Salvador de Bahia is the largest city on the northeastern coast of Brazil.  It is known as the “City of All Saints” and “Brazil’s capital of happiness.” It’s also home to the celebrated and unusual Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim (that’s “Church of our Lord of the Good End” in Portuguese.) The church is believed to be especially sacred, and every year thousands of pilgrims come here to pray.

The Church is the site of an important annual festival that incorporates both Catholic and Candomble traditions. The Festa do Bonfim happens every year in early January.  People from all over Brazil gather at the Church of Conceição da Praia, then walk in a procession to the Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim. Once there, a group of women in traditional white dresses and bonnets wash the steps of the church with fragrant, perfumed water. Although the church is Catholic, the white clothing is to honor the Candomble God Oxala, whom worshippers identify with Jesus.

The procession and ceremony is followed by ten days of feasting and celebration, culminating in a special Mass. It’s quite a spectacle, and definitely worth seeing if you aren’t particularly religious.

The church’s most unusual feature, though, is the Sala dos Milagres, or the “Room of Miracles.” Imagine a room with white wax body parts hanging from the ceiling: everything from hands and feet to internal organs, cast in ghostly white wax. It might sound like a scene from a horror movie or the perfect setting for a metal video, but as the name implies, it’s actually a place where people pray to be healed. The wax body parts represent the part of the person that requires healing. (h/t Bootsnall)

Before you can visit the church, you’ll need to get to Brazil, and that means getting a Brazil visa. The process can be somewhat complicated – see Brazilian Visa Requirements for Tourists for details.

However, RushMyTravelVisa can help. We’ll walk you through the visa application process, make sure you have all the documents you need, and submit your Brazil visa application to the appropriate embassy or consulate for the fastest possible processing.

Apply for your Brazil visa today!

If you’re looking to get away from it all, Brazil has just the place: the tropical island of Boipeba. Getting there takes effort: your options are a four-hour odyssey by bus, ferry and speedboat or a flight in from El Salvador in a tiny plane, an experience that the New York Times referred to as “not for the tremulous.”

Once you’re there, though, the island will reward you with the kind of peace that comes from being someplace beautiful and remote, almost entirely shut away from the outside world.

Charles Levitan, who runs a guesthouse on the island, told the New York Times, “If you can’t live in the moment, this isn’t the place for you,If you need to constantly know the weather forecast, you might want to go somewhere else.”

Activities here include swimming, sunning, snorkeling and exploring a pristine patch of rainforest. Floating oyster bars let you enjoy two of the island’s greatest pleasures, fresh seafood and being out on the ocean, at the same time.

If this sounds like heaven, be forewarned: Now is the time to visit. There’s no guarantee that big developers will keep their claws out of this little chunk of paradise, a specter that haunts even the people who currently work in the island’s tourist industry. Tour boat operator Miguel Rosas Dos Santos told the New York Times, “If I could freeze the island just as it is now, that would be perfect. Everyone loves the money flowing, but too many tourists will ruin the place.”

To visit Boipeba, you’ll need a strong stomach (to withstand air- and seasickness), a valid passport and a Brazil visa. The last item may be the most noisome to attain; Brazil’s visa requirements are somewhat complex. See Brazilian Visa Requirements for Tourists for more information.

RushMyTravelVisa can help you cut through the red tape and get your visa quickly and easily. We’ll research your itinerary, let you know what visas you need and what the requirements are, and expedite your paperwork for the fastest processing available.

Apply for your Brazil visa today!

The New York Times’ Frugal Traveler column is a great place to get inspiration for international vacations that won’t break the bank. Recently, the Frugal Traveler visited Brazil, recommending Marajó Island. It definitely sounds like an awesome trip-read the description and see if you don’t find yourself wanting to book a ticket:

“While the morning away on the smooth sands of a virtually empty, mangrove-studded beach. Wander all afternoon through gorgeous wetlands, spying on sloths, scarlet ibises and capybaras (the world’s largest rodent). Dine in the evening on tender filet mignon of locally raised water buffalo covered in water buffalo mozzarella and wash it down with pitchers of icy mangaba juice.”

Sounds awesome, right? But you can’t just book a ticket, unfortunately. This is Brazil, and before you can enter the country you’ll need a Brazilian visa. You must submit your application in time to have your visa issued before you travel, as you won’t be allowed on the plane without it.

Here’s a rundown of what you’ll need to get a Brazilian visa if you’re traveling as a tourist:

• Your passport. Note: your passport’s expiration date must be at least 6 months into the future for you to get a Brazil visa. You’ll also need 2 or more blank pages in the back. Before applying for your visa, get a passport renewal or add pages as necessary.
• One visa application form
• 2 passport-sized photos
• A copy of your itinerary, which must have the dates you plan to enter and leave Brazil.
• A clean, readable copy of your driver’s license or state-issued ID card.
• If you will be visiting friends or relatives, you also need a letter from your hosts. (more…)

Brasilia, the capital of Brazil and today’s featured UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an interesting city that’s definitely worth a visit, especially if you have an interest in architecture.

Brazil has had 3 different capitals since the country was settled by Europeans: Salvador, Rio de Janeiro and finally Brasilia. Brasilia was constructed in the center of the country with the express purpose of becoming a new, modern capital for the country and encouraging settlement of Brazil’s interior.

