Nice places to visit in Brazil - part 6. Ilha do Mel

From the website: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/brazil/the-south/ilha-do-mel
Images: Amandy Gibbons

This hourglass-shaped island at the mouth of the Baía de Paranaguá is the most pristine and picturesque beach resort in all of southern Brazil, offering mostly wild beaches, good surfing waves and scenic coastal walks. The island’s tranquility and lack of development are thanks in part to its isolation. Accessible only by boat, Ilha do Mel is traversed by sandy paths and has not a single car, so traffic jams throughout the island’s scenic sandy lanes consist of surfboard-toting Brazilians on bicycles and bedazzled foreigners in their new Havaianas.


The fatter, northern half of the island is an ecological preserve, closed to inland exploration. The hillier southern portion is the locale of three small villages: Nova Brasília and Praia do Farol near the isthmus; and Encantadas at the far southern tip. They can be rowdy during the summer holidays, when young crowds descend on the island. But for the most part, Ilha do Mel, or ‘honey island,’ is the territory of surfers, campers, beachcombers and other escapists in search of simplicity and serenity.

Money

There is no reliable place on the island to get cash, so plan ahead.

Getting around

The ferries that run to/from Paranaguá stop in both Nova Brasília and Encantadas, so you can get a lift from one village to the other (R$5, 20 minutes, six daily).

Farol das Conchas

Grutas das Encantadas

Fortaleza de NS dos Prazeres

We stayed at the Hotel Grajagan, and it was a very nice experience :)

Website: http://www.grajagan.com.br/

We went with the Travel Agency FVA Tour: http://www.fvatour.com.br/

  

From the website: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g303441-d554696/Curitiba:Brazil:Honey.Island.Ilha.Do.Mel.html

Images: Amandy Gibbons

Ilha do Mel (Honey island) is located 115 km from Curitiba, where the next airport is located (CWB). The island is a State Nature Reserve and most of it follows streng rules regarding buildings and access. There are no roads nor cars and the access is made by regular boats leaving from Pontal do Sul (30 minutes boat-ride) and Paranaguá (90 minutes boat-ride).

The island is quite a paradise in southern Brazil and surely a beloved place to enjoy the beach and the nature of the Atlantic Rain Forest. 

Nice places to visit in Brazil - part 5. Florianópolis

From the website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florian%C3%B3polis
Images: Amandy Gibbons

Florianópolis (Portuguese pronunciation: [floɾi.aˈnɔpolis] is the capital city and second largest city of Santa Catarina state in the Southern region of Brazil. It is composed of one main island, the Island of Santa Catarina (Ilha de Santa Catarina), a continental part and the surrounding small islands. It has a population of 421,203, according to the 2001 Brazilian census, the second most populous city in the state (after Joinville), and the 47th in Brazil. Themetropolitan area has an estimated population of 1,096,476, the 21st largest in the country. The city is known for having a very high quality of life, being the Brazilian capital city with the highest Human Development Indexscore (0.905).

Climate

Florianópolis experiences a warm humid subtropical climate, falling just short of a true tropical climate. The seasons of the year are distinct, with a well-defined summer and winter, and characteristic weather for autumn and spring. Frost is infrequent, but occurs occasionally in the winter. Due to the proximity of the sea, the relative humidity of the atmosphere is 80% on average.

The maximum temperatures of the hottest month varies from 25 °C (77 °F) to 38.8 °C (101.8 °F) and the minimum temperatures are from 6 °C (43 °F) to 11 °C (52 °F). The lowest temperature ever recorded was 0.7 °C (33.3 °F) in September 1980 while the highest temperature ever recorded was 38.8 °C (101.8 °F) in February 1973.

Tourism and recreation

The island is connected to the Continent by three bridges. The Hercílio Luz Bridge was built over 70 years ago and is now closed to traffic; it is a symbol of the island and often appears on postcard images. The Colombo Sales Bridge and Pedro Ivo Bridge are the ones open to traffic.

Santo Amaro da Imperatriz was the first thermal water facility in Brazil. Hotels withthermal bath facilities are located in the district of Caldas da Imperatriz and in thecity of Águas Mornas. The Fonte Caldas da Imperatriz city baths are an additional source of thermal waters, which can reach the temperature of 39 °C (102 °F), where there are immersion baths and hydromassage. It is located on the Estrada Geral Highway, km 4, Caldas da Imperatriz district.

