World Travel Guide Online

When you say the words Rio de Janeiro, many people have visions of glorious sun and dark-skinned bikini babes serving coconut cocktails.

I, on the other hand, picture beaches with expressways running past them, muggings, and carjackings.

That’s not to say either vision makes up a complete picture on its own, but they’re opposing views of one of Brazil’s most popular destinations, Rio. I still think you should visit the city of Rio – it is lovely in its own way – but I’d also like to suggest six other places to go in Brazil.

Buzios

It would be silly to not start with one place that Brazilians go for their beach holidays: the sandy peninsula of Buzios. The area claims that their twenty-something beaches are all individually unique, and while I can’t claim to have visited all of them, all the ones I saw were – some sandy, some rocky, some with blue waters, others with green waters. The only thing in common was my sunburn, so wear sunscreen. Many of the beaches are set in small coves, so the ocean water is like a warm bath – so nice you could spend all day out there.

By day, when not at the beach, you can enjoy the boating tours and scuba school; tours can be found at the main piers. Otherwise, stroll up and down the main strip where you can get the latest Brazilian fashions and other beachwear (read: sunglasses and jewelry). At night Buzios is a buffet banquet of good food; some say it’s expensive, but if you head into the sidestreets you’re bound to find a good steak or seafood hut.

Ouro Preto

Ouro Preto is known as one of the best preserved colonial cities in Brazil and you’ll spend much of your time exploring all the historic buildings. My notes tell me we saw at least ten churches (and that’s skipping a few), there is no shortage of museums, and the Teatro Municipal (“Opera House”) is the oldest functioning theater in South America, celebrating its 240^th birthday this year. You should know that is not permitted to take photos or video inside most of the churches and museums.

A popular option after overdosing on the churches is to head for Itacolomi National Park for some hiking and stretching the legs. You can hike all the way to “the rock and the boy,” a very odd-looking rock formation visible from the town below. Visitors to Itacolomi must hike with a guide, which your hotel or accommodation can easily arrange for you.

Salvador

Oh Salvador, you are so beautiful. One of the brightest and most vivid stops in Brazil, one look at the Old Town of this city and you’ll know why it was given UNESCO World Heritage Status – as you walk down the sloping streets between squares, with the hustle and bustle of street vendors and the heat of the Brazilian sunshine, this might be the closest thing to paradise.

If you see people wearing a tight ribbon around their wrist, that’s a fita. It is a Brazilian good luck bracelet, and you have to have a Brazilian tie it around your wrist while you make a wish. If the ribbon naturally wears away and falls off, the wish will come true. If you cut it off, it won’t. In the neighborhood of Bonfirm, to the north, you’ll find a church that is a very well known pilgrimage site, and this is the perfect place to get your fita.

Personally, I’d skip Salvador during Carnival – it is the biggest carnival in the world so absolute chaos ensues – but if you want to really party, then this is where you want to be. Because of this, the city has quite a number of good bars, clubs, and restaurants year-round.

Paraty

For a glimpse of a classic colonial town, look no further than Paraty (remember that the “ty” is pronounced chee… para-chee). I just love the buildings here; they’re mostly cracked white facades with these wonderfully colored highlights, such as the doorways or shutters. The historic center is small and easily explored in an afternoon; Paraty makes a great base to explore beaches (Trindade being the most beautiful and thus most popular) and diving islands, but be sure and check out the waterfalls, too – Andorinhas is nice, and so is Pedra Branca.

This is also the place to buy cachaça, a sugar cane-based rum produced here. Try it first; head to a bar and order a caprihina, a lovely lime and cachaça mix. If it isn’t your taste you can also have a caprioska, which is the same but made with vodka.

Penedo

Penedo makes the list purely for novelty factor – it is known as Brazil’s Christmas village, a trivia fact worth noting for your next pub quiz. The city center is filled with shops offering various types of crafts and household goods, all gathered around a Christmas tree. The explanation is that Penedo is Brazil’s only Finnish colony, so the immigrants have done well to leave their stamp on this small village.

I can’t say for certain whether or not everything is homemade but you can tell much of it is, and the store owners are so friendly. A suggestion is to head to one of the very nice food stores and get yourself a jar of doce de abóbora, also known as pumpkin sweet. It’s kind of like pumpkin jam. There is also a very tasty chocolate house.

Tiradentes

Last but not least, Tiradentes is one of Brazil’s gastronomic capitals and it is also remarkably well-preserved, from the centuries-old buildings to the dusty and bumpy cobblestone streets. One of my favorite buildings is the Church of Saint Anthony – half a ton of gold was used to decorate the church’s interior, so when you get inside, look up! The 1700s water fountain Chafariz de São José has three spouts of water named Love, Fortune, and Health. You can drink up if you like.

