Lençóis Maranhenses

Lencois Maranhenses: White Dunes and Blue Lagoons in the Rainy Season

Lencois Maranhenses is a 1,500 square kilometre national park in Maranhao state, northeastern Brazil, made up almost entirely of white quartz sand dunes. The dunes themselves exist year-round, but the thing that makes the park extraordinary - and different from every other dune landscape on earth - only appears between July and September: thousands of temporary freshwater lagoons formed by rainwater collecting in the valleys between dunes. The water is genuinely clear and ranges from pale green to deep blue depending on depth and light.

This sounds impossible given the location (the park edges the Sahel climate zone), and the explanation is straightforward: the park receives high rainfall from January through June, but the impermeable rock beneath the sand prevents drainage. Water sits until the dry season evaporates it. By December, most lagoons are gone.

Getting there

The main access town is Barreirinhas, 260km east of Sao Luis (the state capital). Fly into Sao Luis - several Brazilian carriers serve it from Brasilia, Sao Paulo, and Fortaleza - then take a shared van or hired car to Barreirinhas. The drive takes around 4 hours on a paved road that deteriorates in the last section. Regular buses exist but are slow (6 hours). Some visitors fly from Sao Luis to the small airstrip at Barreirinhas directly; the flight takes 45 minutes and costs around BRL 400-600 each way.

Atins, a smaller village accessible by speedboat from Barreirinhas (1.5 hours, BRL 50-80 per person), is the better base for accessing the most scenic parts of the park and has a quieter, more remote feel. No cars and no pavement.

Inside the park

Guided 4x4 buggy tours are the standard way to see the lagoons (BRL 150-250 per person for a half-day). The buggies can navigate sand that most vehicles cannot, and good drivers know which lagoons will have the clearest water on a given day. The classic circuit goes to Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Bonita; the fuller circuit adds Lagoa do Paraiso and takes most of the day.

July and August are the peak months: maximum water levels, maximum tourists. June and September are shoulder season and still have good lagoon coverage with noticeably fewer people. October onwards, the smaller lagoons dry out fast.

The lagoon water is clean enough to swim in. There are no facilities inside the park - bring water, sunscreen, and food for longer excursions. The midday sun on white sand is brutal.

Eating and sleeping

Barreirinhas has the widest range of accommodation: pousadas from BRL 150-200 per night at the budget end, up to BRL 400-600 at nicer options. Pousada Encantes do Nordeste on the main waterfront road is consistently recommended for value and useful location.

In Atins, Vila Mandala has comfortable bungalows from around BRL 350 per night and a kitchen that does excellent grilled fish from the local catch. Booking ahead is essential July-August; out of season you can usually show up.

For food in Barreirinhas, the restaurants along the Rio Preguicas waterfront all serve similar menus: grilled fish, moqueca, rice, and feijao. The prices are reasonable (BRL 40-70 per plate) and the fish is fresh. Bar Atins in Atins has cold beer and a hammock terrace overlooking the sand - the quality of the cook depends on who is working, but it is the social centre of a tiny village and worth spending an evening there.