Brazil is massive. Like, "takes five hours to fly across it" massive. If you’re even remotely considering going to Brazil, you’ve probably seen the highlight reels: the Christ the Redeemer statue poking through the clouds, the thumping drums of Carnival, or maybe just a really good steak. But the reality of landing in São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro in 2026 is a bit more nuanced than a postcard. It’s a country that feels like it’s living in three different centuries at once. You have high-tech hubs like Curitiba, 18th-century colonial vibes in Ouro Preto, and then there’s the sheer, raw power of the Amazon.
Honestly, most people get the scale wrong. They think they can "do" Brazil in ten days. You can't. You’ll just end up spending half your life in GOL or LATAM airline terminals.
The Logistics of Going to Brazil: Visas and Entry in 2026
Wait, do you actually have your paperwork ready? Because the rules changed. For a while, Americans, Canadians, and Australians were gliding in visa-free. That changed. As of early 2025, the Brazilian government reinstated visa requirements for several countries, though they’ve moved to an e-visa system to keep it from being a total nightmare.
You’ll want to check the Brazilian government’s official VFS Global portal before you book that flight. Don't trust a blog post from 2022. It’s $80.15 for the e-visa, and it usually lasts ten years for US citizens, but the processing time can be finicky. Sometimes it’s two days. Sometimes it’s two weeks of refreshing your inbox while your flight departure date creeps closer.
Safety is usually the first thing people ask about. Is it dangerous? Sorta. It depends. If you’re walking around the Lapa neighborhood in Rio at 3:00 AM with an iPhone 16 Pro Max in your hand, you’re basically asking for a bad time. But if you use common sense—Uber instead of walking at night, keeping your phone in your pocket, staying in well-trafficked areas—you’ll likely be fine. The "safety" conversation is often exaggerated by people who have never actually set foot in the Southern Hemisphere, though the grit is real. It’s an edgy place. That’s part of the energy.
Why São Paulo Is Better Than Rio (There, I Said It)
Most travelers head straight for Rio. I get it. The mountains hitting the ocean is one of the most beautiful sights on the planet. But if you want to understand modern Brazil, you go to São Paulo.
It’s a concrete jungle. It’s ugly-beautiful. Imagine if New York City and Tokyo had a baby, and that baby spoke Portuguese and was obsessed with pizza. São Paulo has the largest population of Japanese people outside of Japan in the Liberdade district. The food scene here isn’t just good; it’s world-class. You can go from a $3 pastel at a street market to a 12-course tasting menu at D.O.M. where Alex Atala is serving Amazonian ants that taste like lemongrass.
The art scene is exploding too. The MASP (Museu de Arte de São Paulo) on Paulista Avenue is an architectural marvel—it’s suspended by four massive red pillars. Walking under it on a Sunday when the street is closed to cars and filled with musicians is the peak "Sampa" experience.
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Don't Skip the Northeast
If you’re going to Brazil for the beaches, skip the crowded sands of Copacabana and head north. Places like Jericoacoara in Ceará or the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park are otherworldly.
Lençóis is particularly wild. It’s a vast field of white sand dunes that fill up with rainwater between May and August. You end up with thousands of crystal-clear turquoise lagoons sitting in the middle of a desert. It doesn't look real. It looks like a Windows screensaver from the future.
- Fly into São Luís.
- Take a 4x4 to Barreirinhas.
- Hire a local guide (don't try to drive the dunes yourself, you will get stuck).
- Swim in the Lagoa Bonita at sunset.
The Money Situation and Why Cash Is Dead
Brazil is surprisingly tech-forward when it comes to money. Almost everyone uses Pix. It’s an instant payment system created by the Central Bank of Brazil. You’ll see street vendors selling coconuts on the beach with a QR code stuck to their cooler.
As a tourist, you can't easily get Pix because you need a CPF (a Brazilian tax ID). This is a major hurdle. However, credit cards are accepted almost everywhere. From the high-end boutiques in Oscar Freire to the tiniest boteco selling cold Brahma beer, your Visa or Mastercard will work. Just make sure you have a card with no foreign transaction fees.
