I'm Brazilian, and I haven't seen nearly enough of my own country. While it's hard to admit, I know I'm not alone. Travel within Brazil was not accessible to most Brazilians until the economic boom during the Lula administration in the 2000s. Throughout that period, between 30 and 40 million Brazilians moved out of poverty and into the middle class. As things began to change, I, along with millions of people who couldn't do so before, got to travel.
Brazil is divided by five major regions, each widely known for its specific culture, climate, language variations, and landscapes. The North is known for the Amazon rainforest, Indigenous communities, and rivers. The Northeast is the heart of Afro-Brazilian culture with places like Bahia, Maranhão, and Ceará drawing the most visitors. The Central-West's highlight is Brasília, the capital. The Pantanal (world's largest tropical wetland area) is also in this region.
When I first visited Brazil in 2020, my destination choice was largely driven by tropical weather and affordable hotels. Since becoming a full-time resident, those parts of Brazilian life are undoubtedly still seductive, but I've also fallen deeper for the Brazil that stretches beyond Copacabana and the sounds of bossa nova. This is the country Brazilians affectionately call Brasil com S, a place with more than 70 national parks, more than 4,600 miles of coastline, and more local fruit stands than fast food chains.
For years, limited flights, visitor caps, and steep environmental fees kept Fernando de Noronha notoriously difficult to access, especially for international travelers. This kept the remote Brazilian archipelago wild and rugged, its volcanic cliffs and crystalline waters luring mostly domestic travelers in search of Brazil's most pristine beaches. But now a new direct LATAM flight from São Paulo, Brazil's main travel hub, makes it easier for foreign visitors to fly in.