Inspired by the urban planning philosophy of French architect Le Corbusier, Brasilia was designed by its architects, Oscar Niemeyer and Lucio Costa, to be an idyllic metropolis where traffic would flow so smoothly that traffic lights would be unnecessary. Of course, as Robert Burns once famously wrote, “The best laid schemes of mice and men go often askew.” Brasilia is no exception to this rule-it grew much faster than the planners anticipated, and even their clever street designs could not stave off the need for traffic lights.

According to the UNESCO website, one of the characteristics that makes the city worthy of being designated a World Heritage site is its abundance of architectural masterpieces:

“Among the most beautiful buildings in the urban landscape of Brasilia are those sited around the Plaza of Three Powers, the Planalto Palace, or the Hall of Government, the Congress, with its twin skyscrapers flanked by the cupola of the Senate building and by the inverted cone of the House of Representatives, and finally the Supreme Court. Other structures of an exceptional artistic quality are the Esplanade of the Ministers, the cathedral, the Pantheon of Juscelino Kubitschek and the National Theatre.”

To visit Brasilia, you must first secure a Brazilian visa. This can be more of a challenge than it appears at first glance; Brazil’s visa system is not exactly known for its simplicity. See Brazilian Visa Requirements for Tourists for more details on the requirements.

When you apply through RushMyTravelVisa, on the other hand, the process is easy and quick. We help you with the application and expedite your visa with the appropriate Brazilian embassy for the fastest processing you’ll find.

Apply for your Brazilian visa today!

If you’re visiting Rio de Janeiro, one of the most accessible places to take a breather from the hustle and bustle of the city is to take a day trip to the Ilhas Cagarras, or the Cagarras Islands. The islands are located just about 3 miles offshore, but they are quite rocky and completely devoid of human habitation.

Despite the lack of human settlement, the islands are full of life: many different species of birds raise their young on the rocks, and the diversity of the underwater ecosystem around the islands makes for great diving. According to Frommer’s, there’s even a recent shipwreck to explore.

The waters around the Ilhas Cagarras are also home to a surprising number of dolphins, so if you’ve always wanted a chance to see these intelligent, fascinating creatures up close in their natural habitat, this would be a great opportunity to do so.

For more about visiting Rio de Janeiro, see Brazil Visa Requirements for Visiting Rio de Janeiro.

Before you can enter Brazil, if you’re an American citizen you will need to get a Brazil visa. You must apply in advance, and make sure that you have your visa in hand before you travel. Here’s a rundown of the visa requirements for tourists:

• Your passport. Note: your passport’s expiration date must be at least 6 months into the future for you to get a Brazil visa. You’ll also need 2 or more blank pages in the back. Before applying for your visa, get a passport renewal or add pages as necessary.
• One visa application form
• 2 passport-sized photos
• A copy of your itinerary, which must have the dates you plan to enter and leave Brazil.
• A clean, readable copy of your driver’s license or state-issued ID card.
• If you will be visiting friends or relatives, you also need a letter from your hosts.

To enter Brazil, you may also need a yellow fever vaccination. Vaccines are required of travelers who have been to any of the following countries in the past 3 months (90 days): Angola, Bolivia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, French Guiana, Gabon, Ghana, Gambia, Republic of Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Peru, Sierra Leone, Sudan or Venezuela.

One final note: Brazil has a “jurisdictional” visa system, in which each Brazilian embassy only handles visa applications from a specific region of the US. So, you need to make sure that you submit your paperwork to the correct embassy or consulate.

RushMyTravelVisa can help you through the Brazil visa application process, and expedite your paperwork for the fastest possible processing.

Apply for your Brazil visa today!

The largest country in South America, Brazil is also a land of contrasts: bustling cities are surrounded by impenetrable rainforests, dry savannas border the largest wetland on earth, and mountains tower over sandy beaches. There are a million reasons to go through the hassle of getting a Brazilian visa. Here are 5 of them:

Carnaval- Brazil is perhaps most famous for its Carnaval, where, in preparation for Lent, Brazilians try to squeeze 40 days of partying into a day (or two or three, depending on the region.) Carnaval is marked by spectacular parades, lots of samba dancing, and lots of beer and other alcohol.

Rio de Janeiro- Rio is the most popular city for tourists in South America, and for good reason: The city is beautiful and lively, surrounded by mountains and white-sand beaches. Some of Brazil’s most famous postcard-worthy scenes are found here, like the giant statue of Christ the Redeemer and the view from Sugarloaf Mountain.

The Pantanal- The Pantanal is the world’s largest wetland, and one of its most diverse ecosystems. Filled with amazing wildlife, it’s a great place for adventure and ecotourism.

Amazon Rainforest- Brazil is also home to the vast majority of the Amazon Rainforest. The Amazon is also one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the entire world. In fact, one out of ten of the species that exist in the world today comes from the Amazon. While humans should tread carefully here in order to preserve this valuable ecosystem and protect the indigenous people who call it home, there are plenty of ecotourism opportunities that actually provide a financial incentive to preserve the forest.

Beaches- Brazil is also famous for its beaches (and, let’s be honest, for the bikini-clad women that populate them). The white sand beaches that surround Rio de Janeiro are particularly popular.

If you want to visit Brazil, you’ll need to apply for a Brazilian visa first. Check out Brazilian Visa Requirements for Tourists for details on how to get one.

Applying for a Brazilian visa on your own is definitely possible, but the process can be confusing and it’s much easier to use a private visa expediting company like RushMyTravelVisa. We’ll help you through the application process and personally deliver your paperwork to the appropriate Brazilian Embassy for the fastest possible processing.

Apply for your Brazilian visa today!