✦ 01
Lençóis Maranhenses
Maranhão, Brazil 2.53° S · 43.12° W
A desert of white dunes that fills with thousands of turquoise rainwater lagoons every year — and then slowly dries up again.
“Climbing to the crest of a white dune and finding a lagoon of warm, clear water on the other side — then another behind it, and another.”
Imagine a desert that shouldn’t exist. White sand dunes roll for tens of kilometres along the coast of northern Brazil, sculpted by the Atlantic wind into soft, curving ridges. Then the rains come, and something impossible happens: the valleys between the dunes fill with thousands of lagoons — blue, green, turquoise — warm enough to float in for hours.
It belongs on the list because it’s one of those rare places that looks edited even when you’re standing in it. From the top of a dune, the lagoons stretch out like scattered pieces of sky. There are no buildings, no roads and no souvenir stands inside the park — just sand, water, wind and the sound of people laughing somewhere out of sight.
And it doesn’t last. Every year the sun slowly takes the water back, and by the end of the year many lagoons are gone until the next rainy season. That rhythm is exactly what makes it feel like a secret: you don’t just need to know where this place is, you need to know when.
From someday to a real plan
- Days needed
- 4–6 days
- Best months
- Jun – Sep
- Budget
- US$60–150 per person per day
- Getting there
- Remote
- Crowds
- Light
2–3 days based in Barreirinhas covers the two classic lagoon circuits. Add 1–2 nights in Atins for quieter dunes, or about 3 days for a guided trek across the park.
The lagoons fill during the rainy season (roughly Jan–May) and are fullest around Jun–Aug. By Oct–Dec many are low or dry — and levels vary year to year with the rains.
Pousadas and shared 4x4 tours are affordable by international standards. The real cost is getting there: a flight to São Luís plus a long road transfer. Orientation ranges — verify before booking.
Fly to São Luís (SLZ), then roughly 4 hours by road to Barreirinhas. There are no roads inside the park — you go in by 4x4 on sand tracks, by boat or on foot.
Busiest in July, during Brazilian school holidays, at the lagoons closest to Barreirinhas. Walk 20 minutes further into the dunes and it empties out.
The year at a glance
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
The paradox of this place: the rain that makes the lagoons also makes the months you'd least want to be here (heavy downpours, muddy tracks). Go after the rains, not during them. May and September are good compromises — fewer people, usually still plenty of water.
What you'll remember
- 01
Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Bonita
The two classic half-day 4x4 circuits from Barreirinhas. Lagoa Bonita starts with a steep dune climb that pays off with one of the widest views over the park.
- 02
Sunset on a dune crest
The white sand turns pink and gold. Afternoon tours are usually timed so you're standing on top of a dune for it.
- 03
Down the Preguiças River
A boat trip from Barreirinhas past mangroves to Vassouras and its 'little Lençóis', the Mandacaru lighthouse and Caburé, a thin strip of sand between river and ocean.
- 04
Crossing the park on foot
Guided multi-day treks cross the dunes between Atins and Santo Amaro, sleeping in simple homes in oasis villages such as Baixa Grande and Queimada dos Britos.
- 05
Swimming in a desert
Rainwater collects over a less permeable layer beneath the sand, so it stays long enough to swim in — some lagoons even hold small fish.
The honest catch
It's far from Brazil's usual international gateways, and there's no road into the park itself — every visit means a flight to São Luís, a four-hour transfer and then 4x4, boat or walking. It only became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2024, so it's still missing from most first-time Brazil itineraries. And the lagoons are seasonal: arrive in November and you'll find beautiful dunes around mostly dry hollows.
How the trip fits together
- 1–2 days
São Luís
A colonial historic centre covered in painted tiles, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site — the natural first night after a long flight.
- 2–3 days
Barreirinhas
The main base on the Preguiças River, with the most tour options for the lagoon circuits and the river trip.
- 1–2 days
Atins
A smaller village where the river meets the sea: quieter dunes, sandy lanes and a kitesurfing scene in the windy season.
- +3–5 days
Jericoacoara (optional)
Continue east along the 'Route of Emotions' through the Parnaíba Delta to this beach village in Ceará.
Put it on your list if…
- You want a landscape that looks unreal in photos and feels just as strange in person.
- Basic infrastructure and long transfers are a fair price for somewhere few people have been.
- You like combining short, sandy hikes with swimming.
Maybe skip it if…
- You can only travel in Oct–Dec — the lagoons may be mostly dry.
- You struggle with strong sun and heat: there is almost no shade on the dunes.
- You want a polished resort experience — this is pousadas and open-back 4x4 trucks.
- Brazil's visa requirements have changed for some nationalities in recent years. Check the official Brazilian government or consulate information for your passport.
- Ask a travel health clinic about recommended vaccinations for northeastern Brazil, including yellow fever.
- Go in with licensed guides: regular cars can't reach the lagoons, and the dunes have no signposts or reliable landmarks.
- Bring sun protection you can swim in, and plenty of water — tours spend hours on open sand.
