Brazilian Tourism & Travel: Araxá | State of Minas Gerais

Brazilian Tourism & Travel: Araxá | State of Minas Gerais



Located in the West of the state of Minas Gerais, Araxá is a town that has some of the most relaxing tourist attractions in Brazil. It is there that we find the famous thermal and sulfurous springs, whose waters fill the many pools where we can take baths in therapeutic waters. The so-called Termas de Araxá are located in the town’s outskirts, and they may be reached from the Tropical Grande Hotel through a suspended gallery, approximately 100 meters (109.36 yards) long. The view from there is simply unforgettable.

The hotel was built in 1944, and it was one of the greatest symbols of the town’s economic development. Details from that time can be seen in the finely worked mirrors, in the Carrara marble floors, and in the majestic chandeliers that embellish the ballrooms. The gorgeous gardens were planned by the famous landscaper Burle Marx.



The town is also famous for having been where lived Dona Beja, a daring courtesan, greatly respected in the town. The stories of that exuberant and luxurious inhabitant are still alive in Araxá. Dona Beja’s old big house was transformed into a museum by the journalist and communications tycoon Assis Chateaubriand, and nowadays displays some articles that belonged to Beja, who used to bathe in one of the towns fountains. Besides the natural beauties, the town of Araxá is a destination that offers many museums and old churches, mostly built in the nineteenth century.



The Chapel of São Sebastião (Saint Sebastian's Chapel), built in colonial style, is an example. The place also houses a sacred art museum. Those who visit the town also get to see the most beautiful women craft pieces made in looms, and the delicacies of the cuisine of the state of Minas Gerais, such as compote candy and cookies. As a natural frame for the cozy streets of Araxá we see the beauty of the Bocaina Mountain Ridge, whose peaks reach 300 meters (984.25 ft) of height. The weather and the relief are perfect for the practice of adventure sports, such as hang-gliding.



Attractions



Barreiro Complex

Located at six kilometers (3.73 mi.) from the center of Araxá, the Complex of the Barreiro district is one of the most visited places of the town. It is there that we find the famous radioactive and sulfurous mineral water springs. The architectural group of the place, which includes the Grande Hotel e Termas de Araxá, has been listed as a landmark by the government of the state of Minas Gerais and has great historical, cultural, and artistic value for Brazil. In the Complex visitors can also stroll around woods, lakes, squares, and it is possibly to walk around the gardens that were especially projected by the landscaper Burle Marx.



Ruin of the Hotel Rádio and Cascatinha Woods (Little Cascade Woods)

The place where the oldest hotel of the Barreio district was built in 1919 is today a beautiful park for leisure and fun. It has walking trails and cycling lanes, promenades and orchards, with much varied fauna and flora. From there, it is possible to get to the Cascatinha Woos, an ecological sanctuary in the area. The hotel became famous because Alberto Santos Dumont, the father of the aviation, stayed there many times.



Argenita Waterfall

A gorgeous waterfall, with a fall of 40 meters (131.23 ft.), formed with the water of the São João River. To get there we have to take the Sacramento road, in the town of Ibiá, and we need to be escorted by a local guide.



Andrade Júnior Spring

The fame of the healing powers of the waters that come from that spring has been known since the nineteenth century. Those waters are indicated for the treatment of diabetes, obesity, gastric, rheumatologic, urologic, and hepatic problems, among many others.



Dona Beja Spring

That place became famous because Dona Beja used to bathe naked there. The spring is in a rock, and its waters have radioactive properties.



Dona Beja Museum

The big house, built in the beginning of the nineteenth century, was one of Dona Beja's residences and has house, since 1965, a museum and a cafeteria. It is a cozy place for a coffee break and a chat with friends.

Brazilian Tourism & Travel: Gramado | State of Rio Grande do Sul

Brazilian Tourism & Travel: Gramado | State of Rio Grande do Sul

Gramado, located 126km from Porto Alegre, capital of Rio Grande do Sul State, is the stage for major events – such as the Film Festival and the Winter Festival – and boasts a schedule full of attractions to please all tastes.

