Essentials
Short stay
Barreirinhas only
- BaseBarreirinhas
- Days outThe lagoon combo
- SuitsTight itineraries
See your group's price
Where to stay, and how a Lencois Maranhenses 2-day tour fits
Full day in the Lencois Maranhenses
★ 4.8 · 272 ratings
The quick version
Stay in Barreirinhas for the classic Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Bonita trips, in Atins for the sea, or in Santo Amaro to walk to the lagoons; a 2-day tour covers both circuits.
Plan it
Compare 4 choices
Price a longer stay
Add the days you want and the number of travellers.
- Lagoon combo dayFull day · for each guest from $90
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View - Atins by 4x48 hrs · for each guest from $74
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View - Betania from Santo Amaro9 hrs · for each guest from $80
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View - Guided trekking day12 hrs · for each guest from $266
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View
From-prices on GetYourGuide, shown at the ECB reference rate. Your exact price is confirmed during booking.
Barreirinhas, Atins or Santo Amaro? Your base decides which lagoons you reach. How to choose one, and how to shape a Lencois Maranhenses 2-day tour or a longer stay.
Editorial team, lencoismaranhensestour.quest · Updated November 11, 2026 · ~8 min read
Basics
- Easiest baseBarreirinhas: closest to Sao Luis, widest choice of beds.1
- Village baseAtins: chalets or hammocks between dunes and sea.2
- Walk-in baseSanto Amaro: under 2 km from the park.3
- Two daysOne full lagoon day plus a river or Atins day.
- On footThe crossing from Atins to Santo Amaro takes 2 to 5 days.4
Why your base matters more than your hotel
In most destinations the hotel is a matter of comfort. Here it decides which part of the park you can reach in a day. The state tourism office lists 2 towns as the doors to the park, Barreirinhas on the east side and Santo Amaro do Maranhao on the west, each with agencies selling trips to the nearest and biggest lagoons.5 Atins, at the mouth of the Preguicas, is a third base for travellers who want the sea as well.6
The dune field between them is wide and empty, and there is no road across it. ICMBio describes the crossing from Atins to Santo Amaro as a long-distance trail through the Primitive Zone, where visitors may only go on foot.7 So a lagoon you see on the map may be an easy morning from one base and a whole expedition from another. Choose the base for the lagoons you want, and then the bed.
Most beds in the region are in pousadas, the small family guesthouses that Brazil does well. The park's public use plan found that 55.41% of visitors to the region stayed in one, and counted 169 travel agencies registered in the area.8 In practice that means plenty of choice in Barreirinhas, a handful of simple places in the villages, and a tour desk never far away wherever you sleep.
Bases compared
Barreirinhas, Atins, Santo Amaro and the oases
| Base | Getting there | Lagoons | Beds | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barreirinhas | Road from Sao Luis | Azul and Bonita by 4x4 | Hotels to eco resort | Short stays, families |
| Atins | Boat or 4x4 | Coast and nearby lagoons | Chalets, hammocks | Wind, beach, quiet |
| Santo Amaro | Paved road | On foot from town | Guesthouses | Walkers, bigger lagoons |
| Baixa Grande | On foot only | Inside the dunes | Hammocks | Trekkers |
| Queimada dos Britos | On foot only | Inside the dunes | Hammocks | Trekkers |
From the state tourism office and ICMBio's pages and public use plan.1,2,15,16,17,7
Barreirinhas: the practical choice
Barreirinhas sits on the Preguicas river and is the main base for the park; the Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Bonita trips leave from there.9 It is also the gateway easiest to reach from Sao Luis, with hotels, pousadas and an eco resort to pick from.1 The daily buses and shared transfers from the capital all end there, which keeps the journey simple.10 If you arrive late, you can still be in bed in a riverside pousada without a second transfer.
The town itself is a working river town rather than a resort. You eat by the water, buy what you forgot, and leave early each morning with your driver. Its strength is choice: the classic combo day, half days to either lagoon, boat trips down the river and day trips to Atins all start from the same place, so you can plan as you go rather than fix everything in advance. Agencies cluster near the riverfront, and comparing a few of them takes an hour at most.
