Lençóis Maranhenses: Brazil's natural treasure
Imagine a vast expanse of white dunes undulating to the horizon. Then, in the hollows of the sand, transparent water in shades of blue and turquoise.
At first glance, one might think it’s a mirage. Yet, this landscape truly exists in Brazil.
Welcome to the Lençóis Maranhenses, one of the country's most spectacular natural landscapes, where water and sand compose scenery that transforms with the seasons.
Let’s set off to discover this territory that is still relatively unknown in Europe.
Where are the Lençóis Maranhenses located?
The Lençóis Maranhenses are located in the northeast of Brazil, in the state of Maranhão, on the Atlantic coast.
The Lençóis Maranhenses National Park spans more than 156,000 hectares. Since 2024, it has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, a recognition of the exceptional nature of this territory.
To explore the park, Barreirinhas and Santo Amaro do Maranhão are among the main gateways.
But to understand what makes this place so extraordinary, you would almost need to be able to look at it from the sky.
Seen from above, the landscape takes on a whole new dimension: the dunes follow one another in long white ripples, like gigantic pieces of fabric laid out over the land.
And that is precisely where its name comes from.
Why are they called "Lençóis Maranhenses"?
In Portuguese, the word lençóis means "bedsheets".
When observing the dunes from the air, the origin of the name becomes almost obvious: their undulations evoke large white sheets wrinkled by the wind.
Maranhenses means "from Maranhão".
The Lençóis Maranhenses could therefore be understood as the "bedsheets of Maranhão".
A particularly poetic name for this landscape shaped by sand, wind, and water.
Is it really a desert?
Looking at the photographs, one could easily imagine a huge sandy desert similar to the Sahara.
However, the Lençóis Maranhenses are not a desert in the climatic sense of the term. On the contrary, the region experiences a significant rainy season.
And it is precisely this encounter between the dunes and rainwater that gives birth to one of the most astonishing natural phenomena in Brazil.
How are the lagoons of the Lençóis Maranhenses formed?
Sand from the coast is transported and continuously reshaped by the winds, forming vast fields of dunes.
Some dunes can reach up to 30 meters in height. And they are not immobile: under the action of the wind, they shift gradually and continuously transform the landscape.
Then comes the rainy season. Water accumulates in the depressions located between the dunes, giving birth to the famous freshwater lagoons.
The result is spectacular: in the middle of kilometers of white sand, stretches of water appear in shades of blue, green, and turquoise.
Some lagoons are temporary. They shrink significantly, or even disappear during the dry season, before reforming with the return of the rains.
The landscape you discover today will therefore never be exactly the same as the one you might see a few months later.
The Lençóis Maranhenses are a living landscape, continuously transformed by the elements.
What is the best time to visit the Lençóis Maranhenses?
If you wish to discover the iconic image of large white dunes interspersed with water-filled lagoons, the period following the rainy season is generally the most interesting.
The months of June to September are particularly appreciated, as many lagoons have good water levels then. As the dry season progresses, some begin to gradually shrink.
Nature therefore largely decides the spectacle that one discovers, which makes every trip different.
Can you swim in the lagoons?
Yes. And that is actually one of the experiences that make discovering the Lençóis Maranhenses so special.
Imagine: after walking on the sand and climbing a dune under the Brazilian sun, you head down the other side and discover a natural lagoon in the middle of this white vastness.
The lagoons consist of freshwater from the rains.
As for the water temperature, there is no single temperature valid for all the lagoons. They do not have the same depth or the same exposure to the sun, and conditions vary according to the periods and the time of day. Here, there are no constant-temperature natural pools; nature decides. But on average, you can swim in water between 26 and 30°C!!!
A UNESCO World Heritage landscape
In 2024, the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park joined the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Because behind the spectacular photographs lies a natural territory much more complex than a simple succession of dunes.
The park includes different natural environments and is located in an area where several of Brazil's ecological influences meet.
Its classification also reminds us of something essential: the Lençóis Maranhenses are not just an extraordinary backdrop to photograph. They constitute a natural heritage to understand and preserve.
How to discover the Lençóis Maranhenses?
The Lençóis Maranhenses can be explored in different ways.
Some excursions allow access to the dune areas by authorized vehicles before continuing on foot. There are also hiking routes and multi-day crossings for those who wish to live a more immersive experience.
But whatever method is chosen, part of the magic certainly lies in the act of walking.
Climbing a dune. Discovering what is hidden behind it. Then doing it again.
And suddenly, from the top of one, catching sight of a new lagoon in the middle of the sand.
Perhaps that is, in the end, the experience of the Lençóis Maranhenses: a landscape that reveals itself gradually.
Brazil is much vaster than the images we know
From Europe, certain images of Brazil have become familiar: Rio de Janeiro, the carnival, the beaches, the Amazon...
But Brazil is immense.
From one territory to another, the landscapes change, but so do the cultures, traditions, materials, and craftsmanship.
The Lençóis Maranhenses tell one of these stories: that of a territory in Maranhão where the wind moves the sand and where the rain makes lagoons appear between the dunes.
And behind the Brazil that we think we know, there still exists a multitude of territories and stories that deserve to be told.
I am Flavia, a Brazilian originally from Pará, in the north of Brazil, and I have been living in France since 1999. I created Amazonikaa, an online boutique where I curate handmade jewelry created in Brazil by artisan partners.
But behind the boutique, there is also a desire that is dear to me: to share with you a Brazil that is vaster, more human, and sometimes unknown in Europe.
That is why this blog exists. Throughout the articles, I take you to discover its regions, cultures, traditions, craftsmanship, and all these stories that allow us to look at my country differently.
Discover Brazil differently.
By Amazonikaa