The charm of the streets and gardens embellished with countless hydrangeas in bloom, the details of the colonial architecture, the cozyness of the vast hotel network, the sophistication of the gastronomy, the quality of products and services, the hospitality within the people, the scent of nature, actually, everything in Gramado seems to conspire so that unique pleasant moments can be experienced.

Joining the natural beauty with the Italian and German traditions – brought with the settlement – makes Gramado a destination that is more than charming and picturesque to visit and enjoy. There one can find all the reasons to feel good and want to return often.

Events

Gramado Film Festival
Main Brazilian event in the field and one of the most important in Latin America, the Gramado Film Festival happens annually since 1973, for six days in the month of August.

Actors, directors, technicians and visitors give prestige to the competition, which shows dozens of films and offers prizes in two categories: Brazilian productions and Latin-American, Portuguese and Spanish films. The program also incudes short films, independent films, workshops and talks. The screenings are at the Festivals Palace – with capacity for 1,200 people – and at the Municipal Culture Center. All the screenings are open to the public, who can even participate on the judgment of the films.

Winter Festival
This Festival brings together music, literature, crafts and cinema in Gramado. It happens between July 1st and September 20th, when the city becomes the capital of winter and culture. The schedule includes established events such as the Film Festival and the Book Fair, and also new events such as the Gramado Canta e Encanta project. Altogether there are over 50 musical shows.

Colônia’s Party
Event with food stalls and many other typical products, crafts, music and dance from the Italian and German communities. The Party happens every year, between the months of March and April.

Attractions

Paragliding
The sport is one of the hang gliding modalities and arrived in Brazil in 1989; a year later it could be seen in the skies of Rio Grande do Sul. Since then the techniques and gear have been evolving, allowing ever better performances. Age or physical type don’t matter for those wishing to learn to “fly” on a paraglider.

The greatest excitement of the flight is in the combination of the right techniques with the Nature factors. It is possible to fly without engine, for long distances, and at great heights – two or three thousand meters, for example. What determines the duration of a flight is the climate conditions, and it should be possible to remain flying for up to ten hours.

Mini World
Miniature city with replicas of castles and homes in typical European style, mills, squares, railways and cascades. The miniature city is featured permanently at Horácio Cardoso Street with Pedro Candiago Street, and is open to the public Tuesday to Sunday from 1pm to 5pm.

CTG Rodeio Velho Museum or Museum of the Gaúcho Serrano
The only museum in the State dedicated exclusively to show the habits of the gaúcho serrano. It was organized by Lúcio and Cilda Petersen for 50 years, and brings rare pieces from the time of the Farroupilha Revolution and the so called Leather Era.

There one can find exclusive crafts, such as the surrão, a leather storage for keeping cereals, the genuine boleadeira, the tirador, the badana, the soveu and many pieces made of Bolivian silver; all collected from the region of São Francisco de Paula, Bom Jesus, Lajeado Grande, Vacaria, Cambará, Canela and Gramado. In total there are over 1,500 objects registered. There are also viola players playing typical music from the highland gaúchos. The museum is located at Rua Augusto Zatti, 55. It is open to visitors twice a month – every first and second Thursday – from 8pm to 10pm.

Perfume Museum
The first of this kind in the Country. There the visitor can know the world perfumery classics. The place has around 450 bottles of the main international perfumes, with data on the composition, manufacturer, history and curiosities. Besides the Museum, there is also a shop and a perfume factory. It also sells sachets, soaps, shampoos and conditioners. The Perfume Museum is located at Hortênsias Avenue, 3662 and opens daily, including weekends and public holidays, from 9am to 6pm.

Santa Claus Village
Created by Oscar Knorr in 1940, there’s a Santa’s House, a wood and the Vale dos Quilombos observatory. It is on Bela Vista Street and is open for public visiting from Monday to Friday, from 2pm to 9pm and on weekends from 10am to 9pm.

