253-5585
Toll free: 0800-119993
E-mail.: reservas@wallstreet.com.br
Website: http://www.wallstreet.com.br
Comments: Breakfast included. No taxes. Office Service Room equipped with computer, printer, scanner, fax modem, zip drive, Internet connection, fax modem and telephone. Health club with gym, massage, sauna, Turkish bath, lounge area and hydro massage, pool with a bar and a panoramic view of the city, reading room.

Hotel: Renaissance São Paulo *****
Address: Al. Santos, 2233
Tel. (55-11) 3069-2233
Fax. (55-11) 3064-3344
Website: http://www.marriottbrasil.com/SAOBR/
Comments: Breakfast not included. 15 minutes from Congonhas Airport downtown, 40 minutes from the Sao Paulo International Airport and steps from the city's metro system. Full spa (onsite), solarium, exercise Room, whirlpool sauna, jogging, squash, pool and hair dryer.

Hotel: Hotel Inter-Continental *****
Address: Alameda Santos, 1123
Tel: (55-11) 3179-2600
Fax: (55-11) 3179-2666
Website: http://www.sao-paulo.interconti.com
Comments: Breakfast not included. Business centre, car rental beauty salon/barber and fitness centre.

São Paulo: Brooklin area, near the Consulate, near domestic Airport and Berrini Avenue Business area
Hotel: Hilton - Morumbi *****
Address: Av. das Nações Unidas, 12901
Centro Empresarial Nações Unidas
Tel: (55-11) 6845-0000
Fax: (55-11) 6845-0001
Website: http://www.hilton.com
Comments: Found in the Newest Business Traveler "location of choice" in the Sao Paulo district of Berrini, as part of the CENU business complex, the stunning Hilton Sao Paulo Morumbi has the latest features to classify it as a true luxury hotel. With a unique glass atrium lobby and 485 luxurious and spacious guestrooms including: five Executive Floors, eight Relaxation Rooms, and 25 suites, this hotel boasts comfort and magnificence.

Hotel: Hotel Gran Meliá São Paulo *****
Hotel and World Trade Center Convention Building
Address: Av. das Nações Unidas, 12559
Tel.: (55-11) 3055-8000
Fax.: (55-11) 3055-8002
E-mail: reservas@granmeliasp.com.br
Website: http://www.solmelia.com
Comments: Breakfast not included. 8 km from the Avenida Paulista. 8 km from the Congonhas regional airport. 54 km from the Cumbica international airport. "A la carte" restaurants. 2 bars. Pool bar. Swimming pool. Hairdresser. Fitness centre with sauna, gymnasium and massage. 2 Tennis courts. Jogging track. Baby-sitting service. Business centre. Royal Service Executive floor.

Hotel: Hotel Transamérica *****
Address: Av. das Nações Unidas, 18591
Tel.: (55-11) 5693-4511
Reservations: (55-11) 5693-4050
Fax.: (55-11) 5693-4990
Toll free: 0800-126060
E-mail: hotel@transamerica.com.br
Website: http://www.transamerica.com.br
Comments: Breakfast included. Golf course with three holes and instructors to help, tennis court, heated swimming pool, fitness centre and health club.
Located at the hotel's garden: the Alfa Theatre, with 1,200 seats and a program including concerts and shows in São Paulo.

Hotel: Gran Estanplaza *****
Address: Rua Arizona, 1517
Tel: (55-11) 3059-3277
Fax: (55-11) 3059-3288
E-mail: reservas@estanplaza.com.br
Website: http://www.estanplaza.com.br
Comments: Breakfast and parking included. Seven categories of apartments. Complete service and support infrastructure at fitness centre. Convention and business centres.

Hotel: Grand Hyatt São Paulo *****
Address: Av. das Nações Unidas, 13301
Tel: (55-11) 6838 1234
Fax: (55-11) 6838 1235
E-mail: info@hyatt.com.br
Website: http://www.hyatt.com.br
Comments: Breakfast not included. Hotel facilities include Grand Hyatt's exclusive Amanary Spa, an urban retreat in the heart of São Paulo offering seven private rooms with an array of relaxation and beauty treatments. Steam rooms, a gymnasium and indoor and outdoor heated pools complement the spa facilities at the hotel and special nutritional spa cuisine is featured in each of the hotel's three restaurants. Integrated conference and events centre attached to the hotel.

Hotel: Tryp WTC Brooklin ****
Address: Rua: Heinrich Hertz, 14
Tel.: (55-11) 5509-8800
Fax.: (55-11) 5509-8802
E-mail: reservas.wtc.brooklin@meliaconfort.com.br
Website: http://www.solmelia.com/
Comments: Breakfast included. 40 minutes from Guarulhos international airport (GRU) and 10 minutes from the local Congonhas airport. Services: Restaurant and Bar.

Hotel: Blue Tree Towers Berrini ****
Address: Rua Quintana, 1012
Tel.: (55-11) 5508-5000
Fax.: (55-11) 5508-5001
E-mail: reservas@bluetree.com.br
Website: http://www.bluetree.com.br
Comments: Breakfast and taxes included. Ten minutes from the Congonhas regional airport. Fitness centre offers outdoor swimming pool, bar, dry and wet sauna and exercise room.

