15 Best Things to Do in Brazil

Whether you are lured in by wild landscapes, vibrant city life, the call of frogs in the rainforest or the beat of samba drums, Brazil is one of the world's most captivating destinations. From celebrating Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro or Olinda to meeting hyacinth macaws in the wetlands of the Pantanal, there's always something going on in Brazil and it's usually loud!

The top things to do in Brazil are spread across 8.5 million sq km of territory, stretching from the western shores of the South Atlantic to the mighty Amazon River. While superlatives don’t do it justice, you can travel around this continent-sized nation and find the world's largest rainforest, its most expansive wetlands, and more known species of plants, freshwater fish and mammals than in any other country on the planet.

Brazil is also home to a rainbow of indigenous and immigrant cultures, each with their own unique languages, foods and music. Get a taste for Afro-Brazilian heritage by eating acarajé (cowpea fritters) in Salvador, dance the samba in Rio de Janeiro, or move to the sounds of frevo in Olinda during Carnaval. Even the rain-soaked Amazon region hosts some of the biggest parties in Brazil.

If you think you’ll be ready for another vacation at the end of all this partying, look no further than Brazil’s tropical islands and beaches for some downtime. But wherever you go in Brazil, you're in for an adventure – plan your trip around this list of the very best things to do in Brazil.

1. Admire the View in Rio de Janeiro

Beaches, architecture, museums, waterfalls, nightlife...there are almost unlimited reasons to visit Rio de Janeiro. But if this city offers one essential thing to do, it’s getting up high to admire the view. From above, Rio’s dramatic topography is revealed in all its splendor, with forest-covered mountains plunging down to ocean beaches, and miles of colorful urban sprawl jammed in between.

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Visitors jostle for selfie space at two of the city’s most popular tourist spots, the 710m-high Christ the Redeemer statue and Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Mountain), and both offer spectacular 360-degree views. To avoid the crowds, a splurge on a helicopter tour is worth every real (the Brazilian currency).

A stunning vista is also the reward at the end of hikes in the Parque Nacional da Tijuca, with particularly breathtaking views from the Pico da Tijuca and Pedra da Gávea peaks. Just factor Carnaval into your plans – the city is madly crowded during the festival and prices soar, so if you're hoping for a cheaper, quieter experience, consider picking another time to come.

Planning tip: The cooler, drier months from May to September offer the best views over Rio, with the mornings offering marginally better visibility than at sunset.

2. Get Soaked on a Speedboat Under Iguaçu Falls

The thunder and roar of 1.5 million liters of water pouring over the edge of Iguaçu Falls every second is a thrilling, visceral experience, and activities in and around the falls will keep visitors occupied for days. From hiking and cycling in the surrounding national park to feeding the birds at the Parque das Aves sanctuary, the falls are guaranteed to be a highlight of your trip.

There’s a good chance you’ll get wet at some stage during your visit, so why not submit to the deluge in the most adrenaline-fueled way possible, with a speedboat ride right under the falls? Turbo-dinghies with 500 horsepower outboard motors pass right beside the falls, where the thundering water is so loud no one will hear your shrieks. Nearby, Itaipú Dam – the world’s second-largest – is well worth a visit, too, and accessible via Brazil or Paraguay.

Planning tip: Allow time to travel in this spread-out region – flights to Foz do Iguaçu can be expensive and the bus journey between Curitiba and Foz do Iguaçu takes at least 10 hours. Factoring in travel time, 3 days is the minimum you’ll need to put this resplendent natural wonder into perspective. Daily entry numbers are limited too, so book tickets in advance.

3. Relax on the Beaches of a Tropical Island

Brazil has thousands of beaches along its coastline, but you can side-step the difficult task of choosing which seaside strip to visit by escaping to a tropical island instead. Ilha Grande, south of Rio de Janeiro on the Costa Verde, has warm seas and white sandy beaches fringed by the forests of the Mata Atlântica.