Shopping

Colonial Furniture
Shops in the city center and on the road to Canela.

Crystals
There are crystal pieces of all types, formats and sizes. Shop opens from 9am to 7pm. At the back there is a demonstration of crystal making, from 9am to 7pm. Access through the RS-115, towards Taquara, km 37.

Chocolates
At the city center, many factories and shops such as Caracol, Lugano, Planalto and Prawer sell the famous “Gramado chocolate” in bars, branches, bombons, truffles, liqueurs and different shapes for children.

Brazilian Tourism & Travel: Matinhos | State of Paraná

Brazilian Tourism & Travel: Matinhos | State of Paraná

The town of Matinhos is located on the coast of the state of Paraná, at 110 km (68.35 mi.) from the state’s capital, Curitiba. Along its coast there are 36 resorts, the first one being at the Jardim Monções Beach Resort, where we have the border between the towns of Matinhos and Pontal do Paraná, and the go up to the famous Caiobá Beach Resort. In total, there are approximately 17 km (10.56 mi.) of beaches. Within the limits of the town there are also nine different rivers: the Draga, Matinhos, Onça, Canal da Lagoa Amarela (Yellow Pond Canal), Indaial, Novo, Cambará, Meio, and Cachoeirinha rivers. In the town there are also the Cabaraquara, Escalvado, Canela, Bico Torto, Taguá, Pedra Branca, Batatal, and Boi (Ox) hills. All of the mare excellent places for those who enjoy spending time in direct contact with nature. The Caiobá Beach Resort is among the most sought attractions in Matinhos. There, among its mane beaches, the Mansa, Bela, Brava, and dos Amores beaches are the most favored by tourists, having beautiful landscapes and allowing delicious sea baths. The Tartaruga or Farol Island (Turtle or Lighthouse Island) are also greatly appreciated by the visitors. To complete the tour, a great option is paying a visit to the João José Bigarella Ecological Museum, located in the town’s center and having in its collection many samples and collections of corals, minerals, crustaceans and shells, besides other rarer items. In case there is any energy left, the tip is paying a visit to the Rio da Onça State Park, where tourists will find a Visitor’s Center and trails of easy access, amidst formations of sandbanks, coppices, and caxetais (patches of growths of bigonisceous trees).

Weather
The climate of the area is the temperate super-humid. The annual average temperature is around 18°C (64.40°F), with average highs around 26°C (78.80°F), and average lows around 15°C (59°F).

• Attractions
  

Águas-Claras Water Park
Located on the Alexandra-Matinhos highway – at about kilometer 20 (12.43 mi.) – the Águas-Claras Water Park has an excellent leisure structure. There, visitors find beautiful fishing lakes, waterslides, rapids swimming pool with buoys, infantile water park, sports courts, barbecue grills, snack bars, restaurant, souvenir stores, and ice-cream parlor. The place offers adequate structure for walking, trekking, and hiking.

Igrejinha de São Pedro (Small Church of Saint Peter)
A construction built between the years of 1938 and 1944, it housed the Mother Church of São Pedro (Saint Peter) for many years. It is the only historical site that pays homage to the town's past. In 1987 it became listed as a landmark by the Institute for the Historical and Artistic Patrimony of the State of Paraná.

São Pedro Mother Church (Mother Church of Saint Peter)
Church of simple architectural lines, located in the town’s center. It was built to accommodate the growing number of followers that used to attend masses and go to the Igrejinha de São Pedro, the old Mother Church.

João José Bigarella Ecological Museum
It is located in the town’s center. In its collection it has many samples and collections of corals, minerals, crustaceans and shells, besides other rarer items.

Rio da Onça State Park
It is located near the Riviera and Praia Grande Beach Resorts. With an area of 118.5 hectares (292.82 acres), it shelters rich samples of fauna and flora, playing an important role in the preservation of the coastal ecosystem. The Park has a Visitor’s Center and trails of easy access, amidst formations of sandbanks, coppices, and caxetais (patches of growths of bigonisceous trees).

