Visiting Brazil

Aviões

If you’re switching flights at GRU in Sao Paulo, you will NOT need to clear immigration. So if you’re flying Sao Paulo-Buenos Aires, you don’t need to go through customs in Brazil at all.

This is great if you’re short on time. But on the down side, the airport is pretty boring – there are a lot of shops but nothing really exciting, so bring reading material.

There is a United Red Carpet Club too – you might want to consider buying a one day pass at the counter for < USD$50 if you have a few hours to kill. You can go inside, shower, and get free drinks. Not a bad deal.

Pic title: the marvellous city – rio de janeiro (Link)

Most flights land at the main GIG/Tom Jobim airport, also called Galeao. This airport is about 13 miles out of the city but it easily accessible by taxi or bus.

Alternately, there is the Santos Dumont airport in the city center, by the Guanabara Bay. This is mostly serviced by low cost airlines like TAM and GOL.

Air-conditioned bus service operated by depart every 30 minutes and runs between both airports and further to Zona Sul (along the beachfront in Copacabana, Ipanema, and Leblon) and Barra da Tijuca. A single ticket costs about $3.

Taxis, though more expensive, are also a convenient way to reach the tourist areas. A taxi ride will cost about $10 or $12. Be careful to get reals in the airport since many taxis cannot easily take credit cards.

(portions of this are from wikitravel.org and used under the creative commons license)

Pic title: Welcome to Rio (Link)

Now that Google Maps has launched Brazil, it’s really easy to find maps of the major destinations and to find your way between them. Check out the links below for ideas:

Rio de Janeiro Map. Satellite view is great here too to see both the favelas and the beaches like Ipanema!

Brasilia Map.

Sao Paulo Map. Check out the location between the airports or how the neighborhoods are laid out.

Florianopolis Map. You can see the small connector going to the island.

Porto Alegre Map. Great beachfront.

Salvador Map. Beautiful beachfront – click the “satellite” button to see the real photos.

Belo Horizonte Map. Check out the cool layout of city streets.