Debbie Smith visited Brazil in November 2005 and was taken aback by the breathtaking beauty of this unique country with its stretches of unexplored rainforest, pristine tropical island beaches and endless rivers. From the mad passion of the carnival to the immensity of the dark Amazon, Brazil is a country of mythic proportions. Read Debbie’s report to find out more, or call her on 0845 086 9710 or 0121 250 2211 to book your holiday to Brazil.

Flight
Our flights from Gatwick to Recife via Lisbon were with TAP and were perhaps not up to British travellers standards. However, TAM are hoping to fly from the UK in 2006 and they are excellent.

Recife
Recife, the North East’s second largest city, boasts a sprawling coastline bordered by glorious beaches. The city, originally built on three islands, has erupted from its original colonial boundaries and much of the centre is given over to uninspired modern skyscrapers. The amount of building work conducted in previous years has left Recife looking tired.

	Porto de Galinhas Further up the coast from Recife we visited four hotels in the Porto de Galinhas area: The Armacao, Solar, Village and Marupiara. All of these hotels are classified as four star but I would class them more as three star standard. All the hotels are located on the beach and are sold on a half board basis. If you are looking for hotel based holiday as part of a tour, then any of these hotels are fine, however, the surrounding areas are shabby and dirty with rubbish.
	Minas Gerais The mountainous area of Minas Gerais was once the centre of the world’s gold rush, and although no gold remains, the area still has a rich tradition. Ouro Preto, meaning Black Gold, is perhaps the most famous town in the area and boasts stunning examples of Baroque architecture. We stayed at the Pousada do Montego which is centrally located and has warm and comfortable rooms. We also visited Congonhas, a very pretty village which is well worth a visit. Congonhas is home to ‘The Twelve Prophets’, the statues sculptured by Aleijandinho who is considered by many to be second only to Michelangelo. Another village we visited was Tirandentes, which is full of craft shops and home to the Hotel Solar da Ponte, a delightful colonial property owned and managed by a British couple. I would recommend that a driver takes you Congonhas and Tirandentes, as the roads are not very good but the breathtaking scenery makes the trip well worth the effort.
	Iguacu Falls The awe-inspiring Iguacu Falls consists of 275 different waterfalls thundering into the River Iguacu. These are the largest falls on Earth and are bordered by Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. At £45 you can take a 15 minutes helicopter ride over the falls from the Brazilian side which is worth every penny! The Iguacu Falls region has other fantastic attractions: The Bird Sanctuary, The Macuco Safari (a thrilling adventure at the foot of the falls in a small motorboat) and a sophisticated casino and a duty free shop over the border in Argentina. We stayed at The Mabu Thermas and Resort which is situated a short drive away from the falls and is ideal for a short stay of two to three nights. The Tropical das Cataratas is the main hotel on the Brazilian side of the falls. It is in a beautiful location and built in a colonial fashion. I would however, recommend The Mabu Thermas hotel in preference to the Tropical.

We went over the border to Argentina for lunch at the Sheraton International Iguazu Resort. Each bedroom, restaurant, meeting room and public area have fantastic views of the falls. I would definitely recommend considering this hotel, even though it is over the border in Argentina, as border control is very simple and fast and the hotel is stunning.

Rio de Janeiro
This colourful, dazzling city boasts the world famous landmarks of the statue of Christ the Redeemer and the famous sweep of Copacabana beach. Rio also has numerous bars, shops and historical sights to see and for football fans it has the Maracana Stadium, the largest football stadium in the world.

We stayed at the Pestana Rio Atlantica Hotel, which is located on the Copacabana beach. The hotel is well equipped and relaxing.

We also visited the famous Copacabana Palace Hotel, which is certainly in a class of its own. It is lavishly appointed with extensive leisure facilities and business floor and attracts a wealthy clientele.

Caesar Park Hotel, situated on Ipanema beach is also very impressive. Ipanema is the more popular of the two beaches and is adorned with designer shops and smart bars. The Caesar Park Hotel is sophisticated and elegant and has a reputation for fine cuisine. It is also more reasonably priced than the Copacabana Palace Hotel.

Summary
Brazil is a holiday destination which is set to become very popular for UK tourists in the future. The north of the country has beautiful beaches and first-rate hotels, but I do feel that further investment is necessary.

I was not aware of any crime in the areas I visited. Poverty is an unfortunate fact of life - it can be disturbing to see, especially in Rio, where the slums seem harsher because of the beauty surrounding them.

Prices are considerably cheaper outside the main tourist areas and you can pick up jewellery, shoes and handbags at bargain prices. The food was extremely varied and of high quality.

I would recommend visiting Minas Gerias, Rio de Janeiro and Iguacu Falls to gain a real feel of Brazil. Sunworshippers will be happy all year round with the high temperatures, but the best time to visit is between December and March, outside the rainy season.