While everyone crowds Barreirinhas, you’ll discover the authentic heart of Brazil’s desert oasis
You’ve seen the photos. Those impossibly beautiful images of white sand dunes stretching to the horizon, punctuated by crystalline turquoise lagoons that look like someone Photoshopped paradise into a desert.
Welcome to Lençóis Maranhenses National Park—one of Earth’s most extraordinary landscapes, where seasonal rains create thousands of freshwater lagoons between massive dunes, creating a phenomenon found nowhere else on the planet.
But here’s what those viral Instagram posts don’t tell you: most visitors only see a tiny fraction of this 155,000-hectare wonderland, all from the same crowded viewpoints.
What if we told you there’s another way? A path less traveled that takes you deeper into the park, to villages where fishermen still outnumber tourists, where the largest and most pristine lagoons await, and where your footprints in the sand might be the only ones you see all day?
Welcome to Santo Amaro and Atins—the Lençóis Maranhenses experience you didn’t know you were missing.
Why Santo Amaro & Atins Beat the Crowds Every Time
The Problem With Barreirinhas
Don’t get us wrong—Barreirinhas serves an important purpose as the main gateway to Lençóis Maranhenses. It’s accessible, offers plenty of accommodation, and provides easy day trips into the park.
But here’s the reality: everyone goes there. Tour buses arrive daily. The same lagoons (Lagoa Bonita, Lagoa Azul) receive hundreds of visitors during peak season. You’ll wait in line for your turn to photograph certain viewpoints. Restaurants cater to tourist expectations rather than authentic local cuisine.
If you’re seeking the wild, untouched essence of what makes Lençóis Maranhenses special, Barreirinhas shows you the edited version.
The Santo Amaro & Atins Difference
Santo Amaro and Atins offer something increasingly precious in travel: authenticity without sacrificing accessibility.
Located on opposite sides of the park, these two small communities provide entirely different perspectives on Lençóis Maranhenses while sharing a common advantage: they’re situated closer to the park’s largest, most spectacular lagoons and remain blissfully under-visited compared to Barreirinhas.
What makes them special:
✨ Proximity to pristine lagoons – You’re already inside the park, not commuting to it
✨ Authentic local culture – Fishing villages where tourism supplements rather than replaces traditional life
✨ Fewer tourists – Experience lagoons with a handful of people instead of crowds
✨ Dramatic landscapes – Access to areas that day-trippers from Barreirinhas never reach
✨ Better photography – Crowds ruin landscape photos; here you’ll have pristine conditions
✨ Deeper connection – Spend days immersed in the park rather than rushing through on day trips
Think of it this way: Barreirinhas is like viewing a great painting from across a crowded museum. Santo Amaro and Atins are like having the gallery to yourself.
Understanding This Perfect 6-Day Journey
This carefully crafted itinerary isn’t just about seeing different lagoons—it’s about experiencing two distinct sides of Lençóis Maranhenses, each offering unique perspectives and environments.
Days 1-3: Santo Amaro – Immersion in the park’s interior, accessing massive lagoons and endless dunes
Days 4-6: Atins – A remote fishing village where dunes meet the ocean, with spectacular coastal desert landscapes
Together, they create a comprehensive Lençóis Maranhenses experience that reveals why this place captures travelers’ imaginations so completely.
Your 6-Day Santo Amaro & Atins Adventure
Day 1: São Luís to Santo Amaro – Journey Into the Park
Morning/Afternoon: The Scenic Route to Paradise
Your adventure begins with a private transfer from São Luís, Maranhão’s charming colonial capital. While Barreirinhas requires a long, paved road journey, reaching Santo Amaro is more adventurous—exactly as it should be for a destination this special.
The journey (approximately 3-4 hours depending on conditions) takes you through changing landscapes: urban São Luís gives way to rural communities, then increasingly remote terrain. The final approach to Santo Amaro involves ferries or boats crossing rivers and channels, dramatically announcing that you’re entering somewhere genuinely different.
This journey sets the tone: you’re not visiting Lençóis Maranhenses as a tourist checking a box. You’re venturing into it as an explorer.
Late Afternoon: Arrival in Santo Amaro
Santo Amaro do Maranhão is delightfully simple—a small town of colorful houses, sandy streets, friendly locals, and an atmosphere of peaceful timelessness. There are no luxury resorts here, no tourist traps, just authentic northeastern Brazilian life with one incredible advantage: you’re already inside the national park.
Check into your pousada (accommodation options detailed below) and take an evening walk. Watch fishermen return with their daily catch. Notice how the landscape transitions seamlessly from town to dunes. Feel your shoulders drop as the pace of life here works its magic.
Evening: Local Flavors
Dinner in Santo Amaro means fresh fish, regional ingredients, and home-style cooking. Don’t expect fancy presentations—expect authenticity, generous portions, and flavors that come from generations of culinary tradition.
As night falls, the absence of light pollution reveals spectacular stars. This is the Amazon coast meeting the Sahara—and at night, you understand just how remote and special this place truly is.
