When to go
It is difficult to find a suitable period for
all of Brazil, however, you can choose the austral winter, ie from
June to August, in fact, it is usually the coolest, the least rainy and the sunniest time of the year. It must be said that in the inland areas of the north-east this period is very hot, while in the south there may be cold periods; furthermore, in the far south, the winter is rainy. For São Paulo and the south, you can then choose the period from mid-April to mid-May.
Rainfall-wise, there are exceptions even in the north-central, mainly in the coastal areas, so for the
individual zones you can refer to the the climate page. For instance, if you want to explore Salvador de Bahia and hang out at the beaches, you may prefer the period from October to February.
The
sea is warm enough for swimming all year round in north-central Brazil, while it becomes relatively cool from June to October near Rio de Janeiro, and even cold along the coast of Rio Grande do Sul, where it drops to 14 °C (57 °F) in August. Here, the sea temperature becomes acceptable from January to March, around 23/24 °C (73/75 °F).
What to pack
In
winter (June to August): in the Amazon, bring tropics-friendly, loose-fitting clothing, maybe with long sleeves for mosquitoes, and a sweatshirt for the evening. In the north-east, from Natal to the south, bring light clothing, a sweatshirt for the evening, a light scarf for the breeze, and a light sweatshirt and a light raincoat for thunderstorms; you can bring a light scarf and a light sweatshirt for the evening also in Sao Luís and Fortaleza, on for windy evenings. In Rio de Janeiro, bring light clothes for the day, a sweatshirt or sweater and a jacket for the evening, and a raincoat and umbrella. In Brasilia, Sao Paulo, Florianopolis, and the extreme south: clothes for spring and autumn, a sweater, a jacket, and a raincoat or umbrella.
In
summer (December to February): in the forest and the tropical region, down to Rio de Janeiro, bring tropics-friendly, lightweight clothing, possibly a light sweatshirt and a light raincoat for thunderstorms, a sun hat, and possibly a sweater and a scarf for air-conditioned places. In Brasilia, Sao Paulo and the south, bring light clothes, a sweatshirt and a light jacket for the evening, and a raincoat or umbrella.
Back to the climate of
Brazil