Naked dancing girls. Carnaval. The biggest party in the world. If you have not heard already (I would be very surprised), Rio de Janeiro is quite obviously a feeding frenzy for the lemming-size swarms of tourists that visit each year. However, just as anywhere else, there is much more that the country has to offer.

No matter how much you read about all these great Brazilian locales, tropical and otherwise, your conscience will nag at you to find what all the fuss is about in Rio. So go. You will not regret it, but after two days of "Rio overload," your conscience will be nagging at you to venture out to those places your friends back home have not even heard about.

It is important to remember that Brazil is not just Rio de Janeiro. The country itself is almost as large as the continental United States. With so much variety, you will have the opportunity to feel the rush of adrenaline by night in one of the country's many clubs and by day feel a similar, but still oh-so-different rush by standing steps away from a thundering waterfall.

What follows is a small list of some of those more popular tourist destinations, and a reminder that only seeing Rio de Janeiro is like buying a big screen TV and programming it to only receive channel 5.

Iguazu Falls
Located in the southwest edge of the country in the state of Parana, these cataratas, or waterfalls, are very likely one of the most spectacular natural creations in the world. They are most well known to the American public from the film, The Mission, starring Robert DeNiro and Jeremy Irons. However, in all its glory, the film still cannot do justice to actually feeling the roar of the water only a couple of feet away from you, as monkeys race through the trees above, and ferret-like animals race along the paths below, all in a completely safe and open atmosphere.

The waterfalls stretch three miles long and join the borders of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. They boast such labels as Throat of the Devil, with thousands of tons of water joining from three points into an immense vertical crevasse that empties out into the tropical paradise below.

Although the largest portion of the falls is in Brazil, you can rent a car or hire a guide to get to the other side of the waterfall in the neighboring countries.

While it is not a backpackers haven because the main attraction is the waterfalls, which tends to lure honeymooners and families, Foz de Iquantilde and the surrounding cities are fairly cheap and accommodations are not hard to find.

Best time to go: Anytime

How to get there: Travel agents in the United States should have plenty of information on the city and arranging your trip ahead of time or on-the-fly is fairly easy. Ask you agent about air connections from the major airports of Rio or Sao Paulo.

Ouro Preto (Black Gold)
No, the city is not a giant oil field, as the name might suggest. Ouro Preto is located in the center of one of the oldest regions in Brazil, Minas Gerais, with colonial cities dotting its exterior like the spots on a Dalmatian. The city is layered with narrow winding streets and Baroque style churches that are literally painted in gold. The city gives a unique display of old versus new - a historical backdrop of colonial Brazil accompanied by a lively, modern university town filled with many bars and cafes.

Best time to go: Carnaval (February) or around October 12th, when there is an uncontrollable city-wide student party.

How to get there: From Sao Paulo or Rio, catch a flight to the biggest airport in the area, Belo Horizonte. Before you leave, ask a travel agent in the United States about an air pass to fly domestically in Brazil, or just book your flight from California to Rio or Sao Paulo with a connection to Belo Horizonte. If you plan to hop around from one city to another, an air pass is much cheaper to buy before you leave than once you are in the country.

Salvador de Bahia (Savior of the Bay)
One of the oldest and still most authentic of Brazilian cities, Salvador de Bahia is an antique rainbow of cultures, food, and music. The primary influences in the region are African and Portuguese, reflecting the city as a cultural center of the country.

The food reflects the cultural climates, and is as diverse as the people are - a true testament to the pleasure you can gain simply from eating.

Yet eating is not that simple. Where you eat in Salvador is just as important as what you eat. You can spend hours at a food stand on the beach chatting with friends or in the many different restaurants that dot the water's edge. However, as much time as one may spend at the beach, there is more to the city.

The antique neighborhood of Pelouenho is stacked with bars and cafes, and sizzles with so much life twenty four hours a day that nearly every nook and cranny of the city has become a music box of Brazilian culture. It is Nashville, Los Angeles, Seattle and Chicago all in one. And it isn't uncommon to find some of the most famous Brazilian musicians performing in the streets of Pelourenho regularly. Just one year ago, during their first tour of Brazil, U2 accompanied by the townspeople, led a musical celebration of sorts in the narrow alleyways of the city.

Best time to go: Carnaval, but the city is constantly de festa, or partying, so any time is a great time.

How to get there: Flights are common from LA to Salvador, but if you want to get there from Rio or any other part of the country, the same rule applies as always; ask your travel agent about an air pass before you go.

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