Tips for a great Brazil break

Zoomer | January 1st, 2006

Following are a few tips to make your trip to Ceara, Brazil, more enjoyable:



  • Take along a Portuguese language phrase book. Even better — learn some key Portuguese words and phrases before you go. It’ll be a big help, and the Brazilians will love you for trying. While English is spoken in the major hotels in Fortaleza, it’s rare elsewhere. All street signs, store signs, menus, etc., are in Portuguese.


  • Canadian citizens require a Brazilian visa. Make sure you allow for delays and get one at least two weeks before departure.


  • Brazil’s summer is from November to April and Ceara is only three degrees south of the equator — it’ll be warm and dress is very casual, even in five-star restaurants.


  • The domestic rum and beer in the Fortaleza hotels and nearby resorts is good. However, the wines are dreadful.


  • Electricity in the State of Ceara is 220 volts. Make sure you bring an adapter.


  • Even if you’re staying at the Praia das Fontes Beach Resort, Paradise Flats or any of the three-star hotels in Fortaleza, take along the following necessary items: soap, toilet paper, facial tissues, shampoo. While they stock the items, they’re not up to our standards.


  • Pack ample quantities of sunblock, required medicines, etc.


  • Make sure to take a face cloth or two. Only North American and some major European hotels provide them.


  • Leave expensive jewels and treasured keepsakes at home. If you don’t want to lose it, or have it stolen, don’t take it — a good rule for travel to all countries. While the resorts and hotels of Ceara are safe, the unexpected can always happen.