Boi Hill (Ox Hill)
It has approximately 160 meters (524.93 feet) of height and trails that take to the sea; it is an excellent place for fishing, technical climbing, parasailing, and hiking.

Escalvado Hill
With 260 meters (853.02 feet) of height, it is also known as the Cruz Hill (Hill of the Cross) It has accesses by trails and, in cloudless sunny days, from there it is possible to have a beautiful view of almost all beaches and towns of the area. The trails take visitor from the Bela Beach to the other side of the Costão (Wild Coast), where the open sea provides good places for the practice of the fishing. The place is also adequate for the practice of action sports such as rappel, technical climbing, and parasailing.

Tartarugas or Farol Islands (Turtles or Lighthouse Islands)
It is connected to the Amores Beach by an isthmus of natural rocks. It is small, and covered with rich flora. It gained that name because of the lighthouse that exists in the place, which guides the fishing boats that enter the Guaratuba Bay. It is an excellent place for fishing, hiking, and diving.

Mirante das Pedras (Belvedere of the Rocks)
It is one of the main tourist attractions of the town of Matinhos and it is located between the Brava and Mansa beaches. It is a hill amongst rocks and stones, washed by the sea. It is one of the best places for surfing on the coast of the state of Paraná.

Brava Beach
It is located in a bay of shallow and somewhat rough waters, surrounded by a yard and some vegetation. In one of its ends we find the Boi Hill, and in the other, the Matinhos Rock. It is there that the surf championships are organized. In total, this beach stretches over a span of 3,500 meters (11,482.94 feet).

Mansa Beach
It is also located in a bay, at the entrance of the Guaratuba Bay, having very calm and somewhat deep waters, besides a beautiful yard surrounding it. It is approximately 1,500 meters (4,921.26 feet) long. From there, it is possible to reach the Bela Beach or the Prainha do Farol (Small Beach of the Lighthouse) and the Tartarugas Island.

Did you know that: Rio de Janeiro

Did you know that: Rio de Janeiro

The first Samba Schools parade in Rio de Janeiro was held in 1935. Since then, the show has become greater year after year. Today, there is a “samba-drome” built especially for the annual vent. Some Schools spend up to R$2 million to prepare for their parades.

Soccer: Brazilian National Football Team | Brazil

Soccer: Brazilian National Football Team | Brazil

When the Englishman, Charles Miller, landed in Brazil at the end of the nineteenth century carrying a football and hoping to start the new game of soccer that was becoming popular in England, it could never have been imagined that a South American country would become the world's great footballing nation. The sport spread like wildfire and was soon played on the grass of the elegant clubs and on pitches. The English and their descendants started the first teams and formed the first leagues - soccer was on its way to becoming Brazil's national passion.

During the 1920's, Brazil was already established as a force in South America soccer. In the 1930's, European fans were already being enthralled by the football of Domingos da Guia, a full-back with a talent for attacking and dribbling the ball out of his own area; with Leônidas da Silva, who achieved international fame by inventing the incredible bicycle kick; and with Friedreich, a formidable striker who was said to have scored more than one thousand goals.

The first world title was some time in coming Brazil's way. Whilst the nation had great talent in relation to soccer, sport was in administrative disarray. Early in the 1930's the establishing of professionalism divided the clubs. Teams competed abroad without even the slightest evidence of structure. The chance to win a major title came in 1950 when Brazil hosted the World Cup and built the largest stadium in the world, the Maracanã.

Defeat by Uruguay in the final showed just how great the national passion really was. The Maracanã Stadium fell silent before erupting into sobs. There were heart attacks, brawls and even attempted suicides. Stars from the 1950 team, such as the goalkeeper Barbosa, the fullbacks Pinheiro and Juvenal and the attackers Zizinho, Ademir and Jair - all first line players - were greatly affected by the tragedy. However, Brazil recovered eight years later. With João Havelange - the present chairman of FIFA - at the head of the Brazilian Sporting Confederation (CBD), Brazilian soccer's governing body, the Brazilian team set off to compete in the Swedish Cup with a level of organization never seen before, led by the "Victory Field Marshal", Paulo Machado de Carvalho.

