Brazil is a large and varied South American country with a vast range of things to see and do. Most of Brazil's attractions are well-known such as Carnival and Ipanema Beach in Rio. But here we'll look at three of the lesser-known attractions that are uniquely Brazilian.

Amazon Mystery Tour For our first attraction, we'll head out into the wild of the Amazon Jungle on an Amazon Mystery Tour. These organised tours take you deep into the world's most important ecosystem and one of vital importance to Brazil. On these camping tours, there are no dull moments. You'll spend the day kayaking down Amazon tributary rivers upstream of Manaus. At night, you'll venture out with a torch in hand to search for caiman or other jungle fauna. Another adventure on the Amazon Mystery Tour is tree climbing in the Amazon Forest. By climbing up over 200 feet into the rainforest canopy, you'll get a whole new perspective on the Amazonian ecosystem. It’s a great way to touch base with nature.

Museu de Arte de S.Paulo For our next adventure we'll head to Sao Paulo, the largest city in South America. It's time to get back to urban life after camping in the jungle, and Sao Paulo's just the place to do it. This city boasts some of the best galleries and museums in the country, and the best of them all is Museu de Arte de S.Paulo (MASP). MASP houses 4000 works of art making it the largest museum in South America. You can feast your eyes on works by the greatest European masters including Velazquez, Goya, Van Gogh, Modigliani, Degas, Renoir and Rubens. But try to not to miss the collection of Brazilian art. One unique feature of this museum is the way the art is displayed.

Unlike ordinary galleries, the paintings here are hung from the ceiling and arranged in rows. For the viewer walking between them, it's like walking down an avenue of art.

Maracana stadium Finally we'll head to Rio, not for Carnaval or sunning on Copacabana beach. Rather we'll visit the Maracana stadium (Estádio do Maracanã) the epicentre of Brazilian soccer. The world's largest football stadium, Maracana can host over 100,000 spectators. Since its inauguration in 1950 to host the 1950 FIFA World Cup, the stadium has witnessed the skills of the legends of Brazilian soccer including Pele, Ronaldo, Adriano, and Ronaldinho. In 1969, Pelé scored the 1000th goal of his career at the Maracana in front of 125000 adoring fans. Music concerts have also been held here featuring such luminaries as Frank Sinatra, Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones. Maracana is open daily from 9am-5pm except on match days. At its museum you can browse such memorabilia as the ball and net from Pele's 100th goal.

Brazil offers so much it's hard to make a choice. But visit these three attractions and you'll get an insightful glimpse into what makes this country unique. Before travelling to Brazil, make sure that the hotel reservations are in place. Hotels in Rio de Janeiro and hotels in Sao Paolo can easily be booked in advance through the Internet, and then you will be able to enjoy Brazil at the best.

Richard has over 20 years experience in the travel industry and writes for Cheaper than Hotels. Cheaper Than Hotels offers cheap hotels in Brazil.