Florianópolis is one of the locations for the ASP World Tour of the Association of Surfing Professionals, which classifies 50 competitors, among professionals and amateurs. The state of Santa Caterina is the only location in South America for thissurfing event.

Santa Catarina Art Museum is located in the city.

The Holy Spirit Feast (Festa do Divino) is a festival that takes place 40 days after Easter. The celebration dates to the colonial era and includes a parade, music, andstreet food.

One of the most famous beaches is Praia Mole, noted for its rolling green hills and rock formations on either side.

Barra da Lagoa This is the world famous "Bunny Slope" of Surfing. It is home to world champion Jacqueline Silva and 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from Praia Mole which usually hosts the WCT Surfing Championships. Barra da Lagoa is a quaint fisherman's village but the physical characteristics of the beach make it the perfect place to learn to surf. It is a cove on the Eastern part of the island and stretches into Moçambique beach for 15 kilometres (9.3 mi). It is in a natural setting as there are no huge hotels on the beach and the Southern headquarters of Projeto TAMAR(Save the Turtles) is located here. Penguins routinely swim into the canal and near the beach of Barra da Lagoa during the colder winter months of June, July and August. The canal at Barra da Lagoa connects the Lagoa da Conceição with the open sea. It is not uncommon to view pescadores (fishermen) during the night tossing their nets in the lagoa to catch shrimp they sell to the fresh fish restaurants in this community.

Ingleses Beach (Praia dos Ingleses) Even though it is a beach preferred bytourists, Ingleses still keeps to the traditions of the Azorian colonizers. In thesummer, it is one of the top beach destinations of Argentine tourists, second only to Canasvieras. In the winter, mullet fishing, religious celebrations and regional festivities are beautiful demonstrations of the local culture. The dunes separating the Ingleses Beach (English Beach) from the Santinho Beach are natural attractions not to be missed. The practice of sand board is quite common there, a sport created in Florianópolis, which consists of sliding down the dunes on a board, engaging or not in radical manoeuvres. To practice it, one must have a lot of balance and rent a board. Those looking for a different outing can go on a trek of 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) over the dunes.

Armação Beach (Praia da Armação) The Sant'Anna Church, built by the Armação fishing company, is part of the beach's history. It was from there that whale harpooners and crewmen confessed and attended the mass before going fishing. Next, the priest would go down to the beach to bless the boats that would sail out to sea. Today, the boats leave there for Ilha do Campeche, one of the most visited islands around Florianópolis. It is also in Armação that one finds one of the most important archaeological sites of the State of Santa Catarina. In the winter of 2010 a significant portion of the beach disappeared due to erosion. With financial aid from the Brazilian federal government, tons of large rocks were dumped on the beach to prevent houses from destruction.

Campeche Beach (Praia do Campeche) With 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) of white sands and a turbulent waters, Campeche is considered the Jeffreys Bay of the Santa Catarina Island for the quality of its waves. For those who are not interested insurfing, the beach offers other attractions. The paradisaical beauty of Ilha do Campeche, for instance, located across from the beach, a football game on the Saint-Exupéry aviation field, or even fishing, are some of the leisure alternatives. At night, Campeche is also an excellent attraction. The huge reflector that illuminates part of the large sand strip in front of the bars only contributes to the partying that extends far into the night. The illumination favours both those who enjoy the merrymaking as well as the fishermen, who use the time to drag their nets in from the sea.

Joaquina Beach (Praia da Joaquina) Won fame as of the 1970s, when surfers from around the world discovered its waves. Many surf cups began to emerge, and great Catarinense surfing personalities. It is one of the beaches that offers the besttourist facilities, receiving a large number of tourists from around Brazil and the world on the warm days in spring and summer. The rock complex situated to the left of the beach, the night lighting and the public showers are some of the trademarks at Joaquina. There is a big paid parking lot, toilets, tourist coach parking lot, lifeguards, police station, handicraft shop, bars, restaurant and hotels. In addition to the beach, it is possible to enjoy the most famous dunes in the South of the country as well as to sand board. The boards used in this sport can be rented on the spot.