The golden age of Brazilian soccer had arrived. The nation became world champion in 1958 with a dream team: Gilmar, Djalma Santos, Bellini, Nilton Santos, Didi, Garrincha, Vavá, Zagallo and of course, Pelé, twice world champion of clubs with Santos, the team comprising of Pelé, Coutinho, Mengálvio, Gilmar and Pepe. Arguments raged in Brazil as to whether Santos was the best team or whether it was Botafogo, with Garrincha, Nilton Santos, Didi and also Amarildo's team, Quarentinha. A combination of the two helped Brazil to become world champion two years running in Chile in 1962.

The third winning of the championship in Mexico in 1970 brought the golden age to a close with a team considered by journalists to be the best of all time: led by Pelé with Carlos Alberto, Clodoaldo, Gerson, Jairzinho, Rivelino and Tostão. Brazil continued to be a source of great players - Paulo César, Reinaldo, Falcão, Sócrates and Cerezzo - but the national team failed to win titles. The clubs were also founts of Brazilian talent: Flamengo with players such as Zico, Júnior, Leandro, Andrade, Adílio and Tita, was world champion in 1981 and two years later it was the turn of Grêmio, the team that included the veteran, Paulo César, Mário Sérgio and Renato.

Twice the team got as far as the Olympic final only to lose. However, from the winners of the silver medal in Los Angeles in 1984 and Seoul in 1988, emerged the basis of the first Brazilian team to become champion four times in the 1994 World Cup held in the USA. The goalkeeper, Taffarel, the captain Dunga and the striker Romário - perhaps the most important players in that campaign - formed part of Olympic teams. At the Olympic Games in Atlanta, Brazil's team, headed by the four-time world champions Aldair and Bebeto, and by the biggest revelation of our football at present, Ronaldinho, won the bronze medal. In France, in 1998, Brazil was the World Cup's vice champion.

Fuelled by the scintillating play of the "Three R's" (Ronaldo, Rivaldo, and Ronaldinho), Brazil won its fifth championship at the 2002 FIFA World Cup held in South Korea and Japan. When the groups were drawn, Brazil seemed to have been lucky; Brazil's adversaries would be Turkey, China and Costa Rica. At the end, it turned out that Turkey finished the tournament in third place, showing that indeed Brazil's group was stronger than most had expected. Brazil went on beating all three opponents, scoring 11 goals and conceding only three, and topping the group.

Next they defeated Belgium 2-0, which had been the most difficult match for Brazil in the tournament. Against England in the quarter finals, Brazil won 2-1. Ronaldinho scored a remarkable goal and assisted teammate Rivaldo for the victory goal, but was then sent off. The semifinal was against Turkey, which Brazil had faced in their group. Again, this match was difficult, as Brazil won 1–0 with a goal by Ronaldo. Rivaldo had scored one goal each in all five game up to this one but did not manage to hit the target in the sixth. He had seemed all set to repeat Jairzinho´s great achievement in 1970 when he scored in every game of the World Cup.

The final was between two of the most successful teams in the competition's history: Germany and Brazil. Either Germany (or West Germany) or Brazil had played in all World Cup finals since 1950 - except 1978 (If the last game of 1950 is considered to be a proper final). German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn had been the tournament's best keeper, but could not maintain that level of play, as Ronaldo vanquished his France '98 demons, scoring both goals in the Brazilian 2-0 triumph.

These teams had never played each other in the World Cup before. There was however a match between Brazil and East Germany in the 1974 FIFA World Cup. Brazil won 1–0.

