Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country and contains multitudes. Rio de Janeiro's Carnival, Christ the Redeemer statue, Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, and vibrant favela culture make it one of South America's most magnetic cities. São Paulo is a world-class metropolis with extraordinary museums, restaurants, and nightlife.
The Amazon Rainforest — explored by boat from Manaus or Belem — is one of Earth's last great wildernesses. The Pantanal (world's largest tropical wetland) offers the best jaguar-spotting anywhere. Iguazu Falls, on the Argentina border, is among the world's great waterfalls. The colonial towns of Ouro Preto and Salvador, and the Lençóis Maranhenses sand dunes, complete an extraordinary country.