25+ Bizarre Things You Can Only Find in Brazil

Brazil is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, known for its lovely beaches, lush Amazon, wild Carnivals, and more. The South American country is home to a population of over 214 million, the majority of whom speak Portuguese as their main language.

This list consists of some of the most unique tourist attractions, natural wonders, food, and other native features you can find in Brazil. You probably won’t see a lot of the items on this on WBD, as many are off the beaten path (yet still very important to Brazilians).

Where It Is: Coastal Brazil
Estimated Cost: $0 to visit*

When you think of Brazil, the image that likely jumps to your mind is that of a tropical paradise. Brazil’s most famous natural features are the Amazon and, of course, its paradisiacal beaches. These beaches feature hot sun, white sand, and blue waters—what more could you ask for?

Paradisiacal Beaches ©Catarina Belova/Shutterstock.com

It’s impossible, as a tourist or local, to be in Brazil and not go to the beach. Some of the most famously beautiful beaches include Copacabana, Jericoacoara, Ilha Grande, Ipanema, Praia de Pipa, Buzios, and more. All of these beaches will make you feel as though you’ve stepped out of real life and into a Disney movie.

Where It Is: Northeastern Brazil
Estimated Cost: $10* (Import Cost)

Bottled butter, also known as Manteiga de garrafa, is mostly sold in northeastern Brazil, and it is similar to Indian ghee. This “kitchen butter” is made from the cream of cow milk, which has been processed by blending and cooked at a very high heat.

Bottled Butter @Laticínios Cachoeirinha/Facebook

The result is a yellowish-orange, thick liquid that is very unlike what we see in the dairy aisle of American Walmarts and other stores. You can find bottled butter in a lot of places in Brazil, including street fairs, restaurants, tiny shops, and town markets. Usually, it is a product of small-scale artisanal manufacturers, so quality and flavor varywidely.

Where It Is: Nationwide 
Estimated Cost: N/A

According to the BBC, brushing your teeth is incredibly important in Brazil. It’s important everywhere, but Brazilians take extra pride in their pearly whites. Every Brazilian has their toothpaste and toothbrush on them in their purse.

Brushing Your Teeth In Public ©Cast Of Thousands/shutterstock.com

Don’t be surprised if you are in Brazil and see someone whip out a toothbrush and tube of Crest and start brushing their teeth in public. Hygiene is super important in Brazil, from regular tooth-brushing to avoiding touching food with your hands.

Where It Is: Nationwide 
Estimated Cost: $200*

Velaterapia is a Brazilian hair treatment that might make you a little nervous just by looking at it. During the process, hair is twisted into separate sections, and each twist is placed under a flame. The flame causes the hair’s split ends to stick out.

Burning Hair As A Beauty Treatment @healthline/Pinterest

These ends are trimmed, and the remaining hair gets a deep conditioning treatment. Videos of velaterapia on YouTube are rather harrowing, and experts are split on whether this beauty treatment is a good idea or an unsafe one.

Where It Is: Taubaté, São Paulo
Estimated Cost: N/A

Only in Brazil could you find the “Taubaté Pregnant Woman Hoax,” as its main perpetrator, Taubaté local Maria Veronica Aparecida Cesar Santos, was a native Brazilian. Santos pretended to be pregnant with four babies at once, only for the pregnancy to be revealed as a hoax after a few months.

Taubaté Pregnant Woman Hoax @r/ItHadToBeBrazil/Reddit

She faked her pregnancy stomach by filling a yoga ball, the kind you can order on AZMN with silicon and stuffing it under voluminous dresses. The quadruplet pregnancy was the subject of local and national media attention, both before it was discovered to be a hoax and after. As for Santos, she wound up in court for her lies, and she had to give back all of the donations and gifts she’d received. 

Where It Is: Brazilian Beaches 
Estimated Cost: Under $1 per treat*

Brazilian beaches are hot, with some reaching over 100 degrees in the summer. People need to cool down, and they can do so not only by going in the water, but also by ordering ice cream from a beach vendor.

Ice Cream Vendors on the Beach @onediocom/Pinterest

Beach vendors walk up and down these hot, sandy oases, selling ice cream from refrigerated carts. They have tons of treats (probably no Ben & Jerry’s though, all of which promise to give you a nice, sweet cool-down for under $1.

