The Lençóis Maranhenses National Park is located in Brazil, in a protected area in the northeast region of Maranhão. This area is also home to the source of the Preguiças River that divides the park up until its mouth in the Atlantic Ocean.
The park, created in 1981, protects a range of species, flora and fauna that live in its coastal bioclimatic landscape full of mangroves and dunes, where strong winds and rains transform the scenery during the rainy season. Cradle of Brazilian nature conservation, it attracts millions of tourists from all over the world.
The park’s coastal dunes occupy 70 km and in the rainy season, its endless freshwater lagoons of green and blue waters succeed one another. Visitors can even swim in the crystal-clear waters of the Blue Lagoon, the most famous pool of the park that stands out for its imposing beauty. It is also home to two oases: Queimada dos Britos and Baixa Grande, where mangroves grow in all their splendour.
Although the park is open all year around, the best time to visit the park is between the months of May and September.
It is quite difficult to access the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park; therefore, the best option is to reach the town of Atins, and from there hire a guide for the park. The high temperatures and the walk between the desert make the excursion challenging, but the sight of endless freshwater lagoons is definitely worth it.
