The main curiosities of Lençóis Maranhenses: Discover the Hidden Side of the Park
Lençóis Maranhenses is one of the most impressive landscapes in Brazil. The imposing dunes and colorful lagoons already make many people dream of a trip there.
However, when you look more closely, you realize there’s much more behind that sea of sand.
And that’s precisely where the main curiosities of Lençóis Maranhenses begin to transform the trip into a more complete experience. Furthermore, understanding these details before the trip helps to create an itinerary that makes the most of every moment.
Traveling to Lençóis is entering a dynamic ecosystem, full of contrasts. The park changes its appearance every year, gains new lagoons, reveals curious stories, and is home to communities that have lived there for decades.
Therefore, before setting foot on the sand, it’s worth delving into this information that makes the destination even more fascinating.
See my trip through Lençóis Maranhenses.
1. It’s not a desert, even though it looks like one.
The first impression is almost unanimous: those who arrive at Lençóis Maranhenses feel like they’ve entered a desert worthy of a movie. However, this is only the initial sensation. As soon as you learn more about the region, you discover that the park is far from being a true desert. And this makes all the difference in understanding how the place works.
While real deserts receive very little rain throughout the year, Lençóis Maranhenses experiences the opposite situation.
For months, the rain falls heavily and fills the lagoons that make the park so famous. It is this abundant water that keeps the ecosystem alive, feeds the water table, and allows the fauna and flora to develop in an environment that, at first glance, seems hostile.
Because of this, experts classify the region as a restinga area. That is, a combination of sand, vegetation, and water that creates a natural system completely different from a classic desert.
And this is one of the main curiosities of Lençóis Maranhenses that most surprises those who visit the park for the first time.
2. The lagoons are born and disappear every year
The second curiosity is one of the most enchanting: the lagoons we see in the photos are not permanent. They form with the rain and last only a few months. This means that, year after year, the park draws new paths, creates new bodies of water and transforms itself continuously.
The formation of the lagoons begins between March and April. With the more intense rains, they gain volume and reach their peak between June and September. At the end of the year, when drought takes over Maranhão, these lagoons begin to dry up. That’s why those who visit the park on different trips never find the same scenery.
This dynamic of the lagoons, incidentally, influences all local tourism. For example, when one lagoon dries up earlier, another appears in its place.
Furthermore, each community in the region closely follows this process, as it determines the flow of visitors, the best time for tours, and even the routes used to cross the park. Understanding this constant change makes the trip even more interesting.
3. Beneath the dunes lies a huge aquifer
Another great curiosity of the Lençóis Maranhenses is the water table just below the sand. This aquifer prevents rainwater from completely infiltrating and disappearing underground. Therefore, the lagoons remain there, on the surface, with that incredible transparency that makes any traveler stop to admire them.
This natural phenomenon transforms the park into an almost magical place. After all, it’s hard to believe that such a large quantity of water remains stable for so long on sand dunes.
However, when you walk through the park and realize how damp the sand is just below the surface, everything starts to make sense.
In addition, it is this aquifer that ensures the water in the lagoons is so clean. Since there are no rivers feeding the park, the only source of water is rain, which passes through layers of sand and reaches the lagoons naturally filtered.
It’s a simple but extremely efficient process that helps maintain the park in perfect balance.
See the complete Lençóis Maranhenses itinerary.
4. The Wind Reshapes the Park All the Time
In Lençóis Maranhenses, the wind is the true artist. It molds, rearranges, and moves the dunes daily. Thus, the park never presents the same landscape from one year to the next. Even during the same season, some dunes change position faster than one might imagine.
This constant movement creates different designs on the horizon and makes the experience of walking through the park even more special. Sometimes, a guide points to a dune that, the previous year, was meters away.
On other occasions, they show a lagoon that existed a few months ago and now remains only as a mark in the sand. This natural rhythm reinforces the feeling that we are facing a living landscape, one that breathes and transforms constantly.
Furthermore, the wind influences the climate, the temperature of the sand, and even the comfort during walks. Therefore, understanding how it acts helps to better enjoy each trail, especially on the hottest afternoons.
5. Fish that appear in the seasonal lagoons
Among all the main curiosities of Lençóis Maranhenses, this is one of the most surprising. After all, how can fish exist in lagoons that disappear every year? The explanation is fascinating.
During the dry season, the eggs of some species lie dormant in the sand. They stay there, quiet, waiting for the next rainy season. When the first lagoons begin to form, these eggs hatch and give rise to fish like the wolf fish. This process happens so naturally that it seems almost invented, but it is further proof of the strength and adaptation of life in the region.
This unexpected presence of fish shows how sophisticated the Lençóis ecosystem is. Furthermore, it transforms a simple dive into an opportunity to observe rare biological phenomena in Brazil.
6. Communities live within the park
Many people don’t realize it, but Lençóis Maranhenses is home to communities that have lived there for a long time.
Villages like Queimada dos Britos and Baixa Grande are examples of cultural resistance amidst the sea of dunes. These families maintain ancient traditions, cultivate subsistence agriculture, and preserve stories passed down through generations.
Access to the villages is difficult. Often, the walk there takes hours. However, this distance also protects the way of life of these communities.
Therefore, those who have the chance to meet these residents end up experiencing another side of the Lençóis Maranhenses, less touristy and much more human. It’s an encounter that enriches any trip.
7. The night sky is a spectacle in itself
During the day, the dunes shine intensely. However, when night falls, the spectacle changes completely. Without light pollution, the sky over Lençóis Maranhenses displays an impressive number of stars.
The Milky Way appears powerfully, and any attempt to photograph it becomes a delightful challenge.
Sleeping in one of the communities, participating in a trek, or simply observing the sky after sunset are experiences that leave a profound mark.
This is one of the main curiosities of Lençóis Maranhenses that few know before the trip. But, when experienced, they never forget it.
8. The park is enormous and has several entry points
With more than 155,000 hectares, the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park is a gigantic area. And this is reflected in the type of experience each traveler has.
Barreirinhas, for example, is the most famous entry point and offers the best infrastructure of hotels, restaurants, and a variety of tours, including a panoramic flight over the Lençóis Maranhenses.
Santo Amaro, on the other hand, is enchanting due to its proximity to the best lagoons. The city is practically inside the park, which facilitates access to the most incredible and preserved lagoons.
Atins, although one of the bases of the Lençóis Maranhenses, has its own vibe.
Atins is a small, tranquil, and charming village belonging to Barreirinhas and located within the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park. There, time seems to slow down, the wind blows without haste, and nature dictates the rhythm of the days. It’s as if the clock simply ceases to exist.
This diversity transforms each visit into a different experience. Furthermore, it allows for the creation of highly personalized itineraries, making the trip much more dynamic.
