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Travel guide
Lençóis Maranhenses
4 days · 5 things to do
Best time to go: June to September, when the lagoons are full
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Welcome
Lençóis Maranhenses, in a few days
A desert of white sand dunes scattered with thousands of turquoise lagoons, at its fullest from June to September. You explore by 4x4 from Barreirinhas, then climb the sand to watch the sun go down.
- Day by day
- D1 Day 1 1 thing
- D2 Day 2 1 thing
- D3 Day 3 1 thing
- D4 Day 4 2 things
- Worth sorting before you go
- Words that help
- The practical page
- Packing checklist
The trip
Day by day
Map of the sights (numbers follow the suggested order). It prints with the base map.
D1
Day 1
1 thing to do · at your own pace
- Morning · The dunes and turquoise lagoons · half a dayRainwater collects between the dunes each year, forming freshwater lagoons that are fullest in the middle of the year.
🛏️ Where to sleep · Gran Lençóis Flat Residence ↗ · All places to stay by budget →€65 a night
D2
Day 2
1 thing to do · at your own pace
- Morning · By 4x4 from Barreirinhas · half a dayBarreirinhas is the main base; open 4x4s cross the river and the sandy tracks to reach the edge of the dunes.
🛏️ Where to sleep · Gran Lençóis Flat Residence ↗€65 a night
D3
Day 3
1 thing to do · at your own pace
- Morning · Swimming in the middle of the dunes · half a dayThe lagoons are warm fresh water, clear enough to swim in between walks over the sand.
🛏️ Where to sleep · Gran Lençóis Flat Residence ↗€65 a night
D4
Day 4
2 things to do · at your own pace
- Morning · The village of Atins free · half a dayA small village at the mouth of the Preguiças river, known for kitesurfing and as a quieter entry point to the dunes.
- Evening · Sunset on the sand · half a dayClimb a high dune in the late afternoon and watch the light turn the sand and lagoons from white to pink.
Before you go
Worth sorting before you go
📶 eSIM data
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
🛡️ Travel insurance
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
💳 Fee-free card
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
🚐 Airport transfer
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
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Good to know
Flavours & local habits
🍽️ Worth tasting
- Feijoada: black beans slow-cooked with pork, eaten on a Saturday.
- Pao de queijo: small cheese breads, chewy and served warm.
- Acai: the Amazon berry, frozen into a bowl with banana and granola.
- Moqueca: fish stewed in coconut milk and dende palm oil.
- Caipirinha: cachaca, lime and sugar, and nothing else.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Go out light: no jewellery, no phone in hand, only the cash you need that evening.
- Use Uber rather than a street taxi, above all after dark.
- Do not walk into a favela without a guide from the community.
- On the beach, take turns watching the bags. Nothing left on a towel stays there.
Getting by
Words that help
English ↔ Portuguese
| English | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Hello | Olá |
| Thank you | Obrigado |
| Please | Por favor |
| Yes | Sim |
| No | Não |
| Excuse me | Com licença |
| Goodbye | Adeus |
| Do you speak English? | Fala inglês? |
| I don't understand | Não compreendo |
| How much is it? | Quanto custa? |
| Where are the toilets? | Onde fica a casa de banho? (BR: banheiro) |
| The bill, please | A conta, por favor |
| Help! | Socorro! |
| Cheers! | Saúde! |
The essentials
The practical page
CurrencyBrazilian real (BRL, R$)
BudgetAbout €105 a day, mid-range
Best seasonJune to September, when the lagoons are full
PlugN/C · 127/220V
Tap waterBottled is safer
TippingAround 10%, often already on the bill
Emergency190 / 192
EntryVisa-free for 90 days for EU and UK passports. US, Canadian and Australian passports need an e-visa, applied for online before departure.
HealthHepatitis A and typhoid are recommended. A yellow fever vaccination is needed for the Amazon, and malaria is limited to the lowlands. Repellent, morning and night.
Scan to open this guide online, always up to date.
https://offwegooo.com/en/guides/lencois-maranhenses
Don't forget
Packing checklist
Have a good trip.
Guide made on offwegooo.com · Photos via Pexels · Details are indicative, check before you leave.