For something close to São Paulo, Ilhabela combines good restaurants that draw weekenders with gorgeous beaches accessible by speedboat or hiking trails, and cozy guest houses hidden away in dense, jungle-covered hills.

Smaller Ilha do Mel in the south of Brazil near Paranaguá feels more remote, with just a handful of accommodation options, plus a lighthouse, fort and caves to explore. The Bahian coast is a safe bet for sunshine, and Boipeba has more than 20km of palm-lined beaches and a castaway vibe.

Planning tip: Getting to Brazil's islands usually involves taking a bus to a small port on the coast, then a transfer by "flex boat" (rigid inflatable boat) or ferry; the Ilhabela ferry is free for pedestrians and cyclists. To explore the islands in depth, water taxis offer rides to beaches and coves away from the main accommodation areas.

4. Spot Surfers and Whales in Praia do Rosa

Once a sleepy fishing hamlet, Praia do Rosa is now a top surf destination, with charming guest houses and hotels tucked into the hillside above the bay. In the winter months (June to November), surfers are joined by another type of visitor playing in the waves: southern right whale calves.

Whales were hunted in these waters as far back as the 1700s and were widely thought to be extinct by the 1970s. Despite making a comeback, the area's southern right whales are still highly endangered, but adults and calves can often be spotted from the beach.

The whales migrate here from Patagonia every year to breed, and a marine reserve stretching 130km along the coast was established to help protect them. These days, most people watch whales from land to avoid disturbing these threatened cetaceans.

Planning tip: Only masochists will want to swim in the sea this far south in the winter, but the beach is a beautiful destination for windy walks and whale spotting year-round.

5. Soak up the Energy at a Brazilian Soccer Game

It’s impossible not to know when there’s a big soccer game playing in Brazil, as every screen in every bar will have it on, with cheers ringing out across whole neighborhoods when goals are scored. Join in the action by booking tickets to see a game, where the passionate supporters can be as much of a spectacle as the game itself.

The Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro is legendary – it hosted the 2014 FIFA World Cup final between Germany and Argentina, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2016 Summer Olympics. SR Flamengo is the biggest club in Rio and you can expect excited crowds when the team goes head-to-head with any of its local rivals.

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In São Paulo, SE Palmeiras and Corinthians both have gleaming modern stadiums, and the latter in particular is famous for its passionate supporters. While it hosts fewer games these days, the city’s Pacaembu Stadium is an art deco jewel, and the soccer museum underneath the stadium is a monument to Brazil’s greatest passion.

Planning tip: If you just want a quick glimpse of Brazilian sporting history,informative 45-minute tours of the Maracanã Stadium run outside of game days.

6. Spot Endemic Birds in the Atlantic Forest

Bird-watching enthusiasts will want to trek to some of the most spectacular off-the-beaten-path spots in the Mata Atlântica (Atlantic Forest). One of Brazil’s six characteristic biomes, the Atlantic Forest is a hot spot for birding – it's home to nearly 900 bird species, a quarter of which don’t live anywhere else, including three-toed jacamars and kaleidoscopic green-headed tanagers.

You can explore Atlantic Forest habitats in dozens of national and state parks as well as hundreds of private nature reserves. Itatiaia, established in 1937 as Brazil’s first national park, is a birding paradise about 3 hours northwest of Rio de Janeiro, accessible on tours or by chartered vehicle (to save money, take a bus to Resende and hire a taxi there).

Detour: Further south, among the mangroves and salt marshes of Superagui National Park and the privately-run Sebui nature reserve, other Atlantic Forest species such as scarlet ibis and the red-tailed Amazon parrot fill the skies at sunset as they come in to roost for the night.

7. Marvel at the Street Art in São Paulo

A maze of underpasses and overpasses, sidewalks cracked by tree roots, and steep hills make walking in São Paulo something of an adventure sport. But the reward is a wealth of murals and graffiti daubed across the city’s urban sprawl, standing out strikingly from the city’s ubiquitous gray concrete.