Outside the city there’s also a steam locomotive train affectionately called “Smoke Mary.” Inaugurated in the late 1800s, it only runs along 7.5 miles of track, but it is a winding mountain trail with fantastic views of the valley, mountain flora, and river landscapes. After all those cobblestones, it is the perfect place to rest your weary feet.

A Word on Travel Safety

The best way to travel in Brazil, in my opinion, is by car with plane hops as necessary. For roadtrips, if you don’t speak Portuguese I’d highly suggest bringing someone who does, as it will make your journey so much more pleasant and safe.

Drug-related violence is a problem, particularly in Rio (the state, not just the city). If you travel off the main highways expect a police checkpoint during your travels (see above regarding the need to speak some Portuguese). Extreme caution is advised as always – dangling expensive cameras and flashing lots of cash will invite nothing but trouble.

So we all know the world economy stands on the frightening precipice that could lead to something much worse in the not too distant future, but finally there is some really good news for Americans who find themselves with a bit of time off (one way or another) and who have a bit of money available. After seeing our dollar become the punching bag of every other currency for the past couple years, out of nowhere it’s gained new strength as what many investors consider a “safe haven” in uncertain times.

Traveling to Europe has gotten reasonable again, and our traditional exchange-rate advantage with Canada is back to some degree, so those places are back in play for Americans. But the news is even better elsewhere, as quite a few countries that had become a bit pricey for us are suddenly bargains. The timing on quite a few of them is even better in that they are in the Southern Hemisphere so the next few months is the ideal time to visit anyway. There’s no telling just how long this will last, and things might even improve more for Americans in the short run, but for now these are some of the better places you should be considering.

Australia

Bondi Beach, Sydney

July, 2008 – AU$1.02 to US$1
November, 2008 – AU$1.50 to US$1

Costs for most things in Australia had gotten quite high for Americans during the past few years, and in mid 2008 things had really gotten out of hand, but suddenly the tables have turned and Oz now (barely) qualifies as a budget destination for Yanks. Budget hotel rooms in Sydney that would cost around US$90 can now be had for around US$60 per night, and nicer 2- and 3-star tourist hotels can now be yours for around US$80 per night, which is noticeably cheaper than most American cities that are nowhere near as nice as Sydney.

To make things even better, airfares have suddenly and mysteriously dropped as well. A roundtrip from Los Angeles to Sydney has been running a bit over $1,000 for many years now, but all of a sudden fares as low as $742 have appeared. Australia certainly isn’t as cheap as most of the others on this list, but if you’ve been wanting to go this is the perfect combination of events that should get you started, and of course their summer is fast approaching to make things even better.

Iceland

Blue Lagoon, Iceland

July, 2008 – 75 Icelandic Krona to US$1
November, 2008 – 120 Icelandic Krona to US$1 (unofficial, see explanation)

Iceland has notoriously been one of the most expensive places in the world for tourists, but due to its recent banking collapse it’s suddenly a bargain and many are now flocking in to take advantage of a situation that is still a bit up in the air. International trading of the Icelandic Krona has been suspended since October 6, so it’s a bit difficult to figure out exactly where things stand at the moment, but previous searches have shown that finding a hotel room in Reykjavik for under US$100 was virtually impossible, and now we are seeing one hotel on the outskirts of the city with rooms for US$19, and many more choices in the US$30 to US$50 range. Beers that were recently well over US$10 apiece in downtown bars are now reported to be in the US$4 range for those fortunate enough to be there now.

Flights from the east coast of the US are starting under $500 these days, and even though the days are short and getting shorter now, the winter weather isn’t nearly as harsh as most people expect, with average temperatures similar to those in New York City. The famous Blue Lagoon thermal pool is always warm, so now might be an ideal time to check out a country that has been on the ‘outrageous’ list for decades.

South Korea

Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul

July, 2008 – 998 Korean Won to US$1
November, 2008 – 1,260 Korean Won to US$1

South Korea has long held a spot somewhere between the insanity of Japanese prices and the affordability of its neighbors to the west in Asia, but now suddenly our money goes more than 25% further. The exchange rate briefly hit 1,467 just a week ago, which gave us an almost 50% bonus, so this one might go further in our direction again. This is a modern country, and its giant capital of Seoul has all the modern amenities that you could want, so budget hotel rooms under $40 and business-class rooms around $75 per night are real bargains.

Flights from Los Angeles can be had for around $830, and flights from New York are starting around $960 at the moment. Especially now, it’s fairly cheap once you get there, so if you can find a flight that works this might be the ideal time to see this country that is becoming more popular with globetrotters every year.

Argentina

9 de Julio Avenue, Buenos Aires

July, 2008 – 3.02 Argentine pesos to US$1
November, 2008 – 3.40 Argentine pesos to US$1

While the currency-rate shift hasn’t been quite so dramatic in Argentina, the important thing to know is that Argentina has been a major bargain for a while now, and it’s just gotten a bit better. The country artificially held its money at 1-to-1 with the USD for many years before a banking collapse led to the 2002 decision to let the peso fluctuate, which suddenly gave foreigners about a 70% discount on everything. Inflation since then has slowly chipped away at the advantage, but the country is still a huge bargain, and now even a bit cheaper.

