Guanaja, one of the Bay Islands off the coast of Honduras, is a tropical island getaway for those who want to travel “off the beaten path” and experience one of the last remaining unspoiled islands in the Caribbean. A wonderful climate, cool breezes, white sand beaches and clear, turquoise waters await you. This tropical island rental house is removed from the confines of civilization and tourists. Guests can roam the miles of unspoiled beaches and lush mountains, hike to cascading waterfalls, scuba dive and snorkel spectacular coral reefs, kayak, fish, visit remote villages or relax in a hammock stretched between two coconut trees. From the pages of Robinson Crusoe’s adventure, this vacation rental on the Island of Guanaja has something few destinations can offer. Rent a house in Honduras and enjoy this wonderful paradise.

see more about Honduras Rental

http://www.barbarosyachting.com

BRAZILIAN MOST EXCLUSIVE HOTELS & INNS

Brazil Insight will start offering tips of the most exclusive and charming Brazilian hotels & Pousadas (Inns):

POUSADA MARAVILHA (click to enter website)
Located at Sueste Beach in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on the island of Fernando de Noronha, Pousada Maravilha was born under a peaceful spirit. It is the first inn to offer comfort and luxury in the island. Pousada Maravilha is totally integrated to the culture of environment preservation that guides the dwellers of Fernando de Noronha. It is therefore an excellent choice for those who wish to venture diving in the rich marine ecosystem of the archipelago or for those simply wishing to retire from the world and rest in paradise. For a perfect diving experience, CLICK HERE to visit the website of Atlantis Divers.

PONTA DOS GANCHOS (click to enter website)
Nestled on a private peninsula, surrounded by a fisherman village on Brazil’s south coast and member of Relais & Chateaux, it is one of the most exclusive beach resorts from Brazil. This romantic getaway – perfect for honeymoons -, is very close to Florianópolis, Capital of the State of Santa Catarina. Contemporary interiors in 25 beautiful bungalows mix comfort and refinement on a rustic style with a service that is second to none.

TXAI RESORT (click to enter website)
This boutique hotel is located 50 minutes from Ilhéus in a paradise called Itacaré, in the South coast of the State of Bahia. Txai Resorts started off as a small family business and has meandered its way through 8 years of experience to build what is today an eco-friendly, top-notch service oriented, secluded little paradise in the middle of a region which was once the center of the cocoa industry of Brazil.

Rasca Rodrigues, the Secretary of the Environment of the State of Paraná, introduced the project of building an aquarium that will be finished in the beginning of 2010.  The project it will cost $5 million Reais( Brazilian currency) and will occupied 2.2 thousand square meters with three levels.  The money came from fees paid for the Chilean ship Vicuna that exploded in 2004 at Paranaguá Bay.  The land, donated by the City Hall, will be at Ferradura neighborhood.

Rasca is predicting that the number of visitors could reach 300 thousand in the first year.  Four years ago the University PUC-Paraná started to place fish in a small aquarium in Guaratuba City. After that came the idea to build a bigger place to improve the tourism at Paraná’s coast.

The Aquarium will host a variety of species, mostly from Paraná’s cost, but will also have a special area to host penguins.  There will also be some rooms for environmental education as well as a museum.

Infraero wants to impruve the Campos Airport in Rio de Janeiro

The President of Infraero (the goverment sector in charge of airports in Brazil), Murilo Barbosa, received in Brasília the Mayor of Campos, RJ Rosinha Garotinho. The theme of the conversation was the Campos airport. Rosinha wants to transfer the airport to the city of Campos and to improve the cargo sector. Campos is one the most important Petrol cities in Brazil.  The city is also increasing the Port Farol-Barra and in two years will be ready to operate and connect cargo with the airport.

Argentines came to Sao Paulo to See the Luxury hotels

Sao Paulo Turismo and SPCVB received ten visitors from Argentina (journalists and travel managers) who came to see all that Sao Paulo (the richest city in Latin America) has to offer. Many of the most famous brands in the whole world are in Sao Paulo and it is the best place to eat in Brazil.
The visitors visited luxury hotels, spas, decor stores, famous restaurants, and the museum of futebol as Brazil and Argentina have always been big rivals.  Tam and Gol (Brazilian airlines) are also part of this project. Argentina is the first country to send tourists to Brazil and it is always a good idea to sell what we have best.

BNDS will finance 60% of a high speed train between Rio and São Paulo

BNDS (Brazilian Bank of economic and social development) will finance R$34.6 billion to build a high speed train connecting the cities Rio and São Paulo in just 93 minutes at a speed of 350km/h (219 miles/h).