Cash is still good for tips or the occasional "off the grid" pousada in the jungle, but for the most part, you’re tapping your phone or card.
The Complexity of the Amazon
If your plan for going to Brazil involves "seeing the Amazon," you need to narrow that down. Manaus is the usual jumping-off point. It’s a city of two million people in the middle of the rainforest. The juxtaposition is jarring. You have this ornate, pink Opera House (Teatro Amazonas) built during the rubber boom, and then twenty minutes away, the Rio Negro and Rio Solimões meet without mixing, creating a two-tone river of black and sandy water.
Stay in an eco-lodge. Don't just do a day trip. You need to be out there at night to hear the jungle wake up. It’s deafening.
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The Amazon is also at the center of a massive global climate conversation. You’ll see the tension between preservation and industry everywhere. It’s not a theme park; it’s a living, breathing, and struggling ecosystem. Talking to local Ribeirinhos (river people) gives you a perspective that no documentary can provide. They see the river changing in real-time.
Brazilian Etiquette You’ll Probably Mess Up
Brazilians are warm. Like, really warm. Personal space is a suggestion, not a rule.
- The Greeting: In Rio, it’s two kisses on the cheek. In São Paulo, usually one. If you’re a guy meeting another guy, it’s a firm handshake and a half-hug (the abraço).
- The "Everything is Fine" Thumb: The thumbs-up is the universal language of Brazil. It means "yes," "thanks," "I'm okay," or "I understand." Use it constantly.
- Dining: Don't touch your food with your hands. Even a sandwich or a slice of pizza is often eaten with a napkin or a fork and knife. It’s a weirdly specific cleanliness thing.
Understanding the "Custo Brasil"
Brazil is expensive. Or rather, it’s expensive for what it is. This is known as the "Custo Brasil" (the Brazil Cost). High taxes and import duties mean that a new iPhone costs twice as much there as it does in the US.
For you as a traveler, your dollar or euro will go a long way in terms of food and lodging, but don't expect "Southeast Asia cheap." Brazil is a middle-income country with a massive economy. Luxury here is truly luxury, and you’ll pay for it.
A Quick Reality Check on the Weather
It’s not always summer. Brazil is in the Southern Hemisphere, remember? If you go to the South (Porto Alegre or Florianópolis) in July, you’re going to be cold. Like, "wearing a heavy jacket and wishing you had a heater" cold.
The best time for going to Brazil generally falls between December and March for the heat and Carnival vibes, or September to November if you want to avoid the humidity and the crowds.
Actionable Steps for Your Trip
Stop over-planning. Brazil rewards the flexible.
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Get your CPF. If you plan on staying for more than two weeks or want to buy domestic flights easily, you can actually apply for a "CPF for Foreigners" online or at a Brazilian consulate. It makes things like buying a SIM card or booking bus tickets on apps like Buser way easier.
Download WhatsApp. If you don't have it, you don't exist in Brazil. Every restaurant reservation, tour guide, and Airbnb host operates exclusively through WhatsApp.
Learn basic Portuguese. No, they don't speak Spanish. While you might be understood, it’s a bit of an insult to assume they do. Learning how to say bom dia (good morning), obrigado (thank you), and por favor (please) will change the way people treat you. It opens doors.
Get travel insurance. The public health system (SUS) is actually quite decent for emergencies, but for anything else, you want access to private hospitals like Albert Einstein in São Paulo, which are world-class.
Brazil is a sensory overload. It’s loud, it’s vibrant, it’s frustrating, and it’s deeply beautiful. It’s the kind of place that stays in your system long after you’ve flown home.
Next Steps:
- Verify your visa status on the official VFS Global site.
- Look into the "Golden Triangle" route: Rio de Janeiro, Iguaçu Falls, and São Paulo.
- Set up a Google Flight alert for GRU (São Paulo) or GIG (Rio) for the shoulder season in October.
- Download an offline Portuguese dictionary on Google Translate.