Brazil is the sleeping giant of global tourism. It is the world's fifth largest country, has the world's largest rainforest (the Amazon), the world's largest swampland (the Pantanal), thousands of miles of tropical beaches, and an enviably rich musical, culinary and architectural heritage.
Just the sort of place, you might think, to go on holiday.
But Brazil has never fulfilled its potential. It is a baffling statistic that tourists travel in far greater numbers to Argentina, which is several hours further away by plane and offers arguably less variety of activity.
The last available figures show that in 1998 4.8 million visited Argentina, compared to 3.1m for Brazil. Britons, too, prefer Argentina to its larger, northern neighbour.
Brazil's consistent state of underachievement can, in part, be explained by its poor infrastructure, itself partly the result of its own vastness. There is also the perceived threat of violence in cities such as Rio de Janeiro. And it doesn't help that in Brazil people speak Portuguese instead of the more visitor-friendly Spanish.
However, this year the giant has begun to stir. A mixture of unconnected factors, such as the country's 500th anniversary of its sighting by Portuguese sailors and the rise of the supermodel Giselle Bundchen, have generated a new wave of international interest.
This month sees the launch of a tourist resort near the north-eastern city of Salvador that aims to be the first major package destination for European and north American travellers. Tour operator Unijet is offering packages to Brazil for the first time next year.
Without a doubt, the Costa do Sauípe resort is causing travel companies to look at Brazil through different eyes. Airtours will next year begin direct flights to Salvador from Gatwick in order to service the resort. At present, all scheduled flights come into the country via the business centre São Paulo, adding several hours to most tourists' journeys, so the Airtours flight will be opening up a part of Brazil previously only known to committed travellers.
Salvador and the Costa do Sauípe are both in Bahia, a state the size of France that has a diversity of attractions - from colonial cities to fishing villages, from deserted beaches to spectacular canyons. It is waiting to be explored.
An hour's drive north of Salvador's international airport, Costa do Sauípe is an ambitious attempt to build a Cancun-style resort.
The builders claim it is the largest tourism development in South America. So far it has cost more than £120m and includes two five-star and three four-star hotels. Capacity is 4,000 rooms, although this will be expanded to 10,000.
Costa do Sauípe is situated in a beautiful and hitherto-undeveloped stretch of coastline. The emphasis from the beginning has been on pre serving the ecosystem as much as possible. During construction, the builders relocated 32,000 plants and 586 animals, including a rare sloth.
One part of the resort is designed in the colonial style of the old town in Salvador. Special hybrid grass was developed for a golf course that the managers hope will eventually attract a leg of the PGA tour.
The resort offers sports such as tennis, beach activities, nightlife and shopping facilities. There will also be concerts of Bahian music and other demonstrations of Brazilian culture.
The Costa do Sauípe information line is on 00 55 71 354 9696. English is spoken.
Salvador was the first capital of Brazil. It was also the main arrival port for slaves being imported from the Portuguese colonies in Africa. As a result, it has the highest proportion of black people in Brazil and, not unnaturally, is the centre of Afro-Brazilian culture.
The old town is a square mile of cobbled streets, colonial buildings and baroque churches. At night, restaurants spill out on to the pavement, bands play live music and groups of drummers march through the streets. Every night is good, although Tuesday nights and weekends are busiest.
During one week at the end of February, Salvador is home to the most exciting carnival in Brazil. Millions of people follow floats around three circuits all through the day and night. The atmos phere is so hedonistic that it is virtually impossible not to have a passing amorous fling.
Salvador is also the best place to sample Afro-Brazilian cuisine. The fish and seafood stews should be gulped down with a ice-cold rum-and-coconut cocktail.
A popular and cheap hotel is the Hotel Pelourinho (00 55 71 243 2324), which is in the centre of the old town. An option near the centre but by a beach is the Marazul (00 55 71 264 8200).
Traditional restaurants for Bahian food include Bargaço (00 55 71 231 5141) and Yemanjá (00 55 71 231 5770)
A 20-minute flight in a tiny plane from Salvador airport takes you over the Bay of All Saints to the island of Tinharé. The only real settlement is Morro de São Paulo, a small village that is the favoured destination for Bahia's monied classes. The beaches at Morro de São Paulo can get quite crowded but a short boatride away you can find miles of deserted sand.
