10 Most Unique Places in Brazil
I confess that I am often embarrassed to say that I don’t know certain unique places in Brazil. People ask me: “What do you mean? Well… Unfortunately, I haven’t yet been to some of the beautiful and unique places in Brazil that I dream of visiting.
I recognize that I was born to live in the summer, enjoy the beach, and fall into the sea, so much so that I made an awesome post with my best beaches in Brazil, and I invite you to leave your opinion there too.
Anyway, I have many plans to visit the most beautiful places in Brazil. However, deep down, I prefer little-explored, unexpected, different destinations, which are still hidden from the general public.
I do want the most popular ones, but I prefer to discover the regions that few people have had the chance to explore and bring all that to the blog.
Keeping an eye on these places, I have already had many incredible opportunities, such as discovering Jalapão in Tocantins; or taking a road trip through the Center-West, passing through Bonito, Chapada dos Guimarães, Pirenópolis, and final destination in Brasília. But there are many places I still dream of visiting. In this post, I give you a list of the 10 most unique places to visit in Brazil that are still hidden from the general public.
1. Caninde do Sao Francisco, SE
Canindé de Sao Francisco is a municipality in the extreme northwest of Sergipe, 213km from the capital Aracaju. It is highly sought after for the incredible Vale dos Mestres region, with untouched vegetation, canyons, and caves with cave paintings dating back 3 thousand years.
The region has become a beautiful destination for ecotourism due to the beautiful landscapes and rock formations bathed by the Sao Francisco River. And this is living proof that the Northeast isn’t just about beautiful beaches.
There are incredible attractions in this beautiful place in Brazil: you can sail through the waters of Velho Chico in a speedboat, schooner, or catamaran amidst walls with vibrant earthy colors, dive into a stretch known as carved paradise, and take the cangaço route, visiting the places frequented by Lampião and his gang.
Want more adventure? There is a panoramic flight to enjoy Velho Chico and the canyons from another angle, and there is also space to practice rappelling, climbing, and zip lining with a breathtaking view!
Do you want your feet more on the ground? Visit the Xingó Archeology Museum. It preserves tools made of stone and ceramics that are nine thousand years old; there are more than 55 thousand pieces, including 240 human skeletons!
2. Aparados da Serra, SC and RS
The Aparados da Serra National Park is an environmental preservation area located in Serra Geral, a place where immense gorges are formed on the natural border between the states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul.
The Vértice and Cotovelo trails are, next to the Itaimbezinho Canyon, the main tourist attractions of the park, and undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places in Brazil.
The park’s walls seem surreal at more than 700 meters high. Additionally, you can also observe purple-breasted parrots, ocelots, raccoons, and bay lions, typical representatives of our fauna. There are 63 km spread over more than 13 thousand hectares.
In addition to trekking, you can use a bike to do some plateau trails or go diving during the Rio do Boi Trail. There are also picnic areas for you to enjoy nature.
3. Pico da Bandeira, ES and MG
Pico da Bandeira is located in the Caparaó National Park, on the border between the municipalities of Ibitirama, Espírito Santo, and Alto Caparaó, Minas Gerais. Pico is the highest in the Southeast Region and third in Brazil, but it is the most accessible of the high mountains in Brazil, as there are very well-signposted trails from Espírito Santo.
I always dreamed of going to see the sun rising over the clouds. But for this to happen, visitors must be careful: due to the height of almost 3,000 meters, the temperature at the summit tends to drop significantly.
Therefore, prepare well with appropriate clothing, comfortable shoes, a flashlight, a stick, water, sunscreen, sunglasses, a snack, and a container to store your trash. The ascent and descent journey takes approximately 8 hours. And I believe that going with a guide for the first time is highly recommended.
4. Petar Caves, SP: One of the Most Unique Places in Brazil
The Alto Ribeira State Tourist Park (Petar) has always been a reason for my curiosity, mainly because many schools here in São Paulo have always gone on excursions to explore the caves.
Located in the south of the state, it has dozens and dozens of waterfalls in an area of Atlantic Forest that has remained preserved, in addition to having one of the largest concentrations of caves on the planet, more than 350.
The park houses all types of formations: wet, dry, deep caves, and rooms of different sizes. But only 12 are open to visitors. The rest are reserved for research and preservation, which is very important!
Furthermore, Petar is a true natural complex, and you still have time to do rappelling, zip lines, buoy cross, aqua ride, duck, rafting, biking, trekking, climbing, and, of course, bathing in one of the dozens of waterfalls which are spread throughout the park.
5. Maracajaú, RN
Maracajaú Beach is 60 km north of Natal, the capital of Rio Grande do Norte, and became known as the Brazilian Caribbean due to the beauty of the beaches and the blue sea. It is famous for the coral reef popularly called Parrachos, which is 7 km from the coast, but during low tide, it transforms into an immense natural pool of crystal clear water.
