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Montreal, QC to Cayo Largo, Cuba
February 3 to February 10, 2008 for in 1 room
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- 1 adult
- 1 senior
- 1 child
- 1 infant
- 2 adults
- 2 seniors
- 2 children
- 2 infants
Sandals & Beaches
A MORE rewarding Luxury Included® Vacation
Some conditions apply. Consult our promotions section for more details.Rio de Janeiro
Meet the Cariocas
Visa requirements
Canadian citizens require a visa to enter Brazil. Travellers of all nationalities require a passport valid for six months after the planned return date from Brazil. Consult your consulate or tourist board for details. You can also visit www.voyage.gc.ca for up-to-date information.
Baggage
Please refer to aircanada.com for baggage information.
Airport check-in
It is recommended that you present yourself at the airport counter of the airline indicated on your voucher 3 hours prior to departure. Air Canada or Air Canada Vacations representatives will be available starting at 5 a.m.
During your stay
Currency
The Brazilian unit of currency is the Real. However, the US dollar is accepted as well.
Shopping
Rio’s main shopping streets are Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana and Rua Barata Ribeiro in Copacabana, Rua Visconde de Pirajá in Ipanema and Avenida Ataulfo de Paiva in Leblon. Rio has over 30 shopping centres located throughout the city.
Credit cards
The majority of hotels, restaurants and commercial establishments accept international credit cards. The most frequent are Visa and MasterCard. Only some places accept American Express and Diners Club.
Eating
Brazilian dishes are as diversified as the country. They reflect the environment and the cultures of the regions where they originate, bringing influences from innumerable immigrants living in Brazil. Rio de Janeiro is known for the feijoada, which is also sacred in the entire country: a dish of pork and black beans served with rice, collard greens and oranges, and prepared especially on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Tipping
In Brazil, while not mandatory, the tip almost always appears on the bill as a "Service charge” and varies from 10% to 15%. For taxis, tipping is not mandatory, but it is common to round up the total. In hotels, they will add a service charge to the final bill.
Language
Portuguese is the official language of the country. In the larger cities, or those with good tourism infrastructures, English is spoken in the hotels, currency exchange shops, tourism agencies, airports and large shops and shopping centres.
Climate
Rio’s climate is tropical. The average annual temperature is around 25ºC, and the seasons are well defined into dry winters (May to October) and rainy summers (November to April).
Religion
The religiosity of the Brazilian people is the result of many cultural influences during the colonization process: the Catholic religion of the Portuguese to this day lives side-by-side with African and indigenous influences. Catholicism is the official religion of the nation. Afro-Brazilian religious practices such as Candomblé, Umbanda and Spiritism are also very popular in the country.
Health tips
An international vaccination certificate against polio for children between the ages of three months to six years must be presented. It is recommended that vaccination against Yellow Fever be obtained by all persons intending to travel to the Amazon.
Telephone
The international access code of Brazil is 55. The city code for Rio de Janeiro is 21.
Time zone
Rio de Janeiro is located in the third time zone of Brazil, 3 hours behind of GMT
Electricity
The voltage in Rio de Janeiro varies from 110 to 127 volts. In general, the large hotels offer converters or outlets with 110 and 220 volts.
Your departure from destination
Hotel checkout
Hotel checkout times may vary depending on the property but generally you must vacate the room by 12 p.m. (noon).
Duty-free shopping
After an absence of 7 days or more, Canadian residents are permitted to return with a maximum of 750 CAD of merchandise per trip without paying duty. Each time you leave Canada for at least 48 hours, you are eligible to declare up to 400 CAD of merchandise. A written declaration may be requested. Each adult is allowed 1.1 litres (40 oz.) of liquor, 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or cigarillos, 200 tobacco sticks and 200 grams (7 oz.) of manufactured tobacco. To calculate the number of days absent, do not count the day you left Canada but include the day you return. If you include cigarettes, tobacco sticks and loose tobacco in your personal exemption allowance, only a partial exemption will apply. You will have to pay a minimum duty on these products unless they are marked “Canada-Duty paid”. Canadian made products sold at duty-free shops will be marked this way.
Airport check-in
Procedures are the same as for departure from Canada.
Customer care
For inquiries relating to extension of stay or change or hotel changes, please call Air Canada Vacations Customer Care department toll free at + 800 296-3408 or e-mail us at: prevoyageclientele@vacv.com We are at your service seven days a week; from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday ET and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Saturday and Sunday.