FIFA World Cup victories
Winner (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)
Runners-Up (1950, 1998)
Third (1938, 1978)
Fourth (1974)

FIFA World Cup appearances
(1930, 1934, 1938, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006)

Continental titles
Winner
Copa America (1919, 1922, 1949, 1989, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2007)

Runners-Up
Copa America (1921, 1925, 1936, 1945, 1946, 1953, 1957, 1959, 1983, 1991, 1995), CONCACAF Gold Cup (1996 USA, 2003 USA/Mexico)

Best Results
Winner
FIFA U-20 World Cup Final (1983, 1985, 1993, 2003), FIFA Futsal World Cup Final (1989, 1992, 1996), FIFA Confederations Cup (1997, 2005), FIFA U-17 World Cup Final (1997, 1999, 2003), FIFA Club World Cup (2000, 2005, 2006), FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Final (2006, 2007)

Runners-Up
Olympic Football Tournament Final (1984, 1988), FIFA U-20 World Cup Final (1991, 1995), FIFA U-17 World Cup Final (1995, 2005), FIFA Confederations Cup (1999), FIFA Club World Cup (2000), FIFA Futsal World Cup Final (2000), Olympic Football Tournament Women Final (2004), FIFA Women's World Cup Final (2007)

Third
FIFA U-20 World Cup Final (1977, 1989, 2005), FIFA U-17 World Cup Final (1985), Olympic Football Tournament Final (1996), FIFA Women's World Cup Final (1999), FIFA Futsal World Cup Final (2004), FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Final (2005), FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Final (2006)

Fourth
Olympic Football Tournament Final (1976), Olympic Football Tournament Women Final (1996, 2000), FIFA Confederations Cup (2001), FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Final (2002, 2004)

General Information
FIFA Trigramme: BRA
Country: Brazil
Country (official name): Republica Federativa do Brasil
Continent: South America
Capital: Brasilia
Major cities: Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Fortaleza, Nova Iguacu, Recife, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Belem, Goiania, Campinas, Guarulhos
Currency: Real
Official languages: Portuguese
Motto: Order and progress (Ordem e Progresso)

Geographic Information
Surface area: 8,511,965 km²
Highest point: Pico de Neblina 3,014m.
Neighbouring countries: Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, French Guiana, Surinam
Neighbouring seas and oceans: Atlantic Ocean

Population
Population (in millions): 182
Density (inhabitants per km2): 21.39
Average age (in years): 27
Life expectancy at birth (in years): 71.13

+ Brazilian Tourism & Travel:

São Paulo | Rio de Janeiro

Brazilian Tourism & Travel: Maraú | State of Bahia

Brazilian Tourism & Travel: Maraú | State of Bahia

The Peninsula of Maraú has been just discovered by natives of Bahia and tourists, but the oldest inhabitants tell that the small city has been visited even by the French writer and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the author of "The Little Prince", who would have remained in the village enough time to settle himself there. However it may be, the importance of the city over the past centuries is revealed today in the old-architecture buildings. From the belvedere in the uptown, it’s possible to appreciate a wonderful view of the Maraú estuary and the lower city, and even the wide open-fair area and the vessels at the harbor. The fishing is an important source of income for the city. In Agriculture, it’s grown rubber trees, dendê [African oil palm and its fruit] (introduced in the late century XIX), clove, pupunha palm, cocoa, guarana and black pepper. An open fair enlivens the city on Saturdays. Still in the Peninsula of Maraú is located Barra Grande, a village which has one of the country’s most beautiful beaches, full of attractions and natural swimming-pools suitable for baths and diving. Most of the inns and restaurants of the city are located in Barra Grande.

• Attractions
  

Cachoeira do Tremembé (Tremembé Waterfall)
Surrounded by forest, this wonderful waterfall being 30m wide and 5m tall makes a vast lake. The bath in the place is very enjoyable, but jumping from the boat near the waterfall is dangerous due to the water strength.

Povoado de Taipus de Dentro (Taipus de Dentro Village)
Located inside the Baía de Camamu (Camamu Bay), in the Taipu Mirim island, this small fishing village has a good urban infrastructure, inn and restaurant.

