Visas: Passports must be valid for at least six months from date of entry. Visas are required for tourists of many nationalities, including Australia, Canada and the USA; visas are generally for 90 days, with one extension of up to 90 days possible.
Health risks: Dengue Fever, Malaria, Rabies, Yellow Fever, Meningococcal Meningitis
Time Zone: GMT/UTC -2 (Fernando de Noronha archipelago), GMT/UTC -3 (In the east, northeast, south and southeast), GMT/UTC -4 (In the west), GMT/UTC -5 (In the far west)
Dialling Code: 55
Electricity: 110/220V, 60Hz
Weights & measures: Metric

ACTIVITIES

There are great spots for hang-gliding in Rio, especially around Pedra Bonita, near Pepino beach. Surfing is popular all along the coast, with plenty of good surf close to Rio. Wind-surfing has caught on in Brazil - while Búzios is a good place to go, the hardcore mecca is north-west of Fortaleza in places such as Jericoacoara.

Sailing is big in Búzios and off the larger resorts along the coast. Inland, the Rio Araguaia in Goiás and Tocantins is known as a fishing paradise. There are excellent opportunities for rock climbing in and near Rio and in the national and state parks, and hiking is great along the coast and in some of the national and state parks.

Futebol (soccer) is the national obsession, and if you can play the game or talk about it meaningfully you'll become an instant hit with the locals.

MONEY & COSTS

Currency: Real

Meals
- Budget: US$5-10
- range: US$10-20
- High: US$20+

After the long-expected devaluation of the real in 1999, many people anticipated explosive inflation. So far, however, exchange rates and prices have held steady. Bear in mind that prices for accommodation increase 25-30% from December to February.

Credit cards are now accepted all over Brazil. Visa is the best card to carry for cash advances, finding an ATM that accepts your particular card can be difficult, though. Changing cash and travelers' checks is simple - there are cambios in all but the tiniest towns. It's worth having enough cash to tide you over the weekend, when finding an open change bureau, even in big cities, can be difficult. When buying cash, ask for lots of small bills as change is often unavailable for small transactions.

Most services get tipped a mandatory 10%, often included in the bill. If a waiter is friendly and helpful, you may like to give more. Because of Brazil's high unemployment rate, services that may seem superfluous are customarily tipped. Parking assistants are the most notable as they receive no wages, but petrol-station attendants, shoe shiners and barbers are also frequently tipped.