The Winter Olympics are over. What’s the next international competition that the world is willing to wake up to watch at all hours of the night? The FIFA World Cup, of course. Rio’s final samba school has finished the Carnival parade route, and now just 83 days remain (fifa.com has a countdown, naturally) until nationalistic […]

At Trufflepig we are firm believers in top-notch service. We’re a little bit addicted to it, in fact—we’ll admit it. What always leaves us raving about a trip is inevitably the hospitality; meeting a local guide who showed us things we never could have discovered on our own, or, in the case of Maisons des […]

Love is in the air. Mostly because we’re trying desperately to ward off the snowy chill of February, but also because of that heart-shaped holiday awaiting us at the end of the week. Whether you think it’s a perfect time for romance or a total Hallmark sham, you can’t lose if you simply look at […]

Remember that Sounder article a while back about our silly sailor friend Phil, the Austrian guy who sailed from Cape Town to Rio and back? I sort of figured a journey like that would drain the crazy from his boat. Nope. On January 3rd I got an email from Phil with the news that he was going […]

Ever taken a yoga class? How about a tennis lesson? What about sailing instruction? Ever learn how to sail a 62-foot yacht from Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro? And back? No, it’s not something many have done. Hardly anyone, in fact. But Trufflepig’s friend, Phil Haemmerle, he has. So when we found out Phil […]

Okay, so you haven’t quite gotten around to planning that late December holiday getaway. You don’t need more guilt heaped on your work-weary shoulders. But you do need some help. The Christmas to New Year’s travel window is a busy one, so there’s no more time to waste. Here’s a rundown of of what could […]

Brazil is hotting up for 2014. Already an intoxicating proposition due to its world-famous parties at New Year’s Eve and its epic celebrations at Carnival, the country is besotted with football (aka soccer) and can play the beautiful game almost as well as the Brits (see footy footnote below). In 2014 they are hosting the […]

This is not a post for complaining about spelling (although I wouldn’t be opposed to writing one of those). This is the ultimate South American showdown: Argentina vs. Brazil, who will win it all? It’s a tough match, of course. How can you choose a winner in a battle of Buenos Aires vs. Rio de […]

Practically everywhere you look in Brazil you will find a fabulous stretch of beach. They’re not exactly in short supply. It isn’t every day, however, that you’ll find desert dunes and freshwater lagoons in the same place. Lencois Maranhenses National Park is a landscape so crazy that naturally the way to arrive there is a […]

In the tropical and tempestuous state of Bahia, Brazil, lies the gorgeous beach town of Trancoso. A place so splendidly swell, it should, by rights, be deemed illegal on the grounds of “altogether too pleasurable.” Like most pleasures, you must earn your visit to Trancoso; as reaching this wondrous destination is a bit tricky. You […]

Brazil is a veritable piñata of sights and experiences. And while the Amazon, the epic Iguassu Falls, and Rio are all rightfully high on the must-see list, there is another compelling reason to visit (or revisit) this gigantic playground. And it’s called the Pantanal (say this to yourself in the echo-y voice of an omniscient […]

Let’s go out on a limb and predict that the world isn’t going to end tomorrow. Christmas and New Year’s will come and go, and then those of us in the northernmost parts of the northern hemisphere will enter what one Trufflepig planner calls “the long, dark tea time of the soul.” Give your soul […]

This is the place to watch day turn into night, as the twinkling lights of the strip come alive, and the wholesome afternoon vibe turns into a heady, fulsome fun. Where: Fasano Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Why: Rio is full of rooftop pools. All along the Copacabana and Ipanema beachfronts there are a plethora of pools for […]

Sometimes it’s about the journey and the destination. Brazil’s massive and magnificent coastline houses many hidden treasures that are well worth seeking out, even if it takes a wee while to arrive there. On a recent trip to Brazil I found a particularly challenging route to reach a remote beach lodge. The first part of the […]

Imagine taking the MOMA or the Tate Modern and hacking it to pieces with a giant axe, and then scattering the arty fragments in a huge, tropical, botanic garden in Brazil. Now you have some idea of what is in store for you at Inhotim. In a remote yet vast garden, in the state of […]

We’ve already caused countless fits of jealousy and envy by posting gorgeous views and fancy hotel rooms. Now, we offer a disclaimer: don’t read before lunch. Here we begin a series to share some of our favourite meals, every Friday. Where: A roadside restaurant in Brazil’s Pantanal region (think Florida Everglades meets Australian outback). What: Piranha soup. […]