Telephone
Area code in Tocantins is 63.
Local internet providers are rare. You can contact UOL, Terra or Oi. Fixed lines are in the hands of Oi, and they are performing badly. GVT, provider of internet via radio and cable, is not covering Palmas completely.
Your mobile phone will not work everywhere in Tocantins, as some areas are very remote.
You can buy Oi, Vivo, Tim or Claro sim cards at the shopping center. You will immediately receive your new number. Also when you choose for prepaid.
Using a public phone may be confusing the first time, and calling between different states requires adding numbers, please read more at: http://gosouthamerica.about.com/cs/brazpract/ht/TelephoneBrazil.htm
Electrical equipment
Voltage in Palmas is 220V, frequency cycle is 60Hz, with various types of plugs and sockets. Power may vary, but could be better when the Lajeado power plant is at full steam. Most hotels use ´stabilizadores´ to keep computers running smoothly.
Recommended website about electricity, plug adapters, voltage converters, etc:
http://users.telenet.be/worldstandards/electricity.htm#plugs_a
Post
The Brazilian word for post is correios. Visit their website about how to send post. http://www.correios.com.br/cep/cep_formas.cfm
Opening hours
Shops between 08:00 and 18:00, from Monday to Friday. Saturday until 13:00. Shopping centers are opened every day until 22:00.
Banks
The cash machines in Palmas are modern, and it will be no problem to use your cards in the various banks. All banks are located at the avenida JK, and some have an office on Avenida Teotonio. Cash machines can also be found on the second floor of Palmas Shopping.
Banks are open from 11am to 4pm (and 10am to 3pm during summer time) Monday to Friday. Closed on Saturday.
Most accepted credit card is VISA and MasterCard.
Time Zone
The time in those parts of Brazil that are most visited by tourists, is three hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT-3).
UTC-5
Acre, Amazonas (west)
UTC-4
Amazonas (east), Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Para (west), Rondonia, Roraima
UTC-3
Alagoas, Amapa, Bahia, Ceará, Distrito Federal, Espírito Santo, Goias, Maranhão,
Minas Gerais, Pará (east), Paraiba, Paraná, Pernambuco (west), Piauí, Rio de Janeiro,
Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins
UTC-2
Pernambuco (east)
Summer Time
Brazil sets its daylight saving period by decree every year. http://pcdsh01.on.br/DecHV.html.
During the period of Daylight Saving Time (October – February), Brazil’s clocks go forward one hour in most of the Brazilian southeast.
Currently applies to: Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Paraná, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Distrito Federal.
So Tocantins time is always GMT-3.
Visa
Costums & Travel Documents
Money / ATM – Airport taxes
Reconfirmation
Weights & Measures
Embassies & Consulates
Boat Trips
More about these subjects you find under section Travel Needs on the website http://www.manual2brazil.com
Vaccines and medicins
Brazil requires all visitors to be vaccinated for yellow fever.
A very informative site regarding precautions:
http://www.mdtravelhealth.com/destinations/samerica/brazil.html
Water
It is recommended that visitors drink bottled water. Ice cubes and fruit juices are not made with bottled water.
