Brazil

Written By Alex Hall

Brazil is where I have spent the most time of any country. Since early 2023 I have come back almost every year, with long stretches in Florianópolis and visits to Rio, São Paulo, Bahia, Ceará and the Costa Verde. It is big, warm and a little hard to pin down, and it rewards slow travel.

What I did

  • Lived for months in Campeche, Florianópolis, working in the mornings and hitting the beach after.

  • Went to Carnaval in Rio in 2025 from Botafogo and again in 2026 from Copacabana.

  • Rode the Sugarloaf cable car and walked Tijuca National Park, and saw a game at the Maracanã.

  • Hiked Pedra da Gávea in Rio, and spent a month living near Arpoador.

  • Visited Bahia's Discovery Coast: Arraial d'Ajuda, Caraíva and Trancoso.

  • Went to Jericoacoara and Fortaleza in Ceará, then Ilha Grande and Paraty on the Costa Verde.

  • Spent time in São Paulo, Curitiba and Belo Horizonte, and weekends in Praia do Rosa and Balneário Camboriú.

Where to stay

  • Campeche, Florianópolis: where I based myself for the long stays. A long surf beach, laid back and residential, with açaí spots and bakeries. About 15 minutes from the airport. I used Airbnbs here for months.

  • Lagoa da Conceição: the social center of Floripa, with bars and restaurants around the lagoon.

  • Copacabana and Ipanema, Rio: Copacabana is dense and real, Ipanema more polished. The corner by Arpoador gives you both, and the sunset rock is a block away.

  • Botafogo, Rio: local, younger and cheaper, with views of Sugarloaf. A good choice for Carnaval.

  • Jardins, São Paulo: leafy, upscale and walkable, close to Avenida Paulista and many of the best restaurants.

  • Arraial d'Ajuda and Caraíva: a hilltop village and a car free sand street village in Bahia. In Ilha Grande I stayed at a guesthouse in Abraão, and in Paraty at a pousada in Pontal.

Where I stayed

Getting there and around

  • São Paulo (GRU) is the usual international gateway. Rio has Galeão and the closer Santos Dumont, and Florianópolis (FLN) is about 15 minutes from Campeche. Uber and 99 run from all of them.

  • Domestic flights are the fastest way between regions. Long distance buses are comfortable and run to places like Curitiba and Paraty.

  • Jericoacoara has a small new airport near the village. Inside Jeri village and in Caraíva there is no Uber, so you walk or use buggies and boats.

What to eat

  • Feijoada: black bean and pork stew, traditionally on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Rio is the place.

  • Churrasco and picanha: rodízio steakhouses in São Paulo and Rio.

  • Comida mineira: pão de queijo, feijão tropeiro and tutu, best in Belo Horizonte.

  • Moqueca and acarajé: Bahia's specialties.

  • Seafood in Floripa: oysters, mussels and sequência de camarão, a multi course shrimp meal. I ate at Bonomi in Rio Tavares.

  • Açaí: açaí bowls everywhere, a daily habit in Florianópolis.

What to drink

  • Cachaça and caipirinha: cachaça is sugarcane spirit, and a caipirinha with lime, sugar and ice on the beach was one of the highlights of my time here. Paraty is famous for its cachaça distilleries.

  • Chopp: ice cold draft beer, served in small glasses so it stays cold. Craft beer is strong in Florianópolis and Blumenau.

  • Coffee: a cafezinho after lunch is standard, and Minas Gerais is the main coffee state.

  • Juices and coconut water: fresh sucos in every flavor, plus água de coco from a beach stand. Guaraná is the national soda.

  • Wine: the Serra Gaúcha around Bento Gonçalves, in the south, makes good sparkling wine and reds. It is a trip worth planning if you like vineyards.

  • Batida and caju: fruit and cachaça mixes are common at beach bars, especially in the Northeast.

Day trips and side trips

  • Praia do Rosa, 90 minutes south of Florianópolis, for a beach weekend.

  • Ilha Grande and Paraty from Rio, for the Costa Verde.

  • Jericoacoara dunes and lagoons from Fortaleza.

  • Ilha do Campeche boat trip from Florianópolis.

  • Serra Verde train to Morretes from Curitiba.

Festivals and events

  • Carnaval: Rio, usually in February or early March. The biggest party in the world, with sambadrome parades and street blocos.

  • Réveillon: Copacabana, December 31. Fireworks over the beach and everyone in white.

  • Rock in Rio: Rio de Janeiro, every two years, usually in September. One of the biggest music festivals on the planet.

  • Festas Juninas: the Northeast, usually in June. The big one is in Campina Grande and Caruaru, with bonfires, quadrilha dance and corn dishes.

