Lencois Maranhenses National Park
People come from all over Brazil to see the famous Lencois Maranheses and the rest of the world is starting to hear about this unique and striking natural wonder of the world. The area is a protected national park so tourism and development are restricted. 155,000 Hectares of beautiful white sand dunes broken up by crystal clear rainwater lagoons.
The environmentally protected Lençóis Maranhenses National Park is located on Brazil's northern coast about 700 kilometers (435 miles) east of the Amazon River mouth. Winds blowing off the equatorial Atlantic Ocean onto Brazil drive white sand inland from a 100 kilometer (62 mile) stretch of coast, to form a large field of dunes.
Individual dune crescents join to form entire chains many miles long. The wind strength and supply of sand are sufficient to keep the dunes active, and therefore free of vegetation, despite 1,500 millimeters (60 inches) of rainfall annually.
Atins
The small village of Atins is set between the end of the Rio Preguicas (The Lazy River) and the southernmost end of the Lencois Maranhenses National Park. The local economy is predominantly fishing and every day small fishing boats leave for fishing trips of up to a month at sea.
The contrast of green vegetation and white sand is made possible to the large annual rainfall which falls mostly between March and May. Although the downpours are heavy they are short and provide life for the local trees, vegetation and Amazonian birds. Atins comes to life during the rainy season as many migrationary birds arrive from the Amazon to eat the fruits on the trees and the increased insect life. For more information on the best time to visit please click on "News".
Other places to visit.
There are many beautiful places to visit in the area which can be visited by a mixture of boat, foot and horseback.
The fishing village of Mandacaru (above) consists of a small community where you can enjoy spectacular views of the area from up high in the lighthouse. It is also a good place to have a quiet lunch on the riverside.
Cabure is a famous local tourist destination and offers a variety of restaurants and guest houses. It is located on the sandbar that divides the sea and the river Preguicas and provides a good spot to eat lunch and enjoy a swim in the calm waters. Some locals say that in a few years the sea will break through to the river swallowing Cabure in the process.
Vassouras is a small community of families living on the river bank where you can stop for a refreshing drink of coconut water and feed the wild monkeys that live in the mangroves.
Canto do Atins is a small group of families living just inside the national park. Visiting by horse or by foot is the best way of getting there and stopping for lunch is recommended to stay out of the sun and try the delicious prawns.
Queimada dos Britos and Baixa Grande, guided trips can be arranged to visit these oases that are located deep within the park.