Day 2: Santo Amaro Lagoons – Gaivota & Andorinhas
Morning: Trek Into White Desert Paradise
After breakfast, your full-day lagoon tour begins. This isn’t a gentle stroll—reaching Santo Amaro’s famous lagoons requires trekking across dunes, often under intense sun. But every step is worth it.
Lagoa da Gaivota (Seagull Lagoon) is among the park’s largest and most beautiful. When you crest the final dune and see it spread before you—turquoise water extending seemingly forever, surrounded by pristine white sand—the trek immediately feels trivial.
Here’s what makes these lagoons extraordinary:
The Water: Fresh rainwater collected between dunes, so clear you can see 10+ meters to the sandy bottom. The color ranges from emerald green to deep turquoise depending on depth, sunlight, and sky conditions. It’s warm enough for extended swimming, yet refreshing in the heat.
The Setting: Massive dunes rise 40+ meters on all sides, creating natural amphitheaters of white sand and blue water. The landscape is simultaneously vast and intimate—you can see for kilometers across the desert, yet feel completely enclosed in your own private paradise.
The Experience: Swimming here isn’t like a beach or pool—it’s transcendent. The water, the silence, the alien beauty of the surroundings, the achievement of reaching somewhere so remote and pristine. This is why people call Lençóis Maranhenses one of Earth’s most unique places.
Midday: Lagoa das Andorinhas
Your guide leads you to Lagoa das Andorinhas (Swallow Lagoon), another spectacular body of water with different characteristics. Perhaps it’s deeper, or shaped differently, or catches the light at a unique angle.
What strikes you after visiting multiple lagoons: each is unique. This isn’t boring repetition—it’s variations on perfection, each lagoon revealing new aspects of this extraordinary landscape.
Lunch is typically a picnic in the shade of a dune, simple but delicious, while you rest and absorb the surreal beauty surrounding you.
Afternoon: Photography, Swimming, Contemplation
As the day progresses, the light changes, transforming the dunes and lagoons continuously. Photographers could spend weeks here and never exhaust the possibilities. Even non-photographers find themselves taking hundreds of photos trying to capture what they’re experiencing.
But eventually, the camera goes away. You just float. Swim. Sit in shallow water. Watch the way wind shapes the sand. Feel profoundly grateful for the strange chain of decisions that brought you to this exact place at this exact moment.
Evening: Return & Reflection
The trek back to Santo Amaro, though tiring, offers different perspectives as evening light paints the dunes in gold and shadow. Back in town, a simple dinner tastes extraordinary after a day of adventure.
Tonight, you’ll sleep deeply, muscles pleasantly fatigued, skin sun-kissed, and mind filled with images of impossible beauty.
Day 3: Santo Amaro Adventure – Lagoa Betânia & Beyond
Full-Day Exploration: Deeper Into the Desert
Today takes you to Lagoa Betânia and surrounding areas, potentially exploring sections of the park that see even fewer visitors than yesterday’s lagoons.
Each day in Santo Amaro reveals new facets of Lençóis Maranhenses. You begin understanding the scale—this isn’t a small park with a few notable features. It’s a vast ecosystem where you could explore for weeks and still find new lagoons, new dune formations, new perspectives.
What might today include:
- Different lagoons with distinct characteristics and settings
- More challenging treks for those seeking adventure
- Pristine areas that feel genuinely unexplored
- Cultural interactions with locals who live and work within the park
- Varied landscapes showing different aspects of the Lençóis ecosystem
Your guide from LDJ Travel, with deep local knowledge, adapts the day to your interests, fitness level, and photographic priorities. Want to focus on fewer lagoons with more time at each? Prefer covering more ground? Interested in learning about the ecology? They adjust accordingly.
Evening: Preparing for Transition
Tonight is your last in Santo Amaro. As you pack, you realize you could easily spend another week here without exhausting its wonders. But tomorrow brings something different: Atins, where the desert meets the ocean.
Day 4: Santo Amaro to Atins – From Interior to Coast
Morning: Leisurely Santo Amaro Farewell
Enjoy a relaxed breakfast and perhaps a final walk through town. Say goodbye to the pousada staff who’ve hosted you, maybe purchase a small craft from local artisans as a memento.
Midday: Transfer to Atins
The journey from Santo Amaro to Atins is an adventure itself. The exact route depends on conditions and timing, but typically involves a combination of 4×4 vehicles, boats, and potentially crossing through sections of the park.
This transfer reveals the park’s vastness and variety. You’ll see the landscape transition from the interior dunes to coastal areas, pass through remote communities, and understand why Lençóis Maranhenses feels like a world unto itself.
Afternoon: Welcome to Atins
Atins is special in an entirely different way than Santo Amaro.
This tiny fishing village sits at the northwestern edge of Lençóis Maranhenses, where the dunes literally tumble into the Atlantic Ocean. Here, the desert meets the sea in dramatic fashion—white sand transitions directly to breaking waves, creating landscapes that defy easy categorization.
