Brazil is a vast country where the Portuguese language is spoken. Its currency is the real. Whether you need a visa to visit Brazil depends on your citizenship. For example, U.K. citizens and citizens of many European and South American countries don't need a visa to visit Brazil. However, U.S. citizens do need a tourist visa to visit Brazil, which can be obtained from a Brazilian embassy or consulate.

As Brazil is located mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, the weather is the opposite of what you may be used to. For example, when it is summer in the United States, Europe and India, it is winter in Brazil.

Rio de Janeiro is the most popular tourist destination. It's home to the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue, and the famous Copacabana Beach. While there are many carnivals all across Brazil, the one in Rio de Janeiro is the most well-known and attracts around 2 million people per day, including around half a million foreigners during its four-day celebration.

Iguazu Falls is a natural wonder of the world and is situated on the border of Brazil and Argentina. Even though there are many falls along the Iguazu River, the U-shaped Devil's Throat is the most impressive.

The Amazon is the second largest river in the world. There are around 10 million living species in the Amazon rainforest, which covers around half of the Earth's remaining rainforests. Pantanal is the world's largest wetland and is famous for its wildlife. While visiting such wildlife, there is a possibility of tropical diseases with lots of bugs and mosquitoes. There is also a threat of the Zika virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes.

Bonito is another tourist attraction for nature lovers. You can snorkel or dive in the cavern's waters.

The Serra Verde Express or the Curitiba-Paranaguá are very scenic train rides in Brazil.

The Lençóis Maranhenses National Park has dunes, but it is not a desert. They are created by torrential rains in July. Visitors are allowed to swim, but the water temperature can be up to 87 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius).

Even though emergency health care at a public hospital is free in Brazil, the quality of health care in such hospitals can be questionable. Private health care tends to be expensive, and that is where you are more likely to find English-speaking doctors.

Therefore, anyone thinking about visiting Brazil should consider purchasing travel insurance that provides sufficient medical protection.

Many people visiting Brazil will be engaging in water activities. After all, Brazil's beaches are world famous. Are you planning to do jet skiing, scuba diving, paragliding or waterfall abseiling? Make sure to purchase travel insurance that covers hazardous sports.

Also, make sure to be careful of crime and fraud in some regions of Brazil. You may get mugged or attacked if you are not careful.

As there are many travel-insurance plans available for your trip to Brazil, make sure to compare them side by side, and choose the one that would be most suitable for you.

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DISCLAIMER: The information within this article is intended as a broad summary of benefits and services and is meant for informational purposes only. The information does not describe all scenarios, coverages or exclusions of any insurance plan. The benefits and services of an insurance plan are subject to change. This is not your policy/certificate of insurance. If there is any discrepancy between the information in this article and the language of your policy/certificate wording, the language of the policy/certificate wording will prevail.