When is a mirage not really a mirage? When the water is real, as it is in Brazil's Lençóis Maranhenses National Park. This park is mostly desert,an otherworldly landscape with vast, ivory-colored sand dunes as far as the eye can see. However, in Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, crystal-clear lakes and lagoons are scattered in between the dunes. The New York Times' Frugal Traveler recently visited the park, and was quite impressed: The barely off-white silky sands and endless cool oases of the Lençóis are such a visual stunner that, with apologies to Rio de Janeiro, the Canadian Rockies and my ex-girlfriends, they may be the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. You can get to Lençóis Maranhenses National Park by plane or by bus from São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro. Of cour

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Rio de Janeiro may not be the capital of Brazil, but it is its most famous city. According to Wikipedia, Rio, or "The Marvelous City," as it is often called, is the most-visited city in the Southern Hemisphere. Visitors come to Rio for a variety of reasons. The vibrant nightlife is a huge draw, as are the gorgeous white-sand beaches that surround the city.  The colossal statue of Christ the Redeemer that looks over the city from the top of Corcovado is listed as one of the 7 new wonders of the world, and taking the glass cable-car to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain provides yet another amazing view of the city. If you're looking for fun activities in Rio that are little less obvious, check out this post on the 6 Best-Kept Secrets of Rio de Janeiro from the Matador Trips site.  You'll

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Have you ever seen a black-hooded antwren? How about a cock-tailed tyrant? With 1,622 different known species of birds, Brazil is a birdwatchers' paradise.  In fact, when it comes to sheer variety of birds, Brazil comes in third place among all the countries in the world, behind only Columbia and Peru.191 of those species are found nowhere else on earth, making Brazil a "must-visit" destination for birdwatchers with a taste for the exotic. Brazil is home to over 70 different kinds of parrots, as well as countless other types of birds: flamingos, hummingbirds, hawks, eagles, toucans, penguins and many more. Because Brazil is such a popular destination for bird-watchers, many companies offer "birding tours" to take you to the best places to view a variety of different species. 

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