Brazil Master Thread

[Yaalili]

Need some help planning a trip beginning of July.

I have 8 days to spend in brazil and argentina.... looking for some help with itinerary suggestions... Never been and don't know S. America at all. we want Rio, and buenos aires to end the trip with good food.. but in-between not 100% sure.. We're not interested in S. Paolo, we like more adventure and scenic places.. Shabbos we would like to go off the beaten path where we can find some adventure sports or some other fun, if there are such places with chabad houses...

Not sure we want to spend 2-3 days at falls without much else to do.. we're leaving families behind so we're looking to do the type of things you can't do with kids..

Any nice islands in July? places we can rent ATV's or bikes? Scuba would be great (we're licensed)...

Any help appreciated! Thanks

I currently live in Brazil so feel free to ask any questions. Iguacu Falls is really amazing and you should not push it off so easily, it's nothing like you have ever seen, and you need two full days there. Will be easier to do it without kids too, as there are lots of long trails, and trains that don't hold strollers..

If you do want beaches, keep in mind that you are coming in winter season, so popular beach cities such as florianopolis, can get quite chilly, not the right time to go there. Best beaches in winter would be more north in Brazil. Maybe Fortaleza, Natal or even Salvador. The best beach and island for scuba diving is probably the famous Fernando de Noronha off the coast of Recife in Brazil.

[brytch]

The best beach and island for scuba diving is probably the famous Fernando de Noronha off the coast of Recife in Brazil.

Thanks a lot... Is the diving there good this time of year? is it off season?

Also any other suggestions for adventure? how do you suppose I should do it? how many days where if I have about 7 or so

Any other spots not worth missing? amazon? how about shabbos whats best bet for nice shabbos out of big cities? (something thai style maybe)?!

[Yaalili]

Thanks a lot... Is the diving there good this time of year? is it off season?

Also any other suggestions for adventure? how do you suppose I should do it? how many days where if I have about 7 or so

Any other spots not worth missing? amazon? how about shabbos whats best bet for nice shabbos out of big cities? (something thai style maybe)?!

It should definitely be decent that time of year, on the plus side there will probably be much less tourist there in July than in January. Read up on wikitravel Brazil / Argentina, lots of great ideas there for each place.

Never been to Amazon but Iguacu is definitely not worth missing. For shabbos Rio is really nice, near the beach, great big active chabad house there. If you want more of a heinous he feeling shabbos than you would definitely want to be in Buenos Aires or in São Paulo.

[Dan]

amazon?

There is a TR from Manaus, looks pretty neat and great shliach there.

Hang gliding in Rio, rafting in Iguacu, etc.
I did Floripa in the winter, water was warm enough for me, plus nobody else on the beaches.

[Yaalili]

There is a TR from Manaus, looks pretty neat and great shliach there.

Hang gliding in Rio, rafting in Iguacu, etc.
I did Floripa in the winter, water was warm enough for me, plus nobody else on the beaches.

Yes manaus would be probably good weather that time too, dry season. I would be interested in going to florianopolis in the winter, (haven't been there yet), but lots of people say it gets cold there.

[Dan]

Yes manaus would be probably good weather that time too, dry season. I would be interested in going to florianopolis in the winter, (haven't been there yet), but lots of people say it gets cold there.

Cold is relative in a country used to scorching summers.  I went to Floripa in May and it was beautiful (at least for a Clevelander )

One day I'll make it to Manaus. 

[Yaalili]

Cold is relative in a country used to scorching summers.  I went to Floripa in May and it was beautiful (at least for a Clevelander

Lol they definitely do get scorching summers, we had over 100, and in some parts it gets very humid too. Will keep floripa (as you call it) in mind.

[Dan]

floripa (as you call it)

That's what they call it.

[brytch]

Is there a reason to visit Buenos Aires after Brazil? wanted some good food and check it out, is it worth the detour? or should I stick with Brazil?

