Five great reasons to visit South Brazil in 2011

South Brazil is home to many of Brazil best natural attractions, from the Southern Pantanal to the canyons of Rio Grande do Sul, from the Iguazu Falls to the World Biosphere Reserve of the Atlantic Rainforest. Despite these fantastic places, the region has, until recently, been overlooked by most visitors to Brazil. Here we give you just some reasons to visit the South.

Parana State is best known for the magnificent Iguazu Falls. However, just a short flight away from the Falls, you can enjoy a spectacular train journey that links its pleasant capital Curitiba to the Lagamar, the largest remnants of Atlantic Rainforest in the country, making this region also an unmissable part of any Brazilian trip.

One of the smallest States in Brazil, Santa Catarina has a huge natural and cultural diversity. Besides Florianopolis, don’t miss the stunning Serra Geral mountains, an ideal trekking and horse-riding destination, the whales and dolphins on the southern coast, surfing in Praia do Rosa and relaxing in some of the best beaches of Brazil.

The most southern State in Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, is well-known for its gaucho culture, the pampas and the Jesuit Missions but it has more to offer. Porto Alegre , the capital of the State, is the entry point for the attractive wine region and also the best access to the dramatic canyons of the Aparados da Serra and Serra Geral National Parks.

Brazil Ecojourneys top reasons to visit South Brazil:

1) Iguazu Falls - the most magnificent in the world!
2) Lagamar Estuary- the most unspoilt natural attraction of the South and the World Biosphere Reserve of the Atlantic Rainforest
3) Whale watching in Santa Catarina- close encounter with the Southern Right Whales
4) Santa Catarina Island in Florianopolis - great parties, gorgeous beaches and preserved nature make Floripa a favourite destination for Brazilians;
5) Relaxation at the Emerald Coast - one of the most exclusive beach resorts in the country- Ponta dos Ganchos;

Oscar Niemeyer Museu - Curitiba

Curitiba is one of the greenest and best organized cities in Brazil.

Besides its numerous parks and green areas, the city has a lot of culture to offer.

If you are in town, make sure you reserve an afternoon to visit the Museu Oscar Niemeyer (aka MON), which is for me the current unmissable attraction of the city.

Open in 2002, it houses an interesting permanent collection of local and national artists as well as great seasonal exhibitions, so everytime you visit you can have a great experience.

The building alone is worth the trip. Built in the 50s by the master of Brazilian architecture to house a School of Art, it was transformed into a museum by Niemeyer himself. An outstanding new feature is the grand hall or "the Eye", as it is known locally, inspired on the very Paranaense Araucaria tree.

The museum opens Tuesdays to Sundays from 10 am to 6pm.




Brazil Ecojourneys tips:
Curitiba is a great stopover on your way to/from Iguazu Falls and the starting point of the most beautiful train journey in Brazil, and the World Biosphere Reserve of the Lagamar.

Short trips from Curitiba – Ilha do Mel

I was just back from a few relaxing days on Ilha do Mel, the island off the coast of Paraná, in Paranaguá Bay.

I had wanted to go for many years, as the Island has always been THE destination in South Brazil for those in search of unspoiled hideaways. In the 80s, it was just for the very adventurous as the only option was wild camping. Then it became too popular with surfers and youngsters looking for a party place, so it had lost its appeal to me. But in recent years, the government of Parana decided to implement policies to effectively protect the island, which is an Estate Park, limiting, for example, the number of people that can visit it and banning predatory camping sites, so my interest returned.

The island lived up to expectations in terms of nature: there are many deserted beaches and most of its area is part of a nature reserve, closed to the public. You see quite a lot of birds and a lot of green everywhere. In other ways it exceeded my expectations, as it is really well organised in terms of trails, path signs and very clean.

The one image that still matched my imagination is that of a hippy-ish hang out place. Somehow it reminded me of beach resorts in Thailand that are in the “gringo trail”, with its simple restaurants, guesthouses and bars with reggae music. So it´s no surprise to find that is a favourite place for a lot of travelling foreigners. But don´t let that put you off- I came back VERY relaxed after a few days there.

Tips from Brazil Ecojourneys:

A very nice place to stay is Pousada das Meninas in Vila do Farol. Although the rooms are very rustic, they are comfortable and the garden is lush and has some cosy areas to read a book or just relax. The staff is extremely friendly and can also help you with day trips- a boat trip to the dolphin’s bay or the fortress is a nice option to see the Bay. The owner of the Pousada has his own boat and can take you there.Or they put you in touch with a local monitor to take you in one of the many trails – Marcelo is a very friendly guy but does not speak much English.

My favourite walk was along the beach to Encantadas- you can go walking, have lunch at Pousada Fim da Trilha, the best restaurant on the island, and come back by boat. It makes for a great day trip.

In Vila do Farol have dinner at Mar e Sol- it´s the best option there.

If you have only a short time in this part of Brazil, and would prefer an organised tour, we offer a combined trip 3days/2 nights of the train journey and Ilha do Mel, starting and finishing in Curitiba.

From there you are a short boat away to one of the most fantastic destinations in South Brazil: the Lagamar area, home to the World Biosphere Reserve of the Atlantic Rainforest. Check out our Rainforest Expedition program for more details.

Photo of Ilha do Mel by Priscila Forone.