The only means of transport on the island is by tractor, which will meet you off the plane and trundle you along the beach to your hotel.
If you prefer to avoid the crowds altogether, half an hour away on a motorboat is Boipeba, which has a handful of places to stay and is blissfully tranquil. Like most of the other beaches in Bahia, the sea at Boipeba is particularly warm and clear.
At Morro de São Paulo, the best equipped place to stay is the Villegaignon Resort (00 55 75 783 1010). On Boipeba, try the Pousada do Outeiro (00 55 74 9972 1535).
Flights can be booked with AeroStar at Salvador airport (00 55 71 204 1335). The return fare is about £60.
Ilhéus is the town that chocolate built. The centre of Brazil's cocoa-growing region, it used to be one of the most prosperous cities in South America. Its residents built themselves a belle-époque town hall and a neo-classical cathedral.
It still produces cocoa but has been overtaken by Africa in terms of the level of production and the city is inhabited by poor workers rather than chocolate barons. Yet it maintains a decadent charm and is worth a visit.
There are nice beaches in the city and nearby, but chocolate remains the reason to come here: for the Cocoa Museum or the chance to see a cocoa plantation in the surrounding countryside.
Porto Seguro means "safe port", and it was here that the Portuguese dropped anchor in April 1500. As a result, it became the focus this year for Brazil's 500th birthday celebrations, together with demonstrations by indians who, for obvious reasons, claimed it was anything but a reason for rejoicing.
The first place where the Portuguese stepped ashore was at Coroa Vermelha, around 10 miles north of Porto Seguro. The area is now owned by the Pataxó indians but can be entered without permission. A metal cross stands a few metres from the shore to mark the place where the first mass is reputed to have been held on the South American continent.
Between Porto Seguro and Coroa Vermelha, the coast road is lined with cheap hotels. Driving south from Porto Seguro, the road turns into a dirt track and leads to Arraial d'Ajuda and Trancoso, which hip and hippyish travellers have turned into Brazil's equivalent of Thailand.
Slightly further south, the impressive Monte Pascaol completes the sights of the heavily-marketed "Discovery Coast" - history records that the mountain was the first piece of land spotted by the sailors when they stum bled upon Brazil.
There is no shortage of places to say in Trancoso and Arraial d'Ajuda, both of which are more laid-back than Porto Seguro. Try the Pousada Verde Agua (00 55 73 875 1453) on the beach at Arraial.
Bahia, like Brazil in general, has its population and industry concentrated along a thin coastal strip. Inland, you get a completely different picture: much less developed and full of open spaces. If you only go to one place away from the coast, go to the Chapada Diamantina national park, a stunning area of canyons, caves and waterfalls. It is one of Brazil's main adventure tourism destinations and offers mountain-biking, horse-riding, caving, abseiling and trekking.
The scenery is untouched and the small colonial towns are not as yet overrun by karabiner-wielding athletes, so one can enjoy the natural beauty and tranquility at ease.
The Chapada has a reputation as a magical place that has enchanted many foreign visitors. Jimmy Page, the former Led Zeppelin guitarist, has a house in Lençóis and his image adds to the laid-back, tree-hugging vibe.
Flights to Lençóis go from Salvador and cost from £60 return (Nordeste 00 55 21 507 4488). A good option for a hotel is the Canto das Águas (00 55 75 334 1154). There are several agencies offering guides and equipment.
The practicals
Airtours (0870 9008639) flies direct to Salvador from Gatwick in nine hours. Packages start from £599 per person. Unijet (08705 336336) offers flights from £399 and two-week holidays from £669. Other tour operators that feature Brazil include:
Cox & Kings (020-7873 5000)
Exodus Travel (020-8675 5550)
Explore Worldwide (01252 760000)
Guerba Expeditions (01373 826 611)
Journey Latin America (020-8747 8315)
Last Frontiers (01296 658 650)
Nomadic Thoughts (020 7604 4408)
Trips Worldwide(0117 9872626).
