Soft curvy sand dunes extend into the horizon for as far as your eyes can see. Picture perfect lagoons fill in the space between each ridge. This marvel of nature is almost more than your mind can comprehend and you wonder if you’re dreaming. The unparallel beauty of Lençóis Maranhenses will remain in your memory for a long time.
You can’t visit Lençóis Maranhenses National Park on your own, but there are several tours offering different options to explore this magnificent park. We took two tours; one was a half-day and the second was a full-day.
The drive to reach Lençóis Maranhenses National Park passes hundreds of cashew trees, filled with ripe fruit. By now we had seen several of the unusual-looking fruit but still found ourselves astounded by their appearance. Our driver stopped so we could pick some cashew apples from the tree. The Brazilians on our tour loved the fruit but we never got used to the astringent aftertaste.
When we reached the entrance to the dunes it seemed like nature wanted to keep the place a secret. Leaving our shoes in the jeep, we first had to wade across a small creek in an overgrown forest and then we climbed up a narrow, sandy trail to the top of a steep sand dune.
From the top of the dune, one of the most stunning vistas was laid out before us. It was almost inconceivable that nature could create something of such immense beauty. We had seen pictures of the national park before arriving, but we really didn’t think it would be as nice as the marketing pictures. Well, it isn’t, it’s better. The sand dunes of Lençóis Maranhenses are one Mother Nature’s best sculptures.
In front of us were hundreds of rows of curvy sand dunes that continued far into the distance. Small, blue lagoons filled in the valleys at their bases. We walked between the lagoons and climbed to the tops of a few of the sandy peaks and were treated to incredible panoramic views.
Lençóis Maranhenses translates in English to ‘Bedsheets of Maranhão’, the state where they are located. The dunes in fact appear as cream-coloured sheets, softly gathered on the bed after fluffing them out. It is the combination of the soft, wavy lines of sand and the pools of blue water that makes this landscape too perfect for words.
The most popular and easily accessible lagoons are Lagoas Bonita, Esperança and Azul (Pretty, Hope and Blue Lagoon). Wrapped by soft walls of cream coloured sand, the lagoons are like an oasis in the desert. Because the underlying rock is impermeable, rainwater that collects in the valleys does not drain. Instead it slowly evaporates over the dry season. Water in the lagoons is heated by the strong Brazilian sun making them the perfect temperature for a refreshing swim. In two days we visited several lagoons, each surrounded by its own uniquely shaped wall of soft sand.
Near the end of the day we climbed to the top of one of the highest dunes to watch the sunset. Although the view of the setting sun was nice, what was better was the long shadows cast by the low light. The sun’s last rays accentuated the soft curves and made them even more spectacular. As we stook looking at the view I realized that if I wanted to create this scene, my imagination couldn’t come close to envisioning the unrivalled beauty of Lençóis Maranhenses.
The national park stretches lengthwise for 50 km (31 miles) along the Atlantic coast and reaches inland for as much as 44 km (27 miles). At 155,000 hectares it is the largest field of sand dunes in South America. The dunes are formed by sand that is brought down to the coast by the Parnaiba and Preguiças Rivers. Strong prevailing trade-winds pick up the sand and carry it to the park. The force of these persistent winds sculpt the dunes into works of art. The shapes are impermanent as the winds continuously shift the sand.
The wind makes the ridges firm enough to walk and even to drive on. Just below the ridges however, the deposits of sand are as soft and as fine as flour. Our feet loved walking in the warm, floury sand.
As a result of the wind, the nearby beach on the Atlantic Ocean has been stripped of its sand. The ground is very muddy and combined with the strong winds and the high waves it’s not an enjoyable spot.
On the half-day tour we walked between several lagoons, climbing up and over the dunes. On the full-day tour however, we drove across the sandy landscape in a four-wheel drive. Although it was not the main draw of the full-day tour for us, it ended up being a really fun part of the day. It is one of the wildest rides you’ll ever have as the 4WD literally drives straight up and straight down the steep dunes, some of which are 40 m (130 ft) tall.
Markers indicate where the ‘roads’ are so that most of the landscape remains untouched, and also to ensure that the drivers don’t get lost in the repetitive landscape. Even with the markers our driver did get lost. He drove up and down the dunes looking on the horizon for a familiar marker. It was at least 15 or 20 minutes until he found the trail. We didn’t mind though because it gave us an extended tour through this incredible landscape.
We visited in November during dry season. Many of the lagoons were dry, exposing their grassy bottoms. Local farmers are allowed to let their cattle and goats graze on them. It must be something though to guide the animals through the maze of dunes making sure to stay on the firm ridges and not allow them to go into the deep, soft sand.
