Brazil is the largest country in South America, and it feels like several countries in one: big cities on the Atlantic coast, a very long coastline of beaches, the Amazon rainforest, the wetlands of the Pantanal and the waterfalls of Iguaçu. It is tropical for the most part, it spans several time zones, and since 2019 none of them changes the clocks.
Brazil for visitors
Most international flights arrive in São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro. São Paulo is the country's biggest city and its business and food capital, with museums, nightlife and a wide range of restaurants. Rio de Janeiro has the famous setting: beaches such as Copacabana and Ipanema between granite peaks, Sugarloaf Mountain and the Christ the Redeemer statue on Corcovado. Along the coast between the two, Paraty and Ilha Grande are popular stops.
The north-east coast
The north-east has the warmest sea and the longest beaches. Salvador, in Bahia, is the centre of Afro-Brazilian culture, with a colonial old town, music and food of its own. Recife and its neighbour Olinda, Fortaleza, and the dunes and lagoons of the Lençóis Maranhenses are further north, and the islands of Fernando de Noronha, offshore, are known for clear water and diving.
The Amazon and the Pantanal
Manaus, in the middle of the rainforest, is the usual base for Amazon trips: river boats, jungle lodges and the meeting of the dark Rio Negro with the muddy Amazon. The Pantanal, a vast seasonal wetland in the west, is one of the best places in South America to see wildlife, from caimans and capybaras to jaguars.
Iguaçu and the south
Iguaçu Falls, on the border with Argentina, is a long chain of waterfalls in the rainforest, seen from walkways on both sides. The southern states have a cooler climate and strong European influences, with wine country in Rio Grande do Sul.
Getting around
Distances are continental, so most visitors fly between regions; domestic flights connect all the main cities. Long-distance buses are comfortable and cover most of the country, but journeys can take a day or more. There are almost no long-distance passenger trains. In the Amazon, rivers are the roads, and boats link many towns.
Time in Brazil
Right now Brazil uses 4 different UTC offsets. The capital, Brasília, is on Brasília Time, America/Sao_Paulo, which is UTC−3 all year. From east to west:
- Fernando de Noronha and the other Atlantic islands: UTC−2.
- Brasília Time (Brasília, the south-east including São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, the south, the whole north-east coast, eastern Pará and Amapá): UTC−3. Most Brazilians live in this zone.
- Amazon Time (most of Amazonas including Manaus, Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, so most of the Pantanal, Rondônia and Roraima): UTC−4.
- Acre and the far west of Amazonas: UTC−5.
Brazil cancelled daylight saving time in 2019 and has stayed on standard time since ([1]). Before that, the south, the south-east and the centre-west, including Brasília, moved their clocks forward during the southern summer, so older calendars and devices can still show Brazil an hour off for part of the year.
Because Europe and North America do change their clocks, the gap with Brazil changes twice a year without anything changing locally. Right now Brasília is 3 hours behind London and 2 hours ahead of New York. The overlap with Europe is good: a morning start in São Paulo or Rio falls around midday or early afternoon in Europe. If your trip includes Manaus or the Pantanal, remember that their clocks are behind Rio's and São Paulo's, which matters for flight connections.
Climate and weather
Most of Brazil is tropical. The Amazon basin has an equatorial climate, hot and humid all year, with heavy rain and a drier period in the second half of the year. The north-east coast is warm all year, with a rainy season in the southern autumn and early winter around Salvador and Recife, while the interior of the north-east, the sertão, is semi-arid. The centre, including Brasília and the Pantanal, has a hot, rainy summer and a long, dry winter. The south is subtropical, with four seasons, and frost is possible in winter in the highlands.
Seasons follow the southern hemisphere: summer from December to March, winter from June to September. In São Paulo, which sits on a plateau and is cooler than the coast, average highs range from 23°C in July to 29°C in February. Summer there brings frequent afternoon storms: January is the city's wettest month, with about 297 mm of rain, while August is the driest. Rio de Janeiro, at sea level, is warmer and more humid than São Paulo through the year.
- São Paulo
Show the numbers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| São Paulo | 297 | 259 | 206 | 89 | 64 | 55 | 53 | 26 | 82 | 128 | 146 | 234 |
Heavy summer rain can cause flooding and landslides in the cities of the south-east, and heatwaves are common in summer. Our guide to extreme heat has tips for coping with heat and humidity.
Best time to visit Brazil
There is no single best time, because the regions run on different calendars. For Rio and the south-east, the months either side of the summer, roughly April to June and September to November, bring warm weather with fewer storms and smaller crowds. Summer is beach season and the busiest time, with school holidays from late December into February and Carnival in February or early March, whose dates move with Easter; book well ahead for Carnival.
The north-east coast is warm enough for the beach all year, but the drier months, roughly from September to March, are the most reliable around Salvador and Recife. For the Pantanal, the dry season in the southern winter is best for wildlife, which gathers around the remaining water; in the wet season much of the region floods and is explored by boat. Iguaçu Falls carries the most water after the summer rains, while the dry months make the walkways more pleasant.
The Amazon can be visited all year. In the high-water season you explore flooded forest by canoe; when the water is low, more trails and beaches appear.
Practical facts
- Capital: Brasília.
- Population: about 211 million (UN World Population Prospects 2024, 2023 estimate).
- Currency: Brazilian real (BRL). Cards, including contactless payment, are accepted almost everywhere in cities; Brazilians also use instant payments by phone. Carry some cash for small towns, beach kiosks and markets.
- Language: Portuguese. English is not widely spoken outside upscale hotels and tourist businesses, so a translation app and a few words of Portuguese help. Spanish speakers can make themselves partly understood.
- Calling code: +55.
- Tipping: many restaurants add a service charge to the bill, and further tipping is not expected; small tips for hotel staff and guides are appreciated.
- Driving: on the right.
- Emergency numbers: 190 for the police, 192 for an ambulance, 193 for the fire service ([2]).
Plan your trip with hoyoopin
- São Paulo city guide: stormy summers and dry winters month by month, what to pack, why the city's clock no longer changes and how it lines up with Europe and North America.
- World Clock: Brazil's time zones next to your own.
- Weather: live conditions and the forecast for Rio de Janeiro, Manaus, Salvador or any other town in Brazil.
- South America: time zones and key facts for every country on the continent.
- Further reading: scheduling meetings across time zones.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Brazil in?
Brazil uses 4 UTC offsets. Brasília, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and the north-east coast are on Brasília Time, UTC−3; Manaus and the Pantanal are on Amazon Time, UTC−4.
Does Brazil have daylight saving time?
No. Brazil cancelled daylight saving time in 2019, and the clocks stay the same all year ([1]).
When is the rainy season in Brazil?
It depends on the region. In São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília and the Pantanal most rain falls in the southern summer; in São Paulo, January is the wettest month. On the north-east coast the rainy season comes in the southern autumn and early winter.
When is the best time to visit Rio de Janeiro?
The months between April and June and between September and November are usually warm, with fewer storms and smaller crowds than in summer. Summer is hotter, wetter and the busiest season.
When is Carnival in Brazil?
Carnival takes place in February or early March, on dates that move each year with Easter.
Is English spoken in Brazil?
Not widely. You will find English in large hotels and some tourist businesses, but Portuguese is needed for most everyday situations.
Sources
- IANA tz database, NEWS file: release 2019b, "Brazil no longer observes DST": Brazil has cancelled daylight saving time and will stay on standard time indefinitely.
- Australian Embassy, Brazil: Consular services: local police 190, ambulance or medical emergencies 192, fire and rescue services 193.