Buenos Aires, sometimes called the Paris of Latin America, is considered one of the nicest cities in the world by its many fans, and comfortable hotel rooms with good locations aren’t difficult to find in the US$50 per night range, and an excellent steak dinner can be found starting well under US$10, with a bottle of quality local wine around US$6 at the same restaurant. Most of the rest of the country is even cheaper, and there are many highlights to explore once you leave the big city. Flights from New York and Miami start around $850 roundtrip, and around $950 roundtrip from Los Angeles.

New Zealand

Queenstown, New Zealand

July, 2008 – NZ$1.30 to US$1
November, 2008 – NZ$1.70 to US$1

New Zealand is “on the list” for nearly every serious traveler who hasn’t yet made it, and it’s hard to find anything but raving reviews from those who’ve visited before. It’s always been a bit cheaper than nearby Australia, and that trend continues, with both of them becoming weirdly affordable due to the strange exchange-rate movements of late. When you go it’s really not wise to linger in the largest city of Auckland, but a hotel there can now be found in the US$50 to US$60 price range on the budget end, and not too much more for something quite nice. Lakeside resorts in the South Island tourist haven of Queenstown are now starting around US$80 per night, but most every other tourist spot in the country is even cheaper.

The trick for visiting New Zealand is to rent a car or campervan, and get out into the gorgeous and varied scenery that covers both islands. With fuel prices coming back down, and cabins or campsites at the many holiday parks now cheaper than ever, the whole place is very reasonable once you get there. Just as with Australia, flight bargains have also appeared out of nowhere, and a roundtrip from Los Angeles can now be found for around US$750, though these bargain fares might be gone soon.

Brazil

Sugarloaf Mountain, Rio de Janeiro

July, 2008 – 1.55 Brazilian Real to US$1
November, 2008 – 2.17 Brazilian Real to US$1

There’s much more to this huge country than Rio de Janeiro and its famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, and Brazil has always been fairly affordable for Americans, at least once the plane ticket is paid for. But the currency had been gaining strength against the greenback for more than 4 years straight until the recent shift that has put the whole country solidly back into the “bargain” category. Hotels in Rio have never been all that cheap, but now you can find a good budget place in a good location in the US$50 to US$60 range again, and most all other expenses for food, drinks, entertainment, and attractions are all quite reasonable.

Of course, most of the rest of the country is even cheaper than Rio, so it’s wise to move around and take in other aspects of the country when you are flying so far in the first place. Flights from either Los Angeles or New York to Rio can be found in the $750 neighborhood these days, and of course it’s spring there now and their high season is approaching, so this could be a great winter getaway instead of Hawaii or the Caribbean.

Mexico

Cancun, Mexico

July, 2008 – 10 Mexican pesos to US$1
November, 2008 – 13 Mexican pesos to US$1

Mexico hasn’t suddenly become a bargain, as it’s pretty much lived on the bargain list all its life, but as you can see the USD now goes about 30% further than it did just a few months ago. The trick here is finding hotels that don’t already base their rates on US dollars, but either way prices that were reasonable before should be even lower now, and of course most of your expenses on food, drinks, entertainment, and souvenirs are now more affordable than they’ve been in at least 5 years. With winter approaching and so much worldwide economic uncertainty we’ll be looking for great specials at some of the more popular resorts that will probably find themselves with more empty rooms than they know what to do with.

Flights from the US to Mexico have also been traditionally reasonable, and nothing has changed there. You can fly roundtrip from either Los Angeles or New York to Mexico City or Cancun starting in the $300 to $350 price range, even as their high season approaches.

South Africa

Lion Sands Game Reserve

July, 2008 – 7.2 South African Rand to US$1
November, 2008 – 10 South African Rand to US$1

Never known for being especially cheap for Americans, South Africa has always lived on its reputation of great beaches, excellent nature reserves, safari parks, winery tours, golf resorts, and much more. But now it’s pretty cheap for Americans as well. The exchange rate has been lingering in the 6 to 7 Rand per USD range for many years now, so you can imagine how nice it must be when you are getting 10 Rand for every greenback. This is another Southern Hemisphere destination that is weirdly cheap at the perfect time of year for Americans looking for a new adventure. Nice hotels in Cape Town are starting in the US$60 to US$80 range now, and of course most of the rest of the country will come in below that.

Not surprisingly, the tricky part of visiting South Africa is the flights part. You’ll have to change planes at least once, probably in Senegal or in Europe, and the combination of flights will eat up around a full 24 hours, even if you get good connections. Right now flights from New York to Cape Town are starting around $1,100, and from Los Angeles around $1,300.