Between January and May the area receives as much as 1,200 mm (47 inches) of rain, filling up all of the valleys with water. That means that when we saw was this landscape in November, it was at its worst. We can’t image what it must look like when all of the lagoons are filled with water. Even before we left Lençóis Maranhenses, we were making plans to return in the spring one year to see it at its best.
Barreirinhas
The city of Barreirinhas is the most common access point for Lençóis Maranhenses National Park. It’s a nice tourist town located along the Preguiças River. A boardwalk travels beside the river passing a small harbour filled with fishing and tour boats.
On the other side of the boardwalk is a string of restaurants. At night the restaurants shine colourful lights adding another element to this charming town.
Getting to Barreirinhas
Reaching Barreirinhas is easiest from the north. It is 257 km from São Luis where there is a domestic airport. From São Luis you can take one of a few buses that travel the route every day and takes 4 – 5 hours (R$60/$12USD). It is also easy to access by car from São Luis. Getting to and from Barreirinhas from the south is a bit more difficult but it is possible. Buses leave Barreirinhas daily for the small city of Parnaiba where it possible to catch another bus to other destinations, but you would have to overnight in Parnaiba. Instead of traveling for two days, we took a private transfer from Barreirinhas to Jericoacoara. It was R$400 ($80 USD) each and took 7 hours, but it was a much better alternative for us.
Where to stay and eat
There are plenty of guesthouses and hotels in Barreirinhas at every budget. Along the river you can find a few very good restaurants with reasonable prices. Other options to stay are the villages of Atins (read our post here) and Santo Amaro. They are more remote than Barreirinhas and more difficult to get to, but are becoming popular with tourists looking for a unique experience.
Finding a Tour
Most tours of Lençóis Maranhenses leave from Barreirinhas. The national park is free to enter but you must travel with an authorized driver. The easiest way to do this is to use a tour company. There are many tour operators in Barreirinhas and each offers a few different options for their half, full and multi-day tours. Most full-day tours cost R$150 – 180 ($30 – 35 USD). We booked our half-day afternoon tour on the day we arrived and there were plenty of tours to chose from.
To read about our other adventures in Brazil click here.
Monkey's Tale 
his texts about Brazil are wonderful and show a lot of knowledge. thank you very much, I’m happy. (I’m from the south, from Porto Alegre, with a culture very close to Uruguay and Argentina)
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Oh I didn’t realize you were from Brazil. We absolutely loved our time there. We spent almost 3 months so were able to see quite a bit. We didn’t get to Porto Alegre but we almost did. We were planning on going to Aparados da Serra National Park, but it ended up being too close to rainy season and we were worried about fog. We only got as far south as Florianópolis. Glad you’re enjoying our Brazil posts! Maggie
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the Park is near Porto Alegre, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. the mountains here are wonderful, a lot of german and italian immigration. in the Aparados the fog always arrives by surprise in any weather. when I was there, sometime last summer, the fog suddenly lowered and we were stopped for 2 hours waiting for it to rise because it is a place full of precipices. but, beautiful.
a big hug and best wishes. Fernando
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Oh wow, what sprawling vista a feast from your great photo! Cashew fruit one of my favorites…it is an acquired taste, admittedly.
Your descriptions are clear, yet the imagery takes me alongside as always. Wonderful share.
Why remove the shoes for wading?
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I’m not sure I’d ever acquire a taste for the fruit, but the nut – love them 🙂 No shoes are allowed in the park at all, so it wasn’t just to wade, but more to walk on the sand. Maybe I should have mentioned that. Happy Tuesday 🙂 Maggie
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Yes, cashew nuts are delicious roasted! Oh, okay, no shoes to preserve the sand from external debris, excellent. Thank you.
Happy Tuesday!!
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Those dunes are wonderful!!
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Yes, it is one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen. Maggie
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I can imagine!!
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Two impressions came to mind while studying the photos of the dunes: 1. They are nature’s Zen sand garden. 2. They resemble the Great Plains prairies after a severe blizzard.
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They are the ultimate Zen garden! If it wasn’t for the above 35C temperatures it may have reminded me of a snowy prairie as well.
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Thanks a lot for another outstanding post, dear Maggie
Your photos make me dream
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Thank you Luisa, I still dream of these dunes 🙂 Maggie
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I can imagine…
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Lençóis Maranhenses is a unique and beautiful. Nature never ceases to amaze. Thanks for introducing and explaining it to me as well as the stunning photos.
