4 months after coming back, here is the full tale of our World Trip! We used Polarsteps as our journal, writing down all our adventures for our friends and family. We now have printed a book (332 pages) with some photos and graphics. Just a small teaser:
(more…)Category: Brazil
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Budget for a World Trip
We travelled for 14 months and gathered all the prices thanks to TravelSpend application: Here is the detail of how much did we pay the planes, accommodations, activities, transportations, food… You will know all about what you should expect to spend on a World Trip!
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From Iguazu to Rio
After visiting Iguazu falls from the argentian side, in Puerto Iguazu, we decided to cross the border and enjoy a Brazil East coast! From Foz de Iguaçu we went to Florianopolis, Paraty, Ilha Grande and finally Rio for a total 13 days. I share with you the detail of the trip and transportation!
Puerto Iguazu
Coming from Buenos Aires (after the visit of Tigre), the direct bus was full so we had to take a bus from Retiro to Posadas (8500RS per person – 14h in a night bus) and an other to Puerto Iguazu (100ARS – 6h). You also have the WAY BETTER OPTION: take a national flight (only 2h with Jet Smart or Aerolineas Argentina).
We visited the waterfall park in one day: by bus it’s only 30min (17ARS one way)and the entrance costs 5500 or 4675 ARS if you pay online.
How to cross the border Argentina => Brazil
It took 4 hours to cross the border by ourselves:
- 11h40: We take a bus from Puerto Iguazu bus station.
- 11h55: It stopped first for the people who were only crossing for one day (in that case they check your vaccines and give you a simple paper).
- 12h15: We crossed the argentinian custom to get our exit stamp (here they usually ask for the “declaracion jurada”, the same to get into the country).
- 12h30: Our bus left us at the Brazilian border (telling us we’ll need to get the next one). Here you only need to fill in a simple information form to have your entry stamp (no vaccine neither PCR documentation has been asked).
- 15h: The next bus finally arrived! It was supposed to be every hour but not this day apparently…
- 15h30: We arrived in the Rodovaria (bus station).
Price: 500 ARS with Rio Uruguay (you can also take a cab which will charge you 7500 ARS with return for one day, or R$ 150 from the border to the center)
Foz do Iguaçu
We had the entrances booked on internet at 8h30 for the bird parc and at 11am for Iguazu. Timing was perfect! The city bus left us in front of the bird parc and we only had to cross the road to arrive in Iguaçu falls. A guide tried to sale us the boat tour but the water is so low that I don’t really see the point (you couldn’t really get close to the falls because there was not enough water…). The visit of the falls in Brazil is very fast (only 1km50) and you cross the parc by bus, but it gives you a nice view of the falls you can’t have in Argentina.
After this nice visit we were back in town at 2pm and had some difficulties to get our bus online to go to Florianopolis (they ask for CPF, a national number we didn’t have). Hopefully the guy from the hotel sent us to Ambatur agency were we get our tickets (see detailed transportation).
To sleep: Pousada El Shaddai R$ 140 private triple room.
To go to the parcs: Bus number 120 from all over the city center, every 20min, R$ 10 with return (around 1h trip)To book your tickets:
> Parque das Aves (R$ 102)
> Iguazu falls (R$ 68)
Florianopolis
After a quite good night in the bus we arrived to the Rodovaria (in the city center of Florianopolis). At 300m of this arrival, you have 2 others terminals for city buses to go everywhere you want! We chose a central position: Lagoa da Conceçao (bus ticket: R$ 11). We found a dorm in Vizoo guest house for R$ 60 per person/night.
First day: Joaquina dunes and beach
We walked around 1h30 (with a nice stop at Marquês da Lagoa, a bar I totally recommend with live music) and found a path to the dunes: Trilha Dunas da Joaquina. We had lunch on the beach full of bars and music. We went back by bus (only R$ 9).
Second day: Barra da Lagoa
We took a bus at the Rodovaria for R$ 9 to go to this nice beach and walked into the hill where you have smaller beaches (follow Trilha das Piscinas) but also a beautiful view from the Farol da Barra (lighthouse). The path is kind of wild: very good experience!
Street of Paraty Paraty
After a night bus to São Paulo and a second 5h bus (see the details) we finally arrived in Paraty and found the first hostel available. We discovered a little paradise here: small colonial streets, no car, and a lot of tours you can book for the day to discover the islands around. As we had booked our plane to go back to Argentina we only had one night there, but it definitely worth more time!
