Brazil is a colourful and exotic South American destination.
It’s famous for its beaches like Copacabana and Ipanema as well as the exhilarating festival, Carnival. Brazil stretches from the Amazon Basin in the north to the impressive and equally beautiful Iguacu Falls in the South. Brazil borders every South American country (10 in total) except Chile and Ecuador. Brazil recognises four time zones. The main time zone corresponds to the time of the national capital Brasilia, which is 3 hours behind Universal Coordinated Time (UTC-3).
Brazil is a mixture of races and ethnicities, resulting in a rich cultural diversity. Family is the foundation of the social structure, and even the extended family is quite close.
- Don’t make the ‘OK’ hand gesture in Brazil as it has a very different and offensive meaning.
- Despite being ethnically diverse, there is a class system in Brazil and a visible divide between middle and lower classes.
- It’s customary to bring a gift to a friend’s house, but avoid the colours purple and black as they are
associated with mourning.
- Kissing is customary, so don’t be shocked when you are kissed by a stranger.
Transport
Bus travel is the best way to get around Brazil — everything from long distance to city transport. Bus travel is usually excellent, cheap, uncomplicated and has plenty of services. Rio and Sao Paulo also have a metro system, and taxis are another great option for city transport.
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