Santinho Beach (Praia do Santinho) is mainly sought by tourists who look for nature, the location's paradisaical beauty and tranquillity. Surfers are the main visitors and consider Santinho to be the best beach in the North of the Santa Catarina Island. It is in the left hand corner, where bathers do not venture, that surfers practice their sport, sharing the space withfishermen. 40 kilometres (25 mi) away from the centre of Florianópolis, another great attraction of this beach are the primitive inscriptions made by hunters, fishermen and collectors inhabiting the Island five thousand years ago. The name Santinho comes from a human figure engraved on an isolated block of rock.

Outdoor sports, including diving, hang gliding, rowing, paragliding, and mountain biking, as well as surfing, are popular on the island

Areas of the city

The centre of Florianópolis, with its alleys, rows of typical houses, churches andmuseums, contains many examples of colonial architecture. Amongst these are the former government palace, nowadays the Cruz e Souza Museum (which took its name from the famous poet from Santa Catarina who formed the symbolist movement) and the Public Market built in 1898 which sells food and local handicraftsunder the shade of a one hundred year old fig tree. Close to the centre is the house where Victor Meirelles was born, one of the authors who devised the first mass spoken in Brazil. The building is registered by the Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage and houses the Victor Meirelles Museum.

Roughly saying, the island can be divided in two sectors: in the north is the most visited side by tourists and because of that, the busiest and with the best services infrastructure. In some quarters notice a strong influence in the population architecture and customs. The most ancient livers of Florianópolis still have in the way they speak, in the craftwork activities and in the popular parties, the heritage left by immigrants from Portuguese islandsfrom Azores. The south of the island preserved intensely Azorean customs that arrived there from the 18th century.

Transportation:

International airport

Florianópolis is served by Hercílio Luz International Airport for both domestic and international flights.^[17] The traffic has grown significantly at the airport and therefore the city will shortly receive a new airport able to serve 2.7 million passengers a year. The architectural design of the new airport was chosen by a public competition held by Infraero in partnership with the Brazilian Architects Institute (IAB). Among the over 150 original entries, the proposal of São Paulo architect Mário Bizelli was chosen. Normally the projects for expansion and modernization of the 66 airports administered by Infraero are done by public tender based on the needs, criteria and conditions presented by the company's engineering area. On days when one of the two the local football (soccer) teams plays at home in a stadium near the airport, traffic comes to a complete standstill, often preventing vehicles from departing the airport itself. People with departing flights are well advised to check the local football schedule to ensure they arrive at the airport on time.

Highways

Florianópolis is connected to the main cities of Brazil:

• From the cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro: BR-116/ BR-376/ BR-101/ BR-282;
• From Curitiba: BR-376/ BR-101/ BR-282;
• From Porto Alegre: BR-290/ BR-101/ BR-282.

Bus terminal (connecting to other cities)

Rita Maria is the city's main bus terminal, located by the Pedro Ivo Campos Bridge, on the island, serving ten thousand people daily, which can reach up to fifteen thousand during the summer season. The bus terminal connects Florianópolis to the majority of the cities, towns and villages of Santa Catarina, and to the main cities in the South, Southeast and Central-West regions of Brazil. As an international bus terminal, Florianopolitanos and tourists alike use Rita Maria also to reachArgentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile.

Nice places to visit in Brazil - part 4. Monte Verde

Nice places to visit in Brazil - part 4. Monte Verde

From the website: http://guiamonteverde.com.br/english/

Pics: Amandy Gibbons

If you miss the European-like weather while in Brazil, come to Monte Verde! This small village is well known as a good weekend getaway,
where you can sample delicious international cuisine,
enjoy outdoor activities such as go hiking and breathe some fresh air.

The small village of Monte Verde, with a population of 5000 inhabitants, is situated on the top of Mantiqueira Ridge (Brazilian Highlands), southeast Brazil. Since it is located near São Paulo, which is the biggest city of the country and the busiest economic center, Monte Verde receives a lot of tourists specially in the winter.

A visit to this mountain village is recommended to those who are in search of a peaceful holiday and the opportunity to enjoy its icy cold air, despite being in a tropical country. Get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and breathe some fresh air!

Surrounded by mountains, this holiday resort, with a peaceful atmosphere, has European style brick-built houses spread out and tucked in the valley. That's why many people say it's "a little piece of the Swiss Alps".

CLIMATE

Altitude range: 1500 - 1600m
Humidity: low
Temperature: -10°C (usual in the winter) 

There might be a couple of the rarest occasions when you can witness a little piece of snow sight in Brazil. One of them could be a magic winter day in Monte Verde.

