Brazil Master Thread

[YYZOGG]

Nice!

We used Uber all day in Sao Paulo including leaving the airport . The longest we waited was around 3- 4 minutes. Prices are dirt cheap and the service / cars were very descent.

Argentina is recommended not to use Uber as the taxis hate them and possibly get a little violent. Also Taxis are dirt cheap there so no need for Uber unless you only wanna use apps .

[Kobe Bryant]

TR on Rio here
Hopefully you find it informative and an enjoyable read.

[BarryLincoln]

Got in on today’s JFK-GRU in J sizzling deal.  Booked for family of 4, kids age 12+15.  Trying to determine whether GRU is the right place to visit.  Would like my kids to appreciate sites, perhaps relax a bit at a beach. 

Arriving Thursday AM and departing Monday PM.  Not a ton of time - wondering if it’s even worth it... any one have suggestions/recommendations on how I should be thinking about a trip like this?  Should we perhaps go straight to Manaus or Rio?  Returning to GRU on Monday AM, spending the day in GRU before night flight home?

[ual902]

Got in on today’s JFK-GRU in J sizzling deal.  Booked for family of 4, kids age 12+15.  Trying to determine whether GRU is the right place to visit.  Would like my kids to appreciate sites, perhaps relax a bit at a beach. 

Arriving Thursday AM and departing Monday PM.  Not a ton of time - wondering if it’s even worth it... any one have suggestions/recommendations on how I should be thinking about a trip like this?  Should we perhaps go straight to Manaus or Rio?  Returning to GRU on Monday AM, spending the day in GRU before night flight home?

Probably Rio is your best bet, Manause you will need 4 days from arrival, 2 days in the jungle , nothing to do in Manause city itself.

Iguazu is a 2 day trip.

[AJK]

What's the kosher food scene like in GRU?

Are these places open these days?

[AJK]

Proposed itin (as I assume it makes sense to do Rio before falls, so I can grab food en route):

Sun, JFK-MIA, AA, 77W in F, 2:30 PM-5:47 PM
<dinner at Street Kitchen during 4:18 connection>
Sun, MIA-GRU, AA, 77W in J, 10:05 PM-8:30 AM +1
<1:05 connection> [Note 1]
Mon, GRU-GIG, LA, Y, 9:35 AM - 10:35 AM
<3 days in GIG>
Thu, GIG-IGU, G3, Y, 7:15 AM-9:30 AM, $160 OW P/P [Note 2]
<10:55 in IGU> [Note 3]
Thu, IGU-GRU, LA, Y, 8:25 PM-10:10 PM, $28 OW P/P
<1:55 connection>
Fri, GRU-MIA, 77W in J, 12:05 AM-6:35 AM
<2:05 connection>
Fri, MIA-JFK, 772 in J, 8:40 AM - 11:30 AM


Note 1 - I will need to double-check baggage cutoff, but this is likely too tight. That said, the next feasible flights are not until 12:00 (from CGH) or 1:05 PM (from GRU) (and FYI all kosher restaurants are a min of 30 mins away from GRU). See below.



Note 2 - This is the only non-stop flight between GIG/SDU-IGU, so if I need to move this up, I'll lose an entire day in GIG, but have two full days in IGU.

Note 3 - Is this enough time to do both sides of falls?

[Dan]

1. Wayyyyyyy too short to clear immigration and check bags.
2. Connecting options?
3. Not really. About 36 hours is ideal.

Maybe let's see how this looks flipped, going to IGU first and then RIO? You can bring food with you into Brazil. Could also pickup food in SAO if the connections allow.

[Yehoshua]

Proposed itin (as I assume it makes sense to do Rio before falls, so I can grab food en route):

Sun, JFK-MIA, AA, 77W in F, 2:30 PM-5:47 PM
<dinner at Street Kitchen during 4:18 connection>
Sun, MIA-GRU, AA, 77W in J, 10:05 PM-8:30 AM +1
<1:05 connection> [Note 1]
Mon, GRU-GIG, LA, Y, 9:35 AM - 10:35 AM
<3 days in GIG>
Thu, GIG-IGU, G3, Y, 7:15 AM-9:30 AM, $160 OW P/P [Note 2]
<10:55 in IGU> [Note 3]
Thu, IGU-GRU, LA, Y, 8:25 PM-10:10 PM, $28 OW P/P
<1:55 connection>
Fri, GRU-MIA, 77W in J, 12:05 AM-6:35 AM
<2:05 connection>
Fri, MIA-JFK, 772 in J, 8:40 AM - 11:30 AM


Note 1 - I will need to double-check baggage cutoff, but this is likely too tight. That said, the next feasible flights are not until 12:00 (from CGH) or 1:05 PM (from GRU) (and FYI all kosher restaurants are a min of 30 mins away from GRU). See below.