The colorful Beco do Batman (Batman’s Alley) is a top spot for street art and a tourist honeypot, while over in Centro, artist Felipe Yung’s 10,000 sq m Aquarium covers the facades of 15 buildings. The 3.5km-long road known as Minhoção (officially Via Elevada Presidente João Goulart) is closed to traffic at night and at weekends, making it the perfect place to stroll and admire artwork by big names such as Speto, Zezão and Mag Magrela.

Cambuci, in the southeast of the city, was the stomping ground for the world-famous duo OsGemeos in their youth, and it’s the best place to see their art outside of museums. In northern São Paulo, the Museu Aberto de Arte Urbana (Open Museum of Urban Art) brings together street art by dozens of creators on the huge columns underneath a metro line.

Planning tip: For an informative introduction to the city's street-art scene, join a tour; Concrete Jungles is one of several operators running trips.

8. Dance Around the Streets During Carnaval

For one hot, sweaty but utterly thrilling day of your life, you can feel like a star as you don an enormous costume and join a samba school to parade down the Sambódromo during Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro. Broadcast live on national television, with many thousands of spectators cheering from the grandstands, this parade is a fierce competition that’s taken extremely seriously by the samba schools that prepare for it year-round.

But Carnaval is not just about Rio. Each corner of the country celebrates in its own way, and one of the most traditional can be found in the coastal city of Olinda, far to the north. Instead of samba, the rhythms of frevo, maracatu and afoxé ring out across the hilly streets of this charming town. Local bands playing percussion and brass draw huge crowds of excitable revelers trying to keep pace.

Planning tip: If you plan to visit Rio during Carnaval, make bookings 6 to 12 months in advance. The festivities run from the Friday before Lent to Ash Wednesday (falling in February or March), and tickets for the Sambódromo parade can be bought through approved agencies such as Rio Carnaval, though they sell out extremely quickly.

9. Encounter Afro-Brazilian Culture in Salvador

Chili, coconut, coriander, dried shrimp, dendé palm oil...the ingredients of Bahian cuisine make for some of the tastiest dishes in Brazil, revealing the strong African influences in the city of Salvador. And that's just one reason to visit this historic city to the north of Rio de Janeiro.

One of Salvador's most popular street foods is acarajé, a deep-fried ball of cowpea paste stuffed with stewed dried shrimp and condiments. The dish is a traditional food for the Baianos, descendants of the first Africans in Brazil, and it was granted protected cultural heritage status in 2005. It's traditionally connected to the worship of orixás, deities of Yoruban origin.

Planning tip: Salvador is the best place in Brazil to immerse yourself in Afro-Brazilian culture and religion; you can learn more on the Caminho dos Orixás – Oxum tour, run by an agency specializing in Afro-Brazilian culture. Viare Travel also organizes tours tailored around Afro-Brazilian heritage.

10. Contemplate the Origins of Life at Serra da Capivara

The culmination of a lifetime’s work for Brazilian archaeologist Niède Guidon, the Museu da Natureza (Museum of Nature) is a spiral-shaped landmark at the edge of Serra da Capivara National Park, exploring the history of humans and other species from their earliest known existence.

Highlights include saber-toothed cat teeth and a 6m life-size model of the giant sloth Eremotherium, fossils of which were found in the park. Serra da Capivara has an astounding 300 archaeological sites where fossils, ceramics, bones and tens of thousands of examples of cave art – the largest collection in the world – have been found over the decades.

These discoveries suggest that humans settled here as far back as 50,000 years ago, challenging the mainstream theory about human settlement in the Americas.

Planning tip: The airport near Serra da Capivara does not receive regular flights, so most visitors either come by car, or take the bus from Petrolina or Teresina.

11. Swim in the Clear River Waters of Bonito

An ecotourism boom town near the Pantanal wetlands, Bonito is a giant aquarium and a playground for lovers of nature. The clear waters here spring up through a limestone base that acts as a natural water purifier, allowing for astounding underwater visibility.

