Originally Posted by
zackery149
"Vida: The visa fee and the application process are not currently what may be keeping US passport holders from visiting Brazil anyway. It is more likely to be the perception of the Zika "crisis" and the upswing in crime."
Another factor dissuading travel may be higher airfares into Brazil. N.American airlines have cut flights (example directs to Rio) and reduced capacity. Airfares are fluid and sales will occur but on the high side for 2017 right now. BTW for any reader that may be interested in Brazil and has the time, there are plenty of nice apartments in Rio that discount 30 to 60% for stays of a month or more.
That's probably true. Fares are a bit high right now, about U$1300 RT from US northeast (not NYC) after Carnaval. My "convenient" flight direct to Salvador from Miami was cut.
IMO Havana Vieja resembles Pelourinho/Santo Antonio in Salvador, and the Cuban countryside, the little roadside villages, look a lot like parts of Minas and Bahia. Nice beaches too. Round trip from the US northeast is about U$330.