Lençois Maranhenses
Lençois Maranhenses are located in the State of Maranhão, on the north shore of Brazil.
Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, created in 1981, is an area of about 300 square kilometers (155,000 ha) of blinding white dunes and deep blue lagoons, forming one of the most beautiful and unique places in the world.
The dunes invade the continent over 50 km from the cost creating a landscape that reminds a white bed sheet, when seen from above. That’s the reason of the name given to the region: “lençóis” in Portuguese means “bed sheets”.
What defers this region from a desert is the amount of rain the drops over the dunes, creating ponds of crystal clear water on the depression between dunes.
During the period of drought, the lagoons evaporate and become completely dried. After the rainy season, the lagoons are home of many species of fishes, turtles and clams. The mystery in this story lies in the fact that when the lagoons fill up, life comes back, as if they had never left the place. One of the hypotheses to explain the phenomenon is that the eggs of the fish and crabs are maintained alive in the sand, exploding when rain come back.
The strong heat in the region (over 30ºC) is rewarded by a cooling bath in the crystalline lagoons and the untouched beaches, which occupy about 70km.
The most famous and beautiful lagoon is the Blue Lagoon. In the borders of the park we can find big mangroves that are home of crabs, clams, and birds. The region is one of the best in Brazil for Bird Watching, where it is possible to admire the “Maçarico”, the “Marreca-de-asa-azul” and the “Trinta-réis”. There are two oases inside the Park, the Queimada dos Britos and the Baixa Grande.
The visit’s adventure begins in the tiny town of Barreirinhas, from where boat rides depart along the Preguiças River. The best time of year to visit the region is during the rainy season – from July to December – when the ponds are fuller and the temperatures not as hot.
Lagoa da Gaivota (Seagull Lagoon) is one of the park's largest and most beautiful lagoons and located about 60 miles away from Barreirinhas.
The Lençóis Maranheses are certainly a unique place you will never forget.
