Lençois Maranhenses, Brazil: 4 places to see on the route
This 230 km route through Maranhão, Brazil connects the otherworldly Lençois Maranhenses National Park with the coastal towns of Barreirinhas, Atins, and São Luís. The journey covers a unique landscape of white sand dunes interspersed with freshwater lagoons along Brazil's northeastern coast.
- Mode
- Places
- Start
- Lençois Maranhenses National Park
- End
- São Luís
- Stops
- 4
- Video author
- travmap
- Updated
Stops on this route
- Lençois Maranhenses National Park — Desert-like landscape with a thousand blue lagoons in half moon shapes; ecosystem unique to the world.
- Barreirinhas, Brasil — Gateway town offering accommodations and supplies for exploring Lençóis Maranhenses' white sand dunes and freshwater lagoons.
- Atins — Small fishing town; visited for sunset views and famous Sr. Antonio's grilled shrimp restaurant.
- São Luís — Historic old town; departure point from Lençois Maranhenses region.
Useful for your trip
- Where to stay
- Sleep in Barreirinhas, a sleepy town on the edge of Lençois Maranhenses National Park, as a base for exploring the area.
- Transport
- Access Lençois Maranhenses National Park by 4x4 and ferry from Barreirinhas, which takes about 1-2 hours.
- Timing
- Visit in summer (July) when lagoons are beautifully filled with water. January is dry as there has been no rain.
- Save money
- Tours from Barreirinhas cost about 20 dollars per person.
- Tip
- You can do one tour in the morning and another tour in the afternoon, with restaurant stops between tours.
- Food
- Visit Sr. Antonio's restaurant in Atins for world-famous grilled shrimp.
- Food
- Brazilian churrascarias often have a fixed price (around 4 dollars) to fill your plate.
- Tip
- Key lagoons to visit include Lagoa Azul (blue lagoon) and Lagoa Bonita, both accessible by 4x4 tour.
- Tip
- Lençois Maranhenses is a 200-mile stretch of sand dunes along Brazil's north coast with unique desert-like landscapes combined with thousands of blue lagoons.
Video on this route
LENÇOIS MARANHENSES, BRAZIL: A DESERT with a THOUSAND LAGOONS - ALL sights