A Travel Comparison for Vacations, Honeymoons, and Tours Uruguay vs. Brazil

When is the best time to visit Uruguay and Brazil?

The best time to travel to Uruguay, especially if you plan to visit its coastal areas is during its summer months between November and February. While, travel is possible year-round, many of the beach resorts are closed for much of the year as soon as summer slips into autumn. If you decide to travel outside of summer, focus your trip on more cultural sites and cities. January and February are the warmest and driest time of the year to visit Uruguay so make sure to book very early to get the best choice of hotels on the beach without paying an astronomical amount. By March, most of the crowd has left Uruguay's beaches and much of the coastal infrastructure remains open, giving travellers access to vast quiet stretches of sand and ocean. Although autumn has started, the sea around Uruguay is generally at its warmest in April and May, making this a good time to visit the beaches and go snorkeling offshore. There are very few visitors in winter, from June to September, which doesn't necessarily make it a bad times to travel; particularly if the focus of a trip is more cultural or if you want to spot southern right whales. Visiting Montevideo and some of the small surrounding towns can be enjoyable experiences year-round. As Spring arrives towards the end of October, so does visitors on some of the country's beaches. Visiting Uruguay in November is particularly lovely. Montevideo is pleasantly warm and the beaches are quieter than in December, when holidaying Brazilians and Argentinians fill up Uruguay's beaches and hotel prices shoot up; particularly over Christmas and New Year.

Brazil is made up of several climatic extremes, none of which are severe enough to prevent travel to any part of the country at any given time. Across the country, the warmest months are November to March, also a perfect time for enjoying New Year and Carnival celebrations. The northeastern coast experiences some rain in June and July, but usually only in the form of afternoon showers. The Pantanal's driest months between April and October are a good time to visit Brazil, but like in the Amazon, its wetter months offer distinct wildlife spotting opportunities and experiences. While Brazil is an all year round destination, the time you decide to visit can be relevant depending on the activities you have planned. Mid-summer, between January and March has warmer days that are accompanied by the start of the rains in the Amazon and the Pantanal. February is a particularly popular time for Brazilians to travel, as the Carnival often falls in this month. April and May are a great time to travel as the high temperatures of the last few months are starting to decrease and the Pantanal enters in its dry season towards the end of April. In June and July, evenings are cooler, but the air is fresh and the sea is still warm, which makes it a perfect time to explore the Green Coast between Rio and Sao Paulo. As June arrives, so does Bahia's rainy season, but it is usually fine to plan your day around the few afternoon showers. The best time to visit Rio is perhaps in August, September or October, when spring is arriving, there are few clouds in the sky and the temperatures are on the rise. During the summer months you can expect high temperatures across the country. Rio de Janeiro tends to be hot and dry in November and December, but it can be particularly busy as visitors flock to the city to celebrate Christmas and New Year. Most of the northeast tends to experience similar hot and dry weather, which also makes the water levels in the Amazon very low in December.

Why is Uruguay more expensive than Brazil?

The trendy resorts on the Uruguayan Atlantic coast, such as Punta del Este and Jose Ignacio are stunning but the prices are eye-wateringly high. These places are aimed at the local and international celebrities who vacation there, not backpackers on a tight budget. Make no mistake; prices in Uruguay are close to 'Western' prices and you should budget accordingly.

In recent years, the Brazilian economy has boomed. As a result, increased wealth and inflation have augmented the prices. However it is difficult for some to keep up with the prices and the country's economic expansion is not necessarily benefiting the lower classes. While some services are less expensive in other areas of the country, food and transportation are quite costly around many areas in Brazil and especially in big cities including Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. Therefore research, plan and budget accordingly as you don't want to find yourself short of money while visiting.

What are the most expensive and cheapest cities and regions in Uruguay and Brazil?

Uruguay's capital city Montevideo and Atlantic coast beach towns Punta del Este, Atlantida, Piriapolis and La Paloma are relatively expensive due to a high cost of living and tourism. Inland locations are cheaper, but not necessarily where most international visitors would visit. Salto, located in northwest Uruguay, is an exception, as it is an affordable large city, with enough attractions in and around the city to make your travel interesting.

In Brazil, the Northeast and Southeast are the most expensive regions of the country. Northeast is the Brazilian region with the largest coastline of the country, which makes the region very appealing to tourists around the world. They are a very important source of income for the Northeast, thousands of foreign and Brazilian tourists visit the Northeast annually in search of beautiful beaches, views and sun. The Southeast is the vital center of the country, where the largest cities, the highest population density, and the best ports are concentrated. It's the most important industrial, commercial and financial region of Brazil.

How you can save money when visiting Uruguay and Brazil?

In Uruguay, save money on your food budget by shopping in the supermarkets. Also, water is sometimes as expensive as beer, or beer is often as cheap as water. In Uruguay, it pays to shop around as prices for items vary greatly. Prices can vary greatly from store to store even if they are right next to each other.

Cash is King. You will get the best deals if you are carrying US dollars. Prices can easily be negotiated when a Uruguayan shop owner knows you are dealing with US dollars.

Don't use your hotel's laundry service. The cost can easily work out to USD$35, which is sometimes as much as the actual hotel room itself. Check with the concierge before you send your laundry away or you might be in for a costly surprise.

Tips and gratuities aren't usually included in your food bill and an average tip should be about ten percent of the food bill. However if you give them a little more, even an insignificant amount to you, which probably means a lot to the people who work in Uruguay, you will make a local friend which will save you plenty of money and time when trying to figure out local customs, as well as finding reasonably priced accommodations and other special deals.

You should also agree on taxi prices for your journey with the taxi driver before setting off but taking the bus is much better most of the time. You can use couchsurfing for accommodation, which connects you with locals who will give you not only a free place to stay, but also a local tour guide who can introduce you to all the great places to see. If you prefer to stay in a hotel get a double room. In Brazil, you will pay a premium for a single room, almost twice the cost of a double. Pair up with a friend to halve the cost of your accommodation if you're not keen on staying in a dorm. Finally, if you can, travel off season if you want to keep prices low.