Lençóis Maranhenses Travel Guide

The story

A desert that fills with water every year

Lençóis Maranhenses, in Brazil, has about 900 square kilometers of sand dunes and still gets roughly twice as much rain as London. Most of that rain falls between January and May.

Under the sand lies a layer of rock and clay that water can barely sink through. So the rain stays between the dunes, and turquoise lagoons appear. By June they are full, and by December most have dried out.

That makes timing the whole trip: the same place looks like a lake district or a dry desert depending on the month you arrive.

~900 km²of white sand dunes in the dune field

Jun–Septhe months when the lagoons are fullest and most visitors come

~4 hfrom São Luís airport to the gateway town of Barreirinhas

From our Letsa Atlas Short · Watch on YouTube

Practical guide

Plan your Lençóis Maranhenses trip

Check before you go: The lagoons are seasonal and most have dried out by December, so a visit in November to January can mean mostly dry dunes. Barreirinhas airport only handles charter flights, so plan to arrive through São Luís. Check Brazil's official entry rules for your passport before you book.

Getting there

Fly into São Luís International Airport, then take a bus, van or hired car to Barreirinhas. The trip takes about four hours, and buses are the cheapest option.
Barreirinhas Airport handles only expensive chartered flights, so most visitors come by road from São Luís.
Barreirinhas and Santo Amaro do Maranhão are the two main entry points to the park.

Best time

Rain falls mostly from January to May, and the lagoons fill up and peak around June.
June to September is the usual window for full lagoons.
By December most lagoons have dried out, so expect far less water at the end of the year.

Into the dunes

Driving inside the dunes needs a 4x4 jeep and authorization to drive in the park, so most visitors go with a tour from Barreirinhas.
Walking to Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Bonita is a common way to see the lagoons.
From Barreirinhas you can also reach Atins, another gateway to the park, by a boat trip of about 40 minutes or by 4x4.

Guides and tours

Guides run jeep trips across the dunes, and some lead treks of three or four days.
Private tours are available, and most offer English or Portuguese.
Book with a licensed operator and ask which lagoons are full in your travel month.

Lençóis Maranhenses became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2024, and the dunes can reach about 40 meters high. We checked on November 4, 2026. Entry rules, fees and prices change, so confirm them with official sources before you reserve.

Where to stay

Find a place to stay

Barreirinhas is the easiest base for this trip. Compare prices and reviews, and check the cancellation terms before you reserve.

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Things to do

Tours and activities

Compare guided tours, day trips and tickets around Barreirinhas, with reviews and free-cancellation options.

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Travel insurance. Medical care abroad can be expensive, so many travellers buy cover before they leave. One option is SafetyWing Nomad Insurance. Read the policy wording to see what it covers before you buy.