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Thanks John, it is truly amazing that nature can be so beautiful. Maggie
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Wow, what a beautiful landscape! I’ve never even heard of these sand dunes, but of everything you’ve done in Brazil this might just be my favorite. I can see why you spent 1.5 days out on the sand.
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It is still one of our favourite spots in Brazil. When we booked two tours we thought we’d be bored by the end, but I’d never get bored of these views. Maggie
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Wow, how magnificent! The landscape reminds me of the group of seven’s paintings of Northern Ontario in the winter. It makes me want to paint it.
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If I could paint (or draw) I would paint this landscape. It does kind of look like snowy hills in the pictures, but it was so hot that snow didn’t even occur to me at the time 🙂 Maggie
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So beautiful. How strange to see so much water amongst so much sand. And the picture is never the same twice. Thanks for sharing this place. Allan
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I think its partly the unexpected combination of the water and sand that makes it so pretty. Thanks for taking the time to comment Allan, Maggie
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Absolutely beautiful! I can see why you want to return. If that was the worst season, I can’t even imagine the best.
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I know, I can’t imagine it being more beautiful than when we saw it! Thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂 Maggie
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Wow, I’d never heard of this place and yet it is stunning! I thought the Wahiba Sands in Oman were special (and they are!) but they don’t have the lagoons in the spaces between the dunes like this, they are ‘only’ sand. The contrast here between water and sand is beautiful and as you say, the setting sun makes the dunes look even better with the patterns of light and shade.
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Yes, that contrast between the blue water and the white sand is what makes it so spectacular. I haven’t seen Wahiba Sands, but I have seen deserts, which are beautiful, but this was so different, I barely even thought of it as a desert. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Sarah, Maggie
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Is this place for real? I’ve never seen such perfectly shaped white sand dunes filled with crystal-clear fresh water as far as the eye can see. Walking around this landscape it probably feels like you’re dreaming. It’s truly a wonder of nature. Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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Those are the exact same thoughts I had as we walked and drove around the park. It is utterly stunning. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Aiva, Maggie
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This post was a wonderful introduction to an amazing national park! I had not heard of this one, but after reading your post, I would love to visit. Thank you for sharing this special park.
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Thank you, it was one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever seen. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Maggie
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Nothing as stunning as nature. The sunset photo of the dunes is surreal.
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Surreal is a good word, it really is.
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So enjoying your Brazil series Maggie. Those sand dunes are so beautiful with their drifts and contours. I’d never heard of a cashew apple before but cashew nuts are my favourites!
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Thank you! Brazil really surpassed our expectations with parks like this. We bought a couple of kilos of cashews in Brazil for very cheap. So maybe worth a trip for you! Maggie
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Beautiful photos. I like how wide open it all is and the colors of sand/water always call to me. It seems almost like a dream to me. Thanks for sharing your experiences here.
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Thanks Ally, it felt like a dream to me too 🙂 Maggie
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Wow. What an astonishing, beautiful place. You’re right to say it’s almost beyond belief, and no wonder it exceeded your expectations. Fabulous.
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It’s one to keep in mind if you travel to Brazil. One of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. Hope you got home safe and sound, Maggie
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Drop dead gorgeous, those dunes. Just unreal 🤗💕
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Thanks Jo, yes they are 🙂 Maggie
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Like the sand, I was blown away by these dunes and interspersed lagoons. I had no idea such a place existed. The Great Sand Dunes in Colorado are gorgeous, but they pale in comparison.
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Oh, I should have used that line!! It is honestly one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. Maggie
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It’s easy to see why. Feel free to use that line if it ever fits. 😊
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Another amazing place I’ve never heard of. How do find these spots?
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A lot of research to find this one. No one outside of Brazil seems to know about it and actually very few in Brazil do either. It’s pretty spectacular though! Maggie
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“the dunes in fact appear as cream-coloured sheets, softly gathered on the bed after fluffing them out. It is the combination of the soft”
Nunca imaginei os lençóis maranhense como vcs escreveram no blog, obrigada por visitar o Brasil e fazer tão lindas fotos 👏
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Muito obrigado Lislene. Adoramos tantos lugares que visitamos no Brasil, mas os Lençóis Maranhenses são um lugar tão lindo, é um dos nossos lugares favoritos. E nós conhecemos vocês dois, isso tornou tudo ainda melhor! 😊
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Wow. I’ve been on amazing sand dunes before (most recently in Death Valley a month ago) but having them adjacent to water really takes it up a notch.
