CURRENCY / CREDIT CARDS / FOREIGN EXCHANGE
Brazil’s currency is the Real (R$) or Reais (in plural). At the airport, try the Exchange House. If at the end of your trip you still have some Reais you may change this back to US$ at the airport also just before your international flight. If you need to get money from cash machines (ATM) you will find these in many places of Manaus. Bank notes currently circulating include 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 Reais, while there are coins for 1 and 5, 10, 25, 50 cents. In the provinces, credit card facilities are not limited. Travelers’ checks is easily to exchange in Manaus, thus travelers are advised to have cash (in Reais) on hand as foreign currency exchange is not limited. Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) are mostly available in the main cities and some provinces too. To check currency conversion, go to http://www.xe.com/ucc/

ELECTRICITY / VOLTAGE
110 volts.

LANGUAGE
The official languages are Portuguese It is possible to communicate in English with tourist service workers such as tour guides, travel agency employees and hotels staff.

LUGGAGE / BAGGAGE LIMIT
Please know the baggage limit, number of pieces and weight allowed by the airline to your destination. Most domestic airlines have lesser baggage allowance (usually max. 10 kilos) than the international airlines (usually max. 20 kilos). In case of multiple destinations, it is advisable to travel light and bring only the essentials.

SECURITY
It is important that you take common sense precautions when visiting Brazil, just like in any major destination in the world, such as taking extra care with your belongings in public places or avoiding deserted places at night. The following are recommended as precautionary measures:

 

- Get a copy of your passport, airplane tickets and credit cards. Leave all your travel documents (passport, tickets, hotel vouchers etc) in the hotel safety deposit box and take only photocopies with you.

 

- Know the unsafe areas of the city/destination and avoid visiting them, especially at night. If you must exchange money, do so in banks, authorized money changers and exchange bureaus. Avoid doing this in plain sight. It may not necessarily an immediate threat to you, but you should always be watching out for pick pockets and thieves especially in crowded places such as busy avenues, airports, markets and tourist sites.

 

- Try to learn a few key phrases in Portuguese before you go, if not to help yourself get by, then at least to make the locals think you can speak the language and thus make you a more conscientious traveler who is careful and prepared.

 

It is recommended to buy a travel insurance to provide you general coverage in case of emergency or medical expenses, trip cancellation/interruption, lost tickets, baggage or damage, etc. This way, for any unforeseen event or circumstances, you have an insurance to fall back on.