Discover The Treasures Of Brazil (NAPSA)—In addition to beautiful sandy beaches, festive Carnival and exotic jungles, the world’s fifth-largest nation offers vacationers a land without barriers and the feeling that there’s something new in every corner, mountain, valley andcity. “Brazil offers a wide range of activities for all types of travelers,” said Jeanine Pires, the president of the Brazilian Tourist Board. “The best part about traveling to Brazil is that it has something for everybody, from sports to history, to ecotourism to sunbathing along our coastlines.” The north is home to the Amazon rainforest. The center west is dominated by the capital, Brasilia, and ecotourism hot spot, the Pantanal. To the southeast are So Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte. The south is the only part of Brazil that has all four seasons. It also attracted a large number of immigrants from Europein the 20th century. Whenplanninga trip to Brazil, keep these points in mind: Sun and Beach—lItacar, just south of Salvador, is Brazil’s new jewel of the coast, with white sand beaches, ocean, waterfalls, and hills covered by denseforest. Ecotourism—Brazil offers everything from snorkeling down crystal-clear rivers alongside varieties of fish in Bonito to hiking through the Atlantic Rainforest reserves. Sports—Brazil is known for its soccer team, but many other exciting spectator sports can be found, including a uniquely Brazilian sport, capoeira, which involves a stylized fight dance, and beach volleyball and horse racing. Fishing, diving andsurfing are also popular. Brazil’s famed beaches, such as Praia do Forte located to the north of Salvador in Bahia, stretch more than 4,000 miles throughoutthe country. Culture—There may be no better way to experience the diversity, creativity, color and culture of Brazil than at Carnival. It occurs in February and March throughout the entire country, with the largest celebrations in cosmopolitan Rio de Janeiro. Salvador and Recife also host spectacular Carnival celebrations. Business—As the seventhmost popular meeting destination in the world, Brazil offers unparalleled accommodations for businesstravelers. A recent survey conducted by Vox Populi found that 86 percent of travelers intend to return to Brazil and 94 percent would recommend Brazil to their friends and family. While the official language is Portuguese, Americans will find it easy to communicate in major cities and through international tours. Learn More For more information about Brazil and for help planning a trip, visit www.braziltour.com or www.mre.gov.br.
