How to visit Lençóis Maranhenses: 5-day itinerary with prices
Lençóis Maranhenses National Park is what I believe to be the world’s most beautiful landscape, and having the opportunity to visit it is a true blessing. Although you can visit the Park in just 2 days, I recommend following the 5-day itinerary below, which will allow you to relax, and enjoy the beauty of the national park as well as the activities available in Atins.
Of the 3 bases available to visit the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Atins is the most exclusive and expensive. Although the town is quite rustic (there is no pavement whatsoever), it offers a unique opportunity to connect with nature. Also, it is the only Lençóis Maranhenses base where you can Kite Surf if you’re into that!
For a breakdown of all the costs of this trip by category, as well as pictures of the menus of some of the restaurants I visited, I recommend checking out my guide on the costs of visiting Lençóis Maranhenses.
Disclaimer: This page may contain affiliate links. If you use these links to buy or book something I may earn pennies at no additional cost to you!
Now, let’s deep dive into the 5-day itinerary that will introduce you to paradise!
Day 0: Fly into São Luís
Aeroporto Internacional de São Luís is the closest airport to the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park. The airport is well-connected and multiple flights land daily from major Brazilian cities such as São Paulo, Rio, and Brasilia.
If your trip overlaps with São João do Maranhão, a yearly festivity that happens in June and July, make sure to carve out a night to go enjoy it! Just be aware that São Luís is not a very safe city, so make sure to follow all my safety recommendations if you choose to venture in this amazing party!
If visiting any other time, I recommend staying only one night in São Luís to rest or skip the town altogether. São Luís has a rich history, but its historical buildings are not in the best condition.
During your short stop in São Luís, make sure to try some of the town’s amazing restaurants!
Day 1: Go from São Luís to Atins and enjoy a sunset bird-watching tour
7 AM: Head from São Luís to Barreirinhas. A van transfer from São Luís to Barreirinhas costs R$110 per person, while a private car costs R$350+. Check out our full guide on going from São Luís to Barreirinhas for recommendations of transfer operators!
11 AM: Arrive in Barreirinhas and have a quick meal before boarding the boat to Atins. There are several restaurants right across from the pier where you catch the boat, so you won’t have trouble finding a good place to eat. I highly recommend Restaurante O Bambu, where they serve a wide variety of Brazilian and international dishes. There, one person can eat for less than R$100.
12:15 PM: Board the boat from Atins to Barreirinhas, which goes for R$80 per person for the 90-minute ride. Check out the full guide on the boat transfer for recommendations of tour operators and must-know transfer information.
2:00 PM: Arrive in Atins and wait for the transfer to your hotel, which is typically included in the boat transfer. There are no Taxis in Atins, and I could not see any of the four-wheeler drivers (who kind of act like moto taxis) on the beach where the boat arrives. Make sure to have the transportation to your accommodation booked in advance! Some boat transfer operators (such as Satur Turismo) offer free hotel pickup/dropoff in Atins.
3:00 PM: Check-in and get settled in your hotel. I stayed at Pousada Maresia and paid R$3.232 for a 4-night stay for 2 people.
4:00 PM: If you have the energy, go on the Revoada dos Guarás Tour to see dozens of some of South America’s most beautiful birds. This is a quick yet gorgeous tour, as you spend sunset on a boat while watching the birds fly home. We paid R$120 per person to get a 2-person private boat. Check out our dedicated post on this experience to learn more and choose what variation of this tour would work best for you!
Day 2: Explore Lençóis Maranhenses National Park
8:00 AM: Wake up and have breakfast! Many stays in town offer free breakfast, which was the case at Pousada Maresia. Although the breakfast was quite simple, I was still able to eat some of my favorite Brazilian foods.
9:00 AM: Get on the pickup truck to go to Lençóis Maranhenses National Park. The half-day tour (that takes you to either Ponta do Mangue or Canto de Atins) goes for R$130, and tour operators (I booked through Aloha Atins) offer free pick up and drop off at your Atins stay! Full-day tours are also available at a fair cost (~R$230).
