Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil

Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil

Think you know what a desert looks like? Lençóis Maranhenses National Park might change your mind. Along Brazil's Maranhão coast, huge white dunes sit beside freshwater lagoons, creating a landscape that changes with the seasons. Established as a national park in 1981 and recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2024, it covers more than 156,000 hectares (about 386,887 acres) and stretches along 80 kilometres of coastline. The dunes are shaped by prevailing winds, while seasonal rains collect in the hollows between them. Some lagoons last only through the wet season, while others remain year-round, including Lagoa da Esperança.

The Lençóis Maranhenses National Park also includes beaches, mangroves and restinga vegetation, with connections to the Cerrado, Caatinga and Amazon biomes. From Barreirinhas, visitors can take guided 4x4 tours to lagoons such as Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Bonita. Beyond its striking scenery, the park supports plants and wildlife adapted to an environment shaped by both sand and seasonal water.