Brazil Travel Guide
Practical, sourced answers for paying, shopping, getting around and staying safe in Brazil — written for visitors from anywhere, not just one country.
Shown in USD by default since it's the most common travel reference currency — the math works the same for any currency your card bills in. This is a market rate, not what your card, ATM or exchange office will actually charge — those usually add a spread and, for card purchases, Brazil's IOF tax.
What it is, whether you actually need one as a visitor, and every real way to get one.
Read the guide → Money & PaymentsCards, cash, Pix — and the two questions every cashier in Brazil will ask you.
Read the guide → PixWhy most visitors can't send Pix directly, and every real workaround available right now.
Read the guide → Money & PaymentsIOF, exchange spreads, and where to change money without losing to a bad rate.
Read the guide → EmergenciesEmergency numbers, embassy contacts for six countries, and what to do first.
Read the guide → CPFA step-by-step for checkout screens, ticket sites and stores that assume you have one.
Read the guide →Real questions foreigners ask, answered — updated as Brazil's rules and tools change.
Rio, Fernando de Noronha, Búzios and more — with best-time-to-visit and official ticket links.
Browse Tourism → Extended listThe full list, from Amazon lodges to southern canyons — searchable by name or state.
See all 77 → SurvivalQuick fixes for common problems, plus emergency numbers and embassy contacts.
Go to Survival →No. A CPF is a tax registration number, not a travel or immigration document — you don't need one to enter Brazil as a tourist.
Not directly. Pix requires a key linked to an account at a Brazilian financial institution, which requires a CPF — something most short-term visitors don't have. A few tourist-Pix apps offer a workaround.
Yes, most international cards on the Visa/Mastercard networks work — confirm international transactions are enabled with your bank first.
190 (Polícia Militar). For an ambulance, call 192 (SAMU); for fire, 193.
It varies — more common among younger people, in tourist hubs, and in hospitality/business settings, but far from universal nationwide.
Everything you need to pay, shop and get around Brazil with confidence — in one place.