Hotel: Estanplaza Berrini ****
Address: Av. Eng. Luis Carlos Berrini, 853
Tel.: (55 11) 5509-8900
Fax: (55 11) 5509-8909
Toll free: 0800-101500
E-mail: reservas@estanplaza.com.br
Website: http://www.estanplaza.com.br
Comments: Breakfast included. Business centre, fitness centre offers outdoor swimming pool, bar, game room, dry and wet sauna and exercise room.

Hotel: Radisson Faria Lima ****
Address: Av. Cidade Jardim, 625
Tel: (55-11) 3093-5960
Fax: (55-11) 3093-5969
E-mail: (Reservations) aaichele@atlantica-hotels.com
Website: http://www.atlantica-hotels.com/
Comments: Breakfast included. Well located, close to good restaurants and Shopping Center Iguatemi; 40 km from International Airport Guarulhos, easy access to Av. Paulista. Room facilities, PC with internet conection. Fitness, heated swimming pool, sauna. Business Centre with conference room.

Hotel: Mercure Grand Hotel São Paulo Ibirapuera ****
Address: Rua Joinville, 515
Tel: (55-11) 5088-4000
Fax: (55-11) 5088-4100
E-mail: mercure@accorhotels.com.br
Website: http://www.accorhotels.com.br
Comments: Breakfast not included. Rooms with internet access and 2 phone lines, room services 24 hours. Foreign exchange bureau, convention center. Fitness centre, sauna, swimming pool, solarium.

Belo Horizonte
Hotel: Ouro Minas Palace Hotel *****
Address: Av. Cristiano Machado, 4001
Tel. (55-31) 3429-4001
Reservations (55-31) 3429-4000
Fax: (55-31) 3429-4002 E-mail: reserva@ourominas.com.br
Website: http://www.ourominas.com.br
Comments: Breakfast included. Located near downtown, 7 Km from Pampulha Airport and 35 Km from Confins International Airport. There are 2 major shopping malls directly opposite the hotel. Health centre with heated swimming pool, sauna, waterfall, Jacuzzi, fitness centre with a personal trainer, game room and beauty parlour.

Hotel: Othon Palace *****
Address: Av. Afonso Pena, 1050
Tel. (55-31) 3247-0000
Reservations: (55-31) 3247-0010
Fax: (55-31) 3247-0001
E-mail: belohorizonte@othon.com.br
Website: http://www.hoteis-othon.com.br/
Comments: Breakfast included. Located at downtown section. Right in front of the Municipal Park. Health Centre, swimming pool, sauna, massage, shops, barber shop/beauty parlour car renting service, tours.

Hotel: Mercure Apartments Belo Horizonte Lourdes *****
Address: Av. Contorno, 7315
Tel: (55-31) 3298-4100
Fax: (55-31) 3298-4105
E-mail: mercurebhreservas@yahoo.com.br
Website: http://www.accorhotels.com.br
Comments: Breakfast included. 9 km from Pampulha Airport, room service 24 hours; rooms with access to internet, rooms for non-smoking and allergic people; Fitness Center, sauna, swimming pool, Business Center.

Hotel: Hotel Belo Horizonte Plaza Lourdes *****
Address: Rua Paraíba, 1465
Tel. (55-31) 2121-0900
Fax: (55-31) 3282-0808
E-mail: libertypalace@libertypalace.com.br
Website: http://www.libertypalace.com.br
Comments: Breakfast included. Accept all credit cards. Located close to major companies'offices and banks, close to the City Hall. Fitness centre, outdoor swimming pool, laundry, Business centre.

Brasília
Hotel: Blue Tree Park Brasília *****
Address: SHTN, Trecho 01 Lote 1B Bloco C
Tel.: (55-61) 3424-7000
Fax: (55-61) 3424-7001
E-mail: reservas@bluetree.com.br
Website: http://www.bluetree.com.br
Comments: Breakfast included. Room service 24 hours. Fitness centre, swimming pool, sauna, massage, sport courts, nautical sports. Located on the Paranoá Lake shore, near the Palácio da Alvorada and surrounded by a pleasant green area, the hotel offers the largest convention area in the city.

Hotel: Naoum Plaza Hotel *****
Address: Setor Hoteleiro Sul
Quadra 05 Bloco H/I
Tel: (55-61) 3322-4545
Fax: (55-61) 3322-4949
E-mail: reservas@naoumplaza.com.br
Website: http://www.naoumplaza.com.br
Comments: Breakfast included. Located 15 minutes from International Airport. Pool and Bar/Lounge. Business Centre and restaurants.

Hotel: Carlton Hotel ***
Address: Setor Hoteleiro Sul
Quadra Q5 Bloco G
Tel. (55-61) 3224-8819
Fax. (55-61) 3226-8109
E-mail: carlton@carltonhotel.com.br
Website: http://www.carltonhotelbrasilia.com.br
Comments: Breakfast included. Swimming pool, fitness lounge and sauna. Car renting service and business centre with Internet connection.

Rio de Janeiro
Hotel: Le Meridien Copacabana *****
Address: Av. Atlântica, 1020 - Copacabana Beach
Tel: (55-21) 3873-8888
Reservations: in Rio: (55-21) 3873-8850 Fax: (55-21) 3873-8777
E-mail: reservas@lemeridien-riodejaneiro.com
Website: http://www.lemeridien-copacabana.com
Comments: Breakfast not included. 20 minutes from the international airport and 15 minutes from downtown. Fitness centre, sauna and movie theatre.