To sleep: Janlu Hostel, R$ 120 double room
Ilha Grande
We took a public transport from the bus station for only R$ 17 (no need to book in advance, you pay directly to the driver and it’s almost every hour). After 2h we arrived in Angra dos Reis and waited for the ferry (see the details). We booked 2 beds at Ocean View hostel for R$ 72 per bed).
1st day:
Playa Lopes Mendes walking through the jungle for almost 3h. We went back by taxi boat (R$ 40 you can take on Pouso beach every hour).
2 day:
Meia Volta (half tour of the island by boat) R$ 120 from 10 to 4.30pm to do snorkeling in Lagoa Verde and Lagoa Azul, have a lunch break and enjoy Praia Amor and Praia Feiticeira.
Street of Ilha Grande
Marcelo and Maria Isabel place Rio de Janeiro
We took the ferry back at 10am and the bus at 12.30. We arrived in a luxuary house in Santa Teresa: At Marcelo and Maria Isabel.
> Check what to do in Rio
To sleep: You can contact Marcelo directly on WhatsApp as they have plenty of options: +55 21 98461-1339
After 4 nights there we went back to Argentina by plane (with Flybondi to Buenos Aires and Aerolineas Argentina to Salta)… TO BE CONTINUED
Our best moments
Bus transportation details
From To Duration Type Price (R$) Company Where to buy Foz do Iguaçu Florianopolis 13h Semi leito 241 Nordeste Ambatur Agency (contact: +554530281502) Florianopolis Sao Paulo 14h Semi leito 155 Catarinense In bus station Sao Paulo Paraty 6h Basic 80 Reunidas Online Paraty Angra dos Reis 2h City bus 17 – Directly to the driver Angra dos Reis Ilha Grande 1h30 Ferry boat* 18,5 CCR Barcas To the peer Ilha Grande Angra dos Reis 1h30 Ferry boat* 18,5 CCR Barcas To the peer Angra dos Reis Rio de Janeiro 3h Semi leito 66 Costa Verde Online *price will be raised from February 2022 to R$ 20,50. One per day during the week at 15h30, and a second at 13h30 during week-end and days off. -
Budget to travel to Brazil
We were there during the holiday period where prices are hard to negociate, from January 6th to January 19th. We went from Iguazu to Rio and took a plane back to Salta.
Note: We are a couple travelling for 1 year and we’ve already spent half of our time and budget and time (20000€ total for the year). The prices mentioned in this post are PER PERSON, except for the taxis and accommodation (usually private double rooms).
Food
We paid 180$R per person for a “all you can eat” meat restaurant! The rest was much more cheaper…
- Burger: 35$R
- Full breakfast: 28$R
- Pizza: 60$R
Drinks
- Water: 6$R
- Beer: 14$R
- Alcool: around 20$R caipirinha or a ron cola
Transportation
Bus:
- We took night buses from Iguazu to Florianopolis (241$R), and from Florianopolis to Sao Paulo (155$R), then a bus to Paraty (90$R), to Angra del Rey (17$R) and to Rio (66$R)
- Locker in the Terminal: 10$R
- City bus to Iguazu: 10$R with return
- City bus in Florianopolis: 4,5$R
Ferry to Isla Grande: 19$R (see the details)
Taxi boat from a beach to an other: 40$RTram and Metro in Rio: The fee depends on the hour, we paid 12$R once and 7$R an other time.
Uber: From Santa Teresa in Rio to the airport: 35$R
Taxi in Rio: 22$R to cross the entire city
Accommodation
Country Minimum Maximum Average Brazil 120reales 150reales 139reales € 18,70€ 23€ 21,60€
Activities
Iguazu falls: 102$R + 68$R parque dos aves, Boat tour in Isla Grande 120$R, Cristo Redentor 105$R and Pao de Azucar 120$R.
> See the detail of our trip from Iguazu to Rio
Extras
General
- Bathroom: 2 reales
Click on the title of the post
To follow those spendings we used TravelSpend App. Looking back…
We’ve spent a total of 51€ per person per day (the most expensive of our trip) but we were in the middle of the holidays so I guess the prices were superior than the rest of the year. -
One week in Rio de Janeiro & Around
Ahhhhh Rio! I think this is one of the best city I’ve ever visited… I’ve been there first for the Carnaval and on various professional trips, and I always enjoyed the weather, the people, the music, the ambiance…
Rio de Janeiro
There are so many ways to visit this magic city… You can easily walk in the Downtown area, take a rest and enjoy the beaches, visit the touristic places like Pao de Azucar, Cristo Redemtor, or find more local stuff like watching a game in the Maraqueña stadium, visit a favela, or go outside the city in Ihla Grande in the west or Buzios in the east. Rio is also a perfect place to party, more than ever during the Carnival!