Pick Barreirinhas if this is a short visit, if you are travelling with children or older relatives who want comfort at night, or if you want to try several kinds of trip. The trade-off is that the sand is not on your doorstep. Every lagoon day begins with the ride out in an accredited 4x4, run by agencies in town.11 That ride is part of the fun, but it is a ride every time, and on a bumpy track it adds up over several days.
Atins: sleeping by the sea at the edge of the dunes
Atins sits where the Preguicas meets the sea, a fishing village hemmed in by sand on one side and the beach on the other, within reach of the Azul and Bonita lagoons.6 ICMBio's visitor page describes it as facing the river mouth, just outside the national park but very close to it, with simple facilities, so arrive with what you need for the first night.19 The park's public use plan instead places the village partly inside the park, and notes that it has become an important destination for kitesurfers.20
Staying there is the opposite of Barreirinhas. The state tourism office mentions homely pousadas where you can sleep in a chalet or in a hammock, the way local people do, and fish and shrimp cooked fresh.2 Evenings are quiet, the wind is constant in the kite months, and the dunes start where the sand streets end. Come with cash, patience and no great need for nightlife, and the village repays you with slow mornings and long walks on the beach.
A Lencois Maranhenses tour from Atins reaches lagoons near the village and the coastline, and Atins is also where the crossing on foot begins.7 From Barreirinhas you can test it first on a day trip: one listing runs a 7-hour day to Atins with a ferry over the river, a 4x4 over sandy roads and the sunset in the dunes. If you love it, move there for the next nights and let the boat carry your bags.
Choose your base
Which town should you sleep in?
Answer for the trip you actually want.
If I want the classic lagoons with little fuss
Barreirinhas
The Azul and Bonita trips leave from there.9
If I want the sea and a village evening
Atins
Chalets or hammocks between the dunes and the river.2
If I want to walk to the lagoons
Santo Amaro
Under 2 km from the park.3
If I want the full crossing
Atins to Santo Amaro
A 2 to 5 day walk through the oases.4
If I have only one full day
Barreirinhas
The combo day covers both famous circuits.
Pick your length
A short stay, a longer stay or the crossing
Lagoons and coast
Longer stay
Barreirinhas and Atins or Santo Amaro
- BaseA second town
- Days outLagoons, river, coast
- SuitsMost travellers
Expedition
The crossing
Atins to Santo Amaro on foot
- NightsOasis villages
- Group sizeCapped per guide
- SuitsFit walkers
Santo Amaro: the lagoons on your doorstep
Santo Amaro do Maranhao is the western door, and the end point of the long walk from Atins. According to ICMBio, the town has guesthouses and restaurants, and from its last houses the protected dunes begin less than 2 km off, a stroll on foot or a hop by accredited vehicle.3 On the state's account the lagoons here are larger and the dunes taller, which is exactly what draws the travellers who make the longer trip round to this side of the park.30
Its road was paved in 2017, and since then, the park plan says, no other town on the park's edge has been quicker to reach from the capital.15 Getting to the lagoons near town takes a walk, an authorised 4x4 or a small boat.16 The park plan highlights the broad blue and green lagoons around the Lagoa da Andorinha, and Betania, reached by land or along the Rio Grande.31,32 It feels less like a tour hub and more like a small town that happens to border the dunes.
Santo Amaro suits a second stay, after Barreirinhas, or a whole trip for travellers who would rather walk than ride. The state still asks you to go with local guides and agencies even here, because the park has no signposting and it is easy to get lost among the dunes.33 One guided Betania circuit from town runs 9 hours, from $80. Book it on arrival rather than from home if you want to choose the day by the weather.
A longer plan
A long weekend around the dunes
Arrival
Into Barreirinhas
The shared transfer from Sao Luis takes 4.5 hours.
First full day
Both lagoon circuits
Lagoa Azul, lunch, Lagoa Bonita and its sunset.
Second full day
Atins by 4x4
An 8-hour day to Atins, a lagoon and the dunes.
Third full day
Santo Amaro side
A guided Betania circuit runs 9 hours.
Departure
Back to Sao Luis
The van back takes 4 hours, with airport drop-off.
How many days do the dunes deserve?
