10 Unexpected Things You Can Do in Brazil

For many, saying the word Brazil evokes images of samba, soccer and perhaps even Capoeira. But there’s much more to this country than dancing, football and an age-old martial art. A vibrant nation full of friendly locals and lush green countryside, Brazil is a destination that should be on every tourist’s bucket list.

Tourism in Brazil by the Numbers

Brazil has always been a highly sought-after holiday destination, and recent figures show that this popularity is increasing as many tourists realize that there’s more to explore in Brazil than the beaches of Rio.

There’s no doubt that the 2014 World Cup resulted in a spike in tourism revenue,but a look at the stats below shows that the numbers were on the up regardless. Since 2005, the country has enjoyed steady growth in tourism revenue,and this is expected to rise even further in the future.

So, what is it about this country that attracts so many tourists? Well, aside from the Amazon and ecotourism, there are some unusual and unexpected things to do in the land of samba.

Paragliding/Parasailing

Look to the skies of Rio on a clear day,and undoubtedly,you’ll spot a paraglider or two soaring overhead. It’s one of the must-do activities that many tourists take part in on their trip to the city. Of course, it’s also a fantastic way to get a bird’s-eye view of the country’s most famous city,but you don’t have to limit yourself to Rio. Governador Valadares and Goncalves are two excellent options for tandem flights over the scenic countryside.

Visit the Dog and Cat Favela

Brazil has a long-standing problem with stray cats and dogs. In fact, there are so many that local authorities just can’t keep track of them or deal with them in any way whatsoever. However, in the town of Caxias do Sul, things are a little different. You may know that favela is the name given to the areas where the poorest and impoverished people of Brazil live. Well,this favela is where stray cats and dogs live and are cared for by well-meaning locals. It’s an interesting place to visit,and the charity that runs the favela are always eager to accept help and donations.

Play Poker

But casino games are banned in Brazil, aren’t they? Not quite. Poker is 100 percent legal in Brazil,and there are plenty of places to find a game. The game is one of the most popular, with locals and tourists often surprised to hear that there’s something else that Brazilians love almost as much as soccer. In fact, the game is so well-liked that industry heavyweight 888Poker is set to hold a live poker event in Sao Paolo this coming September as part of aworld tour.

See Glowing Termite Mounds

UNESCO World Heritage site Emas National Park is probably already on your list of places to visit in Brazil. It’s an area brimming with natural beauty and diverse wildlife. But perhaps the most unusual creatures in the park are the termites that build seven-meter-tall towers. While they are indeed impressive structures during the day, at night, they are breathtaking. The mounds are also home to a type of beetle that glows at night. The bioluminescent headlight beetle lays its eggs in the mounds,and the hatching larvae glow so brightly that you can read a book by their light!

Visit a Drowned Brazilian City

Petrolândiais an old city that was flooded by the creation of a hydroelectric dam,and all that remains is the eerie looking tip of the city’s church. It’s not much to look at,but it is a haunting reminder that the progress of a nation stops for no one.

See the World’s LargestCashew Tree

A short 20-minute drive from Natal will bring you to an incredible place of natural beauty. Arrive at the world’s largest cashew tree and you’d be forgiven for thinking that you’re walking through a forest when, in fact, you’re winding your way through the maze of the tree’s branches. The tree covers an area equal to about five football fields, which makes it about 70 times bigger than most other cashew trees. It’s no Sequoia National Park, but it’s just as fascinating.

Walk Alongside a Dinosaur’s Footprints

The Valley of the Dinosaurs in northeastern Brazil is one of the only places on Earth that you can walk alongside fossilized footprints of dinosaurs. Unfortunately, you can’t walk in the footprints themselves (understandably so),but you can see genuine tracks from over 80 different species of dinosaur. It’s an awesome sight to see,especially if you’re a dinosaur lover.

See the Brazilian Lady Liberty

There are hundreds if not thousands of Statue of Liberty replicas all over the world,but this is one of the few that is worth visiting. At first glance, the statue set in Miami Square in the Bangu area of Rio isn’t much to look at. But then, not all replicas were designed by the original designer of Lady Liberty, Frederic Bartholdi. The statue was a gift to Brazil on the 10th anniversary of their independence and was moved a few times before finally finding a permanent home in Bangu.

Hike the World’s Longest Street

The chances that you will hike this street are slim; after all, it’s 311miles long. Now you might think that there are many highways longer than that,but this is no highway. This is an actual street with houses and businesses along its entire length. Imagine living on the same street as your friend but taking an hour or two to get to their house. It must be strange, even to those who live there.

See the Leaning Towers of Santos

The Leaning Tower of Pisa isn’t the only leaning structure in the world. Head to Santos and look at the city skyline and you might notice something a little strange. Due to lax building regulations of the past,around 90 of the city’s apartment buildings are less than straight. Some are a few inches off while others lean as much as a few feet to the side. This was caused by shallow foundations that saw the buildings sink on one side. Local authorities maintain that the buildings are safe to live in and the restrictive cost of correcting the damage means that it’s unlikely that they will ever stand straight again.

So, there you have it. The next time you think of Brazil, try to forget football and samba and think of the quirky and unusual things that you can do here. Sure, you can head for Rio for a few days, but if you limit yourself to the most popular tourist traps, then you are missing out. Brazil has so much more to offer, and the list above only scratches the surface of this wonderfully diverse nation.