Brazil in March: weather, events and where to go

At a glance

Weather in Brazil in March by region

The figures below are long-term averages (1961-1990) from INMET, Brazil’s national weather institute, published by the World Meteorological Organization. “High” is the average daily maximum, “low” the average minimum.

For the full year in one place, see the best time to visit Brazil.

Rio de Janeiro in March

March in Rio is about as hot as January: the INMET average high is 29.4 °C and nights stay near 23 °C. The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) puts the rainy season in the south and south-east, Rio included, from November to March, so March is its last month. The FCDO also notes that flash floods and landslides are common where mountains meet the coast, as in Rio, and that heavy rain can happen outside the rainy season too.

Plan Corcovado and the viewpoints for the morning, and keep one spare day in the plan for the beach or a boat trip. Month-by-month detail for the city is on Rio weather by month. If you arrive straight from Carnival, see Brazil in February.

North-east: go before the rain

The FCDO gives April to July as the rainy season in the north-east, and the normals show it coming. Salvador gets 144.6 mm in March and 321.6 mm in April, so March is the last drier month for its beaches and the historic centre: Salvador trip. Recife is already wetter, with 264.9 mm.

Lençóis Maranhenses is in the rain in March. São Luís, the closest city with WMO data, averages 422.1 mm over 24 rainy days. Maranhão’s state tourism office says heavy rain runs from January to July and that this is when freshwater lagoons form between the dunes. More on timing: Lençóis Maranhenses.

Amazon and Pantanal

Manaus averages 313.5 mm in March over 21 rainy days. In Anavilhanas National Park near Manaus, ICMBio (the federal parks agency) gives March to August as high water. Boat trails through the flooded igapó forest run in that season and usually open from April; river beaches appear in the dry months, September to February. See Amazon trip.

In the Pantanal, ICMBio says the rainy season runs from October to April and that from December the Transpantaneira road becomes almost impassable. It recommends May to September, when the water recedes and wildlife is easier to see: Pantanal trip.

South: Florianópolis

Beach season carries on in Florianópolis, with an average high of 27.5 °C, though rain falls on about 15 days of the month. Plan beach days flexibly: Florianópolis.

Events in Brazil in March 2027

Dates come from the official Lollapalooza Brasil and MotoGP websites. We can build the hotel and circuit transfers around your festival tickets; city ideas are on São Paulo trip. Other dates of the year are in the events calendar.

Over Easter, opening hours of museums and attractions can change, so we confirm them for your exact days.

Where to go in March

Coming later in the year? Read Brazil in April.

What to tell us in your request

• Your travel dates and how flexible they are
• How many people, and ages of any children
• Which regions interest you: beach, city, festival, nature
• Whether you already have Lollapalooza tickets
• Hotel style and the language your guide should speak
• Anything fixed: flights, a birthday, a dinner reservation

Check entry requirements on official websites before you book flights.

How we help with a March trip

We match the region to March weather and build a multi-city route with hotels, transfers, a guide who speaks your language and a spare day in case of heavy rain. In Rio we can add a private driver or day trips; for a longer route, start from our two-week Brazil itinerary. Our fee is already included in the price. Terms and payment are set out in the proposal; you pay nothing before you confirm. If weather stops a tour, we move it to a new date or refund the deposit in full.