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This is your moment, and right now nothing else matters. All that's needed is to pack your bags and take your pick. From the Amazon Forest to Iguaçu Falls, from Bahia to Rio, which part of this immense and amazing country will you choose first?

Once your mind is made up, you'll know the party is about to start. And it's a party that simply cannot be missed.

The lure of Rio de Janeiro

To begin your trip in Rio de Janeiro is to start off in grand style. Rio de Janeiro, as everyone knows, is more than a city. Rio is a state of mind, populated by people of uncommon beauty, graciousness and good humor.

There are so many Rios. Consider for example the Rio of the Atlantic, of beaches like Copacabana, Ipanema, Barra de Tijuca and Recreio dos Bandeirantes. There's the Rio of sun, of surf, of games like foot-volley, volleyball or frescobol, of hang-gliding and ultralights. Then there's the Rio of the Maracanã football stadium, of Samba schools, of Christ the Redeemer; the Rio of monuments, historic forts, museums and theaters; the imperial Rio, from Praça 15 to the Solar de São Cristovão; the bucolic Rio of trams that follow the ups and downs of narrow streets as they wind through the neighborhood of Santa Teresa; of the peace and tranquility of Paquetá Island; the Rio of Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, the Botanical Gardens and Tijuca Forest, the largest remaining forest of any urban area in the world; the Rio of favelas, of swinging hips, of sensuality.

Rio de Janeiro, however, always defies the boundaries of the city itself. There's the enchanting Ilha Grande (in Angra dos Reis), with its crystal-clear waters and night skies so full of stars that you'll think you're in a planetarium. Look further in Angra dos Reis, and you can rent a boat and sail among fantastic luxury yachts. Or visit Paraty, the immaculately preserved colonial town, with its narrow streets and moonlight serenades. Or, visit the lake district, a charming stretch of coves and
headlands, and the delightful resort of Búzios. Then there's the majestic Petrópolis, the city of Emperor Dom Pedro II, which preserves the courtly grandeur of former times.

Finally there's Visconde de Mauá, in the mountains. It's an ideal place for trail hiking, and even a cooling dip under a waterfall.

Rio de Janeiro has indeed been touched by the hand of God. If you don't believe it, just go to Teresópolis, the mountaineering capital, and there it is, sculpted out of the mountains of the Orgão Range. Amen!

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The Lure of Bahia

Bahia is more than a state. It's a sacred land. Bahia, home to the first capital of Brazil, is a synthesis of races and influences, of contrasting cultures and religions, and with its astounding diversity Bahia has come to symbolize the energetic, cheerful and welcoming people of Brazil.

To really enjoy Bahia, it is best to "rodar a baiana," meaning "do as the natives do." Basically, it requires that one have a capacity for fun. After all, where else in the world do people sing more, dance more and sweat more than in the endless party that is the spirit of Bahia?

The Bahian capital, Salvador, is a metropolis rich in museums, forts and ancient churches. But perhaps its most significant feature is a blend of African culture, which is among the richest you'll find in Brazil. The influences are everywhere: in the flavors of the local cuisine; in the displays of capoeira, the traditional fighting dance practiced by the slaves; in the atabaques drums of Candomblé, a local form of voodoo; in the ritual washing of the steps of Catholic churches; in the historical testament of buildings in Pelourinho and the Mercado Modelo; and in the youngsters who in the blink of an eye can scale a coconut tree to quench, with a sweet, refreshing liquid, the thirst so readily evoked by this tropical paradise.

Not only the capital city but all of Bahia is blessed with a gentle, sun-kissed coastline that beckons the traveller to lie upon its silken sands and feel the breeze blowing softly from the sea. In the north, the Costa de Coqueiros still preserves extensive, deserted beaches, dotted here and there with lagoons, swamps, dunes, fishing villages and inlets. Here the beaches of Imbassaí, Forte, Arembepe, Sauípe and Conde are very popular with visitors. In the south you'll find Morro de São Paulo, magnificently adorned with coral formations; Ilhéus, the wild beaches and cocoa plantations; Olivença, the source of hot springs with dark waters similar to those of Vichy, France; Abrolhos, where one can dive into a rainbow world of coral; and particularly Porto Seguro, the point at which Pedro de Cabral made his discovery of Brazil in 1500. Bahia offers so much to see, but even a glimpse of it ensures a lifetime of memories.

Pelourinho. One of the oldest parts of the city, it's an important cultural center now and has undergone a complete restoration. The area is home to troupes of entertainers who rehearse in the streets and perform in the squares of Pelourinho. The most famous of these, the musical group Olodum, is internationally renowned for the persistent yet joyful rhythms of their drums and percussion.

