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The Eye-Popping Dunes/Lagoons of Northern Brazil

Lençóis Maranhenses is surely one of the most wondrous places in a country packed with wondrous places. If we add to its undisputed beauty the fact that mass tourism has not reached the region, we have the perfect tourist destination. The Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in the small northern state of Maranhão spreads over 300 square kilometers of white dunes and lagoons that can be defined as one of the most fascinating places on earth.

The sand dunes spread from the coast, reaching over 50 km inland and resembling white sheets (lençóis) of sand that gives the region its name. The essential places you have to visit are the Lençóis near Barreirinhas, the Pequenos Lençóis, on the road to Atins; Caburé, Atins and the Lençóis near Atins. The Lençóis may also be visited starting at Santo Amaro, on the western side of the park, although the journey may be long.

Visiting this desert may seem complicated but it isn’t, because the people in the humble towns around it are used to receiving tourists and have adapted, welcoming anyone who visits them. Barreirinhas, for instance, has many hostels, restaurants where you can eat the typical dishes of the region, and there are also shops selling typical handicrafts. Prior to its becoming a national park the locals lived isolated from the modern world. Today they live simply and maintain their old customs, fishing in the rainy season and working along the park boundaries in the dry season.

The best season for visiting the Lençóis is between June and September, when the rainy season ends and the lagoons are filled with water. Rainfall is scarce from September to the end of the year and many of the lagoons dry up completely. The rainy season begins in January and is very intensive from February to May, which is when the lagoons are filled with water.

Important tip: Careful with the sun, which is relentless. You need plenty of sunscreen when visiting the Lençóis and you also need plenty of water, because there is nowhere to buy any.

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