Brazil boasts a marvellous variety of natural wonders and fascinating towns and cities that are still largely undiscovered by foreign visitors.

The biggest country in Latin America, and the fifth largest in the world, Brazil is home to the planet's greatest expanse of rainforest and more than 7,000 km (4,350 miles) of coastline which contains some of the world's most spectacular and welcoming beaches. Brazil has a rich, varied and vibrant flora and fauna in the Pantanal wetlands, and shares with Argentina the biggest and most impressive waterfalls at Foz do Iguassu.

It is perhaps, however, the vibrant, fun-loving and multi-cultural cities, especially Rio de Janeiro and Salvador, with their strong African, European and indigenous roots, that make Brazil such an exciting and unforgettable country to visit at any time of the year.

Brazil's climate can be as varied as its landscape, but in the tropics there is always the possibility of tropical rain. The Amazon and Pantanal are normally drier between May and October. The northeast is so dry, that regionally there can be serious annual water shortages; the coastal region south of Recife generally has plenty of rain between April and August (although it is never cold), while Rio is wettest in the hot summer months from November to March. The extreme south is sub-tropical with strong seasonal fluctuations of very hot summers and cold winters.

The main tourist attractions and beaches are at their busiest in the South American holiday months of January and July.