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The lure of Foz do Iguaçu

Water, water and more water. In the far west region of the state of Paraná, on the border with Argentina, after flowing for 1,320 kilometers between banks that are almost always regular and symmetrical, the Iguaçu River spreads to the unbelievable width of 4,800 metres in the middle of the native forest in the Iguaçu National Park, then thunders dramatically over the precipice. It is the largest volume of falling water to be found anywhere on earth.

In the summer, when the flow of the river reaches a remarkable 6,500 cubic meters per second, you can find 275 distinct falls cascading from heights of up to 90 metres. Further down the river, these same waters carry the force needed to generate energy at Itaipu, the most important hydroelectric installation in Brazil. It is then that the waters of the Iguaçu River meet their ultimate destination: the sea.

The spectacular falls are, from every perspective, a feast for the eyes. Make your way along the 1.5-kilometer walkway that snakes through the forest, clinging to the
contours, leading to numerous viewing platforms and to the Garganta do Diabo (Devil's Throat), where the water cascades down in a horseshoe vortex. A rainbow colors the permanent spray produced by the power of the falls. Behind them, on the great walls of the cliff, delicate swallows with long, narrow wings dart back and forth. Butterflies flutter around in large groups, their multi-colored wings seemingly painted by hand. The spectacle presented by this hovering cloud is so special that it has a name: panapanã.

In the Iguaçu National Park, a 185,000-hectare site listed among the World Heritage Sites list, live wild animals threatened with extinction. There are unique varieties of jaguar, deer and alligator, to name but a few, along with 350 bird species - some as rare as the harpy eagle -and over 4,000 species of plants. To walk along the preserved indigenous trails is special enough, but don't be afraid if you should hear something that sounds like a wailing lament. According to local legend, this is Naipi, the beautiful Indian woman imprisoned by M'boi, the ruler of the world, forever weeping at the sight of her love, Tarobá, transformed into a
palm tree that is eternally bent into the abyss, hoping to catch sight of her.

It is possible to go on a safari in the forest of Iguaçu Park. A good four-wheel-drive vehicle can make it through the narrow tracks in the dense forest, enshrouded in orchids. Eventually, however, you'll want to travel on foot to the mouth of the Iguaçu River, and then finish your excursion in an inflatable boat to the Island of San Martin, where the spectacular falls can be seen in all their mighty splendour. A helicopter ride reveals even more clearly the horseshoe formation of the many falls that make up this wonder of nature. The flight, which takes you right along the curtain of the falls, is nothing short of breathtaking.

The lure of Amazonas

On the placid banks of the River Negro one finds the city of Manaus, the capital of Amazonas, a tiny clearing of urban development hidden within the immensity of the forest. The growth of Manaus began in the 19th century, as the wealth produced by the rubber plantations brought people from far and wide. One needs only see the greatest symbol, built by European merchants during the so-called "Rubber Period." It's the Amazonas Theater, impressive in a façade of English stone, French tiles and Italian marble.

Ecotourism, of course, now attracts the most visitors to this part of the world. Manaus is the perfect place for that. Here you can penetrate the vastness of the forest, which forever inspires the field of green upon which the Brazilian flag is based.

The state is gigantic. The Amazon Forest, its marvellous cradle, comprises 92 percent of a total area exceeding 1.5 million kilometers - more than the combined areas of France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. It is also home to roughly 100,000 Brazilian Indians, the largest number in the country.

The Amazon, which contains the largest forest on earth and a fifth of all the fresh water on the planet, is a colossus with a scenery of the most astonishing beauty.

This is home to the main biodiversity reserve on the planet, incorporating approximately 1.5 million separate species. Here you'll find trees over 50 meters tall, stretching upward into skies filled with 1,000 different species of birds. The waters of the rivers and swamps are equally rich, being home to than 2,000 species of fish. The list goes on.

Prepare yourself to live the wonder of an intense dream. Sleep in the trees, float on the rivers, listen to the symphony of birdsong, and enjoy the natural delights of the eco-lodges and first-class hotels built right in the middle of the forest. If you visit in June, be sure you go to Parintins and join the 100,000 people who each year kick off a colorful parade that is certainly the world's biggest jungle party. Two "groups" - Garantido and Caprichoso - act out the story of the "Boi-bumbá", along with a generous helping of indigenous folklore.

Don't be surprised, though, if you're met with a certain disbelief as you attempt to relate this story. But you know what you saw, and that's all that matters. On one side it is yellow. That's the River Solimões. On the other side it's black:the River Negro. Before coming together on the way to the Atlantic Ocean, they form a river wave 12 kilometers long. Go and see this remarkable daily occurrence for yourself, and throw in a coin too. Legend has it that whoever hits the exact point where the two colors meet will have good luck from that moment forward.

Sources:

• Ministério do Turismo