A single full day covers the essentials. The combo day sold on this site covers the Lagoa Azul area first and the Lagoa Bonita area after a restaurant stop, finishing with the Lagoa Bonita sunset. If you have only that, you leave having seen the two famous circuits, though not the quieter corners or the coast. It works as a stop on a longer Brazil trip, but it feels rushed after such a long journey to get there.
A Lencois Maranhenses 2-day tour is the sweet spot for most itineraries. Spend the first day on both lagoon circuits, then give the second to the river and the coast: a boat to Atins takes 1.5 hours, and a full day by 4x4 to Atins, a lagoon and the dunes runs 8 hours with guides in English, Portuguese and Spanish. You see how the dunes meet the sea, which the lagoon circuits alone do not show.
With a third day, add Santo Amaro or a deeper lagoon such as the Lagoa da Esperanca. ICMBio notes that the drive to Esperanca alone takes more than 1 hour because it lies farther from Barreirinhas.34 With most of a week, consider the crossing on foot, which the state describes as lasting 2 to 5 days depending on the route.4 Whatever the length, leave the travel days light: the road to Sao Luis is long.
Video
Swimming in the desert lagoons of the Lencois Maranhenses
Alexander Travelbum on YouTube · Your tap on play is what loads the video.
Inside the national park there are still two large pockets of green restinga where fishermen and their families live, known locally as Queimada dos Britos and Baixa Grande.
Crossing checklist
Before you walk Atins to Santo Amaro
Book3
Carry3
The crossing on foot through the oases
The Lencois Maranhenses trekking tour par excellence is the Travessia dos Lencois, a long-distance trail from Atins in the north-east to Santo Amaro.7 It runs through the oases of Baixa Grande and Queimada dos Britos, the 2 green pockets of restinga inside the dunes where fishing families live and walkers spend the night.18,35 Residents there offer hammock beds and meals to visitors.17
The state tourism office sketches the classic route. From Atins, the direct walk to Baixa Grande takes six hours; from there it is about 3 hours to Queimada dos Britos, and you leave for Santo Amaro before dawn or the next morning.12,13 Each leg ends in a village with food and a place to sleep. Walks start in the dark to escape the hottest sun, which begins around 10h.4 ICMBio adds its own advice to avoid walking between 11 and 15 hours.27
It is a serious undertaking. The sand is soft, there is no shade and much of the way has no phone signal.36 ICMBio asks trekkers to carry at least 3 liters of water per person per day.24 Go with an accredited guide, keep to the group, and expect the reward the trekkers talk about: nights in a village with no road, under a sky the park plan rates among the best in Brazil for stargazing.37
The rules for overnight treks
ICMBio sets firm rules for the crossing. Before you start, the overnight stops must be booked at the community support points in Atins, Baixa Grande, Queimada dos Britos and Betania, and the guide or group carries proof of the booking.21 Walking groups are limited to 10 people per guide.22 Every group also registers at the trail entry with an online form and records its exit at the end.23
Some rules surprise first-time trekkers. Human-waste collectors, the so-called shit tubes, are compulsory on every trek with 1 night or more, sized to the group and the route.25 Glass bottles are banned anywhere in the park, and so is lighting a fire.29,28 ICMBio has announced patrols dedicated to the crossing and the other long routes for 2026.38 Keep the paperwork at hand on the trail.
A good operator handles the bookings, the forms and the kit, and tells you what to carry yourself. A listed 3-day trek from Barreirinhas to Santo Amaro starts from $757, while a single guided trekking day runs 12 hours. Ask any operator to confirm the support-point bookings in writing before you pay, since that is the document the rangers may ask to see. Then let the guide set the pace, and the dunes do the rest.
FAQ
Fast answers to common questions.
Where is the best place to stay for the lagoons?
Barreirinhas, for most visitors.
It is the main base and the start of the Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Bonita trips.9
Is Atins inside the national park?
How far is Santo Amaro from the dunes?
Less than 2 km.
ICMBio says you can reach the park on foot or by accredited vehicle.3
How many days should I spend in the Lencois?
At least 2 days.
A full lagoon day, a river or Atins day, and a third for Santo Amaro or Esperanca.34
How long is the crossing on foot?
2 to 5 days.
The length depends on the route and the stops in the park villages.4
Do I need a guide for the crossing?
Can I sleep in the oasis villages?
Yes, in hammocks.
