Entry requirements: Visas are required of US citizens. No inoculations are required for entry. Within Brazil, travelers may be required to present a yellow fever certificate when transiting between certain cities.

Climate and clothing: In most parts of the country, days range from warm to hot, except during the rainy period from November through February. The extreme south of Brazil does get cold during the winter (June-August). Wear spring or summer clothes.

Health: Sanitation facilities in many places are being expanded. Carefully prepared and thoroughly cooked foods are safe for consumption. Tapwater is not recommended. Yellow fever, rabies, gamma globulin, typhoid, and polio immunications are recommended.

Telecommunications: Telegraph and long distance telephone services are good. Brasilia is two time zones ahead of eastern standard time; however, time differences vary, due to daylight savings time in both Brazil and the United States.

Transportation: Direct air service is available. Rio is the normal point of entry, but Sao Paulo, Manaus, Recife, and Belem also have international flights. Domestic flights are expensive. Trains are limited. Inter-city buses run frequently and are inexpensive but often crowded. Metered taxis with red license plates have relatively low rates after 11 pm and on weekends. Tipping is the same as in the US. The highway system in southeastern Brazil and as far north as Salvador is adequate, but road maintenance is sometimes incomplete.

Security: Street crime is common in Brazil's larger cities and tourists should take precautions such as not wearing jewelry, flashing money, or otherwise calling attention to expensive personal belongings. For more information, check the Department of State's Tips for Travelers.

Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs, October 1990.