Brazil can’t help but captivate. Home to Amazonian rainforest, caster-sugar beaches, pulsating cities and an infectious rhythm that rarely stops for a siesta (not that you’d want it to) Brazil is a country that just loves to delight. It’s also what makes it such a luxurious holiday destination. Whether it be admiring the view over Guanabara Bay from a secluded and stylish fazenda nestled in the leafy hillside of Santa Teresa, strolling along the steep streets of Salvador or unwinding on the beach in boho Buzios - a sleepy fishing village just down the coast from Rio de Janeiro - Brazil luxury holidays promise to deliver at every turn. Along the Rio Negro, turns will likely lead you to pods of friendly botos (the Amazon’s long snouted dolphin) and cheeky red-faced spider monkeys, while in Salvador they’ll surprise you with rows upon rows of brightly coloured buildings stacked together like multicoloured Jenga.
The biggest draw of Brazil luxury holidays is the wildlife. Unparalleled and unique, second only to Indonesia with its number of native animals, Brazil’s mammals are as vibrant and vivacious as the country’s legendary fiestas. Spot psychedelic reptiles, rare amphibians and even jaguars in the world’s largest wetland, Pantanal, and witness baby sea turtles make their desperate dash to the sea in the tropical Eden of Atins. A town in transition, Atins is where luxury comes to life. Although still delightfully understated, its heaven-on-Earth beaches, dunes and driftwood pousadas (inns) make it one of the most beautiful tropical oases along the Maranhão coast. That’s the thing with Brazil luxury holidays. Sometimes it’s about the sea-view infinity pools and on-site spa, other times it’s about the simple pleasure of cocooning yourself in a hammock under gently swaying coconut trees with your favourite book and loved ones.