If you’re looking for a fantastic travel destination full of natural beauty, look no further than Lençóis Maranhenses in Brazil. This is THE one of the best places to visit in Brazil and still is relatively undiscovered (making it the perfect time to visit!). This area is home to some of the most stunning landscapes in the world, and there are plenty of things to do and see here. In this Lençóis Maranheses travel guide, we will go over the best things to do in Lençóis Maranhenses to make the most of your visit. From hiking and swimming to exploring ancient villages, there is something for everyone in this incredible corner of Brazil!
Lençois Maranheses is no secret to Brazilians (it used to be about 20 years ago when I first visited with my parents), but it is still relatively unknown to international travellers. Located in the state of Maranhão, Lençóis Maranhenses National Park covers an area of 1500 square kilometres and is made up of huge sand dunes, lagoons, and pristine beaches. (And yes, if you’ve had a quick google and seen it pictures and were sat there wondering if you can swim in Lençóis Maranheses, it’s a big fat YES!)
When looking at it from above (and when walking through the thick sand at midday heat), you’d think you could call it a desert, but the region receives way too much rainfall to be called that! Its unique landscape is formed by the strong winds shaping the sand into sand dunes throughout the year, coupled with the heavy, heavy rainfall that creates the lagoons. It’s safe to say there is no other place like it, and it is one of the best places to visit in Brazil.
The best time to visit Lençóis Maranheses Brazil
As the lagoons are made up of rainfall water, the best time to visit Lençóis Maranheses is when they are at their fullest, which is right after the rain stops, making July, August and the start of September the best time to visit Lençóis Maranheses. Even though it’s technically Winter in the Southern Hemisphere, you should expect hot and dry conditions in the North East (around 28C-34C degrees!).
How to get to Lençóis Maranheses Brazil
Getting to Lençóis Maranheses is a bit of a mission, but it’s not difficult at all. As tourism has developed, it’s made it more accessible and easier to travel to. What are a few rough roads when it comes to visiting one of the best places in Brazil, ey?
If you are worried about how to get to Lençóis Maranheses, read on, as I’ve provided a lot of detail in this blog post!
The closest airport to Lençóis Maranheses is São Luis Airport, in the state of Maranhão. But from the airport, you’re still at least 3.5 hour’s drive from the towns that surround the park. You can either drive yourself by renting a car or booking a transfer.
If you want to rent a car, there are two companies I’d recommend: Localiza or Movida. Both are reliable and efficient and offer a good range of cars to choose from. Top tip: definitely invest in hiring a 4×4 car for this trip!
If you’re flying from Europe, there are no direct flights to São Luis Airport. The closest airport you can get to is Fortaleza Airport in Ceará, and this is on a TAP flight from Lisbon. From there, you could either embark on a bit of a road trip driving up the coast of Fortaleza, Piaui and Maranhao to get to Lençóis Maranheses or get an internal flight to São Luis Airport. Your other option is to fly to either São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro and get on an internal flight.
I’ll be straight with you, flights to Brazil are expensive. Before the pandemic, you could find a few really good deals to fly to São Paulo or Rio, but now, the average price for a direct flight is between £850-£1200 return with either BA or LATAM. One-stop flights are around £700-£900.
Internal flights to São Luis range from £150-£250. To get the best deal, book well in advance as this is a popular destination for local travellers, especially if booking in July, as it’s the school holidays.
Where to stay in Lençóis Maranheses Brazil
As Lençóis Maranheses is a National Park, it’s a protected area, so you can’t actually stay in the sand dunes, but there are three main towns that surround the park where you can base yourself: Barreirinhas, Atins and Santo Amaro.
Barreirinhas is the most developed town and where you’ll find the best selection of accommodation, restaurants and bars. It is one of the best places to stay in Lençois is you’re looking for convenience and accessibility. It’s also where you’ll be able to book any tours or excursions into the park as it’s the main jumping-off point.
Atins is a smaller town but has a more laid-back vibe. There’s a great selection of pousadas (guesthouses), and it’s the best place to stay if you want to explore the dunes by foot or quad bikes as it’s closest to them. It’s also a big kite surfing point, so if you want to learn or already know how-to, this is a good place to choose for your stay.
*Atins is only accessible by boat, so if you’ve rented a car, you’ll need to leave it in a car park in Barreirinhas. As it’s such a small town, you must book accommodation well in advance as it will sell out (trust me).
Santo Amaro is on the other side of the park and takes around 45 minutes to drive to from Barreirinhas. Santo Amaro is the least developed out of all three as it’s the most difficult to access (only accessible by 4×4 accredited tours and transfers). Still, it’s also the park part that is less “touristy” and feels more authentic. Well worth a visit if you want to avoid the crowds and access the more untouched parts of the park.
The best option, in my opinion, is to stay in all three! It’s a little more effort and moving around, but worth it and doable! This is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, so you’ll want to do it right and enjoy it to the max.
If you had to choose to be based somewhere though, then Barrieirinhas is your best option as it is the biggest town and where most tour companies are based. They even offer day trips or overnight trips to Atins and Santo Amaro so that you can experience them to some extent.
Discussion about this post