A LOT OF HILLS

The peaks of the steep hills can rise higher than 2000 m. Walk to the top and have a magnificent view!

FLORA & FAUNA

From the village as far as the eye can see there is green grass and tall, spreading trees. The bushy woods belong to the remains of "Mata Atlântica", a depleted Atlantic rain forest. But still the fresh scent of pines fills the air. There are also many eucalyptuses cultivated for paper making and old native evergreen conifers of the genus Araucaria.

This dense forest provides a niche for various animal species. There are several kinds of birds but the huge amount of fruit seeking humming birds is pervasive. Even from the residential area, you can hear the shrill cries of tropical birds, specially the twittering of humming birds. The residents like to lure them by means of a kind of a decoy consisting of a sugary water container resembling a flower, so that they can always have a pleasant view of their colourful hovering wings. People also feel tempted to feed the cute squirrels easily spotted in the bush, but please don't. They have to rely on their methods of getting their own food to be able to survive as a wild species.

One of the most appreciated forms of entertainment for Brazilian people, specially for the tranquil 'mineiros', is simply to relax with friends holding a glass of beer at the nearest pub.

Since everything you do in a foreign country should be classified as 'entertainment', just turn the TV on, get a local newspaper or stroll around the muddy streets to observe or get to know the people; or even take a walk through the market to compare it to yours at home.

The main options for leisure activities in Monte Verde are nature related: the ecotourism and other sports such as hiking and climbing on the mountains.

However, if you do get stressed with so much easiness, there are also adventurous activities which get your adrenalin going.

Besides window-shopping you can choose from a variety of outdoor activities, as follows:

Hiking options

A good starter, the easiest of all, the Pinheiro Velho Trail is a narrow road that proceeds from the main avenue and leads up to the airport. This path can be followed in only 10 minutes if you are exercising. However, if you are sauntering and sight seeing, you can take your time to look over the centenarian trees, specially the oldest pine tree of Monte Verde, which is 500 years old. By reaching the end of the trajectory, you can have a panorama of the whole village from the airport.

The trails that lead to the summits of "Mantiqueira Ridge" in the border of the states of Minas Gerais and São Paulo are a must. The highest peaks, Chapéu do Bispo, Pedra Redonda and Pedra Partida can be seen from the village. From the top you can view Campos do Jordão and other Vale do Paraíba cities. The hiking on these trails are so light that you can take children with you.

You need a little bit more disposition to reach Pico do Selado, the summit point of the nearby mountains, 2083 metres high. It is longer and requires more endurance.

Go horse riding to explore the surroundings. If you wish, visit São Francisco Xavier, the neighbouring city.

The practice ofmountain bikebenefits from the wide open spaces of the region.

Rent a motorcycle to ride over the rough and steep ground.

Hire a single engine aircraft for an aerial view. At the airport you can schedule a flight to appreciate the breathtaking view of Serra da Mantiqueira.

Whether coming from São Paulo, Rio, or another place from Minas Gerais State (MG) you have to take "Fernão Dias" highway (BR-381) up to the town of Camanducaia (at km 135) where you'll take the road that will allow you to get to Monte Verde. Then, you just follow the signs and drive 30 kilometres up to the village. This asphalted narrow road is rather bumpy in its last 14 kilometres due to truck traffic damaging it. However, the landscape along the road is worth seeing.

From São Paulo there are daily departures to Camanducaia, where you can take another bus to Monte Verde. The timetable may change, so get informed beforehand at Bresser Station (phone 6694-0413).

DEPARTURE TIME (Subject to alteration) São Paulo - Camanducaia Daily departures: 08:30 - 09:45 - 12:00 - 13:30 - 15:00 - 16:45 - 18:00 - 19:30 - 20:30 Camanducaia - São Paulo Daily departures: 04:50 - 07:20 - 09:20 - 12:20 - 14:50 - 16:50 Camanducaia - Monte Verde Mondays thru Saturdays: 08:00 - 11:40 - 14:30 - 16:00 - 17:30 Sundays and Holidays: 08:00 - 13:20 - 17:30 Monte Verde - Camanducaia Mondays thru Saturdays: 05:45 - 08:00 - 10:15 - 14:00 - 18:00 Sundays and Holidays: 10:15 - 15:00 - 19:00

There is a 4th class airport with a runway of 1100 metres for light and medium aircraft. Being at an altitude of 5000 feet, it is claimed as the highest airport in Brazil.

