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Setting foot in Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, located in northeastern Brazil, visitors will be immediately overwhelmed by a scene that is almost surreal and unique in the world.
Stretching across the eastern coast of Maranhão state is a vast 156,562 hectares of land, of which 90,000 hectares are made up of giant white sand dunes interspersed with thousands of brilliant blue freshwater lakes. From above, the landscape resembles a giant bedsheet, an image that inspired the park’s name: “Lençóis,” Portuguese for “bedsheets.”
Lençóis Maranhenses (northeast Brazil) is where white sand and freshwater lakes coexist, creating an unusual desert where the concept of aridity must be redefined.
Redefining the concept of "arid desert"
Lençóis Maranhenses is a unique exception that defies all traditional definitions of deserts. While the world imagines deserts as barren, water-poor, and hot, this land has a semi-humid climate with an average annual rainfall of up to 1,600 mm, a completely unimaginable number for a desert.
The land lies in a special ecological transition zone between Brazil’s three major biomes: the Cerrado, Caatinga, and Amazon, adding to its natural uniqueness. The mechanism of lake formation is the key to the magic of Lençóis. It consists of an impermeable rock layer, under which lies a layer of fine white sand, an impermeable rock or clay layer. In addition, the abundant rainy season, which lasts from January to June, brings huge amounts of water. The rain cannot penetrate the clay layer below, so the water collects in the sand valleys and forms crystal-clear freshwater lakes.
These lakes are usually at their most beautiful between July and August. What makes Lençóis unique is that the lakes regenerate each year in a new location, with a variety of colors, shapes and depths. This phenomenon has earned Lençóis Maranhenses the nickname “the desert of a thousand lakes.” On sunny days, visitors can swim in the desert lakes, where the water reflects the clouds, giving the impression of swimming in the sky.
Although it looks like a desert, it actually has a semi-humid climate, with a rainy season lasting from January to June that brings large amounts of water.
What adds to the magic of this place is the ecosystem that exists in the heart of the flooded desert. Although the lakes gradually dry up during the dry season (July to December), leaving the sand untouched, life still clings tenaciously. Fish, shrimp, turtles and waterfowl appear seasonally in the lakes. In particular, the South American lungfish has the unique ability to “hibernate” in the mud during the dry season, waiting for the rainy season to revive and reproduce. This closed life cycle occurs every year, keeping the ecosystem of Lençóis Maranhenses alive.
With an average rainfall of 1,600 mm/year – an unimaginable number for a desert – Lençóis Maranhenses becomes a unique geological phenomenon, according to The Week.
In addition, strong, one-way sea winds contribute to the formation of barchan-shaped sand dunes, which move between 4m and 25m each year. This phenomenon causes the desert to constantly change, creating a constantly changing landscape that no photograph can replicate.
Lençóis Maranhenses is located on the far edge of Brazil, so getting there is not easy. The most convenient way is to fly into Marechal Cunha Machado International Airport in São Luís – the capital of Maranhão state and a famous UNESCO World Heritage Site. From São Luís, visitors can take a bus (about 5 hours) to Barreirinhas – the main and most popular gateway to the park. Another option is to travel from Santo Amaro, which is less popular but offers access to unspoiled areas.
When the rains come, the water is filtered through the sand and creates crystal clear lakes. The best time to see this unique scene is from June to August.
With its large scale, Lençóis Maranhenses is not a crowded tourist destination. Visitors can choose from many forms of exploration. The most refreshing feeling is to immerse yourself in a clear, completely private freshwater lake, after crossing many white sand slopes under the blazing sun.
However, Lençóis Maranhenses is facing many challenges. Climate change threatens to reduce rainfall and groundwater levels, affecting the lives of living creatures. Along with that, uncontrolled tourism development and extensive agriculture are also putting pressure on this fragile ecosystem. Nevertheless, every rainy season, Lençóis Maranhenses continues to amaze visitors, proving that deserts can survive and thrive, a rare natural marvel on the planet.
