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Barreirinhas to Atins boat transfer: Everything you need to know

ByLo Lee

The easiest way to get from Barreirinhas to Atins is on a small motorboat. The boat moves through Rio Preguiças, offering stunning views of the local fauna and flora. Here we share all the details you need to know to book the trip, along with pictures and lessons learned from the experience.

If you are curious about your options for getting from the airport in São Luís to Barreirinhas, click here to check out an additional guide with all the relevant details.

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Barreirinhas <> Atins recommended transfer options & prices

During my latest trip to Atins (August 2024), I used Satur Turismo for the boat transfer for the Barreirinhas <> Atins route. They offered hotel pickup/dropoff in Atins, did not impose any luggage limitations (some people were bringing full kite surf gear in the boat), and were relatively punctual. They offer transfers every day except on Saturdays, which is the only day that their office is closed.

To book a seat, one needs to contact them through WhatsApp and pre-pay the full price. In case of change or cancelation before 48 hours, the price of the ticket is completely refunded. Their policy states that no changes or cancellations are allowed within 48 hours of the route, although I talked to them calmly 24 hours before the scheduled trip and was able to change my ticket!

In Barreirinhas the area surrounding the pier is very developed and full of restaurants/businesses. There, you can comfortably wait for your boat transfer. In contrast, in Atins there is no pier. You’re dropped off at the riverside and need to get your feet and ankles) wet as you walk out of the boat carrying your luggage, so plan your footwear accordingly.

Satur Turismo offers two transfer options:

  1. Direct transfer

    For ~R$80 per person (as of August 2024) you can go directly from Barreirinhas to Atins (and vice versa) in a journey that lasts ~90 minutes. Upon arriving in Atins, the tour operator picks you up on the riverside to take you to your stay.

    This is the option I selected for both of my transfers.

    – Route from Barreirinhas to Atins available Sunday through Friday at: 12:30 PM and 4:00 PM
    – Route from Atins to Barreirinhas available Sunday through Friday at: 7:00 AM and 2:00 PM
  2. Scenic tour (not always available)

    For ~R$110 per person (as of August 2024) you can go get from Barreirinhas to Atins on a scenic route that stops in some of the touristic spots: Vassouras, Mandacaru, and Caburé. This option is only available from Barreirinhas to Atins once a day and lasts from 9 AM to 2 PM.

    Upon arriving in Atins, the tour operator picks you up on the riverside to take you to your stay.

My experience taking the direct boat transfer from Barreirinhas to Atins

Overall, my experience getting to Atins was seamless and took about 6 hours in total, including a drive from São Luís to Barreirinhas and the boat transfer from Barreirinhas to Atins.

This route can be easily done by people without mobility limitations, but it could be challenging for those requiring some kind of support. Atins is completely unpaved, and moving through the soft sand can be a big challenge. If you think Atins is too rustic for you, no problem! You can get pretty much the same experiences for lower prices in Barreirinhas, where accessibility is less of an issue.

1. Waiting for the boat in Barreirinhas: The pier is right in front of a restaurant named O Bambu. To wait comfortably for the transfer, I ordered appetizers to go and grabbed an outdoor seat.
2. Boarding the boat in Barreirinhas: Before passengers enter the boat, we hand in the luggage for the staff to place under the seats. Once all the luggage is stored, passengers can come in. Depending on the amount and size of luggage on the boat, your leg space might be seriously compromised.
3. Enjoying the boat ride to Atins: The views of Rio Preguiças and the Manguezal are incredible. We did not have to worry about extreme movement or water splashes. The boat is open on the sides and it moves quite fast and generates a lot of wind, so we recommend anyone with long hair to tie it.
4. Arriving in Atins: The rustic vibe of Atins becomes obvious as soon as we arrive: there is no pier, and we are expected to walk through a shallow part of the river carrying luggage. Because we had so many pieces of luggage, it took one of us 3 trips, but it worked out! Because it is needed to walk in the river, we recommend you to wear slippers and short pants to avoid getting your clothing wet.
5. Waiting for the hotel transfer in Atins: We were instructed to wait for the Satur-provided transfer in a shaded area near where the boat dropped us off. We were confused by seeing many other transfers picking up other passengers, until we realized that most of them were hotel-branded transfers. It took a good 15 minutes for the Satur transfer to arrive, but when it did we quickly boarded and let the driver know where we’d like to be dropped off.
6. Boarding the transfers to the hotels in Atins

I wish you an amazing time visiting Lençóis Maranhenses. Make sure to read the other articles on our Lençóis Maranhenses sections to learn more about this amazing destination!

Lo Lee is the lead author of carry oner, a blog that helps travelers find incredible destinations and travel tips through unfiltered posts. She has lived in 4 different countries and visited over 45!

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