  • Oktoberfest Blumenau: Blumenau, Santa Catarina, usually in October. One of the largest Oktoberfests outside Germany.

  • Parintins Folklore Festival: Amazonas, usually in late June. Two teams compete in a giant river island arena.

  • FLIP: Paraty, usually in July or August. A literary festival in the old town.

  • Lollapalooza Brasil: São Paulo, usually in March. A major international lineup at Interlagos.

  • Universo Paralello: Pratigi, Bahia, around New Year. A long running psytrance and electronic festival on the beach.

  • Warung Beach Club: Itajaí, Santa Catarina, near Florianópolis. A famous house and techno beach club with big season events.

  • Salvador Carnaval: Salvador, usually in February or March. Giant trio elétrico trucks and axé.

  • Círio de Nazaré: Belém, usually in October. One of the biggest religious processions in the world.

Music and dance

  • Samba: join a samba school rehearsal in Rio in the months before Carnaval, or take a samba class.

  • Forró: the couples dance of the Northeast, with forró nights in cities across Brazil.

  • Samba and pagode: the heart of Rio. Hear it live at Pedra do Sal and in the Lapa bars.

  • Bossa nova and MPB: the soft sound of Ipanema, found in small clubs in Rio.

  • Funk carioca: the baile funk sound from Rio's favelas, now global.

  • Sertanejo and forró: sertanejo is Brazil's country music, and forró is the dance music of the Northeast, played at festas juninas.

  • Live: blocos in Rio at Carnaval, bars around Lagoa da Conceição in Florianópolis, and clubs such as D-Edge in São Paulo for electronic.

Don't miss

  • Carnaval in Rio, February or early March.

  • Sugarloaf and Christ the Redeemer in Rio.

  • Sunset from the Arpoador rock.

  • Months of beach life in Florianópolis, or at least a week.

  • Iguaçu Falls, Lençóis Maranhenses and the Pantanal if you have time.

  • Paraty's old town and Ilha Grande's beaches.

Photography spots

  • Rio: Arpoador at sunset, and Sugarloaf at golden hour.

  • Florianópolis: Campeche and Praia Mole in morning light, and the Joaquina dunes at sunset.

  • Jericoacoara: the Duna do Pôr do Sol in the evening.

  • Paraty: the cobbled historic center at blue hour.

  • Drones: registration is required in Brazil, and many beaches and city areas are restricted. Check current rules.

My experience

Brazil became a place I keep coming back to. Florianópolis is where I spend the longest stretches, and Rio is the city I never get tired of. The pace is relaxed, the beaches are close, and the people are warm. I would recommend it to anyone who can stay longer than a week, and to remote workers who want a beach life.

Money and admin: CPF, Nubank and Pix

Getting a CPF and opening a Nubank account were the two best things I did for spending real time in Brazil. With Nubank I pay for everything with Pix, like a local.

  • CPF: Brazil's individual taxpayer number. You need it for almost everything: a local SIM, bus tickets online, apps like iFood and 99, gyms, event tickets and checkout at many stores and pharmacies.

  • Get it online before you go: free on the Receita Federal website, using your passport details exactly as printed. The number arrives by email in about 1 to 2 weeks.

  • Or in person in Brazil: free at a Receita Federal service center with your passport, usually issued in under an hour.

  • Pix: instant bank transfers by QR code or phone number. It is how Brazilians pay for everything, and a Nubank account with your CPF lets you use it too.

  • Cards and ATMs: credit cards and tap to pay work almost everywhere, but many foreign debit cards fail at Brazilian ATMs. Banco24Horas, Bradesco and Banco do Brasil machines are your best bet, and keep a backup card and a little cash for remote places like Caraíva and Jericoacoara.

Cost of living

  • Overall: Florianópolis, Rio and São Paulo: $$, about 35% cheaper than New York. Rio's Zona Sul and São Paulo run higher, Salvador and Fortaleza lower.

  • Coffee: about $2

  • Local lunch: about $8

  • Dinner for two at a nice restaurant: about $55

  • Beer or cocktail: about $3 / $7

  • Ride across town: about $4

  • Mid-range hotel: about $65 a night

  • Furnished one-bedroom in a good area: about $800 a month in Florianópolis's Lagoa da Conceição, $1,000 in Rio's Ipanema, $900 in São Paulo's Pinheiros

  • Daily budget: about $50 budget, $100 comfortable, $250+ luxury in Florianópolis, a bit more in Rio

Brazil gives good value outside Rio and São Paulo, and Florianópolis is a comfortable middle ground. Prices vary a lot with the exchange rate, and the high season from December to February raises accommodation prices sharply on the coast. Prices are approximate in US dollars as of 2026.

