Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses and its shifting lagoons

Between Barreirinhas and the Atlantic, Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses lays out sand dunes and seasonal lagoons in Brazil’s Maranhão – a landscape that never looks the same twice.

Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses in the Brazilian state of Maranhão is a protected sweep of white coastal sand dunes where seasonal freshwater lagoons appear between the ridges. Established as a national park in 1981, it stretches along the Atlantic near Barreirinhas and has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its unusual dune-and-lagoon landscape.

Sand dunes like an endless sheet of white

The name Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses refers to the way its dunes resemble crumpled bed linen spread across the coast, with pale sand forming long, curved ridges and hollows. The park covers more than 150,000 hectares in northeastern Brazil, with about two-thirds of this area occupied by mobile coastal dunes and the rest formed by beaches, mangroves and other coastal ecosystems.Mobile dunes and lagoons The official designation as Lençóis Maranhenses National Park dates from 2 June 1981, when a federal decree created a conservation unit focused on protecting the scenery and ecosystems of this part of Maranhão.Lençóis Maranhenses National Park with an area of 156,562 ha

From the air, Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses appears as a mosaic of pale ridges separated by narrow troughs that stretch inland from an Atlantic shoreline of beaches and sandbars. The dune field runs for tens of kilometres along the coast and reaches well inland, with the sand shaped into bands that mirror the prevailing winds and the line of the ocean. On the seaward side, the dunes meet a strip of beach and shallow coastal waters; inland, they give way to patches of vegetation, including restinga scrub and areas of mangrove along tidal channels.

Freshwater lagoons between dunes

One of the most distinctive features of Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses is the presence of freshwater lagoons between the dunes. During the wetter months, rainwater collects in the troughs and basins formed by the sand, creating shallow lakes that can take on shades of blue and green against the white surroundings.Thousands of temporary lagoons These water bodies vary in size and depth and can persist for months in some depressions, particularly where the underlying substrate helps retain the collected rain.

In many places, the lagoons sit in sequence between successive dune crests, forming chains of water that follow the curves of the sand. Some are temporary and vanish when the dry season advances, while others are more persistent and remain in deeper hollows. The contrast between the pale sand and the clear water is one of the defining sights of Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses, and the alternating stripes of dunes and lagoons form patterns that change from season to season as wind and rainfall reshape the terrain.Interior composed of rolling sand dunes

A protected coastal landscape of three biomes

Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses occupies a stretch of the eastern coast of Maranhão where several Brazilian ecological regions meet. The park lies in a transition zone influenced by the Cerrado, Caatinga and Amazon biomes, so its dune field sits near areas of shrubland, seasonally dry vegetation and more humid forest types.Transition area between Brazilian biomes Within its boundaries are mangrove stands, restinga vegetation and coastal waters that support marine and bird life alongside the sand formations.

The park forms part of the municipalities of Barreirinhas, Santo Amaro do Maranhão and Primeira Cruz, with Barreirinhas acting as one of the main access points for visitors on the mainland side.Territory distributed by three municipalities The conservation unit is administered by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), which manages the national park designation and oversees protection of habitats that include dune fields, lagoons, mangroves and the bordering Atlantic coastline.

Visiting Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses lies in northeastern Brazil, on the Atlantic coast of Maranhão, with Barreirinhas serving as one of the principal gateways on the inland side of the park.
• Much of the terrain consists of loose sand dunes and stretches of beach, so walking often involves climbing and descending soft slopes with little shade over long exposed sections.
• The park extends across parts of Barreirinhas, Santo Amaro do Maranhão and Primeira Cruz, and access routes typically connect these towns with points at the edge of the dune field.
• The landscape is at sea level on the Atlantic shore, yet the dunes form noticeable relief, creating short but sustained sandy ascents between the lagoons and the surrounding plains.
• The official language is Portuguese and the currency is the Brazilian real. Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses

Where is Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses?

Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses is in northeastern Brazil, in the state of Maranhão, along the Atlantic coast and within the municipalities of Barreirinhas, Santo Amaro do Maranhão and Primeira Cruz.

What should visitors expect when exploring the park?

Visitors encounter extensive sand dunes, stretches of beach and, at certain times of year, freshwater lagoons collected between the dunes, with long walks on soft sand and little natural shade in many areas.

What makes Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses distinctive?

The combination of a large coastal dune field with seasonal freshwater lagoons, set where the Cerrado, Caatinga and Amazon biomes converge, gives the park a dune-and-water landscape that is rare on this scale.