Hotel: Sheraton Rio Hotel & Towers *****
Address: Av. Niemeyer, 121 - Leblon Beach
Tel.: (55-21) 2274-1122

Reservations: (55-21) 2529-1144
Fax.: (55-21) 2274-8042
E-mail: reservas.rio@sheraton.com
Website: http://sheraton-rio.com/index.html
Comments: Breakfast included. Three swimming pools, three tennis courts and a fitness centre.

Hotel: Sofitel Rio Palace Hotel *****
Address: Av. Atlântica, 4240 - Copacabana Beach
Tel.: (55-21) 2525-1232
Fax.: (55-21) 2525-1230
E-mail: reservas@accorhotels.com.br
Website: http://www.accorhotels.com.br
Comments: Breakfast not included. 10 meetings rooms, pool, wet and dry sauna, fitness centre, shopping and beauty parlour. 15 minutes from Downtown. 12km from Santos Dumont Airport and 26km from Galeão Airport.

Hotel: Excelsior Copacabana Hotel ****
Address: Av. Atlântica, 1800 - Copacabana Beach
Tel: (55-21) 2195-5800
Fax: (55-21) 2257-1850
E-mail: crsp@windsorhoteis.com.br
Website: http://www.windsorhoteis.com/excelsior/index.html
Comments: Breakfast included. Swimming pool, fitness lounge and sauna. Ten minutes from downtown or from the domestic airport; and 20 minutes from the international airport.

Hotel: Hotel InterContinental Rio ****
Address: Av.Pref.Mendes de Morais, 222 - São Conrado Beach
Tel: (55-21) 3323- 2200
Fax: (55-21) 3322-5500
E-mail: rioha@interconti.com
Website: http://www.ichotelsgroup.com
Comments: Breakfast not included. Three swimming pools, three tennis courts, a seaside jogging and cycle path, a gymnasium and sauna.

Hotel: Hotel Marina Palace ****
Address: Av. Delfim Moreira, 630 - Leblon Beach
Tel: (55-21) 2172-1000
Fax: (55-21) 2172-1010
E-mail: reservas@hotelmarina.com.br
Website: http://www.hotelmarina.com.br/principal.asp
Comments: Breakfast included. Pool and bar, 24 hour room service, laundry and beauty shop. Right in front of Leblon beach.

Salvador, state of Bahia
Hotel: Bahia Othon Palace *****
Adress: Av. Oceânica, 2294
Tel:(55 71) 203-2000
Fax: (55 71) 245-4877
E-mail: bahia@othon.com.br
Website: http://www.othon.com.br/port/palace/bahia/open.htm
Comments: Breakfast included. Health Centre with sauna, massage, gym and hairdresser. Private parking and car rent.

Hotel: Fiesta Bahia *****
Address: Av. Antonio Carlos Magalhães, 711
Tel:(55 71) 3352-000
Fax: (55 71) 3352-0050
E-mail: reserva@fiestahotel.com.br
Website: http://www.fiestahotel.com.br
Comments: Breakfast included. Health Centre with a hairdresser and swimming pool.

Hotel: Blue Tree *****
Adress: Rua Monte Conselho, 505
Tel: (55 71) 2103-2233
Fax: (55 71) 2103-2200
E-mail: reservas@bluetree.com.br
Website: http://www.bluetree.com.br
Comments: Breakfast included. The Health Centre with offers a swimming pool, fitness centre and saunas. Business Centre all equipped.

Porto Alegre, state of Rio Grande do Sul
Hotel: Blue Tree Towers *****
Address:Av. Coronel Lucas de Oliveira, 995
Tel:(55 51) 3333-0333
Fax:(55 51) 3330-5233
E-mail: reservas@bluetree.com.br
Website: http://www.bluetree.com.br
Comments: Breakfast included . Health Centre with swimming pool and fitness centre.

Hotel: Parthenon *****
Address: Rua Jardim Cristofel, 155
Tel:( 55 51) 3024-2323
Fax: (55 51) 3024-2322
E-mail: reservasilgiardino@terra.com.br
Website: http://www.accorhotels.com.br
Comments: Breakfast included. Office Service Room with internet available. Health Club with a swimming pool, jacuzzi, gym, sauna and spa.

Hotel: Sheraton Porto Alegre*****
Address: Rua Olavo Barreto Viana, 18
Tel: (55 51) 2121-6000
Fax: (55 51) 2121-6010
E-mail: reservation@sheraton-poa.com.br
Website: http://www.sheraton-poa.com.br
Comments: Breakfast included. Health Centre with swimming pool and fitness centre.

Ipanema -Rio De Janeiro

2006-09-14T09:16:00.000-07:00

Hi, this beach is of the most famous in Brazil, maybe losing only for Copacabana. It even inspired our two great composers, Vinicius de Moraes e Tom Jobim, to write "The Girl From Ipanema" one of the bests musics from the Bossa-Nova style.

Ipanema is a gathering point, not only during the day, when people go there for the sea, but also during the night, for sports like football(soccer) and beach volley.

There´s also a great night life, since it´s on of the most sophisticated area from the city. With many Bars, Stores, Quiosques(Small places that usually sell drinks, coconuts or fast food) and night clubs.

Ipanema is a symbol of Rio, it´s has a great beach, a big city area, and a great night life. Who could ask for more? This is a must see, if you are in Rio.