Pro tip: If you are visiting the park over multiple days, I recommend doing 2 half-day tours to avoid exhaustion and sun exposure. At Lençóis Maranhenses National Park there are no man-made shaded areas, so you are heavily exposed to the sun during the morning tour.
12:30 PM: Have lunch at the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park. During the morning tour, the tour operator drops you off for lunch at one of the many restaurants near the park. I visited Restaurante da Carminha and absolutely loved the vibe! Also, the food there was the most affordable (and delicious) I came across in the Atins region. I only paid R$74 for a half-portion of carne de sol.
2:00+ PM: Hotel dropoff! There are tons of good options of activities to spend the afternoon, such as: kite surfing at Kite Point in Atins (~10 min walk from Pousada Maresias), hanging out at Charme Beach Bar to enjoy a beautiful sunset and a view of kite sufers, or just sitting by the beach or your hotel to enjoy the vibes…
Day 3: Beach and Lençóis Maranhenses stargazing tour
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM: Enjoy the beach and beach clubs in Atins. If your budget (and physical form) allows, sign up for a kite surfing class. The full kite surfing course at Aloha Atins goes for R$350/hour and lasts 12 hours (R$ 4.2K for the full course), but you can choose to just do a few classes to get a feel for kite surfing.
7:00 PM: Grab dinner at one of the many options in Atins! Also, in preparation for the night tour, consider buying drinks and snacks at a convenience store.
8:00 PM: Hotel pickup from tour operator to head to the Lençóis Maranhenses Night Tour, where you can stargaze in this unique landscape. This tour varies a lot in price, and most places I found were charging about R$700 per person. I was able to find an amazing deal (R$350 for two people) on this tour by booking directly with a driver, and all the tour details and driver contact are available in our night tour dedicated post.
Day 4: Beach and Lençóis Maranhenses sunset tour
8:00 AM – 11:00 AM: More relaxing beach vibes and maybe a kite surfing course! Use this time to relax!
11:30 AM: Grab lunch at a beach club or local restaurant
1:30 PM: Hotel pickup for the Lençóis Maranhenses afternoon tour (which I booked with Aloha Atins), where you can enjoy the dunes and enjoy a beautiful sunset. This is a half-day tour that goes for R$130 and takes you to the dunes at either Ponta do Mangue or Canto de Atins.
5:00+ PM: Hotel dropoff and dinner
Day 5: Return to barreirinhas and visit Lagoa Azul
6:00 AM: Wake up and get ready to check out
6:30 AM: Hotel pickup to head to the boat to Barreirinhas (R$80 per person)
8:30 AM: Arrival in Barreirinhas by boat. Drop off your luggage at your selected tour operator and briefly grab something to eat. For breakfast, I recommend going to Café no Ponto Barreirinhas, which is less than a 5-minute walk from the boat dropoff point. There, you can have an authentic (and delicious) Brazilian breakfast for less than R$15!
9:00 AM – 1:30 PM: Join the Lagoa Azul tour. Lagoa Azul is the most famous lagoon in the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park. It can be visited from Atins through a ~R$1500 private tour which fits up to 6 people. I chose to do this tour in Barreirinhas because of the lower cost there. In Barreirinhas, a seat on the tour going to Lagoa Azul goes for R$120, being a much more affordable option for solo travelers and small groups. This is a must-do tour for those visiting the park, especially if visiting in August or September when the lagoons in the Atins region are rather dry.
2:00 PM: Grab lunch in Barreirinhas! The food options there are more affordable and more diverse than what you could find in Atins. Across from the boat deck, there are a ton of restaurants. As mentioned before, I had a great experience dining at Restaurante O Bambu.
3:00 PM: Head back to São Luis by driving or transfer, check our guide on the transportation options available for the Barreirinhas <> São Luis route
I wish you a great time visiting Lençóis Maranhenses National Park!
If you want to swap the recommended activities included in this guide, check out our post with all the best activities on Lençóis Maranhenses National Park to see the other tour options and their respective prices.
If you have any questions, send me a DM on Instagram and I will be happy to help!
Lençóis Maranhenses really makes for a magical trip, check out how much fun I had:
