In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Brazil
Sananduva
Skip unless you have family in town or need a bed on the RS-126 route between Passo Fundo and Erechim: one night, no sights that justify a detour.
Sananduva is a small agricultural town in northwest Rio Grande do Sul, best known for its annual ExpoSananduva fair and as a quiet base for exploring the region. The town has a central square, a few basic hotels and eateries, and no major tourist attractions. Most travellers use it as a pit stop on the road between Passo Fundo and Erechim, or skip it entirely.
- Country
- Brazil
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (hot, humid), Jul (cold)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- BRL
- Money
- Currency is the Brazilian real (BRL, R$). About R$5–5.8 per US dollar in 2026 — check. Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere, even at beach kiosks.
- Daily spend
- Budget R$80–130 excl. bed · Mid R$130–200 excl. bed · High R$200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vivo, Claro and TIM cover the country; buying a prepaid SIM needs a passport and sometimes a CPF — an eSIM before you fly is easier.
- Emergency
- Police 190 · Ambulance 192 · Fire 193
- Plugs
- Types N, C · 127 V (Rio, São Paulo) or 220 V (Brasília, much of the Northeast) · Check the voltage on the socket; most chargers are dual-voltage.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% service (serviço) usually on the bill; optional but normal.; Beach kiosk / bar: Often included; round up.; Taxi / Uber: Not expected; round up.; Guide: US$5–15 per person per day.; Hotel staff: Small tip for porters.
- Water
- Do not drink tap water; filtered water is provided in most homes and hotels.
- Toilets
- Put toilet paper in the bin, not the toilet, in most places.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (cafezinho) | R$4–7 |
| Beer (long neck at a bar) | R$8–15 |
| Simple lunch (prato feito) | R$20–35 |
| Taxi across town | R$15–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PFB · Passo Fundo Airport
- About 70 km (43 mi) south; check flight schedules — limited connections from Porto Alegre and São Paulo.About 43 mi (70 km) south; check flight schedules — limited connections from Porto Alegre and São Paulo.
Typical fares
- Passo Fundo → Sananduva by bus
- about R$25–35, about 1 h (check)
- Taxi from bus stop to Centro
- R$10–15
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town is walkable; for nearby towns you need a car or bus. RS-126, RS-343, RS-467 and RS-475 meet in Sananduva.
See and do
Known for
- ExpoSananduva agricultural fair
- Festa do Havaí
- Festa dos Motoristas
- Festa da Tequila
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Passo Fundo | Car via RS-126, about 50 min; bus (check schedules) | About 1 h |
| Erechim | Car via RS-126 and BR-153, about 1 h | About 1 h 15 min |
| São Miguel das Missões | Car via RS-126, BR-285 and RS-536, about 2 h 30 min | About 3 h |
Sleep
- Centro
- Around Praça Antônio Navarini and Av Salzano da Cunha; walking distance to the square, restaurants and the bus stop.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Good morning | Bom diabohm DEE-ah |
| Thank you | Obrigadooh-bree-GAH-doo |
| How much? | Quanto custa?KWAHN-too KOOS-tah |
| Where is the square? | Onde fica a praça?OHN-jee FEE-kah ah PRAH-sah |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, hug or cheek kiss (one in São Paulo, two in Rio); avoid: Being stiff with new acquaintances
- Gestures: Use thumbs-up freely; avoid: The OK hand sign (it is rude)
- Language: Try Portuguese; say obrigado/obrigada; avoid: Defaulting to Spanish
- Time: Expect relaxed social punctuality; avoid: Being late for tours and flights
- Beach: Bring only a towel, cash and a copy of your ID; avoid: Leaving things unattended
Scams and watch-outs
- No ATM on the square? Check before you arrive; many small towns have only one bank branch.
- Events (ExpoSananduva, Festa do Havaí) book out the two hotels — reserve ahead if you plan to attend.
- Portuguese only; English is not spoken at hotels or restaurants.
Very safe small town; the main risk is driving at night on unlit rural roads. Keep valuables out of sight in the car.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Sananduva yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- ExpoSananduva agricultural fair
- Festa do Havaí
- Festa dos Motoristas
- Festa da Tequila
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Sananduva, revision 4118857 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4118857
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Sananduva
Para este endereço, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The nearest consular support is in Porto Alegre (US consulate, check address). Most other countries have embassies in Brasília or consulates in São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/sananduva). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.