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Voykit pocket guide · Brazil
Vilhena
Skip as a destination; use Vilhena as a one-night stopover on the BR-364 overland route between Porto Velho and Cuiabá.
Vilhena is a mid-size town in Rondônia with little tourist draw. Its main value is as a practical stopover on the 700 km BR-364 highway between Porto Velho and Cuiabá. The town has a small airport, basic hotels and a few restaurants. Most travellers pass through in a day or stay one night.
- Country
- Brazil
- Best months
- May–September (cooler, less rain)
- Avoid
- October–April (rainy season, hot and humid)
- 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$80–150 excl. bed · Mid R$150–300 excl. bed · High R$300+ 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 |
|---|---|
| Simple lunch (prato feito) | R$20–35 |
| Beer (garrafa 600 ml) | R$6–10 |
| Taxi from airport to downtown | R$40–60 |
| Fuel (per litre, 2026 estimate) | R$6–7 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BVH · Brigadeiro Camarão Airport
- 8 km (5 mi) from downtown; Azul has daily direct flights to Cuiabá5 mi (8 km) from downtown; Azul has daily direct flights to Cuiabá
Typical fares
- Airport → downtown taxi
- about R$40–60 (check)
- Bus Porto Velho → Vilhena
- about R$150–200, 8–9 h (check)
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
Downtown is walkable. For the airport or outlying areas, use a taxi or ride-hail app (Uber available, check). BR-364 is the main road through town.
See and do
Known for
- BR-364 stopover
- Brigadeiro Camarão Airport (BVH)
- Cooler climate than the rest of Rondônia
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Porto Velho | BR-364 by car or bus, about 700 km (435 mi)BR-364 by car or bus, about 435 mi (700 km) | About 8–9 h by car |
| Cuiabá | BR-364 by car or bus, about 730 km (454 mi)BR-364 by car or bus, about 454 mi (730 km) | About 9–10 h by car |
Sleep
- Downtown / Avenida Major Amarante
- Main avenue with hotels and restaurants; walkable to basic services.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Good morning | Bom diabohm DEE-ah |
| Thank you | Obrigadooh-bree-GAH-doo |
| How much is it? | Quanto custa?KWAN-too KOOS-tah |
| Where is the bathroom? | Onde fica o banheiro?OHN-jee FEE-kah oo bah-NYAY-roo |
| I don't understand | Não entendonow en-TEN-doo |
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
- BR-364 is a long, isolated highway: fill up fuel in Vilhena before heading east or west.
- Rainy season (Oct–Apr) can make driving slower; check road conditions.
- English is not widely spoken; basic Portuguese phrases help.
Vilhena is generally safe for a stopover, but avoid walking alone at night in poorly lit areas. Highway driving at night is not recommended.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Vilhena yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- BR-364 stopover
- Brigadeiro Camarão Airport (BVH)
- Cooler climate than the rest of Rondônia
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: Vilhena, revision 5226967 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5226967
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/vilhena). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.