CLOTHING
Cotton garments are quite useful, since in addition to being very comfortable, they perspire. Sunglasses and a swimsuit will help us enjoy the wonderful Brazilian beaches. It is advisable to bring a light sweater for the evenings, just in case. It is true that in Brazil you can do many different types of travel, so it is quite difficult to include advice for all of them. Anyone who is going to make a trip to the Amazon is advised to properly inform herself of the luggage to carry.
RECOMMENDED TIME OF YEAR TO TRAVEL
Perhaps the best time to visit the country in general is in December, when its summer begins. In any case, the country maintains an average temperature of between 21º and 28º C, so you don't have to worry too much about the cold. Also, if we are going to visit the Northeast of the country, Bahia or Pernambuco, we must bear in mind that we can find quite a lot of rains from December to March.
NEWSLETTER AND PRECAUTIONS IN BRAZIL
First of all I want to say that the best information we can obtain on the precautions to take is in an International Vaccination Center, which will advise us more appropriately according to the area we are going to visit. In any case, the yellow fever vaccine is recommended to visit 18 states, including Amazonas, Bahia Federal District, Mina Gerais, Sao Paulo, Maranhao, Para, etc. In any case, the big cities, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Salvador de Bahia and the coast, are out of risk. Also and due to a recent Dengue outbreak in the States of Bahia and Rio de Janeiro, we must take special care with mosquito bites, with repellents, long sleeves, long pants, mosquito nets, etc., since it is the only way to avoid disease. If the trip is to the Amazon, antimalarial treatment should also be taken. The sunscreen will help us to acquire a better color, not red, but toasted.
Medicine cabinet drawing
HOSPITALS
The best recommendation is to carry travel and repatriation insurance, which in case of any problem will guide us on which is the best hospital or health center to go to.
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES IN BRAZIL
The voltage of the electric current is not standard, so it varies from 110 to 220 V, depending on the area. In Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo it is usually 110 or 120 V at 60 Hz. Salvador de Bahia and Manaus have a current of 127 volts at 60 Hz. And Brasilia and Recife 220 V. It is advisable to travel with an adapter, since the plugs are two-pin, but flat American type.
MOBILE PHONE
In general, most Spanish companies have roaming agreements with local companies such as Nextel, TNL, Tim Brasil, Claro and Brasil Telecom. In any case, it is recommended to contact your operator before traveling, in case it does not cover the area you are going to.
DRIVING WAY
In Brazil you drive on the right, and we will travel on long roads that have no end, some better and others worse. It is necessary to carry the driving license, together with the international driver's license, which can be purchased at the Traffic Headquarters for approximately € 5 or € 6. It is recommended not to drive at night, not only due to the state of the roads, but also due to the heavy traffic of trucks and the lack of lighting.
SECURITY
It is true that Brazil is a country with not a very good reputation for security, but it must be taken into account that the victims of most crimes are actually the Brazilians themselves. In any case, you have to be extremely careful and not show signs of wealth. Being very careful with personal items is essential, since especially in big cities there are quite a few robberies, sometimes even with violence. Pay attention at the bus and train stations. The tourist centers of the cities are full of military police, in order to avoid problems with tourists.
BUSINESS HOURS
The business hours of most establishments are usually from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday, except large shopping centers, which extend their hours until 10 pm. On Sundays they close. Offices and banks are open from Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In the case of hospitality, it is best to consult, but in general they open from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Drugs
The consumption of alcoholic beverages is legal and there are no time restrictions to do so. The use of soft drugs is highly penalized. The trafficking of narcotic substances is punishable by between 3 and 15 years in prison, and can be extended up to 25 years in extreme or aggravated cases.
MONEY
The country's currency is the real. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends bringing dollars to exchange them upon entering the country, since the Brazilian currency is not quoted abroad. It can be exchanged at banks, exchange houses and large hotels, the latter being usually the least advantageous option. Travelers checks are easy to change only in large cities, and also in exchange for a significant commission. Credit cards are accepted in most establishments, especially Visa, Master Card and American Express.
SHOPPING
There is a wide variety of high-quality products that we can buy at fairly low prices, such as cotton hammocks, lace or native crafts, generally very colorful, and made of all kinds of materials, including banana and coconut leaves. . They have very typical instruments of the country, such as the berimbau, widely used in capoeira. In addition, on some occasions, they sell souvenir instruments adorned with stones. We will find precious or semi-precious stones in many places at a fairly good price. If we are looking for bikinis ... be careful they are very small!
TIPS
Usually the tip is included in the bill. In any case, and as the amount usually seems quite small, it never hurts that if the service has not seemed satisfactory, let's leave something else. In hotels it is usually recommended between 10% and 15% of the bill. A tip is usually left for almost any service, barbers, shoe shine, valet, gas station attendants, etc.
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