[Yehoshua]

Is there a reason to visit Buenos Aires after Brazil? wanted some good food and check it out, is it worth the detour? or should I stick with Brazil?

As an American, Canadian, or Australian it will cost you a lot more money to visit Argentina. I had a great time in Argentina, but if you decide to go it can end up being an expensive detour.

[Joe4007]

As an American, Canadian, or Australian it will cost you a lot more money to visit Argentina. I had a great time in Argentina, but if you decide to go it can end up being an expensive detour.

I suppose you're referring to the reciprocity fee?! Otherwise, with the blue dollar, it's actually quite the opposite.

[Yehoshua]

I suppose you're referring to the reciprocity fee?! Otherwise, with the blue dollar, it's actually quite the opposite.

Correct in both accounts.

[Yaalili]

I had a great time in Argentina, but if you decide to go it can end up being an expensive detour.

+1, and if you are looking for good kosher food BA can't be beat. Lots of fun stuff to check out there too.

[pizzahut]

Argentina is more fun than Brazil but thats just me.

[bobzilla]

Argentina is more fun than Brazil but thats just me.

-1

[Yehoshua]

Argentina is more fun than Brazil but thats just me.

Also my experience. +1

[Yaalili]

Also my experience. +1

Me too. But that's also considering that most if the time I have spent in São Paulo. Another bonus of Argentina is that everything is incredibly cheaper than Brazil.

[Yehoshua]

Me too. But that's also considering that most if the time I have spent in São Paulo. Another bonus of Argentina is that everything is incredibly cheaper than Brazil.

Also my Brazil experience was somewhat worse than most because it rained most of the time.

[Fan of Dan]

One day I'll make it to Manaus.

You'll love it there, and based on the many hours I spent with the amazing shliach and his wife they will take really good care of you. He said he remembers you from way back.

What I enjoyed so much about Manaus was that it's in the heart of the Amazon and yet it's so easy to get there plus great kosher food, which the shliach can package together for you when you are out in the rainforest.

[Yaalili]

Cantina do Bero (Sao Paulo), go on a night where they have a "Rodizio" and you'll be treated to all you can eat pizza where any toppings you would like, but served by waiters and eaten with proper utensils.
Mehadrin (Sao Paulo)go on a Sunday when they have the all-you-can-eat grill of every kind of meat imaginable.
Matok (Sao Paulo): Pizza was just OK, but their soft serve and wrapped ice cream was delicious.
Goody (Sao Paulo): You're in for a treat if this dairy eatery has an all-you-can-eat while you're there.

Just to update your Brazilian listings a bit.

Cantina de Beros pizza is not good IMO. And I have tried on rodizio style night too.

Mehadrin restaurant closed down a whole ago, now it's just a chain of butcher shops.

Matok pizza is decent and their ice cream is good. They cater for most airlines from GRU.

Goody has a large bakery selection in the bom retiro neighborhood. Don't miss the brigadeiros.

We also have some great, and a few more decent places here in São Paulo.

The best restaurant here is Nur. They are not cheap, but very good food and great service. They make a rodizio once in a while too. Top eatery in SP.

Sushi Papaya (kosher location) is a phonomenal sushi restaurant. Again prices are high, but the sushi is amazing, in the ranks of Yakimono or better.

Via Babush is probably the best pizza place in town. Very affordable though also very simple. They have sushi rodizios every week also, and all you can eat buffets.

Pizza Braz is a popular pizza chain in São Paulo. Usually about once in a month the Higienópolis location goes completely kosher and cholov yisroel. Very expensive but probably the best kosher pizza in São Paulo.

Pinati is an Israeli eatery in Higienópolis, their good is not that good, and neither are there prices. Still probably the only place to get shawarma and falafel in SP.

I hope this helps someone planning a trip here in the future. If there are places that I missed please let me know and I could add them too. Maybe it should be in Brazil destination thread.