Where It Is: Nationwide 
Estimated Cost: $15 to make*

Friendly, sociable capybaras are adorable. They are native to Brazil and other countries in South America, and they love water. These 150-pound rodents like to swim, and you can often find them lounging about in rivers and ponds.

Capybara Bread @CAPYBARA_MAN /Twitter

Brazilians love Capybaras, so much so that they make Capybara Bread. This dish consists of bread shaped like a Capybara. Though a bit complicated to make, there are plenty of how-to tutorials on Google that will walk you through making this adorable, buttery dish that combines two things everyone loves: cute animals and carbs.

Where It Is: Nationwide 
Estimated Cost: $6.99 per pound* 

Buchada is not for the faint of heart, and if you’re not a culinary daredevil, you might want to stay away. Buchada comes from an animal’s stomach, also known as bucho. You can make buchada out of any animal’s stomach, but goat stomach is the most common in Brazil.

Buchada ©Cacio Murilo/shutterstock.com

While goat isn’t something you could walk into Kroger and buy in America, it is very widely-eaten in Brazil. Brazil has been raising goats for milk and meat since colonial times, and buchada is a savory organ dish that came from that practice.

Where It Is: Nationwide 
Estimated Cost: $5-$10*

The common saying goes, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” but, when you’re in Brazil, that’s just not true. The country considers lunch to be the most important meal of the day, with employers often allowing two-hour lunch breaks to their employees.

Lunch Is The Day’s Most Important Meal ©Cacio Murilo/shutterstock.com

This meal is the largest, usually consisting of rice and beans, farofa, salad, and a protein of some kind, such as beef or chicken. If you’re still hungry after lunch (doubtful, but possible), you can always enjoy a small afternoon snack, called a Merenda, before dinner.

Where It Is: Nationwide 
Estimated Cost: N/A

People do own pet ducks in Brazil, and you won’t get as strange a look for owning one as you would in the States. There is only one common duck in Brazil, known as the Amazonetta brasiliensis, or the Brazilian duck.

Pet Ducks @OBQDC /Twitter

This beautiful bird, also called the Brazilian teal, is distributed everywhere in Brazil, along with other South American countries. Though technically a wild animal, these ducks don’t say no to bread from passersby (or their owners, if they’re a pet).

Where It Is: Nationwide 
Estimated Cost: $1-$4*

In Brazil, the last drink of the night is known as a saideira. If you and your friends are in a bar and your pals are ready to get going, you’ll have to order a saideira before you leave. Brazil is a country known for its delicious cocktails.

Having a Sadeira /Reprodução

For example, the Caipirinha is the Brazilian version of a mojito, and it is a very popular drink in the country. It’s the national cocktail, as a matter of fact, and all you need to make it are limes, sugar, and a healthy dose of cachaça.

Where It Is: Nationwide 
Estimated Cost: $17-$40*

Created in 1962 in Brazil, Havaianas are flip-flop sandals that have their own patent. They were inspired by Japan’s Zori sandal, which is made from woven rice straw soles and cloth straps. Havaianas replaced this straw with high-end Brazilian rubber, and these sandals quickly became a hit.

Havaianas: Unique and Odd Designs ©bigglobaltravel.com

Havaianas is owned by Alpargatas S.A., which has a patent on these famous Brazilian shoes. They never cease to come up with wild, wacky patterns, making Havaianas just as much a practical shoe choice as a loud fashion statement. 

Where It Is: Nationwide 
Estimated Cost: $5 to make*

Wednesdays aren’t just the middle of the week; they’re also the day for Feijoada, if you live in Brazil. Brazilian Feijoada is a dish made from pork and black beans, differing from Portuguese Feijoada that uses black-eyed beans.

Feijoada On Wednesdays ©Helder Ribeiro/Flickr

Locals in Brazil feel strongly about this dish, believing that its origin story is intertwined with the history of Brazil. According to local legend, Feijoada was invented by enslaved African peoples, who used cheap pork offcuts and beans to create this iconic stew. 

Where It Is: Nationwide (Minus The Amazon)
Estimated Cost: $0.48 per ticket in the city* 

In Brazil, almost everyone rides the bus, as this transportation system is common and flexible. All major cities in the country have a public busing system, along with a central station that gives Brazilians options to travel to other cities.

Crowded Buses @TTakk444 / reddit

City bus fares are usually cheap, though you’ll have to deal with a lot of crowds for your fifty cents. Buses are plentiful and crowded, and they are far cheaper than planes and passenger trains (of which there are a few).