The public concession to construct and operate the TAV (high speed train) will last for 40 years. The project of the rails should go to Campinas (51 miles far from Sao Paulo) and stop at train stations in Volta Redonda, RJ; São José dos Campos, SP; Guarulhos international airport, SP; and Galeão international airport in Rio. The whole distance will be 258 miles. As Rio and São Paulo are the two most important cities in Brazil, the train will greatly improve the connection between the two cities.  Everyone expects the train be working for the World Cup in June/July 2014 in Brazil.

Cities we are going to Visit.

*   Rio de Janeiro – Nicknamed A ‘Cidade Maravilhosa’ or ‘The Marvelous City,’ Rio is the second largest city in South America. Famous for natural beauty, Carnival celebrations and samba music, it boasts urban forests, tourist beaches and Maracanã, one of the world’s largest football stadiums.

*   Buzios – Have you heard the expression the jewel of the crown ? Paradise Peninsula with 23 gorgeous beach and a breathtaking ocean view. A melting pot of cultures, languages and cuisine. In the beginning, first settled by pirates and than colonizers by slavers and Europeans, has never looked back. Buzios is the most Brazil’s sophisticated beach destination . Boutique hotels, cafés, international  restaurants, night clubs and always the presence of the celebrities and important events combine in a amazing and happy atmosphere. Souvent compared with Ibiza, or even with St Tropez.

*   Cabo Frio – Is the Biggest town of the North coast of Rio, the city history goes back to colonial days. White sands, long beaches protect by mountains and adventure dunes is an excelllent vacation options for “Cariocas” , people borne in Rio and internationals.

*   Arraial do Cabo – Surrounded by crystal blue waters, incredible visibility and one of the best places to diving in Brazil, knowing as Brazilian Caribe, with its white sand  and rich variety of fish and coral reefs.  Great possibilities to see dolphins and wales around the cost.

* Angra dos Reis – Beach City - Angra back Reis (the bay of the kings), the city is stretched on a series of hills to the entry of a bay where one finds more than 365 islands, 2.000 beaches, 7 bays and a dozen splits. At one hour and half in boat isIlha Grande, largest of all the islands of bay, 155 km². True tropical paradise, this island counts some of most beautiful the beaches of all Brazil.

Tours Description

Rio de Janeiro – Corcovado Mountain -  We will depart from the hotel to visit the Christ Statue, recently elected as one of the seven modern wonders of the world, which sits 2,300 above sea level, atop Corcovado Hill. Following a scenic drive along the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, we will arrive at the foot of the hill from where we will embark on a small train ride which climbs the beautiful mountain. Upon reaching the top, visitors will experience a panoramic view of Rio de Janeiro and discover why it is known as the “Marvelous City”! Tour also includes a drive along Rio’s famous beaches.

Rio by night w/ Plataforma show + BBQ dinner driver + guide – Enjoy a spectacular samba show with singers and dancers in elaborate costumes who present Brazil’s rich folkloric traditions and capture the famous rhythms of Carnaval. Dinner included.

Sugar Loaf – Cable car – Over a million tourists a year visit the world famous Pão de Açúcar, or Sugar Loaf Mountain in English, which has become an iconic symbol of the city of Rio de Janeiro. Rising up from small peninsula at the entrance of Guanabara Bay, its name is said to refer to its resemblance to the traditional shape of concentrated refined sugar loaf. The tour is done in two steps by glass cable-cars. The first cable-car takes passengers to the top of Urca Hill, which rises 215 meters above sea level and offers spectacular views of the entire bay its islands. From Urca Hill, passengers continue in a second cable car to the top of Sugar Loaf which rises 395 meters above sea level and offers a 360 degree view of the entire city including Botafogo and Copacabana Beaches, the Corcovado and downtown Rio.

Ipanema Beach, Hippie Fair and Ipanema  District – A sophisticated area, world famous because of  the song “Garota de Ipanema”, dazzles the visitor by its unique nature: the beach, favorite for the “cariocas”   surrounded by the mountains with the Corcovado Statue , one of the 7 wonders of the world  looking down on it. The sunset, viewed either from the beach or from the lagoon, is an unforgettable show. Night clubs and bars,  pubs and restaurants are a meeting point for artists, bohemians and for the joyful youth. The sophisticated window displays of the shops make the street commerce look like a vast open space shopping mall, where you can find calmness, several attractions and lots of good taste.
Ipanema’s Hippie Fair is the place that many tourists visited every Sunday.  A Babel lof language where you can find the popular expressions of Brazilian culture such as sculptures in bronze and wood, necklace, oil paintings, silverware, hand-painted  and leather items. It is Also  the place to buy jewelry at the  H Stern and label stores like Mont Blanc, Louis Vuiton and Cartier. It is Very common to see the celebrities around the area. Not just from Brazil but from all of the World.

