Things to See in Brazil

The stupendous roar of 275 different waterfalls crashing 80m (262ft) into the Rio Iguaçu means that even on the sleepiest, hottest afternoon, nature's relentless churning power will stir your heart here. The falls are actually divided between Brazil and Argentina. The best time to visit is between August and November.

The major attraction of Parque Estadual do Caracol is the spectacular Cascata do Caracol, a 130m (427ft) free-falling waterfall. It's particularly stunning in the morning sun - the water sparkles as it cascades over the granite lip. If you're feeling fit, you can walk to the base of the waterfall down (and back up) the 927 stairs.

Sete Cidades is a small national park (62 sq km/24sq mi) with bizarre rock formations that some have claimed are sete cidades (seven cities) left behind by a mysterious long-departed, possibly alien, culture. But the place doesn't need such fantasies to make it worth visiting. The rock formations are indeed fantastic - some look like giant turtle shells, others resemble a castle, an elephant, a map of Brazil or the head of Emperor Dom Pedro II.

A remote floodplain forest, halfway between Manaus and the Peruvian frontier, is protected by the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve. This 1.24 million hectare (3 million acre) reserve is part of the second-largest (57,000 sq km/22,008 sq mi) continuous block of protected tropical rainforest in the world.

Encontro das Águas (Meeting of the Waters) is where the dark violet Rio Negro meets the cafe-au-lait Rio Solimões, a few kilometers downstream from Manaus. The two flow side by side without mingling for several kilometers (owing to differences in speed, density and temperature), before finally combining to create the Amazon River. It's easily visible from a boat - dip your hand in to feel the difference in temperature.