To get there, you can go either by catamaran or by speedboat and when you arrive, go snorkeling.
The best time to visit Maracajaú is between the months of October and December, the driest season. And it’s good to keep an eye on the tide tables so you don’t run the risk of missing the spectacle of the barrier reefs.
6. Alter do Chão, PA
Alter do Chão is located in the municipality of Santarém, in the state of Pará. It is the main tourist attraction in the region, as it is home to the most beautiful freshwater beach in the world, according to international magazines.
The beaches have white sand and crystal clear water from the Tapajós River, forming an incredible spectacle when it meets the Amazon River. To better appreciate this exquisite Brazilian nature, you have to go at the right time.
The months from August to December are the most recommended for visiting, as the volume of water decreases, and sand banks are formed, the destination’s main postcards. But be careful: access to the small fishing village of Alter do Chão can be done by car, via the PA-457, and by boat, which takes up to 3 hours.
But with so much beauty around, I bet you won’t even worry about the time. Therefore, be sure to include Alter do Chapo in your list of the best Brazilian places to visit.
7. Chapada das Mesas Park, MA
Chapada das Mesas, in the southern region of Maranhão, is extremely rich in species of animals and plants, not to mention the high potential for ecotourism due to its natural beauty, incredible landscapes, rivers, lagoons, waterfalls, and plateaus, being an alternative very popular for tourism in the Northeast.
There are more than 160 thousand hectares where you can enjoy bathing in crystal clear waters, canoeing, or trekking. The archaeological value of the region is proven by rock inscriptions found in the heart of the park.
Due to its immensity, you can have different experiences. For me, the unmissable spots are Poço Azul and Cachoeira Santa Bárbara, close to the city of Riachão; the Pedra Caída Sanctuary, near Carolina; and Morro do Chapéu, almost 400 meters high, from where you have a privileged view of the tables, of Chapada.
8. Abrolhos Archipelago, BA: The Best Place in Brazil and the Most Beautiful
Located on the southern coast of Bahia, the Abrolhos Archipelago is made up of five islands 72 km from the coast. The park offers excellent spots for snorkeling and scuba diving due to the coral formations that are home to a great diversity of marine fauna.
It is in the water that visitors can also discover, in addition to the reefs, underwater caves, and unmissable historical shipwrecks.
Once on dry land, the attraction is the birds and rock formations that make up one of the most eccentric landscapes in Brazil. From July onwards, when the water temperature is colder, the season for spotting humpback whales begins.
9. Mount Roraima, Triple Frontier
Mount Roraima is a mountain located on the border of three South American countries: between Brazil, Venezuela, and Guyana. It constitutes a tepui, a type of table formation characteristic of the Guiana Plateau.
Bordered by cliffs about 1 km high, its plateau presents a totally different environment from the tropical forest and savannah that extends at its feet.
To get there, the challenge is great: it takes three days of walking to reach the top, which starts in the city of Santa Helena de Uairém, in Venezuela. On the 1st and 2nd, these are the days to go up and get to know the camps.
On the 3rd, finally, you will be at the top with time to explore the attractions on the plateau, such as the Maverik, la Ventana, jacuzzi, and the abyss.
As you will be leaving the country, even if you later return to the Brazilian territory of Mount Roraima, it is good to have your documents up to date and not to forget the yellow fever vaccine, which is mandatory for entry into Venezuela.
10. Sao Miguel dos Milagres, AL
The small Sao Miguel dos Milagres is a small town in the state of Alagoas that started to attract the attention of tourists due to its beautiful beaches and the way time passes slowly.
Mass tourism is still far from here; I don’t know for how long, as it is definitely one of the best places in Brazil with the most beautiful beaches.
And, of course, I can’t stop dreaming about this destination! Some of the things to enjoy here include a stand-up paddle, buggy ride, natural pools, fire corals, and a visit to the Peixe Boi project and enjoy the meeting of the Tatuamunha River with the sea.
Also Read: 9 Most Beautiful Cities in Spain to Visit in 2024
Bonus: Pantanal, in MT and MS
I know I mentioned ten unique places in Brazil, but it doesn’t hurt to include another destination that has been populating my thoughts lately: the Pantanal. The largest floodplain in the world, it occupies the territories of the states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul in Brazil.
To give you an idea, the Pantanal beauties are so many that it is possible to appreciate three biomes in a single place: cerrado, the Amazon, and the Atlantic Forest. The best time to enjoy the region is in the driest months, between July and October.
The highlight is the observation tours of animals in their natural habitats, such as: night spotting; boat trip to admire the Pantanal sunset; and the photographic safari, which captures fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and, of course, the jaguar, the most anticipated attraction for everyone.
