From natural wonders to man-made marvels
The largest waterfall system in the world
Photo: ULRIKE LEMMIN-WOOLFREY
Stretched across three countries, the main falls are between Argentina and Brazil.
On average, around 1,500 cubic meters of water flows down the falls every second.
Once the capital of Brazil
Photo: ULRIKE LEMMIN-WOOLFREY
With mountain peaks hemmed by white beaches and bays studded with islands, you do not need much more.
But add sights such as Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, and the famous beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana, and you have a city that is only rivaled by Sydney, Australia, when it comes to the perfect merging of natural beauty with manmade enhancements.
An incredible scene of endless white dunes
Photo: MMPOP / SHUTTERSTOCK
The Portuguese name lencois, translated as “bedsheets,” is very apt indeed.
What makes this sight even more beautiful is that between May and September the rain filters through the sand and forms pools of crystal-clear lakes in the white dunes, looking utterly otherworldly.
The green coast
Photo: SVETLANATESTOVA / SHUTTERSTOCK
Roughly halfway between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro lies Costa Verde, the green coast.
Beaches and bays, coves, and islands, all with the lush vegetation reaching right down to the ocean, create a verdant beauty, and finding a secluded spot is guaranteed.
Along the coast, the pretty and colorful town of Paraty has a colonial history going back to the Portuguese settling here in the 16th century.
They made Paraty into the then main shipping port for gold.
The world’s largest inland wetland area, a UNESCO world heritage region
Photo: CHRISTOPHE SCHULTZ / SHUTTERSTOCK
Perfect for eco-tourism because of its diverse habitats and nature reserves.
Lying on the western edge of Brazil and spilling over to Bolivia and Paraguay, this beautiful region possesses the highest concentration of wildlife in South America and lends itself to being explored by boat.
The highest tepuis, or table-mountain, in the world
Photo: MARCELO ALEX / SHUTTERSTOCK
It is 9,219 feet high, yet the summit is completely flat, rising high above the clouds with a sheer cliff face that was explored back in 1595 by English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh.
It inspired Sir Arthur Canon Doyle to write The Lost World, which was made into a film in 1960.
It really is an awe-inspiring sight and another long-forgotten world up there seems very feasible.
Stunning and magnificent
Photo: GUSTAVO FRAZAO / SHUTTERSTOCK
The Amazon Basin covers some 2.7 million square miles, 60 percent of which is in Brazil. So, exploring the Amazon Basin is not easy, or quick.
You will see the imposing river, many animals, and little villages along the route, and can discover the true beauty of the Amazon, which lies in its biodiversity and nearly overwhelming nature.
A travel writer and guidebook author for the last 20 years
Ulrike's work has been seen in National Geographic, BBC, The Independent, Australian Women's Weekly, The Telegraph, The Australian, AFAR, Fodor's, Brides, France Today, Four Seasons magazine, CNN Travel, numerous inflight magazines, and many others.