Povoado de Campinho (Campinho Village)
The small village has a harbor and a private Yacht Club, where navigators usually stay. There are other inns in the place and a restaurant. Considering the modest size of the village, the night life can be rated as very lively.

Ilha de Sapinho (Sapinho Island)
Small fishing village. The local restaurant serves seafood dishes. The owners preserve and raise in captivity live lobsters, crabs and goiamuns (ten-feet edible sea crustacean), and the customer chooses which one to eat. A stroll through the island takes to a footbridge that provides a complete view of the swamp area and the crab catchers. The island has countless fruitful trees.

Ilha do Goió (Goió Island)
An islet composed of the swamp area with a narrow white-and-thin sand strip. Suitable for bath. The access is through the Sapinho Island, from where you can cross about 200 m by boat.

Povoado de Barra Grande (Barra Grande Village)
It is the largest village in the peninsula. Due to its location at the edge of the Peninsula of Maraú (where the Ponta do Mutá is located), the access is both through the Camamu Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, as well as through road, through the BR-030 highway.

Mirante do Morro do Taipu (Morro do Taipu Belvedere)
It is located in the peninsula’s North coast, in Praia de Taipus de Fora (Taipus de Fora Beach). Also known as Morro do Farol (Lighthouse Hill), it is the peak point of the peninsula (51 m tall), from where you can have a view of the whole extension of north and south beaches, until the city of Itacaré. The best access way is on foot, through the Taipus de For a Beach.

Lagoa do Cassange e Mirante Bela Vista (Cassange Lagoon and Bela Vista Belvedere)
Wonderful dark lagoon, surrounded by white sand. The lagoon is very long, extending for almost 5 km. It is worth bathing in its water full of lanolin, a substance used in the manufacture of shampoos, which are excellent for hair. The still waters of the lagoon also allow enjoyable canoe rides.

Trilha Barra Grande – Pontal (Barra Grande Track – Pontal)
The track of almost 40 km long starts in Barra Grande and provides a pleasant walking through all the peninsula beaches, and the observation of the wonderful visual composed of coconut trees, sandbanks and brooks that disembogue in the sea. In the way to the Cassange and Saquaíra beaches, there are inns, coastal bars and restaurants. Thence, and until the Pontal Beach, the region is more deserted. It is recommended to seek orientation with the PROMAR Institute (Institute for the Sustainable Development of the Peninsula of Maraú).

• Beaches
  

Praia de Mangueiras (Mangueiras Beach)
Calm, with warm and clear waters. It is suitable for walkings and provides assured entertainment at the bars.

Praia Ponta do Mutá (Ponta do Mutá Beach)
Beach with wonderful rocks that arise on the water surface and very diverse vegetation. It is suitable for bath. A short walking takes to Barra Grande, bathed by the waters of the Camamu Bay.

Praia dos Três Coqueiros (Três Coqueiros Beach)
It has an open sea, strong waves, thick sand, coconut trees and holiday houses.

Praia Cassange (Cassange Beach)
Subtle waves, soft sand, coconut trees. The Cassange Lagoon is located there, suitable for the practice of sailing sports.

Praia Arandi (Arandi Beach)
Subtle waves, natural swimming pools and coconut trees.

Praia de Algodões (Algodões Beach)
Subtle waves, a wide coconut-tree field and thin sand. It is possible to rent rafts for rides.

Praia de Piracanga (Piracanga Beach)
Strong waves, coconut trees, circled by the Piracanga River.

Praia de Aibim (Aibim Beach)
Subtle waves, coconut trees and thin sand. Suitable for baths and walkings.

Praia de Pontal (Pontal Beach)
The sand strip is very wide, with coconut trees and strong-wave sea.

Praia de Taipus de Fora (Taipus de Fora Beach)
The great attraction of the place are the 7 km of natural swimming pools surrounded by coral reefs and waters full of fishes, excellent for diving and the sea fauna observation. In the reefs, people can observe the octopus fishermen. There are also gamboas (fish traps made of interwoven bamboo) in the pounding of waves.

