Lonely Planet: Brazil about more than Rio de Janeiro

While Rio de Janeiro may be the first thing that comes to mind when people think of Brazil, the nation has much more to offer than a single city, according to Lonely Planet.

Tom Hall, the company's travel editor, said there are "many varied attractions" and destinations for people to discover in the South American country.

Seeing Sao Paulo is one experience that travellers should not miss out on if they are planning to visit southern Brazil, according to Mr Hall.

"Sao Paulo's reputation as a cultural hotspot is growing seemingly by the month," he said.

"[It] has fantastic nightlife and dining, wonderful museums and a really exciting feel to it."

Located further south, on Brazil's border with Argentina, is Iguazu Falls.

The Lonely Planet spokesman describes the waterfall system as "one of the natural wonders of South America".

Companiesandmarkets.com recently released a report indicating that Brazil's tourism industry is set for a quick recovery from the global economic downturn.

The research showed that the number of inbound visitors to Brazil reached 7.2 million in 2008, compared to 4.7 million in 2001.

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