Working remotely

  • Wi-Fi: Fiber is common in apartments, often 100 to 500 Mbps in Florianópolis and São Paulo, and generally reliable. Smaller beach towns can be slower, with occasional outages in storms.

  • Coworking and cafes: Florianópolis has the strongest nomad community, in Lagoa and Campeche. São Paulo has the most coworking, and Rio has beaches plus WeWork and local spaces.

  • Time zone: Brasília time is UTC-3, 1 to 2 hours ahead of US Eastern depending on daylight saving. Brazil no longer changes its clocks.

  • Visa for longer stays: Tourist entry rules for US citizens have changed recently, so check whether an e-visa is required. Stays are usually up to 90 days, and Brazil has a Digital Nomad Visa for remote workers. Check current rules.

  • Nomad rating: 4 out of 5. Great weather, beaches, community and cost in Florianópolis, with some friction from Portuguese, paperwork and petty crime in big cities.

Good to know

  • Language: Portuguese. Spanish gets you partway, especially in the South, but English is limited outside hotels and tourist areas. WhatsApp is how everyone communicates.

  • Currency: The real (R$). Cards and tap to pay work almost everywhere, but many foreign debit cards fail at local ATMs. Carry some cash for beach vendors, Caraíva and Jericoacoara. Locals pay with Pix, and a CPF tax ID makes SIMs and online bookings much easier.

  • Plugs: Type N and Type C. Voltage is 127V in Rio, São Paulo and Belo Horizonte, and 220V in Florianópolis and much of the Northeast.

  • Entry for US citizens: Brazil requires an e-visa for US citizens. Check current rules.

  • Best time to visit: Rio all year, with Carnaval in February or March. Florianópolis from December to March, and April and May are calm and warm. Jericoacoara for wind from July to January.

  • Getting around: Uber and 99 work in the big cities.

  • SIM/eSIM: Claro, Vivo and TIM. An eSIM is easy for short stays, and a local SIM needs a CPF.

  • Apps: iFood is the main delivery app, and Rappi works in the big cities.

  • Water: Do not drink the tap water. Buy bottled or filtered water.

  • Tipping: Restaurants add a 10 percent service charge. No extra tip is expected, but round up for beach vendors.

Useful phrases

  • Hello: Oi or Olá

  • Thank you: Obrigado (if you are a man) or Obrigada (if you are a woman)

  • Please: Por favor

  • How much?: Quanto custa?

  • The check, please: A conta, por favor

Nightlife

Brazil goes out late and loud, and nights are social, with friends staying out until sunrise. It is more music and dancing driven than most American nights out, and Carnaval is the biggest time of the year.

  • When people go out: Dinner is around 9, bars fill by 11, and clubs run from about 1 until sunrise. Friday and Saturday are the big nights, and Lapa is busiest on Friday.

  • Where the action is: In Rio, Lapa is the classic district, with Ipanema and Leblon for relaxed bars. In Florianópolis, Lagoa da Conceição and Jurerê Internacional. In São Paulo, Vila Madalena and Pinheiros.

  • The music: Samba, pagode, funk carioca, sertanejo and electronic music.

  • Must-visit: A samba night in Lapa in Rio is worth planning around, with live bands in the old houses and street parties that spill into the area.

  • Good to know: Many clubs use a cover or a consumption card that you pay when you leave, so keep it safe. Beer is cheap, and beach clubs cost more. Dress is casual, a bit smarter at clubs. Take a ride app home, avoid long walks at night and keep your phone out of sight.

Meeting people

  • Social scene: Rio and Sao Paulo are both social cities. In Rio, the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana host volleyball and futevolei, and run clubs gather along the shore. Coworking spaces and language exchanges are common in Sao Paulo. Brazilians are friendly and open with visitors.

  • Apps: Tinder, Bumble and Hinge are widely used. Meetup, Bumble BFF and Facebook groups work for friends, and WhatsApp groups run most events and language exchanges.

  • Etiquette: Greetings are warm, often a hug or a kiss or two on the cheek. Punctuality is relaxed for social plans, but be on time for business. Plans often form last minute over WhatsApp. Bills are usually split evenly.

  • Stay smart: Meet in public, watch your drink and avoid showing your phone on the street at night. Use Uber instead of hailing taxis.

Staying safe

  • Phone theft is the main issue in Rio and São Paulo. Do not walk with your phone out, and use Uber after dark.

  • Leave valuables off the sand at Copacabana and Ipanema, and take only what you need.

  • At Carnaval blocos, bring a cheap backup phone and a little cash instead of your main phone and wallet.

  • Florianópolis is relaxed, but still lock up and avoid empty beaches at night.

Alex Hall
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