Tours in Buzios

*   Half Day Schooner Cruise - Tour through 12 beaches and three islands with stops for diving and plenty of time to enjoy the clear waters of Buzios: Armação, Ossos, Azeda, Azedinha, João Fernandes, J. Fernandinho, Branca Island, Feia Island (and beach), Tartaruga, Tartaruguinha, Virgens, Amores, Canto, Caboclo Island. Do not include pick up at the hotels, travelers must go to the pier – Armação Beach- to take the tour.

Beaches – Azeda and Azedinha, Joao Fernandez, Forno, Brava, Armação, Ossos , Geribá,Ferradura, Foca, Tucuns, in Cabo Frio: Forte, Conchas and Peró. In Arraial do Cabo: Prainha, Forno, Atalaia, Praia Grande, Anjos, Farol and more…

*   Hippie fair – Rua das Pedras (Stone Street) one of the most famous in the whole Country.

Optional tour:

Rio by night w/ Plataforma show + BBQ dinner driver + guide – Enjoy a spectacular samba show with singers and dancers in elaborate costumes who present Brazil’s rich folkloric traditions and capture the famous rhythms of Carnaval. Dinner included.

If you enjoy traveling by train and to be in contact with nature, from Curitiba (Capital of the State of Paraná) you can make a fantastic train trip, starting at the heights of the Paraná plateau, going down through the Atlantic Rainforest to the picturesque colonial town of Morretes, with the possibility to go as far as to the port city of Paranaguá. There are two trains departing on a daily basis from Curitiba: at 8 a.m. the regular  train and at 9 a.m. the tourist train (equipped with air conditioning).

The train arrives in Morretes by lunch time. Tip: in one of the typical restaurants lining the river that runs through the town, try “BARREADO” (traditional local dish of beef stewed in a sealed clay pot for 24 hours). Be ready for a feast…

If you must, the train returning to Curitiba leaves at 3:00pm. However, having time, stay overnight in one of the “pousadas” (inns) of Morretes. Linger the evening and savor the charm of the town and the riverside walk, the local live music and some of friendliest people you’ll ever hope to meet. If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, this region offers eco-tourism options: many trails (easy as well as mountainous), waterfalls, rivers and spectacular flora and fauna in and around the rainforest of Marumbi State Park.

If you go further (by train) to Paranaguá, from there you can catch a ferry to Ilha do Mel (Honey Island), one of the sweetest eco-paradise islands of the South coast of Brazil.

Operated by Serra Verde Express, the whole train trip (Curitiba to Paranaguá) takes a total of 4 hours (110 km), crossing 13 tunnels (through granite) and 67 bridges. The journey owes its appeal to the engineering feats accomplished in the construction of the railway (1885) as well as to the natural beauty and cultural attractions along its path.

According to “Lonely Planet”, the train trip from Curitiba to Paranaguá as a must see in Brazil!

POUSADA MARAVILHA (click to enter website)
Located at Sueste Beach in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on the island of Fernando de Noronha, Pousada Maravilha was born under a peaceful spirit. It is the first inn to offer comfort and luxury in the island. Pousada Maravilha is totally integrated to the culture of environment preservation that guides the dwellers of Fernando de Noronha. It is therefore an excellent choice for those who wish to venture diving in the rich marine ecosystem of the archipelago or for those simply wishing to retire from the world and rest in paradise. For a perfect diving experience, CLICK HERE to visit the website of Atlantis Divers.

PONTA DOS GANCHOS (click to enter website)
Nestled on a private peninsula, surrounded by a fisherman village on Brazil’s south coast and member of Relais & Chateaux, it is one of the most exclusive beach resorts from Brazil. This romantic getaway – perfect for honeymoons -, is very close to Florianópolis, Capital of the State of Santa Catarina. Contemporary interiors in 25 beautiful bungalows mix comfort and refinement on a rustic style with a service that is second to none.

TXAI RESORT (click to enter website)
This boutique hotel is located 50 minutes from Ilhéus in a paradise called Itacaré, in the South coast of the State of Bahia. Txai Resorts started off as a small family business and has meandered its way through 8 years of experience to build what is today an eco-friendly, top-notch service oriented, secluded little paradise in the middle of a region which was once the center of the cocoa industry of Brazil.