Brazil - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 225

thirty days, and don't mind sticking to
an itinerary, it makes sense to buy an
airpass with TAM or Gol. These need to
be purchased from an agent before you
travel (you can't buy them in Brazil);
each costs somewhere between US$500
and US$1200 for between five and nine
flights. Departure tax is included in the
price of your international ticket.

Localiza and Unidas - offices ( locadoras )
are at every airport and in most towns.
An international driving licence is
recommended: foreign licences are
accepted for visits of up to six months
but you may find it tough convincing
police of this.
Be wary of driving at night as roads are
poorly lit and lightly policed - specifically
avoid the Via Dutra , linking Rio and São
Paulo, due to the huge numbers of trucks
at night and the treacherous ascent and
descent of the Serra do Mar, and the
Belém-Brasília highway , whose potholes
and uneven asphalt make it difficult
enough to drive even in daylight. Outside
of big cities, service stations don't always
accept international credit cards, so bring
cash. If you're stopped by police, they can
be intimidating, pointing to trumped-up
contraventions when they're probably
angling for a bribe. If such an on-the-spot
multa , or fine, is suggested, it's your
choice whether to stand your ground or
pay up. Whatever you do, always appear
polite. If your passport is confiscated,
demand to call your consulate - there
should always be a duty officer available.

BY BUS
Hundreds of bus companies offer services
that crisscross Brazil. Bus travel prices
range from 25 to 75 percent of the cost of
air travel, and this is usually the best-value
option for journeys of under six hours
- although in more remote areas buses
tend to be packed and the roads in poor
condition. Intercity buses leave from the
rodoviária , a bus station usually built on
city outskirts. Prices are standardized even
when more than one firm plies the same
route, and there are often two levels of
bus service: the perfectly comfortable
convencional and marginally more
expensive executivo ; on the latter you're
usually supplied with a blanket,
newspaper and snack. Leitos are luxury
buses that do nocturnal runs between
major cities, with fully reclining seats in
curtained partitions. All long-distance
buses are comfortable enough to sleep in,
however, and have on-board toilets. Bring
water and a sweater or jacket for the
often-cool air conditioning.
For most journeys it's best to buy
your ticket at least a day in advance,
from the rodoviária or some travel agents.
An exception is the Rio-São Paulo route,
with services every thirty minutes. If you
cross a state line you'll get a small form
asking for your passport number
( identidade ); give it to the driver before
you get on board.

3

BY TAXI
Metered taxis are easy to flag down and
relatively inexpensive, though base fares
vary from place to place. An alternative is
the radiotaxi, a metered cab you can call
to pick you up - generally cheaper on
airport trips and the like.

ACCOMMODATION
Hostels ( albergues ) usually offer the
best value, in most cases with dorms
( dormitórios ) and private rooms ( quartos ).
There's an extensive network of Hostel
International-affiliated hostels, so it's
worth taking out an HI membership
( W hihostels.com). In most bigger cities
and resorts you'll find numerous private
hostels for R$30-45 a night per person.
Slightly higher in price are small,
family-run hotels called pensão ( pensões
in the plural) or hotel familiar . Pensões are
often better in small towns than in large
cities. You'll also find pousadas , which
can be just like a pensão, or a small,

BY CAR
High accident rates, poor signposting,
immense urban congestion and heavily
potholed rural roads make driving in
Brazil hardly a recommendation.
Nonetheless, vehicle rental is easy, from
about R$120 per day. International
companies operate alongside local
alternatives like Interlocadora, Nobre,