If you wanna know more about Rio, including Ipanema, I suggest this site:

http://www.ipanema.com/ Don´t worry, it´s in english

And here, a list of hotels in Rio:

Hotel: Le Meridien Copacabana *****
Address: Av. Atlântica, 1020 - Copacabana Beach
Tel: (55-21) 3873-8888
Reservations: in Rio: (55-21) 3873-8850 Fax: (55-21) 3873-8777
E-mail: reservas@lemeridien-riodejaneiro.com
Website: http://www.lemeridien-copacabana.com
Comments: Breakfast not included. 20 minutes from the international airport and 15 minutes from downtown. Fitness centre, sauna and movie theatre.

Hotel: Sheraton Rio Hotel & Towers *****
Address: Av. Niemeyer, 121 - Leblon Beach
Tel.: (55-21) 2274-1122

Reservations: (55-21) 2529-1144
Fax.: (55-21) 2274-8042
E-mail: reservas.rio@sheraton.com
Website: http://sheraton-rio.com/index.html
Comments: Breakfast included. Three swimming pools, three tennis courts and a fitness centre.

Hotel: Sofitel Rio Palace Hotel *****
Address: Av. Atlântica, 4240 - Copacabana Beach
Tel.: (55-21) 2525-1232
Fax.: (55-21) 2525-1230
E-mail: reservas@accorhotels.com.br
Website: http://www.accorhotels.com.br
Comments: Breakfast not included. 10 meetings rooms, pool, wet and dry sauna, fitness centre, shopping and beauty parlour. 15 minutes from Downtown. 12km from Santos Dumont Airport and 26km from Galeão Airport.

Hotel: Excelsior Copacabana Hotel ****
Address: Av. Atlântica, 1800 - Copacabana Beach
Tel: (55-21) 2195-5800
Fax: (55-21) 2257-1850
E-mail: crsp@windsorhoteis.com.br
Website: http://www.windsorhoteis.com/excelsior/index.html
Comments: Breakfast included. Swimming pool, fitness lounge and sauna. Ten minutes from downtown or from the domestic airport; and 20 minutes from the international airport.

Hotel: Hotel InterContinental Rio ****
Address: Av.Pref.Mendes de Morais, 222 - São Conrado Beach
Tel: (55-21) 3323- 2200
Fax: (55-21) 3322-5500
E-mail: rioha@interconti.com
Website: http://www.ichotelsgroup.com
Comments: Breakfast not included. Three swimming pools, three tennis courts, a seaside jogging and cycle path, a gymnasium and sauna.

Hotel: Hotel Marina Palace ****
Address: Av. Delfim Moreira, 630 - Leblon Beach
Tel: (55-21) 2172-1000
Fax: (55-21) 2172-1010
E-mail: reservas@hotelmarina.com.br
Website: http://www.hotelmarina.com.br/principal.asp
Comments: Breakfast included. Pool and bar, 24 hour room service, laundry and beauty shop. Right in front of Leblon beach.

Well this is it friends. untill next post...

About the Blog

2006-09-13T16:32:00.000-07:00

Hi people, well, I made this post just to say that I´m going to make a few changes in the blog, since I´m enjoying more and more to post here I´ll try to improve it a little... I´m thinking about making a list of the best(most famous) posts and put a link to them on the side bar. Maybe also a list of hotels and resorts that at rated well here in Brazil. And some other stuff.
If you people have an opinion about something to improve the blog just leave a comment ok?
Bye friends

Arrival at Ilha Grande - Angra dos Reis

2006-09-12T20:59:00.000-07:00

The place where you arrive when going to Ilha Grande from Angra dos Reis.

Angra dos Reis

2006-09-11T16:00:00.000-07:00

A quote about the place:
A member of the portuguese naval fleet that landed on Ilha Grande for the first time:

"Sometimes I felt The ecstasy of The flowers and trees' perfume so strong that I thought I had found paradise. And what I will say of The great number of birds, full of colors and their tunes, how many and how beautiful? I won't say more because I Know you will never believe me."

Angra has more than 350 islands and 2000 beaches. One of these islands is Ilha Grande(see the previous posts) considered one of the best places for adventurers, with its trails, waterfalls and deserted beaches, I forgot to tell about it in the post I made about Ilha Grande, but there´s also an old Prison there that is now a research facility for an university.

Botinas Islands - A famous diving spot:

There you´ll be able to see crystalline waters, and the mansions of the rich and famous, erected on private islands. But you don´t have to be rich to enjoy the beauty of this place, for example, to stay in Ilha Grande, camping, for 4 days, it would cost about U$45,00(bus from Rio de Janeiro + Ship to Ilha Grande + Camping + Ship back to Angra + bus back to Rio).

I will also place here a list of attractions that I found on the internet.

Attractions:

Boat Rides: The take off point for sea outings is the city of Angra dos Reis itself, on the mainland. There are private islands ostentating luxurious mansions, and others opened for visitation. In them, there are fine sand beaches of clear, calm waters, perfect for diving.

Contorno Road: Tour on the mainland that leads to several beaches, from the most popular, such as Praia Grande, to the calmest, such as Retiro Beach. The highlight goes to Tanguá Beach, and the historical buildings, such as Ermida do Bonfim ? erected in 1780 ? and the Naval College.

