So Brazil is a country I’ve been to twice. During my first time in 2011, while learning Spanish in Buenos Aires, it was only a short trip to the Brazilian side of Foz do Iguaçu (Iguazú Waterfalls). The second time I visited was during the repositioning cruise from the Canary Islands to Brazil. Back then, our first stop was in Salvador do Bahía, the second stop in Búzios, and the final stop in Santos nearby São Paolo. Then from there, I launched my two-year trip into South America with and without Jonas.
Though I’ve spent a lot of time in South America, I haven’t spent enough time in Brazil. The main problem was a language problem because I only spoke nothing useful the first time I was there and only Spanish the second time I was there. Alternately, you can read about countries in South America I spent more time in, such as Uruguay, Argentina, Colombia, and Perú.
Next Time in Brazil
- Hitchhike even more, but this time while speaking some (Brazilian) Portuguese. Last time, that was really the bottleneck for my experiences
- As a cheese and bread lover, I’ll certainly stuff my face with pão de queijo in Minas Gerais
- Visit the capital Brasília; you might know I’m quite interested in planned cities (the good AND the bad) even though they’re usually not very walkable
- Travel off to some more remote regions. Above all, I’ve always wanted to go to Acre (Cruzeiro do Sul). Beyond those, I’m looking at Extremo Norte do Tocantins, the Marco Zero monument (i.e. equator) in Macapá (and Zerão), São Luis island, Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, Ilha de Tinharé (car free island), Abrolhos Archipelago, Trindade and Martin Vaz, Ilhabela, Ilha do Mel, São Miguel do Oeste, Santa Catarina island, Ilha de Sao Francisco, Mostardas, Rincón de Artigas/Ilha Brasileira (I’ve been to Bella Union in Uruguay), and Rondônia panhandle
- Kayak (or cruise again) on the Amazon river. I want to visit multiple sections of this long-ass river. So that includes the delta with the amazing tidal bore (pororoca). I’m also interested in side-arms of the river, especially the ones coming from Colombia and Venezuela (Rio Uapés/Negro/Japurá) and visiting the tri-border area at Leticia (Colombia), Santa Rosa (Perú), and Tabatinga (Brazil)
- Perhaps do ayahuasca. Somehow I’ve never experienced that, but at this time of writing, I’m ready to reopen locked parts of my mind again
- I’d like to visit some indigenous areas. However, only if it’s possible to visit with regards to the safety of the local population and ethically
- Visit Boa Vista (Roraima) during a trip from Venezuela to Guyana (or in reverse). The same goes for visiting Oiapoque during my travels to French Guiana
- Enjoy some nature. I mainly aim my arrows at, for example, Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Gruta de Ubajara, Atol das Rocas Biological Reserve, Furna Feia Cave System, Cajueiro de Pirangi (gigantic cashew), Toca da Boa Vista, etcetera
Do you know any good alternative places in Brazil? Please comment below to let me know!
- Things of which there are many of in Brazil: some lighthouses, UNESCO sites, and oh my god, there are so many cable cars (Poços de Caldas, Nova Friburgo, Telêmaco Borba, Camboriu Cable Cars… the list goes on)
- Hitch/take some amazing infrastructure, such as the Newton Navarro Bridge (Natal), oh my god there are so many cable cars
- Visit Ponta do Seixas, the easternmost point of the Americas (I love extreme points)
- Hike up or at least admire the Pico da Neblina (2995masl)
- Visit the Ingá Stone and some astronomical observatories in the country, such as the Malakoff Tower (Recife) and Gavea’s Planetarium (Rio de Janeiro) for example
- Admire some beautiful brutalism and other architectural delights during my next visit to Brazil. To clarify, I’m mainly looking at the Niemeyer Building (Belo Horizonte) and Nave Espacial de Varginha. Likewise, I’m eyeing some abandoned places such as Fordlândia, Cidade Albanoel (Itaguai)
If you know cool places and things to do in Brazil, comment at the bottom of this page so I can always find your suggestions again once I start plotting my return! Se você é brasileiro e conhece lugares bonitos ou aventureiros, por favor, compartilhe nos comentários
So you are a travel blogger and you have good posts about Brazil? Then drop them in a comment below and I’ll read them!
Santos Shipping, São Paolo (Brazil)
In the port of Santos, near Sao Paulo, Brazil, where the cruise ended and hitchhiking on the mainland continues. Santos is apparently the biggest port of Latin America, so it’s not uncommon to see these huge container ships passing by or lying in wait in front of the port. Love the moodiness of the weather! I swear I find containerships beautiful. Unironically beautiful. Aggressively functional is an aesthetic. Much like architecture, I think the shape, size, and design of containerships reflects our world. Yada yada globalization. I think that on the whole, this is a positive development. Because I like drinking coffee ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ DidContinue reading
Paraná, Brazil: Off-road Carona (Hitchhiking)
Hitchhiking in the Paraná State of Brazil! It was so rainy that the nice asphalted road washed away a few days ago. So the truck driver Rodriguez – who had a double carriage! – took the off-road detour through the soybean fields on this slippery red earth. He was in a hurry, so he had no problem overtaking other trucks here while smoking. Once you’re off the highways, hitchhiking in Brazil is pretty doable. That’s my first impression. The stupid comforts of the NomadCruise have long disappeared from my memory. But I do notice my lack of Portuguese skills are making thingsContinue reading
NomadCruise Arrival in Santos, Brazil
Hooray, I’m back online! Almost two weeks ago I boarded this little boat with the NomadCruise to make my first Atlantic crossing to Brazil. I’ve finally arrived! The Digital Detox on the ship was tough but worth it. However, would I perhaps take a repositioning cruise again? Hmm… to be completely honest, I’d prefer to hitchhike another sailing yacht. Now I’ve got some catching up to do with you guys and the internet in general. I’m currently staying in Santos, close to Sao Paulo, and will be hitchhiking towards Perú in a few days. Yes, that is to say, I’llContinue reading
Packed my Backpack & Ready for Brazil!