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These sand dunes are likely the most beautiful ones I’ll ever see. They took it up several notches 😊 Maggie
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These photos caught my attention. This landscape was so stunning. Brazil was such a fascinating site we visited. Thanks Anita
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There are so many amazing things to see in Brazil but this was one of our favourites. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Anita, Maggie
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Beautiful. 😊
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Oh my word, it is absolutely STUNNING. And the pictures can’t capture the scale and the sounds and heat which I bet make it even more incredible in person. The lagoons are just perfect as well, such a special place.
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Thanks Hannah, its true it is stunning and in person it is almost unbelievable how perfect it is. Maggie
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Brazil is such beautiful country. These dunes are just totally amazing!
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We were amazed at how many beautiful places there are in Brazil, this one was at the top of the list.
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I can see way
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What an amazing place, the beauty of it is surreal. Another fantastic find, Maggie.
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Thanks Leighton, it was one of the best and least known places we found in Brazil! Maggie
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It is really impressive and big. Outstanding pictures!! It reminds me of Dunas de Maspalomas just on a different scale 😊
Hanna
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Oh I’ll have to look those dunes up. Thanks for adding to the story! Maggie
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Love the dunes!
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wow, those sand dunes are just stunning! Especially set against the water like that. The city has such a colorful, inviting, and fun feel to it. And I never realized that’s how cashews come. 🙂
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Thanks Meg, they are absolutely stunning. Now you know why cashews are so expensive, 1 nut per fruit! Maggie
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What an absolutely incredible landscape!
Thank you for sharing.
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Thanks Jacqueline, it is one of our favourites from Brazil. Maggie
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I can see why you would want to take more than one tour to spend as much time in this national park as you can. Plus I’m not sure most people could handle driving through the sand dunes without getting stuck! The views from the top of the sand dune look gorgeous.
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One of the experienced drivers did get stuck. After he was pushed out our driver went the exact same way. I thought for sure we’d get stuck too but he made it through. The views from the top of the dunes was unbelievable. Happy Groundhog Day! Maggie
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Absolutely stunning! Like many others, I’d never heard of this place. Now that I have, I want to go!
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And I want to go back! It is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. Maggie
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Amazingly beautiful! Love the photos of the sand dunes. Was thinking today that the snow up here in the Arctic looks so much like sand dunes. Thank you for sharing 🙏
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Yes they do and if it wasn’t for the above 35C in Brazil I may have thought so at the time too 😊
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I did a double take on the sand dunes because it’s so unusual to see a body of water in them!
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I know it’s a very unique landscape and the combination after water and sand is what makes it so beautiful. Hope you’re well, Maggie
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Ok, adding this to our itinerary. What a magnificent park that we were not aware of. Stunning. It will be interesting to visit in July! Thanks again!
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Kind of thought you’d say that. I would looooove to see it in July!
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Wow! Lençóis Maranhenses looks like something out of Star Wars, a perfect setting for a planet in a galaxy far far away. There’s something surreal yet beautiful about those pastel-colored sand dunes and the lakes sitting next to one another.
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Wow, what an utterly stunning part of the world! It’s so very beautiful and otherworldly, and your photos are superb.
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Thank you, otherworldly is a good description. Maggie
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Beautiful! Saudades.
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A gigantic beach….love it!!
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Yes, and with the softest sand!
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Wow, how beautiful and unusual! Definitely worth doing both tours. I would totally get lost in those dunes.
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There’s no way I’d be able to get around with out the markers. The dunes go on for miles and miles with no other features. But what a place to get lost!!
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Unparalleled beauty!
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It is 😊
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The contours of the sand! Stunning!
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One of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen 😊 Maggie
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Wow, Lençóis Maranhenses is absolutely beautiful! I have never even seen anything close to this … the white dunes (or cream coloured 😉) and blue/green water are in perfect harmony with each other. Even the Barreirinhas looks like a lovely city to explore. This is definitely a very unique place to visit.
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Thanks Cora, It is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. I would love to see it when all of the lagoons are filled with water. Maggie
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Beautiful landscape pictures with dunes and lake! 🙂
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Thank you, it’s a gorgeous area. Thanks for taking the time to comment Maggie
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I’m very tempted to visit this place.
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You should! I’d love to go back.
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Wow, those sand dunes look surreal.. what a terrific experience you had! xx
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Hope you read the poem🙂. Feel free to follow the blog
https://cypher912.wordpress.com/2023/02/26/rapture/
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What the heck?! It’s so cool to still be surprised by places. This’ll be a must-do for our next trip to South America.
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It is a must if you go to Brazil. It’s one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever seen!! Maggie
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