Islands: Angra has 365 islands. Some of them have won special highlight overtime, such as Porcos Island; Botinas Islands, which are the postal card of the region; Itanhangá Island, which has trails, climbing, canoeing and diving options; and Ilha Grande, the most famous of all.

Waterfalls: At Serra do Mar, there are many waterfalls and river rapids, among them, Bracuhy, Ariró, Branqueta and Capureta. All rich in natural beauty and filled with unique landscapes.

Beaches: On the mainland, next to the plants, is Brava beach, very much sought after by surfers; and Secreta beach, completely deserted. Close by is Mambucada, a historical villa that preserves old mansions which tell a little of the local history.

Diving: With many islands, wrecks and abundant marine life, the Angra Bay is one of the best diving points of the Southeast coast. In its clear waters, emerald green in color, visibility is good most of the year. There are many diving courses on location.

Well, this is it for now.

bye friends

FootVolley - Buzios

2006-09-10T21:37:00.000-07:00

Some people playing footvolley, it is a very popular game here...

Buzios - Rio De Janeiro

2006-09-09T13:20:00.000-07:00

Just 105 miles from Rio de Janeiro, a pleasant 2-hour trip takes you to the peninsula of Búzios, with more than 20 magnificent beaches and crystal-clear water.

Elected one of the 10 most beautiful areas in the world it´s famous for the unique combination of rustic charm, architectural harmony, incredible beauty and sophisticated boutiques and restaurants.

This is a video of one of the most famous streets in Buzios, called Rua Das Pedras, plus there´s a song by Chico Buarque playing along the video:

Nightlife:
Buzios is a great place to go for nightlife. There are tons of bars, clubs, and restaurants that stay open well into the early morning hours. Another great thing about the city is that there are tons of visitors all the time, so there is always something going on. Some of the bars and clubs face the ocean, and they give a beautiful view. There is also tons of live entertainment. Of course, there are far too many bars and clubs to list, but they are all pretty good, even though some are better than others. On any given night, however, some bars will just be more packed than others. It could depend on drink specials, live entertainment, or who is in that bar.

Now back to what this blog is all about, beaches... I´ll list here four of the most famous beaches in Buzios:

Azeda Beach:

Small beach with calm and crystal-clear water. You get there either on foot by a small trail that begins in "Ossos Beach" or by boat.

João Fernandinho Beach:

Small beach with calm and crystal-clear water. Near the popular João Fernandes Beach with many bars where you can enjoy lobster and other great seafood. You can't miss it.

Ferradura Beach:

A beautiful horseshoe-shaped bay, with calm, crystal-clear water, served by numerous picturesque bars serving typical "Buzios Style" meals and drinks

Geribá Beach:

Wonderful open beach, frequented by many beautiful and famous people. Perfect for practicing sports like surf, moreyboogie and windsurf.

In this site, you´ll find a list of Hotels in Buzios: http://www.buziosturismo.com/reservas/index_eng.html

Well, this is it, a great place to visit. there´s a lot more to say about Buzios, so I´ll probably be posting more stuff about it from time to time.

Bye friends.

Sorry about the lack of posts

2006-09-08T17:40:00.000-07:00

It´s that I´m having some health problems here, but it´s nothing serious, I think I´ll post something tomorrow...
for now, just see this funny site: http://www.thedogisland.com it has nothing to do with Brazil but is very interesting, in a funny way...
bye, see ya

Skimboard - Buzios

2006-09-06T13:02:00.000-07:00

Hi, this video was made(not by me) in the next city I´ll post here. Buzios. For now just see this, skimboard, it´s a big video, so if you don´t wanna see it all, just see from the half untill the end, bye.

Rio De Janeiro - Air View

2006-09-06T12:46:00.000-07:00

Hi friends, this is a great video I found on YouTube. It shows Corcovado and Christ the Redemeer, maybe the greatest views from Rio, from the sky. Pretty awesome. And there´s a song of Tom Jobim playing in it, it´s called "Samba do Avião"(Samba of the Plane), the music is about how much Tom loved Rio and fits so well with the music. Once Again, great video

Arraial do Cabo

2006-09-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

Quote of the day: Often the difference between a successful person and a failure is not one has better abilities or ideas, but the courage that one has to bet on one's ideas, to take a calculated risk - and to act. Andre Malraux

ARRAIAL - is a beautiful place, full of beaches with blue and green colored waters. Great diving spot, one of the bests in Brazil.
This is Praia do Forno, I made this photo on my last trip to Arraial.

In Arraial you will find dunes, reefs, ecological reserves, conserved Atlantic Forest, six-thousand-year-old sambaquis (hills made an accumulation of shells and other items from pre-historic inhabitants) and one of the most appropriate regions for fishing on the planet. The local people are welcoming and friendly, their hospitality will make your stay unforgettable.

At a distance of 171 km from Rio de Janeiro, it´s in the centre of an important tourist area, some of the cities in this area are: Armação de Búzios, Cabo Frio, Saquarema, Araruama and São Pedro da Aldeia. Very good places to visit.

The main places to practice diving are: Ilha dos Porcos, Ponta D?Água, Saco do Cordeiro and the Thetis shipwreck.

Some of the attractions in Arraial do Cabo:

Gruta Azul: A place of extreme natural beauty that can be admired during boat rides. It´s acessible on the low-tide.

