Lençóis Maranhenses, Crystal clear water between the Dunes

Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, also known as Parque Nacional Dos Lençóis Maranhenses, is a national forest located in northeastern Brazil's Maranhão state, just east of the Baia de Sao Jose. The park, which covers 155,000 ha, was declared a national park on June 2, 1981. It includes a seventy-kilometre coastline and an interior made up of rolling dunes. The impermeable rock below prevents the freshwater from draining and fills the valleys with water lagoons. The park is home to various species, and it has become a popular spot for ecotourists.

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Lençóis Maranhenses National Park

Brazil Sand Dunes

East Coast Pools — It is located along Brazil's northeast coast in the state of Maranhão, along the eastern coast. The park is bordered by 70 km of Atlantic Ocean beaches. It borders the Sao Jose Basin and the Parnaiba River. The park is dominated by expansive coastal dune fields, which are composed of paranoid Brazil dunes.

Although the park appears deserted, it receives approximately 1,200 millimetres of rain annually. This Brazil desert receives less than 250 metres annually. The majority of the rainfall is between January and May, with about 70% occurring.

Brazil Desert Lagoons

Brazil sand dune Lagoons — The Parnaiba, Preguicas, and rivers carry the sand from the continent to the park. It is then driven back to the inland by winds up to fifty kilometres, creating a series of forty-metre-tall white sand dunes. The park's area is 41% when it rains between January and June. The desert with water: freshwater lagoons can be found along the dunes, measuring up to a hundred metres in length and ten feet in depth. A layer of impermeable rocks beneath the sandy soil prevents the water from draining. The Brazilian desert lagoons rapidly evaporate when the dry season ends and lose as much as one metre in depth each month.

Two oases or resting places are found in the park's interior: Queimada do Britos (which covers an area of 1,100 hectares) and Baixa Grande (which covers an area of 850 ha).

Brazil Scenery — Lencois Maranhenses Natiattracts as many as 60,000 visitors000 people each year. It is also a popular spot for ecotourism due to its unique features. The park is home to many popular activities, including night sky viewing, cycling, canoeing and horseback riding. Fly to Sao Luis, the regional capital, for entry. From there, travel by jeep from Barreirinhas into the park's interior.

First Photo Credit Karen Hoffmann