I’m packed and ready with my Deuter Aircontact Lite 65+10 Backpack! Thank you, Jonas! This is probably my last update for nine days from the European Union/the African continent… see you on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean! Peace, love, and tranquillity, Iris/Mind of a Hitchhiker 🙂 Jonas took this photo of me in the village of Tasarte, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain! Right before hitchhiking back to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. But in all seriousness, this backpack is pretty amazing. My previous one that I borrowed from my stepfather was also very kick-ass, but quite vintage.Continue reading
I’m Going to Brazil! By Repositioning Cruise
Visiting family and going to the beach with friends is a rare opportunity nowadays. Sharing a bottle of wine together and watching the amazing sunsets is not so rare. But why am I downing an entire bottle of cheap wine on the beach in The Hague with Jonas? Okay, I can’t hold it any longer… So I’m just gonna tell you that in a week I’m going to the Canary Islands and then I’m boarding a boat to BRAZIL! 😀 This is terribly exciting stuff. Jonas invited me to come aboard this repositioning cruise ship that will leave Las PalmasContinue reading
Transitioning from Solo to Couple Travel: Bloggers Share Their Experiences
You’ve read the hashtags #solotravel #coupletravel and might follow some travelers based on these attributes. But what about the people who started out as solo travelers and then found someone? I asked travel bloggers to share their experiences on how the transition to couple travel has changed their travels. Adjusting to a whole other person while adventuring definitely comes with its challenges, disadvantages, and, of course, advantages—otherwise, we wouldn’t do it. Contents1 Kate (+ Partner): Solo to Long-Distance to Couple Travel2 Kerry (+ Jason): Similar Tastes in Travel3 Eloise (+ Ben): Overcoming Fears4 James (+ Kevin): Decades of Travel, NowContinue reading
Yinj Tan — Hitchhiker Spotlight 🔦
On Fridays, we put a hitchhiker in the *spotlight. This week it’s Yinj Tan! Scroll down to read hitchhiking stories from her journeys. This spotlight first appeared on the 2nd of October 2020 in the NOMADS – Hitchhiking Club About Yinj First hitch: I guess it was 2014, back when I was still working in Singapore. I went to a walk with a friend and a couchsurfer, we got really tired to walk to the bus stop and the couchsurfer saw some other people hitchhiking, so he also tried and a lady driving a Mercedes sports car stopped and gaveContinue reading
Two Weeks in Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
This is a diary-style post about what we did during our two weeks in Dubai before moving on to Sharjah within the United Arab Emirates (UAE). I tried to make it a bit informative if you’re traveling to Dubai, but I usually don’t write about cities that are already well-written about. Everything written here happened in 2021. Jonas had already visited Dubai for three days back in 2010 and told me it was a very misunderstood place. Contents1 Saturday 30th January: Sleep2 Sunday 31st January: Walking to the Waterfront3 Monday 1st of February: Supermarket Time4 Tuesday 2nd of February: DowntownContinue reading
Hello, Dubai?! Leaving Malaysia for the UAE After 339 Days (Semi-Live Blog)
You know I’ve been ruminating on it. But after 339 days, it’s finally time to leave Malaysia. We’re traveling to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This is a semi-live blog that I’ll update throughout the journey. I’ll edit in photos once I’m back on my laptop. Contents1 The Weeks Before Departure to Dubai2 The Stupidest Problem3 The Problem Increasing Its Stupidity (Anticipated, Yet Unanticipated Fuckery)4 Packing, Planning, Preparing for Dubai5 The Last of Johor Bahru5.1 The COVID-19 PCR Test5.2 Obtaining The Interstate Travel Permit at Balai Polis Sentral6 Final Prep for Dubai7 Travel Day is Here7.1 The BusContinue reading
6 Stories from Hosts + Guests in Lockdown: Hospitality in the Time of Corona
Our world has shrunk a great deal since the globe went on lockdown for the coronavirus. Blindsided by the sudden changes, travelers had to make some tough decisions mid-adventure. Amidst the chaos, I knew there would be some people out there who remained kind and trusting of virtual strangers. People who would keep their doors open when they were told to keep it shut. I’d been thinking about the people showing or experiencing hospitality under such extraordinary circumstances. So I asked around looking for stories from both hosts and guests to share their experiences. Many people responded with their stories,Continue reading