Pontal do Atalaia: Great View, here you can see clear water, great beaches, some dunes and the Island of Cabo Frio. A very peaceful place.

Praia Grande: Beautiful beach 1,3 Km of extension, white sand and blue water. It´s great for all kinds of water sports.

The bests scuba diving spot at Arraial:

Dona Paula
Harlingen
Gruta Azul & Thetis(Shipwreck)
Gruta da Camarinha
Maramúta
Pedra Vermelha
Anequim
Ponta Leste
Cardeiro
Ilha dos Porcos
Ponta da Jararaca
Saco do Cherne

That´s it, if you need more information just leave a comment, I´ll be glad to help...

bye friends, 'till next post :D

Penguim at Praia do Forno - Arraial do Cabo

2006-09-04T12:51:00.000-07:00

It´s very easy to see them in Arraial and other cities near that area.

Arraial do Cabo

2006-09-04T12:50:00.000-07:00

Just a preview for my next post. This is a beach in Arraial do Cabo. Great place with great things to see, and one of the best spots for scuba diving in Brazil

Fernando de Noronha - Surf

2006-09-03T10:30:00.000-07:00

Some surfers in Fernando de Noronha, video quality is kind of bad, but at least there´s a great song playing.

Noronha - Diving with Dolphins

2006-09-03T10:29:00.000-07:00

Some people diving with dolphins at Fernando de Noronha

Big Waves in Praia Mole - Florianópolis

2006-09-02T13:37:00.001-07:00

Floripa is a Surf paradise in Brazil...

Florianópolis (Islands/CIty) - Santa Catarina

2006-09-02T11:59:00.000-07:00

The natural beauties of Florianópolis attract thousands of visitors every year. Mainly in the summer. They seek the diversity of the coast. In the island can be found, side by side, the most varied types of beaches, the long ones, with large sand strip; the small ones, encrusted in backwaters; those with strong waves; and the ones of calm sea, looking like lagoons; urbanized ones full of bathers; and deserted ones, with access by trail only. It is the paradise for surf, windsurf, sailing and fishing lovers.

The Northern and Central regions of Florianópolis are the mostly sought after by tourists and offer a complete infrastructure of services, resorts, hotels and lodges. In the South, some districts also keep the aspect of countryside villages, and in them one can notice, in their way of speaking, in their handicraft activities, and folkloric feasts, the heritage left by their ancestors from the Portuguese archipelago of Ações, as of the 18th century. On the other side, the city gained a cosmopolitan air with the arrival of Brazilians from other States and foreigners who chose to live there.

Tourist Capital, Florianópolis is currently inhabited by about 300 thousand people, a number that triples every summer.

Some important events in the island:
World Surf Competition (WTC): Florianópolis is the main location of the WTC, which classifies 50 competitors, among professionals and amateurs.

Divine´s Feast: Takes place 40 days after Easter, when a group of people takes to the streets to participate in a imperial procession. There are band presentations and typical local food kiosks.

How to get there:
By Plane: The International Airport Hercílio Luz, 12 km from downtown, receives domestic flights from the countrys capital cities and also from Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina.

By Road: The Rita Maria Bus Station receives buses from many capitals and cities in Brazil and Mercosur countries: Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile.

Main access highways:- From the cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro: BR-116/ BR-376/ BR-101- From Curitiba: BR-376/ BR-101- From Porto Alegre: BR-290/ BR-101.

What to do:
Florianópolis has a diversified combination of atmospheres, that makes it the favorite destination for people who like to practice sports that are linked to nature: sea, mountain, native vegetation, lagoons, rivers, oceanic islands and dunes.

It has 100 beaches, many of them are very famous: Joaquina, Mole, Canasvieiras, Jurerê and Lagoa da Conceição.... Each of them has its own peculiar characteristics. The ones with rough sea are perfect for surfing. The sheltered bays and lagoons are good for nautical sports. Sea rocks and islands are ideal for diving. Some beaches are noisy places; others are calm fisherman villages.

The ecosystem combination allows typical mountain programs to be done by the sea, such as free flight and horse riding, all over the year: there are many paths to be chosen in the rich and diversified natural topography of this palce.

Activities, such as free flight, hiking, diving, horse riding, navigation, surfing and cycling are possible in any time of the year, specially in fall: it is bright, shiny, beautiful and warm, with little rain and clear warm waters.

If you want more information just leave a comment and I´ll get it for you.
Bye friends

Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl!!!

2006-08-31T18:07:00.000-07:00

Take a look at this picture:

Well I don´t know if you saw this photo before, but if you never saw any photos of this place before, you don´t know what a beach really is . This is Copacabana, one of the most famous beaches in the world, mentioned in songs around the whole planet.

Copacabana is the place where you must go if you are visiting Rio, not that this is my favorite beach, but it´s like a symbol of Rio de Janeiro, and it represents the lifestyle of Rio. At one side you see the sea, and at the other, the city, and this is how life goes around here, we work a lot, but at every spare moment we wanna go to the beach, but can you blame us? Loot at the beauty of this place...

That´s just my opinion, but I find it even more beautiful in rainy weather.

Well, Rio is not just beaches, it has much more tourist attractions, and it also has great things to do at night, like little Pubs and dance clubs.

