Lencois Maranhenses

The National Park of Lencois Maranhenses is located in the State of Maranhao in the North East of Brazil. It comprises some 155,000 ha of dunes including 70 km of coastline.

Bedding of Maranhao

By the way, Lencois Maranhenses stands for “Bedding of Maranhao”. This is due to the amazing white rolling sand dunes extending as far as the eye reaches.

Getting there

There are different ways to get there. By road from Fortaleza or Sao Luis. Either way, you will end up in Barreirinhas. From here, a 4×4 will take you to the dunes.

Barreirinha is the closest town

It was a longer than expected drive from Sao Luis to Barreirinhas due to a road accident and a flat tire. But finally, we entered this little colorful town.

Crossing the river

After changing into swim attire, we drove to the close-by port. Here we took a ferry to reach the other side of the river.

Driving to the dunes

This was followed by a 30 minutes ride through an area of low vegetation and deep sand. Driving was slow. I was actually amazed by the way the car handled this terrain.

Storm coming?

A frightening looking storm was hanging in the sky and I was getting worried. But believe it or not, it never reached Lencois.

First dune to climb

On arrival, first thing to do was to climb up a dune that was probably some 40 meters high. Once on top, believe me, I was blown away by the beauty of this place. I think, mother nature worked extra time on this one.

The whites sand I have ever seen

When speaking about dunes, one thinks of plenty of sand. Well, of course there is sand in Lencois Maranhenses. However, it is so finely grained that I would rather call it powder. And what is even more amazing is the snow white color of it. I took the picture when the sun was still hiding behind the clouds.

No footware needed

Another incredible issue is that the sand does not get hot. In fact, no flip flops or shoes needed. But, a hat, sunscreen and a bottle of water are absolutely mandatory. And also a pair of sunglasses to avoid “snow blindness”. I know, that sounds weird.

Lencois Marahenses is not a desert

At first glance, Lencois Maranhenses appears to be a desert. However, these dunes receive a lot more rain than a desert normally would. Therefore, it does not meet the qualification of a desert.

The lagoons

Raining season is between Jan and June. The water is prevented from draining by a layer of impermeable rock located under the the sand.

It is said that in July/August the lagoons get up to four meters deep. Well, as I was there off season, water level was between knee and mid-thigh high.

And then the sun came out and rendered everything even more beautiful.

Some facts on Lencois Maranhenses

The National Park was created in 1981 in an effort to preserve and protect the area. In fact, no cars or buggies are admitted. Only walking.

Tours are offered to spend a couple of nights camping in the dunes accompanied by a guide.

Scenic flight over the dunes of Lencois

There is the possibility of taking a scenic flight over the dunes. And it is not even that expensive. I had booked one. Unfortunately, the next morning it rained buckets so my flight literally fell into the water. Well, I guess, it was not supposed to be.

High season

The high season is around July – August. This is just at the end of the raining season. By then, the valleys between the dunes have filled up with water. Drawback is that it gets very crowded at that time.

Off season

As already said, I was there mid-January which is considered off season. Nonetheless, there were plenty of people wandering around the dunes. I really wonder how enjoyable the place is when super crowded.

Also, I found the temperature perfect. Walking the dunes in full sun shine might get rather strenous. But then, there are the lagoons to take a refreshing dip.

Conclusion

So, there are plus and contras on when to travel. I am happy with the date I chose. The only issue that I regret is that I could not do the scenic flight.