Residents of Baixa Grande and Queimada dos Britos offer hammock beds and meals.17
Sources
- Secretaria de Estado do Turismo do Maranhao (SETUR-MA) · Parques Nacionais - Patrimonio Natural ↩
- Secretaria de Estado do Turismo do Maranhao (SETUR-MA) · Experiencia de Base Comunitaria ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Municipio Santo Amaro do Maranhao ↩
- Secretaria de Estado do Turismo do Maranhao (SETUR-MA) · Trekking e Expedicao Fotografica ↩
- Secretaria de Estado do Turismo do Maranhao (SETUR-MA) · Parques Nacionais - Patrimonio Natural ↩
- Secretaria de Estado do Turismo do Maranhao (SETUR-MA) · Experiencia de Base Comunitaria ↩
- ICMBio (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade) · Trekking - Travessia dos Lencois ↩
- ICMBio (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade) - Public Use Plan (PDF, via the MMA national register) · Plano de Uso Publico do Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses (2022) ↩
- Secretaria de Estado do Turismo do Maranhao (SETUR-MA) · Parques Nacionais - Patrimonio Natural ↩
- Secretaria de Estado do Turismo do Maranhao (SETUR-MA) · Parques Nacionais - Patrimonio Natural ↩
- Secretaria de Estado do Turismo do Maranhao (SETUR-MA) · Parques Nacionais - Patrimonio Natural ↩
- Secretaria de Estado do Turismo do Maranhao (SETUR-MA) · Trekking e Expedicao Fotografica ↩
- Secretaria de Estado do Turismo do Maranhao (SETUR-MA) · Trekking e Expedicao Fotografica ↩
- Secretaria de Estado do Turismo do Maranhao (SETUR-MA) · Experiencia de Base Comunitaria ↩
- ICMBio (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade) - Public Use Plan (PDF, via the MMA national register) · Plano de Uso Publico do Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses (2022) ↩
- ICMBio (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade) - Public Use Plan (PDF, via the MMA national register) · Plano de Uso Publico do Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses (2022) ↩
- ICMBio (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade) - Public Use Plan (PDF, via the MMA national register) · Plano de Uso Publico do Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses (2022) ↩
- Secretaria de Estado do Turismo do Maranhao (SETUR-MA) · Experiencia de Base Comunitaria ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Municipio Barreirinhas (Polo Lagoas and Polo Atins) ↩
- ICMBio (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade) - Public Use Plan (PDF, via the MMA national register) · Plano de Uso Publico do Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses (2022) ↩
- ICMBio (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade) · Trekking - Travessia dos Lencois ↩
- ICMBio (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade) · Trekking - Travessia dos Lencois ↩
- ICMBio (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade) · Trekking - Travessia dos Lencois ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Orientacoes ao Visitante (visitor guidance and rules) ↩
- ICMBio (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade) · Trekking - Travessia dos Lencois ↩
- Secretaria de Estado do Turismo do Maranhao (SETUR-MA) · Parques Nacionais - Patrimonio Natural ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Trekking - Travessia dos Lencois ↩
- ICMBio (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade) · Trekking - Travessia dos Lencois ↩
- ICMBio (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade) · Trekking - Travessia dos Lencois ↩
- Secretaria de Estado do Turismo do Maranhao (SETUR-MA) · Parques Nacionais - Patrimonio Natural ↩
- ICMBio (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade) - Public Use Plan (PDF, via the MMA national register) · Plano de Uso Publico do Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses (2022) ↩
- ICMBio (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade) - Public Use Plan (PDF, via the MMA national register) · Plano de Uso Publico do Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses (2022) ↩
- Secretaria de Estado do Turismo do Maranhao (SETUR-MA) · Parques Nacionais - Patrimonio Natural ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Municipio Barreirinhas (Polo Lagoas and Polo Atins) ↩
- ICMBio (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade) - Public Use Plan (PDF, via the MMA national register) · Plano de Uso Publico do Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses (2022) ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Polo Oasis ↩
- ICMBio (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade) - Public Use Plan (PDF, via the MMA national register) · Plano de Uso Publico do Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses (2022) ↩
- ICMBio (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade) · Trekking - Travessia dos Lencois ↩
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