São Luís – Maranhão – Brazil

The Bumba Meu Boi is my absolute favorite event on the planet, and it’s the main reason I hold Brazil up as one of the top destinations for living culture. In most places, a carnival might last a few days or a week. Here in São Luís do Maranhão, it’s a completely different story—the festival stretches on for two full months. And even before it officially begins, every week serves as a warm-up or a rehearsal, with countless events popping up all across the city. The energy is relentless, the colors are dizzying, and the sense of community is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. I can’t wait to get back there and lose myself in it all over again.