Tourism - Brazil

Electricity Voltage
Electricity voltages vary from one state to another. Check the voltage before connecting any electrical appliance to an outlet.

Car Hire
All the well know car hire firms have counters at the country's main airports and in the main urban centers. Tourists may also book cars through their travel agencies.

Taxis
The tourist may opt to take an ordinary taxi easily found in the streets or through radio taxi services. It is recommended that accredited taxi services at the airports and at points nearby the main hotels be given priority. It is not usual in Brazil to tip a taxi driver although it is common to round off the amount and let the driver keep the change as a gratuity.

Tips
Most bars and restaurants include a service charge of 10% in the Bill. It is usual to leave a little extra if the service has been satisfactory. When no service charge has been included then a tip of 10% to 15% is the general rule.

Currency
The Brazilian currency unit is the Real ($R). Dollars and Travelers Checks can easily be changed in hotels, banks or travel agencies. Most establishments accept credit cards.

Communications
To make an international call, dial: 00 + operator code* + country code + area code (if there is one) + telephone number For reverse charge international calls dial 0800 7032111.

Operators:
Brasil Telecom 14
Embratel 21
CTBC 34
GVT 25
Intelig 23
Telefónica 15
Telemar 31

Language
The national language is Portuguese but it is a little different from the Portuguese spoken in Portugal

Climate
The climate is predominantly tropical with some variation according to the region. The average annual temperature in the north is 28º C and 22º C in the south.

Time Zones
Because of its continental dimensions Brazil has 4 time zones. The official time is Brasília time and it corresponds to 3 hours less than GMT. From September to February the clocks are put forward one hour in most Brazilian States.