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Brazilians Have a Life-saving Reason for Applauding On Beaches—and It's Spreading Across South America

"Visitors report that this Brazilian beach is a place where the local custom of spontaneous, collective hand-clapping is used to help locate children who have become separated from their parents; one eyewitness specifically described seeing the crowd clap to indicate the child's location, which successfully guided the parent. The behavior reflects a communal, safety-minded beach culture common across Brazil and other South American shores, and can also appear at large local gatherings." - Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca is an award-winning journalist and co-founder of Be a Travel Writer, an online course for the next generation of travel journalists. Her photos, videos, and words have appeared in print or online for Travel + Leisure, Time, Los Angeles Times, Glamour, and many more. You'll usually find her in an airport. If you do see her there, please say hello. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines