The combination of a vibrant culture, landscapes of superlative natural beauty and one of the world's greatest reserves of flora and fauna make Brazil an ideal destination for pursuing a huge variety of special interests. The country boasts one of the most extensive river systems in the world, not forgetting the largest river on earth in terms of volume of water, the Amazon. The great river can be navigated by steamboat as far as the jungle town of Iquitos in Peru, or, shorter canoe trips along its tributaries offer a closer view of the rainforest's unique exotic plant and animal life. Added to this, Brazil's east coast is fringed with beautiful white-sand beaches where you can choose from remote unspoiled retreats or sophisticated resorts offering a wide range of water sports and special interest excursions such as nature safaris or horse riding treks.
Nature safaris
Of the twelve categories of mammals that inhabit the tropics of the western hemisphere, eleven exist in Brazil, representing over 600 species. These include wild cats, sloths, anteaters, tapirs, armadillos, river dolphins, capybaras - the world's largest rodent - and thirty species of monkey. Brazil also houses 331 species of amphibian and a rich collection of reptiles including at least 40 species of turtle, 120 varieties of lizard, 230 types of snake and five species of alligator. Nature enthusiasts can choose from treks in the Amazon rainforest to hikes, truck safaris, horseback riding or boat rides in the vast alluvial plains of the Pantanal where caiman, anacondas and the rare hyacinth macaw - the world's largest parrot - are among the native residents.
Climbing
Rio de Janeiro state is a rock-climber's paradise, with hundreds of climbs available within easy reach of the state capital. Climbing is best in the cooler season (April to October). The famous Sugarloaf Mountain in the heart of the capital is 400m (1,300ft) in height and the summit can be reached in about two hours. Indeed, the first person ever to scale Sugarloaf was a British lady, Henrietta Carstairs.
Fishing
Brazil is an angler's paradise where some of the rarest and largest fish in the world await. There are estimated to be as many as 3,000 species of fish in the rivers and lakes of the Amazon basin. The black waters of the Negro river near the jungle capital of Manaus are home to the world record-sized Peacock bass and many anglers manage to catch fish weighing over 6.8kg (15lbs). With over 400 species of fish to be found in the Pantanal wetlands, it is reputed as being one of the world's top fishing locations. Here, fishing is permitted all year round apart from the breeding season (November to January).
Scuba diving
Fernando de Noronha, lying 340 miles off Brazil's north east coast, is a stunning volcanic archepelago comprising 21 islands. It boasts some spectacular marine life including hundreds of dolphins and juvenile sharks. For the advanced diver, the wreck of the Ipiranga, a Brazilian Navy destroyer that ran aground in 1987 is one of the most pristine wreck dives around. Heading south, choose from a dozen shipwrecks in warm, clear waters off the coast of Recife to the popular picturesque marine resorts on the Costa do Sol, with their buzzing nightlife. Or head for the pristine natural setting of the Pantanal region with its waterfalls, rivers and wonderful dry and flooded caves.
Architecture
Brazilian colonial architecture is derived from Portugal. The finest examples of this very attractive style are found in the churches and monasteries of older cities such as the old capital of Minas Gerais, Ouro Preto; Olinda and São Luís on the north east coast; and the Pelourinho district of Salvador, all listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The best example of contemporary Brazilian architecture is the country's ultra-modern capital, Brasília. Architect, Oscar Niemeyer, designed the city's main public buildings. Among them, the Cathedral, with its towering clasped concrete fingers, is considered to be one of his finest achievements.
