Northeast BRAZIL - Maceio, Fortaleza, Sao Luis, Recife, Belem (cons, population, live)

[minniemouse]

Hello everyone!
I'm Italian and I'm interesting in Brazil trip also.
I use the same thread to ask you some info

I would like to come to Brazil next August.
I know that it isn't the best period but I have my holidays in August.
I would like to see 1st of all, Rio and then, Salvador, Fortaleza... and the best beaches.
What can you suggest me?
If I will have 2 or 3 weeks..what type of pleaces do you suggest me? I love travelling a lot and see much!

What's the best transport manner to move in Brazil? rent car? bus?

Thank for you help!
have a good day
"ciao" = hello in Italian language!

[MalaMan]

Hello minniemouse!

I have to say that, as a Italian, you will feel yourself at home in Fortaleza. Specially in August. In August always there are thousands of Italian tourists in Fortaleza. The number of Italians is huge!

The best transport manner to move in Brazil depends on what places you want to visit. The country is very big, so, if you want to go from Rio de Janeiro to Fortaleza, the best option is by plane, in a domestic flight.

If you are concentrated in traveling inside the Northeast region, the best option would be a rent car, from Hertz or Localiza. Traveling by car from Fortaleza to Natal, for example, takes 5 or 6 hours. You just need to be careful to not get lost in the roads, since you don't know it very well, and be aware of some, hmm... potholes... And I think you need validate your driver license in Brazil as well.

An interesting option in the region next to Fortaleza and Natal are the off-road trips. In this case, you pay for renting an off-road SUV (Jeep, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Land Rover, or the robust local Troller) as well as the driver, a professional driver specialized in traveling over sand dunes and crossing river mouths. There are many options of trips, since small trips of just 7 to 9 hours, visiting only the beaches closer to the big cities, to longer trips of many days, crossing dozens of desert beaches, and staying at night in small but confortable hotels (or inns). It is possible to go off-road from Natal to Fortaleza, and from Fortaleza to Jericoacoara, and from Jericoacoara to the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park. The landscapes are worth the trip.

[minniemouse]

Hi! Thanks a lot for your answer!
Yes, I would like to match the big cities with the sea life.

I want see Rio (is it very cold in August?), then San Paolo, Brazilia, Fortaleza, Natal and ..yes, I can put in my route, Fortaleza to Jericoacoara, and from Jericoacoara to the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park.

what's the best tour that you can suggest me?

Could you recommend me some place where I can stay? for ex casa particular or hotels?

thanks a lot

[MalaMan]

No, Rio is not very cold in August. The climate is OK. But the city of São Paulo can be very cold in early August. In the Northeast you don't need to worry, it's summer all over the year.

Going from Fortaleza to Jericoacoara, and from Jericoacoara to the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, is an unforgettable experience. Lençóis Maranhenses National Park is one of the most beautiful and incredible places in the world.

I would recommend you to stay in the hotels. Brazil have a great number of hotels, in all price ranges, since the simplest and cheapest ones, until the most expensive and sophisticated ones. But, if you're planning to stay at least 7 days in a same city (Fortaleza, for example) you can rent an apartment to stay, with a equiped kitchen where you can cook. There are many apartments available for rent, by periods of 6-7 days or more...

[minniemouse]

I have token note about these pleases:

• Lençois Maranhenses
• Recife
• sao luis
• rio
• natal
• trancoso
• Salvador da Bahia
• jalapao
• Fortaleza
• Maceio

What's the best order to see these places?
Is it possible to see it in 2 or 3 weeks?
Could you tell me if I need to rent a car or take a bus?
Where do you recommend me to take a guide?



I think to fly from Milan to Rio (round trip)

thanks for your hlep!

I wish you..HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

[MalaMan]

Happy New Year minniemouse! Hope you can have a nice trip to Brazil in 2011!

I have token note about these pleases:

• Lençois Maranhenses
• Recife
• sao luis
• rio
• natal
• trancoso
• Salvador da Bahia
• jalapao
• Fortaleza
• Maceio

What's the best order to see these places?

About the places you want to go... The place with most difficult access is the Jalapao "desert", in the state of Tocantins. Maybe the best option is make Jalapao the last stop of the trip.

Since you want to visit Rio, you should start your trip by there. You can take a direct flight from Milan to Rio, and stay 3 or 4 days in the city.

The next stop in your trip is Trancoso, in the southern portion state of Bahia. You should take a domestic flight from Rio de Janeiro to the town of Porto Seguro, the nearest airport to Trancoso.

After some days in Trancoso, you should take another flight from Porto Seguro to the city of Salvador.

From Salvador, the best option is fly again, this time to Maceió.

From Maceió, you may start to travel by land. You can go by bus, or can rent a car. Recife is not far from Maceio, the trip is short. After Recife, you go to Natal, but I would recommend you to make a stop in Joao Pessoa, a beautiful city in the middle of the way.

From Natal, you can choose to go to Fortaleza in a rent car. The trip by car, in regular roads, will take 5 to 6 hours. The other option, as I said in the other post, is rent a off-road SUV with driver, and go through the coastline, traveling over the sand dunes. This off-road trip can take 3 to 4 days, with stops in small beach hotels at night.

After some days in Fortaleza, you have the same options to go to the Lençois Maranhenses: by regular roads, or in a off-road trip, with a specialized driver. In the way to Lençois, you could make a stop at the famous Jericoacoara National Park, where there are beautiful beaches and a cosmopolitan "fishing village" (with many foreigners living there, including Italians).

At Lençois Maranhenses, you should stay at least 4 days, it's a little paradise on Earth... A huge sand desert, filled with small fresh water lakes.

From Lençois, you go to Sao Luiz, by regular roads.

After Sao Luiz, the last stop will be the Jalapao desert, that you want to visit, in the state of Tocantins. I'm not sure, but I think the best option is take a domestic flight from Sao Luiz to the city of Palmas (capital city of the state of Tocantins), with a stopover in Brasilia. From Palmas, you take a bus to Jalapao. After that, you go back to Palmas, and take a flight to Rio de Janeiro. And from Rio, you go back home!

Be aware you should buy all your tickets to the domestic flights by the internet, with many months in advance. The earlier you buy the tickets, the cheaper they will be. If you buy the tickets in the last minute, they will be very expensive...

Hope I have helped you!

[minniemouse]

wow! Thanks a lot for you help! I have appreciated your post a lot!
thanks again!

can I contact you if I need your help again?

have a good day

[MalaMan]

Of course! Any doubt, just send me a PM or use this thread.

[MalaMan]

I have just found a page with amazing photos of the beaches in the state of Ceara, next to Fortaleza:

Ceará, Brazil - by Alex Uchoa - SkyscraperCity

Check it out!

[minniemouse]

wow...what a wonderful places!!!!!
thanks very much!!!!