Going off the beaten track in Brazil
Holidaymakers who are new to Brazil are likely to have heard of the major tourist spots – Rio de Janeiro, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana beach and the Amazon.
But the seasoned tourist, such as someone who owns property in Brazil and visits regularly, may want to seek out areas that are off the beaten track and offer the stunning wildlife and natural landscapes that the country is famed for with less of the thousands of visitors it is also well known for!
On hand to give Brazil-lovers some tips on new places to visit is Laura Rendell-Dunn, marketing manager at Journey Latin America, who has a wealth of knowledge about the country.
She suggests that tourists looking for wildlife should head to the Pantanal, which is located in the west of the country, stretching across the border withBolivia and Paraguay.
It is one of the world’s largest freshwater wetland ecosystems and, in 2000, it was added to the Unesco’s list of world heritage sites of “exceptional universal value” based on its natural importance.
Ms Rendell-Dunn echoes Unesco’s assertion that it is a spectacular area and fantastic for seeing various and diverse wildlife.
Among the animals that you are likely to see in the area are Capybaras, which are members of the guinea pig family and the world’s largest rodent.
Giant storks and small alligators also inhabit the region and, if you are lucky, you may even see giant river otters.
“Most people think that you need to go to the Amazon, in the north of Brazil, to see wildlife,” says Ms Rendell-Dunn.
“In fact, it’s actually quite difficult to spot wildlife in the Amazon because the vegetation is so dense, whereas in the Pantanal it’s quite spread out so the opportunities to see animals are great,” she explains.
When it comes to beaches, Brazil has more to offer than just Copacabana and Ipanema, Ms Rendell-Dunn asserts.
“One that’s really off the beaten track is called Praia da Pipa which is located in the north-east of Brazil between two cities, Juao Pessoa and Natal,” she says.
Here, the beaches are “absolutely gorgeous”, Ms Rendell-Dunn enthuses. There is also a bay inhabited by dolphins, where you can swim with these wonderful creatures in the wild and have them come up close to you.
“That’s quite an amazing experience and not one that you can have in many places in the world,” she asserts.
Another out-of-the-way location recommended by Ms Rendell-Dunn is Ilha da Boipepa, off the north-east coast, close to the city of Salvador.
The ferry across to this island only operates once a week, so you can guarantee that you will not be fighting your way through hoards of tourists.
“Not many people stay on the island so if you do stay there you’re maybe going to be amongst ten or 20 people and again there’s lots of beautiful beaches, warm waters – it’s like small paradise,” says Ms Rendell-Dunn.
Meanwhile, if it is culture and history that you are looking for, she suggests the colonial town of Lencois, which, again, is a lesser-known gem of Brazil.
This small town is located in the Chapada Diamantina National Park in Maranhao state, in the north-east of the country, which, as the name suggests, used to be a major mining area for diamonds.
Although the industry has all but died out, the fantastic scenery remains, with the park characterised by table-top mountains, beautiful waterfalls and underwater caves, which makes it fantastic for trekking, says Ms Rendell-Dunn.
“The actual town of Lencois itself is a very pretty colonial town,” she adds.
“There’s lots of different coloured buildings, cobbled streets, a lovely little market that opens up every evening. It’s a delightful place to stay that not many people know about. It’s really very picturesque,” she concludes.