Here´s a list of some tourist attractions in Rio:

Sugarloaf - A green, unearthly peak rising over Rio de Janeiro, Sugar Loaf is an iconic locale for a bird's eye view of Rio de Janeiro, from Copacabana beach to Corcovado Mountain, as well as an equatorial Rio de Janeiro sunset.
Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) - Since it was placed a top the 2,300-ft peak of Corcovado mountain in 1931, this figure -- a statue of Christ with his arms apart as if he were embracing the city -- has been one of the most famous symbols of Rio.
Jardim Botânico (Botanical Garden) - The 340-acre garden, one of Rio's most striking natural attractions, contains more than 5,000 species of tropical and subtropical plants and trees, including 900 varieties of palms. The garden makes for a marvelous afternoon stroll -- especially on a hot day, when the temperature here is usually a good 10 °F cooler than it is on the street.
Maracanã - This stadium is Brazil's temple of soccer. Home of the best football team on earth. It's a giant among coliseums, easily accommodating more than 100,000 at a time. If sports interest you even the littlest bit, or if you just want a new insight into Brazil, then by all means check out a game of futebol here - preferably a championship game or one between local rivals Flamengo, Vasco, Fluminense or Botafogo. It can be an intense, quasi-psychedelic experience. The sports museum inside the stadium has photos, posters, cups and uniforms of the greats.

If you come to Rio near the New Year Celebration you should see the fireworks at copacabana beach, the celebration is rated the second best in the world, losing just for New York. Also you might wanna come here around february to see the Carnival, the already crowded city gets additional millions of Brazilians from other parts of the country as well as tourists. But this time of the year(from december to march) is very hard to find an avaiable place to stay, so you should make your reservation at any hotel earlier.

Well, let´s talk about the nightlife now.

Dance clubs, bars, parties, festivals, shows, restaurants, live music bands and more is what you can do in Rio, it´s impossible to list all the options here, but don´t worry check this site to see what kind of entertainment you want, just select Rio de Janeiro(Brazil) on the page.

http://travel2.nytimes.com/top/features/travel/destinations/

Well, I just realised that I haven´t said anything about places to stay, so let me say one thing, if money is not a problem to you, stay at Copacabana Palace, this is the hotel where all the rich and famous people stay. See the photo of Copacana Palace:

But in case you´re not that rich, like me :D, there´s many other places to stay. Check this site for a list, you can chose to see the hotels by area, or by price, it´s the same site from before, just select Rio again, and look for "Places to stay".

http://travel2.nytimes.com/top/features/travel/destinations/

In my site, on the advetises at the head and at the side bar of the blog, also has information about placese to stay in Rio.

Well, this is it, my city, Rio de Janeiro, if you need any information just leave a comment and I´ll try to get it for you.

Bye Friends, see ya in the next post!

2006-08-30T09:17:00.000-07:00

Diving - Fernando de Noronha

If you are looking for Scuba diving, this is the place.

Diving in Guarapari, Brazil

2006-08-30T09:16:00.000-07:00

This is a scuba diving video, i´t´s in Guarapai, other great place to dive in Brazil

Scuba Diving

2006-08-30T07:41:00.000-07:00

Hi friends, I´ve been asked to post some information about scuba diving. Well, let´s start then: Brazil is a paradise for divers, it has more than 8000 km of coast just waiting to be explored. Plus we have more than 2000 shipwrecks along our coast, specially in Rio de Janeiro and Bahia.

Great places for scuba diving:

ILha Grande(RJ): We have more information about this islands in the previous posts. Anyway this island has excelent diving spots, in fact diving is one of the best things to do on the island. In fact there´s so many spots that I intend to make one post just for diving at Ilha Grande. Take a look at the best places to dive in Ilha Grande, they are many:

Arraial do Cabo (RJ): This a great place too, beautiful beaches, and wonderful diving spots, A navy ship of 1827 is a good thing to see when you´re diving there.

Fernando de Noronha (PE):This may be the best place in Brazil, to dive. In Fernando de Noronha two types of diving may be done: self-contained, with air tanks, and free dives (skin diving). Spear fishing is entirely prohibited. For self-contained divers there are 3 local firms which basically offer two services: Beginning Dives and Experienced Dives. Check this site: http://www.noronha.com.br/english/tourism.htm to see how to get to Fernando de Noronha. THIS MAY BE THE BEST PLACE IN BRAZIL, TO DIVE.

Salvador (BA): With clear and hot waters, Salvador is one the best places to dive in Brazil. It has many shipwrecks along the coast. Like a norwegian ship, and an english ship too.

Abrolhos: Located about 70 km from the coast the Archipelago of Abrolhos is a National Park compounded by five islands of volcanic origin. The water is warm and crystalline, varying between 24C and 28C degrees. The park hides great diversity of species of corals, some of them endemic

Some sites you can check for more information:

Ilha Grande:

http://www.aquamaster.com.br/open.htm

http://www.ilhagrande.com.ar/documentos/documento.php?id=12

Fernando de Noronha: http://www.scubadivingholidays.net/all/noronha-diving-fernando-de-noronha-4245.php

2006-08-28T19:15:00.000-07:00

Dolphins swimming - Ilha Grande

Dolphins, at ilha grande, very often you can see them swimming near the boats. Beautiful animals

Lopes Mendes - Ilha Grande

2006-08-28T14:11:00.000-07:00

It is one of the prettiest beaches of the whole Brazilian coast and the most famous of the Island.
Its location transforms the place in an oceanic beach of approximately 3 km of white and very fine sand. In spite of the fact that the sea beats strong, it is very shallow. The transparency of the water is amazing, as well as its variation of tonalities.