Note 2 - This is the only non-stop flight between GIG/SDU-IGU, so if I need to move this up, I'll lose an entire day in GIG, but have two full days in IGU.

Note 3 - Is this enough time to do both sides of falls?

Seems kinda rushed in IGU, especially since there's two sides of the falls to see. I'd allow more time there even given the once daily flight GIG - IGU.

[Dan]

Seems kinda rushed in IGU, especially since there's two sides of the falls to see. I'd allow more time there even given the once daily flight GIG - IGU.

+1

[tmendy226]

+1

+2

I would advise spent one night there. one day on each side should be perfect. That's what I did two years ago.

If you want to scratch another country off your map, Paraguay is right next to it but from my research, the only reason to go to the border town is for some cheap shopping.

Also, it would be very useful to have local money to pay for taxi from the border (when I was there, only one side had Uber and not that many. had to cross part of the border by foot... don't ask)

Of course, make sure to check Argentina border covid rules.

[BarryLincoln]

Are there guides that one can use in the area that could help maximize a 36-hour visit?

[Dan]

Are there guides that one can use in the area that could help maximize a 36-hour visit?

No need for a guide, just do your research.

[Kobe Bryant]

I for one, would spend a day less in Rio, and spend 1 night/2 days in Iguazu.

If you want to scratch another country off your map, Paraguay is right next to it but from my research, the only reason to go to the border town is for some cheap shopping.

When the opportunity presents itself to add another country, I’m not one to decline. The reason we skipped Paraguay is the $160 visa fee PP.

[tmendy226]

I booked tickets for a week Purim time. Have already been to Sao Paulo and Iguazu. debating between Rio (driving ow?) and Buenos Aires/Uruguay.

I'm going with a toddler so Manaus doesn't really make sense plus the flight is too long.

Any ideas?

(was thinking of perhaps fly to Bolivia and go to the salt flats and/or the lake area but there are no direct flights to la paz. only santa cruz)

[tmendy226]

When the opportunity presents itself to add another country, I’m not one to decline. The reason we skipped Paraguay is the $160 visa fee PP.

If you have a non US passport it might be free.

[Yehoshua]

If you have a non US passport it might be free.

Also now that Brazil and Argentina got rid of their visa fees (we didn't go to Paraguay for the same reason), maybe Paraguay did too?

[Kobe Bryant]

Also now that Brazil and Argentina got rid of their visa fees (we didn't go to Paraguay for the same reason), maybe Paraguay did too?

Negative.

[Yehoshua]

Negative.

At least it only costs $160 pp to visit all thee countries now, not $480 pp.

[AJK]

Proposed itin No. 2:

Sun, JFK-MIA, AA, 77W in F, 2:30 PM-5:47 PM
<dinner at Street Kitchen during 4:18 connection>
Sun, MIA-GRU, AA, 77W in J, 10:05 PM-8:30 AM +1
<3:35 connection>
Mon, CGH-IGU, G3, Y, 12:05 PM - 1:45 PM, $135 OQ p/p
<40 hours in IGU>
Wed, IGU-GIG, G3, Y, 10:10 AM - 12:05 PM, $288 OW P/P
<36 hours in GIG>
Thu, IGU-GRU, LA, Y, 8:30 PM-9:50 PM, $21 OW P/P
<1:55 connection>
Fri, GRU-MIA, 77W in J, 12:05 AM-6:35 AM
<2:05 connection>
Fri, MIA-JFK, 772 in J, 8:40 AM - 11:30 AM


Notes:

1) Spending more time in IGU than GIG seems... odd.
2) Spending $888 in domestic tickets (i.e., more than it cost me to fly all the way to GRU in international biz) seems... odd.
3) I'd probably have to bring food with me since I'm going straight to IGU.

Should I be skipping IGU entirely?

[AJK]

Of course, make sure to check Argentina border covid rules.

Excellent point.

https://ar.usembassy.gov/covid-19/

Guess I won't need that much time there after all... guess the question now is: do I save IGU for a time I can see both sides?