• Join the mayhem in one of the world's best parties at Rio de Janeiro's Carnival. While Rio's event is famed, Carnival is celebrated throughout Brazil. Salvador also holds a big city-wide carnival, as does Olinda, which throws the most traditional fest.

• Explore the Amazon, the world's largest rain forest. It contains one-third of all the living species on earth and is crossed by 10 of the world's 20 largest rivers, including the River Amazon. The usual base for trips is Manaus.

• Soar above the tropical landscape on a tandem hang-gliding flight from Pedra Bonita in São Conrado, just outside Rio. This popular adventure excursion gives a bird's-eye view of Rio and the Atlantic forest before landing on the beach.

• Stroll along the world-famous Copacabana and Ipanema beaches in Rio de Janeiro, where sun-bronzed beauties share the sands with beach soccer and volleyball players.

• Go wildlife watching in the Pantanal, a spectacularly rich ecosystem that is home to jaguars, caiman, giant river otters, toucans and hundreds of other species.

• Explore the many islands and gorgeous beaches along Brazil's coastline, including the chic beach resort of Buzios, the bohemian Jericoacoara in Ceará state and the car-free Morro de São Paulo in Bahia.

• Learn to dance the samba. Have a local show you the moves at a celebration inside an escola de samba (samba school), which open their doors to visitors a couple of months before Rio de Janeiro's Carnival.

• Wander the historic streets of Salvador's lively Pelourinho District, a beautifully preserved colonial neighbourhood, set with baroque churches, colourful shops and vibrant restaurants and cafes.

• Ride the waves on Brazil's fantastic surf beaches. Surfing hotspots include Joaquina Beach on Santa Catarina island, Saquarema in Rio state, Itacaré in Bahia, Pipa near Natal and Cacimba do Padre on Fernando de Noronha.

• Dive into the deep blue waters of coastal Brazil. Diving is popular in the protected marine park on the island of Fernando de Noronha. The coast off Angra dos Reis in Rio de Janeiro state is littered with 300 islands ripe for underwater exploration.

• Watch a game of football in Rio's Maracanã Stadium, which was the largest stadium in the world when it was built. Football is a national obsession and matches are colourful and noisy affairs.

• Go rafting beneath the awe-inspiring Iguaçu Waterfalls. Set amid rain forest in southern Brazil, these majestic falls are one of the great wonders of the Americas, with 275 individual falls encompassing an area more than 3km wide.

• Go hiking in Bahia's Diamantina National Park. This is one of Brazil's ecotourism hotspots and an adventure playground for trekking, caving, diving and rafting. The park is full of natural attractions including mountains, forests, caves, underground lakes and waterfalls.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.