Its location transforms the place in an oceanic beach of approximately 3 km of white and very fine sand. In spite of the fact that the sea beats strong, it is very shallow. The transparency of the water is amazing, as well as its variation of tonalities.

It is ideal for surfing and is always visited by lovers of this sport.
The access is by boat or trail.

Well, this ends the serie of posts about Ilha Grande, I probably will post more stuff about the island, but from now you´ll also see here information about a lot of islands and beaches. I´m not sure yet of about which island(or beach) will be the next post... any suggestion? :D

Blue Lagoon - Ilha Grande

2006-08-28T13:45:00.000-07:00

The lagoon is a natural piscine created between Macaco's Island (monkeys´Islands) and Ilha Grande when the tide is low.

This Place was named LAGOA AZUL (Blue Lagoon) a few years ago and it is a sensational attraction. The MACACOS's island is a paradisiacal place of calm and shallow waters, blue tonalities and millions of yellow and black little fishes. These fishes eat bread so they offer a wonderful spectacle to the visitors? boats.

It´s a perfect place to snorkel, there you will find a place to buy fresh drinks, ice creams and handicrafts made by the fishermen of the region.

Did you like that beach? Leave a comment then :D

Las Palmas Cove - Ilha Grande

2006-08-27T13:20:00.000-07:00

LAS PALMAS is one of the most populated places during the day in summer, but it is very calm during the night. It has beautiful beaches offering green and transparent waters

To arrive here, you can rent a boat at Vila do Abraão, or you can just walk through the paths named ?trilhas? (trekking).

Some Photos of Las Palmas Cove:

Tags:
beach
Islands
palmas
boat
trekking
summer
brazil

2006-08-26T17:24:00.000-07:00

Diving at Ilha Grande

Diving is one of the many things you can enjoy at Ilha Grande. Here´s a youtube video about diving at the island.
brazil islands

Abraão Cove - Ilha Grande

2006-08-26T15:50:00.000-07:00

Abraão is the most beautiful bay of Ilha Grande. Is situated between high mountains of great inclination that emerge from the sea. There are several brooks and the coast is very irregular.

Characteristics:

Beautiful beaches.
Quiet and clear water.
Forests (Atlantic shrub)
Beautiful mountains
Brooks
Cascades

If you need any information about this island, or how to get there, just email me: rbossan@hotmail.com

Sequence of posts About Ilha Grande

2006-08-26T11:12:00.000-07:00

Hi, starting today I´ll make some posts about one of the biggest islands in Brazil, this island is Ilha Grande("Big Island" in English).

Ilha Grande is located near Angra dos Reis, in fact, it belongs to the city of Angra.

LOCATION:
Brazil, Southeast Region, Rio de Janeiro State, Agra dos Reis District.
Bay of Ilha Grande.
Latitude S: between 23º 05` and 23º 14'
Longitude W: between 44º 05' and 44º 23'

SURFACE AND CONTOUR:
193 km² area
Aprox. Coast Perimeter = 130 km
Minor perimeter for a coast navigation= 72 km
The contour is undulating with 34 sharp ends and little peninsulas, 7 small bays and 106 beautiful beaches of diverse characteristics.

RELIEF:
Mountainous topography with several peaks. The most important ones are the PICO DA PEDRA Dâ'AGUA with 1031 mts. over the sea level and the PICO DA PAPAGAYO with 982 mts. These areas are extensively vegetated and you can also find dense forests, headlands, steeps, plains, rivers and caverns.

CLIMATE:

Being an oceanic island, it has a strong influence of the sea over its climate.
It has a tropical weather, very hot and humid. You are not going to find droughts. The medium temperatures of the air are between 15ÂºC - 30ÂºC. The medium water temperatures are between 18ºC - 24ºC.
In one year, you have between 180 and 200 sunny days.
According to the Meteorological Station of Andra Dos Reis - INMET-, the annual medium temperature is 22,5ºC, being February, the warmest month with 25,7ºC average and July the coldest, with 19,6ºC.
RAINS - The annual media is 2.242mm, being January the rainiest month with 293 mm and July the driest with 87 mm.

GEOLOGY:

The island is situated in the Orgãos Saw, which belongs to the proteozoic era (more than 420-500 millions of years). Its rocks are sintectonic represented by "granitides".
Belongs to the same group of the Pão de Açucar of Rio do Janeiro.

Ok this is it for now, I´ll post some more later, check back to new stuff, and if you need any information about this island, or how to get there, just email me: rbossan@hotmail.com

see ya.

In This site, you will learn more of Brazil and it´s islands(and beaches :D)

2006-08-25T14:51:00.000-07:00

Hi, this is the first post in this blog, so let me intruduce myself.
My name is Rodrigo, I´m a brazilian, from Rio de Janeiro, I guess that if you entered this site you know Rio.
It´s a beautiful city with beautiful islands, Such as Ilha Grande near Angra dos Reis.
But this site is not only about Rio, I will post here tons of footage about islands in the whole brazilian coast. So, this ends my first post, hope you will come frequently to my site, so please, add it in you favs :D... And leave a comment plz. See ya around folks