Palmas

Introducing Palmas

Less than 20 years ago, the broad valley bisected by the Rio Tocantins held just a scattering of rural fazendas. Starting in 1989, a new state capital was built from scratch, and construction, state government and economic incentives brought thousands of Brazilians to this unlikely landscape, 1000km north of Brasília and 1600km south of Belém.

There is a surprising number of good outdoor options around Palmas, which are the main reason to make a trip here. The city itself is sure to strike most first-timers as sterile and shadeless, but has a way of growing on you. It’s basically a smaller, newer version of Brasília, with a handful of interesting sites and that same planned-city weirdness.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009