Travel tips
PACKING

Take proper clothes. Even in the summer when it is very hot, the temperature might drop abruptly and the rain could be an incovenience. Keep in mind that the winter is very cold and dry when packing. So take gloves and all the works! (The lowest temperature ever recorded was -14°C in 1979).

When hiking take dark clothes (you may get dirty on the mud) and a bottle of water. Mosquitoes won't be a problem in this region. A knapsack by freeing your hands will allow you to get hold of some support when climbing steep slopes. At night a pair of binoculars would help you appreciate the sky.

BEST TIME TO GO 

The greatest number of visitors are attracted to the cold weather of the mountain resort in July, when it is school vacation time. So you should book a hotel room some weeks before, if you're intending to spend a weekend during the winter season.

The prices of accomodation drop considerably out of season. Besides the period from April to August, the highest season also includes December and January, when it is the summer school vacation. However, remember that during summer the rain wets the muddy roads before setting off for a hiking up the mountains. 

MINIMUM STAY TIME

You need at least three days to get to know everything and enjoy the most important attractions. 

TOURISTIC INFORMATION

You can get a map or more detailed additional information at the touristic information office located at the Entrance Gate of Monte Verde. The 'Lost and Found' also works there.

BANKS

In Monte Verde there is a cash dispenser and a Bradesco agency at 40, Praça da Árvore (on Monte Verde Avenue).

However, you will have to go as far as Camanducaia for a Bank of Brazil, or Caixa Econômica Federal, Caixa Econômica Estadual and Bank Real.

EMERGENCIES

24 Hour Health Center (Monte Verde): Baixada Street, phone 3438-1682
Santa Casa Hospital (Camanducaia): phone 3433-1414
Police Station (Monte Verde): Eucaliptos Street, phone 3438-1481

Accomodation:

Hotel Pousada Palos Verdes

Breakfast included

» Address: 938 Sol Nascente Ave » Phone (0--35) 3438-1152, Telefax (0--35) 3438-1708 » 10 chalets (maximum 4 people). » Parking, laundry, swimming pool, fireplace, central heating, minibar, TV. » E-mail: reservas@palosverdes.com.br  Pousada Mirante da Colyna Breakfast included [$$] » Address: 187 Selado St » Phone (0--35) 3438-2613 » 7 chalets (maximum 4 people). » Parking, fireplace, central heating, minibar, TV, viewsight. » E-mail: mirantedacolyna@mirantedacolyna.com.br  Pousada Águia Dourada Breakfast included [$$] » Address: 1778 Sol Nascente Ave » Phone (0--35) 3438-1685 » 8 chalets (maximum 5 people). » Parking, laundry, play room, swimming pool, fireplace, central heating, minibar, TV, VCR. » E-mail: aguiadourada@micropic.com.br

Cuisine:

There is a wide variety of places for eating out. From classy to fast food restaurants, you can taste good quality food at the cafeterias, tea houses, pizzerias, snack bars, chocolate shops, candy parlors as well as cheese and wine places.

The menus offer Italian, Swiss and international dishes as well as traditional local cooking, which is the typical regional mineira cuisine; the term mineira as elsewhere stated is related to the state of Minas Gerais. The most common main courses are trout fish and cheese fondue.

Some typical mineiro dishes: tropeiro beans, angu (a kind of pudding), carreteiro rice (rice cooked with shredded dry meat, onion, tomato and parsley), roast pumpkin filled with dry meat, chicken with okra, T-bone pork steak, canjiquinha (corn with pepper and pork), sausages, leitão pururuca, fryed eggs, tutu de feijão (beans), vaca atolada (beef ribs with cassava), cassava or corn cake, pamonha, curau (corn pudding), banana the Milanese way, etc. Besides those, a lot of dishes made of cole such as 'bambá de couve' or cole the mineira way. Coles are said to facilitate the digestion, once people usually eat high calories in cold days.

Shopping:

There are a few small gift shops spread in and around downtown area. As in most winter resorts in Brazil you will usually find many chocolate and cheese shops, woolen clothing items, toiletries and a lot of handcraft to buy for souvenir. For your meals you can go to local small markets to buy fruit and vegetable, meat and the other necessary ingredients to cook on your own, which of course you won't need if you go to sundry restaurants available.