Lençóis Maranhenses

Things to Do in Lençóis Maranhenses

Lençóis Maranhenses is one of the most unusual landscapes in South America — 1,500 square kilometers of white sand dunes filled with freshwater lagoons that appear after the rains and disappear in the dry season. Most of what you do here involves getting into that landscape and staying there long enough for it to make an impression.

Activity guide · All travelers · ~8 min read

1. Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Bonita

Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Bonita are the two most visited lagoons in the park — and for good reason. They sit deep inside the dune field, surrounded by white sand on all sides, with water that ranges from pale turquoise to deep blue depending on the sky and the depth. Getting there involves a 4×4 transfer from Barreirinhas plus a hike across the dunes — the walk is part of the experience.

Both lagoons are best visited between April and September, when the water level is highest after the rainy season. By November the water begins to drop significantly and some lagoons in the interior become shallow or disappear entirely. If seeing full lagoons is your priority, plan your visit accordingly.

The early morning visit — arriving before 9am — is the standard recommendation, and it’s the right one. The light is better, the sand reflects color differently, and you beat the tour groups from Barreirinhas who arrive mid-morning.

2. Lagoa da Gaivota

Lagoa da Gaivota is one of the larger lagoons in the western part of the park, accessed from Atins rather than Barreirinhas. It’s less visited than Lagoa Azul, which gives it a quieter atmosphere on most days — and the sunset from the dune above it is one of the best in the entire park.

If you’re staying in Atins, Lagoa da Gaivota is a straightforward half-day trip on foot or by guide. The walk takes about 45 minutes across sand — doable in the morning or late afternoon, not recommended in the midday heat without experience navigating dunes.

3. Rio Preguiças Boat Trip

The Rio Preguiças runs from Barreirinhas to the Atlantic coast, passing through villages, mangroves, and the narrow sandbank at Caburé where the river meets the ocean. A full-day boat trip along this river is one of the most complete ways to experience the region beyond the dunes.

The standard route stops at Mandacaru (for the lighthouse), Caburé (for swimming where river meets sea), and sometimes Vassouras or other small river settlements on the way. The boat is slow, the river is wide, and the landscape changes gradually from town to mangrove to coast. It’s not a fast experience — bring sunscreen, a hat, and patience.

Book your Rio Preguiças boat tour on GetYourGuide — full-day circuit from Barreirinhas with stops at the lighthouse and the Caburé sandbank included.

4. Farol de Mandacaru

The Mandacaru lighthouse sits in a small fishing village at the mouth of the Rio Preguiças — accessible by boat from Barreirinhas or overland via a sandy track. Climbing the 196 steps to the top gives you one of the few elevated perspectives over the dune field and the river delta below.

The village itself is worth spending time in — small, quiet, and genuinely local. The lighthouse visit is usually part of the boat tour circuit but can also be reached independently from Atins via a short boat crossing.

5. Atins Village

Atins is a small fishing village at the western end of the park — accessible by boat from Barreirinhas or via a long sand track. It has sand streets, a handful of pousadas, and almost no cars. From Atins you can walk directly into the dune field without a guide or a 4×4 — it’s the most independent access point to the park.

Staying in Atins rather than Barreirinhas gives you a completely different experience of the region. The pace is slower, the lagoons are closer, and the village itself has a genuine character that Barreirinhas — a proper town with all the tourist infrastructure — doesn’t have. The tradeoff is fewer options for food and services.

6. 4×4 and Jeep Tours into the Dunes

There are no paved roads inside Lençóis Maranhenses. The only way to reach the interior lagoons from Barreirinhas is by 4×4 or jeep across sand tracks — and those tracks shift position every rainy season as the dunes move. Local drivers know the current routes; visitors attempting to navigate independently without experience in the dune field regularly get disoriented.

The standard jeep tour from Barreirinhas covers Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Bonita in a half-day circuit. Full-day tours extend further into the park. The ride itself is part of the experience — crossing white sand dunes with no landmarks for orientation is genuinely disorientating in a good way.

The most reliable way to organize the jeep circuit is through a guided Lençóis Maranhenses tour on GetYourGuide — local driver, lagoon stops timed for the best light, and the logistics handled from Barreirinhas.

7. Barreirinhas — The Base Town

Barreirinhas is not a destination in itself — it’s the logistics base for the park. It sits on the Rio Preguiças and has the hotels, restaurants, tour operators, and transport connections you need to organize everything else. Most visitors spend two to three nights here.

The town has a working waterfront with boat tours departing from the river dock, a main street with restaurants and tour offices, and enough infrastructure to make the trip manageable. It’s not particularly interesting as a place to spend time — what you’re there for is the park, the lagoons, and the river.

Practical Notes

• The lagoons are only full between April and September — outside this window the water is lower and some interior lagoons may be dry. Plan your visit around this if seeing full lagoons is important to you.
• There are no paved roads inside the park. All access to the interior dunes is by 4×4 or on foot. Navigation on foot without local knowledge is not recommended.
• The sun in Lençóis Maranhenses is intense — reflected off white sand it’s significantly stronger than a regular beach. Bring SPF 50+, a hat, and more water than you think you’ll need.
• Shoes are optional in the dunes but useful for the hike to the lagoons — the sand is very hot at midday. Sandals or walking shoes that you don’t mind getting wet work best.
• There are no ATMs inside the park. Withdraw cash in São Luís or in Barreirinhas before going to Atins or anywhere further into the park.
• The best overall experience combines a 4×4 lagoon tour from Barreirinhas with at least one night in Atins — the two access points show completely different sides of the park.