Visitors will come face to face with all sorts of fascinating fish while floating down or snorkeling in the Rio da Prata. Alternatively, rafting down the Rio Formoso provides a chance to spot fish and birds while navigating the rapids.

Planning tip: There are strict regulations and caps on visitor numbers in place for those going to Bonito's natural attractions. To protect the clarity and purity of the waters, no sunscreen or insect repellent are allowed, and snorkeling tours must be arranged through local tour agencies and hotels.

12. Party at Festivals in the Amazon

Trees, not people, are the dominant feature of the Amazon in the popular imagination, but some 30 million Brazilians live in the world’s largest rainforest and they throw some pretty spectacular parties. Bumba Meu Boi is a folk festival held in June in Parintins that recounts the death and resurrection of an ox, with music, fireworks, dancing and glittering costumes worn by rival dance troupes.

The biggest Amazonian festival of all is Círio de Nazaré, a Catholic celebration that attracts more than a million devotees each October. Local people file through the streets of Belém, at the mouth of the Amazon River, in a cathartic throng, accompanied by the chanting of devotional hymns.

Some 966km upriver, the town of Maués throws a festival every December to celebrate the harvest of its energy-boosting guaraná fruit. Locals dance on the beaches of the Maués-Acú River until the early hours.

Planning tip: For any of these festivals, book transport and accommodation well ahead, as visitor numbers surge.

13. Track Jaguars and Macaws in the Pantanal

The largest cat in the Americas, the jaguar is a rare and elusive creature, but these famed big cats still roam widely across Brazil, though their numbers are declining significantly due to the threat from poachers and ongoing habitat loss – exacerbated by climate-change-linked wildfires and the expansion of cattle ranching.

One of the best habitats for spotting jaguars in the wild today is the Pantanal, the world’s largest wetland, set close to the border with Bolivia. Conservation NGO Onçafari was set up in 2011 to help protect the jaguars through research and ecotourism, and they run jaguar safaris from the Caiman lodge, set in a private nature reserve where you have excellent chances of sightings.

Caiman also arranges guided jungle hikes and canoe tours for guests, where you can spot hyacinth macaws, the largest species of flying parrot, and other jungle birds and animals.

Planning tip: The deeper you get into the wetlands, the more likely you are to spot a jaguar, so book a longer tour to maximize your chances. Chances of sightings are best during the dry season (April to September).

14. Visit a Cachaça Distillery

Also known as pinga (among dozens of other nicknames), cachaça is an exclusively Brazilian distilled sugarcane spirit that can range from cheap rocket fuel to an expensive, aged artisanal delicacy. It’s also the main ingredient in the unofficial Brazilian national drink, the caipirinha. Bars can provide an easy education in the delights of cachaça, but a better option is joining a distillery tour.

Minas Gerais is the main cachaça-producing region in Brazil and it's home to the country's oldest functioning distillery, Engenho Boa Vista, which has been in business for more than 260 years. Base yourself in Paraty, where the Maria Izabel distillery offers tours of its ocean-side premises.

Planning tip: The Mapa da Cachaça website is a great resource for cachaça lovers, mapping out distilleries across the country that arrange tours for visitors.

15. Kitesurf off Brazil’s Northeast Coast

Some of the world's most respected kitesurfing champions are from Brazil – which should come as no surprise considering the country’s thousands of miles of windswept Atlantic coastline. Ceará in northeastern Brazil has some of the best kitesurfing hot spots, including Cumbuco (a playground for some of the top athletes) and the coastal hubs of Icapuí and Preá.

A little farther north in Piauí state, Barra Grande is another growing hub for the sport. In Maranhão, lagoons in Atins offer wind without the waves and the bonus of being on the doorstep of the desert-like Lençois Maranhenses National Park.

Planning tip: Brazil's kitesurfing season runs from July to January, with the best conditions from September to November.