Praia de Saquaíra (Saquaíra Beach)
Beach with a straight sand strip, subtle-wave sea, coconut trees and a small village.

+ Brazilian Tourism & Travel: Rio de Janeiro

Brazilian Tourism & Travel: Parintins | State of Amazonas

Brazilian Tourism & Travel: Parintins | State of Amazonas

Guaranteed or Capricious? Heart or star? Red or blue? That’s how it is in Parintins: you have to choose which side to take. The historical rivalry between the two bulls called Guaranteed and Capricious dominates the city, permeates people’s imagination and culminates in one of the most popular parties in Brazil: the Parintins Folklore Festival held every night on June 28, 29 and 30. In the bumbódromo arena, the Bulls put on a grandiose spectacle of dance, music, drama and special effects – a true rural opera that drives its 40 thousand daily spectators into a frenzy. Located on the Island of Tupinambarana, along the right bank of the Amazon River, 420 km from Manaus and almost on the border with the State of Pará, Parintins, with its 80 thousand inhabitants is a pleasant and agreeable city in the interior of the the States of Amazon. At the end of the 19th Century, the region received migrants from the northeast in search of the riches generated in the Amazon from rubber extraction. They brought with them one of their strongest cultural traditions, the northeast’s bumba-meu-boi. There it found another bull, a truly Amazon bull, and it became the boi-bumbá of Parintins. Until the 1960s, the Bulls were always staged in the houses and backyards of Parintins; every once in a while, they would meet in the streets, and the sometimes violent confrontation was inevitable. The fun was organized, grew, evolved and became a true spectacle. The Bulls incorporated characters, rituals and legends that go back to the inhabitants of the Amazon forest, the Indians, the rural settlers, and the ecological and social issues that afflict them. Ever since 1988, they have been holding the spectacle at the bumbódromo, a stadium built just to receive the festival. The Bulls, with approximately 2.5 thousand participants, occupy the arena with 2:30 spectacles each. Guaranteed is the white bull with a red heart on its forehead. Capricious is black, and it bears a blue star on its forehead. Tribes of dancers accompany them and form a carpet of color in movement. The gigantic floats that move about and articulate, creating a scenario for the presentation of the most important figures: the elegant cunhã-poranga, the folklore queen, the standard-bearer, the young miss of the farm, and the powerful witch doctor. Everything is explained in detail by the narrators and moves to the contagious sound of the songs sung by the tune “leaders” and the beat of more than 250 drums. On separate sides of the stadium, the two tireless, super-motivated cheering groups, the galeras, also participate in the spectacle. When their Bull is performing in the arena, one half of the bumbódromo actually shakes, while the “enemy” fans remain in the most respectful silence. Parintins is home to an unusual number of artists, artisans, musicians and poets to produce the festival. In no other city of the Amazon will you find such a concentration of talent. The warehouses and galleries, where the most complex and gigantic floats to the most delicate headdresses are made, hold the secrets of wizards who prepare their spells with ink, glue, Styrofoam, iron, artificial feathers, seeds, straw, sparkles and plastic.

• Events
  

Parintins Folklore Festival
From June 24-30, with the peak of the festival taking place on June 28, 29 and 30 with the presentations of the two bulls, Guaranteed and Capricious.

• Attractions
  

Uaiacurapá River
Beautiful fluvial beaches with white sands and dark water surge between the months of August and February, during the low water season. The do Pacoval, das Onças and das Guaribas islands are near the river.

Parintins Mountains
This 152 m high area is surrounded by thick vegetation and forms the border with the state of Pará. It is also called Valéria Mountain and it has a special attraction: the branch of the river that forms the beautiful Valéria Lake.

Macuricanä Lake
This beautiful lake can only be appreciated during the Amazon summer. It is part of a lacustrine complex that includes approximately 40 lakes.