Travel Parque Nacional dos Lençóis Maranhenses, Brazil

Parque Nacional dos Lençóis Maranhenses is an expanse of sand dunes and crystal clear rain pools that spread 70km along the coast and up to 50km inland. The area also includes mangroves and beaches and houses turtles and many species of migratory birds.

There are three main towns to stay in while visiting the park: Barreirinhas, Cabure, and Atins. Barreirinhas, located on the Rio Preguiças, is the largest and is the most widely used access point. Cabure is tiny and is situated between the river and sea. It is a great place to relax under the sun and stars, and enjoy some fine surf. There is no electricity from 10pm to 6am. Atins is also small, but you can walk to the dunes in an hour.

The best time to visit is from March to September – when the rain pools are at their peak. Tours can be arranged from any of the three towns. Depending on which tour you take you will see the dunes, rain pools and lakes, and if you take a boat tour you can meander through the mangroves and down the Rio Preguiças.

Where to Stay:

Parque Nacional dos Lençóis Maranhenses Bus Routes:

From Jericoacoara you can take a buggy ride to Parnaiba (R$200, for up to four people) then take a bus along a paved road to Tutoia, then continue down an unpaved road to Paulino Neves by 4WD passenger truck (R$5, 1.5 hours). From Paulino Neves you will hop on another 4WD truck and head to Barreirinhas (R$10, 2 hours). You can then move on to the tiny town of Cabure.

Another option includes taking a passenger boat from Atins to Cabure and Barreirinhas (R$5, 3.5 hours).

To get to São Luis take a bus from Barreirinhas (R$30, 3 hours).