Brazil - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget

Travel Reference

In-Depth Information

CUIABÁ

Capital of Mato Grosso and one of the

hottest cities in Brazil, CUIABÁ is located

at the dead centre of the South American

continent, broiling home to over half a

million people, many of whom speak

with one of the country's most distinctive

local accents. The city's unusual name is

of disputed origin but probably comes

from an indigenous term meaning

“arrow-fishing”, a reference to the local

Bororo Indian hunting technique. The

installation of Brasília as the nation's

capital in 1960 revived Cuiabá's fortunes

and its recent growth has been rapid. The

city is the main gateway to the northern

Pantanal, and is the least frequently used

of the three main access points.

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION

By plane Marechal Rondon International Airport ( T 65

3614 2500) is located 10km from the centre at Av João Ponce

de Arruda, Varzea Grande. Bus #24 (R$2.95) runs between the

airport and the small, turnstyle-controlled mini-terminal on

the southeastern corner of Praça Ipiranga. Taxis to the centre

cost R$25-30.

By bus The hulking rodoviária ( T 65 3621 3629) lies west

of the centre on Av República do Líbano. Bus #204 and #302

(R$2.95) run between the station and Av Getúlio Vargas,

just off Praça Alencastro. Taxis to the centre cost R$15.20,

pre-payable at the Ticket Taxi booth ( T 65 3621 2829).

Destinations São Luiz ( W viacaosaoluiz.com.br) serves

Brasília, Andorinha ( W andorinha.com) and Eucatur

( W eucatur.com.br) serve São Paulo, with the latter also

serving Porto Velho and - together with Verde Transportes

( W viagemverde.com.br) - Cáceres, while Viação Motta

( W motta.com.br) serve Rio. Most companies serve Campo

Grande. Brasília (7 daily; 17-22hr); Cáceres, with connec-

tions to Santa Cruz, Bolivia (10 daily; 3-4hr); Campo

Grande (22 daily; 11-12hr); Porto Velho (9 daily;

23-24hr); Rio (1 daily; 35hr); São Paulo (6 daily; 26-27hr).

Tourist information There's a Sedtur o ce at Rua

Voluntários de Pátria 118 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm; T 65 3613

9313), and also a kiosk at the airport (daily 8am-6pm;

T 65 8419 8310).

unique in Brazil, at least at this price level: a tastefully

rambling, shabby-chic, five-room pousada with hospita-

lity and atmosphere to spare, crammed with bric-a-brac

and antiques. Cats and hens roam freely around the

communal library and book exchange to an original vinyl

soundtrack of Herb Alpert, Frank Sinatra and Chico

Buarque, while birds peck from feeders in a large, happily

un-manicured garden with fruit trees and hammocks.

Laundry, cooking facilities and internet (all free) are also

available, as well as free airport and rodoviária transfers.

Highly reg arded tours (see p.329) to the Pantanal can be

organized. R$60

Ramos Rua Campo Grande 487 T 65 3624 7472,

E hotelramos@hotmail.com. A generally sweet, family-

run operation offering clean, comfortable rooms painted in

shocking green, with a handy combination of both a/c and

ceiling fan to keep the heat at bay, and a well-respected

in-house tour agency. Parking, wi-fi and breakfast included,

though the latter is hardl y lavish, with a cramped clutch of

tables in reception. R$80

3

EATING

Choppão Praça 8 de Abril T 65 3623 9101. Traditional

and hugely popular open-fronted restaurant-bar counter-

ing Cuiabá's ferocious heat with a frigid, turbo-charged fan

and delicious pints of ice-fortified, hangover-free chopp

(draught beer). The lunch deal isn't bad, offering a 250g

steak with rice and feijão tropeira for R$19.50, though give

the pizzas a miss. Daily 11am-1pm & 6-11pm.

Empório Alimento Rua Comandante Costa 668,

opposite Hotel Matto Grosso . Not the most salubrious

option, though in the white heat of a city-centre Sun

afternoon, when absolutely nothing else moves (not even

the drunk slumped in front of his beer), you might just be

glad of the dirt-cheap, greasy spoon cuisine (R$8) at this

un-signed hole-in-the-wall. Daily 8am-8pm.

Mistura Cuiabana Rua Pedro Celestino 8 T 65 3624

1127. Set in an airy colonial mansion with handsome old

shutters and timber ceiling, this excellent por quilo

restaurant (R$21.50) hums with activity at lunchtime and

has a particularly fine selection of vegetarian and salad

options. Mon-Fri 11am-2.30pm.