Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Lote 3 (
T
61 3312 7000); Venezuela, SES Q.803, Lote 13
(
T
61 3226 1011).
Money and exchange
Confidence Cambio at Patio Brasil
(unit 2; Mon-Fri 10am-9pm, Sat 10am-6pm), Brasília
Shopping (unit 204; Mon-Fri 10am-10pm, Sat
10am-6pm) and the airport (24hr daily) - all require
photo ID. ATMs are widespread and include Banco do Brasil
and HSBC at the airport and Banco 24 Horas kiosks in many
supermarkets and large
farmácias
.
Post o
ce
Brasília's main post o
ce (Mon-Fri
9am-5pm) is a small, white building in the open grassy
space behind the
Hotel Nacional
.
6
Goiás state
Beyond the Distríto Federal, the hill-studded, surprisingly green
cerrado
of
Goiás state
extends towards another modern, planned city,
Goiânia
, and the historic old towns of
Pirenópolis
and
Goiás Velho
. Although gold mining started in a small way during the
seventeenth century, the first genuine settlement didn't appear until 1725. These days
agriculture is the main activity: ranching is important, but it is soybean production
that is booming, driving the conversion of the dwindling remnants of
cerrado
into
enormous farms. The small rural towns are all increasingly prosperous as a result, the
state road system is excellent by Brazilian standards, and it's easy to imagine most of
Goiás looking like the interior of São Paulo a generation from now. Indeed, the main
cities of Goiânia and Anápolis, with their rising a
uence and acres of new high-rises,
already look very much like the cities of the
paulista
interior, and are equally
uninteresting to visit.
In the north of Goiás is the heart of the
planalto
, a jumble of cliffs, spectacular
valleys and mountain ranges in and around the national park of
Chapada dos
Veadeiros
, excellent for hiking and a thoroughly worthwhile excursion from Brasília,
although you'll need a few days to do it justice. Over on the western border with
Mato Grosso, the
Parque Nacional das Emas
has less spectacular landscapes but is
wilder, a little more inaccessible (although still easily reached from Brasília), and a
better place to see wildlife.
Formosa and the Itiquira waterfall
If you only have time for one day-trip from Brasília, your best bet is to take the
two-hour bus ride to the town of
FORMOSA
, not so much for the place itself, pleasant
though it is, as for the stunning waterfall and park of
Salto de Itiquira
(
T
61
3503 5308,
W
itiquira.tur.br), for which Formosa is the jumping-off point. The park is about 40km
away, but it's worth the trip: the drive is beautiful, with the spectacular 90m waterfall
visible from far away as a white line against the towering cliffs of the Serra Formosa.
Surrounding the waterfall is a municipal park (daily 9am-5pm; R$15), well laid out
with a series of swimholes that make it a great place to spend the day. The most
spectacular of all is at the very top of the only path, where the waterfall comes
plunging down. The park is at its best during the week, when it's less crowded.
ARRIVAL
FORMOSA AND THE ITIQUIRA WATERFALL
By bus and taxi
Buses from Brasília depart approximately
hourly for the two-hour journey to Formosa, but buses
from town to the waterfall and park are infrequent;
haggling with a local taxi driver at the bus station should
get you a return trip for around R$70.
By car
The park is well signposted and easy to find if you
are in a rented car.
EATING AND DRINKING
Dom Fernando
GO-116, Km 7
T
61 9968 2983,
W
domfernando.com.br.
Although there is a snack bar at
the Salto de Itiquira car park, by far the best place to eat is
the
Dom Fernando
restaurant, with an excellent buffet of
local food, and freshly grilled meats to order (R$32 Sat,
R$35 Sun). It's located in splendid isolation on the road
to the waterfall, but is only open weekends and holidays.
Sat & Sun 11am-4pm.
