What language is spoken in Brazil?
Brazilians speak Portuguese, the same language spoken in Portugal, although with a different accent. In Asia, Portuguese has been spoken in various degrees in Macau, Timor, Goa and, to a lesser extent in Malacca, owing to the historical Portuguese influence in these regions. Today, Portuguese is spoken in Angola, Brazil, Cape Verte, Guine Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé e Príncipe and Timor Leste, which together comprise the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries, or CPLP (http://www.cplp.org/).

Where can I learn Portuguese in Singapore?
Click here for a list of schools and private teachers in Singapore.

What currency should I carry on a journey to Brazil?
Euros or US dollars are fine, but you would need to exchange them for Reais (R$) at your arrival. The average exchange in 2006, was US$ 1 = R$ 2,17. If you want to know the current exchange rate, click here.

What time is it over there?
Brazil has 4 times zones, but over 90% of Brazilians live in the major time zone (GMT-3, 11 hours behind Singapore) spanning São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília and other large cities of the Atlantic coast, the South, Centre and Northeast, bearing in mind that southern and central states switch to daylight-saving 10 hours behind Singapore during Brazil’s summer from December to February. Reminder: for Singaporean operations in Manaus, in the western Amazon, the time is 12 hours behind Singapore, and this won’t change during summer.

Is it always warm in Brazil? What sort of clothes should I take?
Most of the Brazilian territory is located in the tropics which suggests one should bring only light clothes, but visitors do experience cold weather in parts of the country. In Southern Brazil (e.g. Porto Alegre, Curitiba, Florianópolis) from late May to September temperatures may drop to zero or even below, therefore you need winter gear if traveling in that period. However, if your destination is Manaus, in the Amazon, or the Northeastern region, it is hot year-round being so far north near the Equator. If you are travelling to the Southeast of Brazil (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte), temperatures are milder, but you are still advised to bring some warmer clothes (e.g. a pullover) if going between June and August.

I want to buy Brazilian currency / I have Brazilian currency left from a former trip.
Unfortunately, there is no possibility of buying or selling Brazilian Reais in Singapore (if you are travelling to Brazil, make sure that, on the eve of your departure back to Asia, you spend your Reais while still there in Brazil or change them at the São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro airports, back into other convertible currency such as Euros or US dollars). If you are already back in Singapore and holding old currency in your possession, check if it’s pre-1994 (termed “Cruzeiros” or “Cruzados”), as these have been phased out and are now worthless. Beware of other former travellers abusing your trust by trying to sell you old phased-out currency while claiming its rate is bound to take an upturn in coming months and years. Such persons are to be reported to the Singapore Police and to the Embassy of Brazil.

How do I get to Brazil? Does any Brazilian air carrier get me there?
The shortest routes (one stop) are via South Africa (Johannesburg), Dubai or Western Europe. If you have matters of interest in California, it’s another route to consider, though the trip will be longer. VARIG has a representative office in Chinatown at (65) 6438-1366 that will sell you the journey leg from Frankfurt to São Paulo, but other travel agencies here have their own flights. At any rate, one must change airlines along the way if not flying with a carrier that serves both Brazil and Singapore.

What should I visit in Brazil? Can I get brochures covering the entire territory?
You need to decide first what type of traveller you are: a shopper; a golfer; a beach bum; a foodie; an urbanite night-life reveler; a fishing enthusiast; a horse-rider; an animal and forest lover; a radical-sports addict; a culture vulture on the lookout for heritage, ruins and folklore manifestations; and more types of traveller. Brazil has all of these possibilities, but you will be able to tailor better your journey once you decide what is suited for you, as one cannot cover such a massive continental-sized country in one journey. Remember that distances are huge, and the time zones are 4 in total. For these reasons of activity/destination selection, the Embassy does not normally give away nation-wide brochures (currently we do have a small selection for the states of Bahia and Sanata Catarina only), and in fact you will find much up-to-date information and maps in the Web, bookshops in Singapore or even in your local neighbourhood library. Do not miss the Brazilian tourism portal at http://www.braziltour.com.

Where do I find Brazilian music, dance, sport or restaurants serving Brazilian steak in Singapore?
Please refer to the section Brazil in Singapore.

I am a student or researcher addressing a Brazilian issue or panorama. Where do I find materials?
The Embassy has a limited library open to users, free-of-charge, being geared mostly to businesspersons, traders and investors, but there are reports, books, statistics, journals, magazines and more about the environment, science, technology, human rights, historical heritage, culture, the arts, food, society, landscapes, cities, sub-regional economies, foreign affairs, and more. Remember that, naturally, the Web will present a far greater wealth of information than a print library could possibly hold.

I need print or audiovisual materials for school research, a cultural-culinary international fair/bazaar, or another event. Does the Embassy lend these?
The Embassy lends flags, posters, books, statistics, videotapes, and other various materials.