– To stay: El Misti Hostel for its bar, or Villa budget for its patio (both are in ideally situated in Copacabana, few blocks from the beach and in front of Siqueira Campos metro station)
– To eat: You need to try one of the churrascaria restaurant, specialized in BBQ (like Porcão which is a chain). If you want cheaper, they also have a lot of restaurants with huge buffets where you pay the weight!
And if you look for a romantic restaurant, I recommend the rooftop of Praia Ipanema Hotel, with an amazing view on Ipanema beach (for the sunset…)
– To try: Pan de queijo & the açai juice!
Top 5 of the best views of Rio:
Cristo Redentor
Pao de Azucar
Dos hermaos
Duque de Caxias
Vista Chinesa
The city center
In an half day you can visit all the city center, between the metro station Gloria and Cinelandia (you can also take the new tram)!
Escalera Selarón
Those famous colored steps start on the feet of the old aqueduc, el aqueduto da carioca.
Cathedral Sao Sebastian
Known as the Metropolitan Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro, this very special church has been built in the 60’s and 70’s for a maximum of 20 000 people!
Municipal Theater area
The city center is full of treasuries mixed with modern buildings, but you can still see nice stuff like the theater, Praça XV, or Candelaria church.
Parque Olímpico
Take a moment to discover this rehabilitated port, with the Museum of Tomorrow – Museo do Amanha -, and the World’s largest street mural graffiti… Amazing!
Eduardo Kobra, brazilian artist, representing the different faces of humanity:
The beaches
You can’t leave Rio without try those beaches! Rio has the best beaches I’ve ever seen in term of ambience… Between people playing footvolley or volleyball, doing surf, bodyboard or standing paddle, and the others taking rest with their family or friends. You can rent a chair for few reales, and enjoy the beach life with salers of caipirinhas, food, bikinis, pareos, hats… The best are the most famous: Copacabana, and Ipanema where you need to see the sunset behind the Dos Hermaos (two brothers) mountains. You could even rent a bike and easily go from one to the other!
On Copacabana if you have time I recommend you to have lunch in the Forte Copacabana, and to check the Caminho dos Pescadores – the fisher way, in the bottom of Duque de Caxias fort by night!
What else?!
Parque botanico & Tijuca forest
If you have time to visit this nice parc you will also discover the lagoon of the city, and you could also keep going to Tijuca forest where you will find plenty of things to do (like nice waterfalls where you can swim, or the famous Chinese view -Vista Chinesa.
Maracaña
If you are lucky and can buy a football ticket to live this experience, I totally advise you to go there! We had the chance to see a game of Flamingo – Botafogo, two clubs of Rio, and we really had a great time (arrive early to buy the tickets in the stadium, or buy them directly in the club).
Favelas
We took a tour (with Rio Maximum) to visit Rocinha Favela, the biggest one, and a second one to go to Morro Dos Hermaos where we crossed the favela Vidigal. During the day there are so many people that I’m not sure a tour is needed, but it’s still interesting!
Want to see monkeys?
You have good chance to see those monkeys in every parc of Rio, but the best place is probably on the way to go to the fort Duque de Caxias. You will see that those marmoset aren’t shy at all (carefull though not to be bitten)!
And the Fiesta?!
Rio is also the perfect place to have fun by night! Botafogo, Santa Teresa, Leblond… You will always find a great bar or place to dance. And the Carnival is the apotheosis of the celebrations: a great ambience, people with smiles everywhere, everybody is a friend… During this first week of february, you MUST go to the Sambodromo and see the best Samba schools in competition, and participate to one of the various Blocos in the streets!
Outside of Rio
If you have time left, you have two very good options at only 3h from Rio: you can also go west in Angra dos Reis bay and take a boat to Ilha Grande (we took a one day tour, but I think it deserve much more time to really enjoy the magnificent of this region), or go east to Buzios, a tinny but nice city with the same warm and blue water, and the big boats to visit the islands.
Ilha Grande
Buzios
Safety:
I lived 4 years in Latin America so I already know that I have a “gringo” face, and I always take care of myself travelling alone: I don’t wear gold jewleries, I don’t have handbag and just go out with few Reales in my pocket, my phone and a copy of my passeport!
During the carnival there’s a lot of pickpockets but also a lot of cops in the streets. We were two french girls and met a lot of easy going persons.
I’ve never felt in danger in Rio and never had any problems. I even met great people and shared incredibles moments with them!Thank you guys for those great moments…
