Is February a good time to visit Brazil? Yes, February is a very good month to visit Bahian beaches, Chapada Diamantina and Chapada dos Veadeiros, Costa Verde with the beaches around Rio. This is the month when turtles are nesting in Bahia.
It is also summer in the south, so the beaches of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul are perfect. However, it is not the best time to see the canyons of Aparados da Serra.
In February the temperature around Rio are between 23-30°C, being the hottest month of the year in this part of Brazil. It is the month of rains, however the rains are short and usually happen towards the evening.
Fernando de Noronha and Olinda is still good to see in February, but the beaches of mainland Pernambuco and further south in Alagoas might start to get some rains.
In the Amazon it is also the rainy season. It is the time for unique experiences, available only during the rainy season. Higher water levels create ‘varzeas’ – winding waterways that can be navigated by canoe or small boat. Best month for kayaking in the Amazon, which is not possible from April to October during the dry season when the water recedes. Jaguars climb the trees, as the water level rise.
It is still in the rainy season in the Pantanal, so wildlife spotting can be tough and it is quite wet. With higher water levels, this season can be more suited to spotting caimans, anacondas and piranhas. This is not the best time to see jaguars, anteaters and the like in the Pantanal.
Iguazu Falls is huge in February, with big volume of water. On one hand, the water is at its most powerful and very impressive. On the other hand, some trails may be closed off, and the sky can be cloudy and rainy. This is one of the best months to board a boat and drive into the falls and get a bit wet!
February might not be the best month to visit the colonial towns of Minas Gerais as it is hot and humid.
Hotels along the Route of Emotions are usually closed during this time and the lagoons in the Lençóis Maranhenses national park are mostly empty, it rains a lot also in Jericoacoara. The rains will slowly refill the lagoons till summer.