Atins has been “discovered” by kitesurfers, drawn by consistent winds and perfect conditions. Yet it remains remarkably small and authentic, with only a handful of pousadas, simple restaurants, and sandy streets where children play and fishermen prepare their boats.
Evening: Coastal Sunset
Unlike Santo Amaro’s dune-enclosed setting, Atins offers ocean sunsets. Find a spot on the beach, perhaps with a caipirinha from a simple bar, and watch the sun sink into the Atlantic while kites dance in the wind and waves crash rhythmically.
This is the first sunset you’ve seen over water since arriving in Lençóis Maranhenses. It’s beautiful, but you might find yourself already nostalgic for watching light fade over dunes and lagoons. Both are perfect; both are completely different.
Day 5: Canto do Atins – Where Desert Meets Ocean
Full-Day Tour: Exploring Atins’ Unique Landscapes
Today’s Canto do Atins tour reveals why visitors fall deeply in love with this remote corner of Brazil.
Morning: Dunes Meeting the Sea
Unlike the interior dunes around Santo Amaro, Atins’ dunes interact dramatically with the ocean. You’ll explore areas where massive white sand formations slope directly into the Atlantic, creating surreal vistas of desert and sea merging.
The Preguiças River (Lazy River) forms Atins’ southern boundary, and your tour likely includes boat sections along this beautiful waterway, offering yet another perspective on the landscape.
Midday: The Famous Atins Shrimp Lunch
Atins is renowned throughout Brazil for its fresh shrimp, and your tour includes lunch featuring this local specialty. Picture this: sitting at a simple restaurant or beachside spot, eating shrimp caught that morning, prepared in traditional style, with cold drinks and warm hospitality.
This isn’t fancy dining—it’s authentic, delicious, and memorable precisely because it’s so real. The shrimp is sweet and tender, the setting casual and genuine, and the experience perfect.
Afternoon: Lagoons & Hidden Beaches
The area around Atins offers its own lagoons, often less crowded than even Santo Amaro’s since they require boat access. You’ll also discover hidden beaches, small islands in the river delta, and viewpoints where you can see dunes, ocean, river, and lagoons all in one sweeping panorama.
Wildlife Watching: This coastal region attracts more birdlife than the interior desert. Keep eyes open for scarlet ibis, roseate spoonbills, herons, and numerous other species.
Evening: Kitesurfing & Village Life
Back in Atins, watch kitesurfers slice across the water, their colorful kites painting the sky. Even if you don’t kite yourself, the spectacle is mesmerizing.
As evening settles, Atins’ main street (really just a wide sandy path) comes alive with locals and the small number of travelers staying here. Everyone seems to know everyone. The pace is unhurried. This is what “off the grid” looks like when it’s done right.
Day 6: Atins to São Luís – Farewell to Paradise
Morning: Last Moments in Atins
Depending on your transfer timing, you might have a final morning swim, one last walk on the beach, or simply breakfast while absorbing the village atmosphere you’ve come to love.
Midday/Afternoon: Return Journey
Your transfer back to São Luís International Airport reverses the journey, though the route may differ based on conditions. As you leave Atins, watching the dunes recede, there’s a bittersweet quality to departure.
You’ve spent six days in one of Earth’s most unique places, experiencing it authentically rather than as a rushed tour. You’ve swum in lagoons most travelers never see, stayed in villages where tourism hasn’t overwhelmed local culture, and understood why Lençóis Maranhenses captures hearts so completely.
Arrival in São Luís brings you back to civilization—paved roads, traffic lights, urban energy. It feels both familiar and slightly jarring after the timelessness of Santo Amaro and Atins.
If your flight isn’t until evening, consider spending a few hours exploring São Luís’ beautiful colonial center, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s a fitting bookend to your Lençóis Maranhenses adventure.
Package Investment & Options
Option 1: Complete Package With Accommodation
Included:
- Private transfer: São Luís ↔ Santo Amaro ↔ Atins ↔ São Luís
- 5 nights accommodation (Santo Amaro + Atins) with breakfast
- All tours mentioned: Santo Amaro lagoons, Atins coastal tour
- Expert local guides who know the terrain intimately
- English-speaking support throughout your journey
- Shrimp lunch in Atins (Day 5)
Accommodation Selection:
Economic Tier: Simple, clean pousadas with essential amenities. Comfortable beds, private bathrooms, fans, basic but hearty breakfast. Perfect for travelers prioritizing exploration over accommodation luxury.
Intermediate Tier: Enhanced pousadas with better locations, air conditioning, nicer rooms, improved breakfast variety, often with pools or garden areas. The balance of comfort and value.
Superior Tier: The best available pousadas in these small communities—spacious rooms, excellent service, prime locations, quality furnishings. Rustic luxury that respects the environment.
Starting from R$ 4,900 per person (prices vary by season, group size, and accommodation tier)
Option 2: Tours & Transfers Only (Without Accommodation)
Perfect for:
- Budget travelers booking hostels or basic accommodations independently
- Travelers with specific pousada preferences
- Those using hotel points or loyalty programs
- Adventurers wanting to camp (where permitted)
Included:
- All transfers: São Luís ↔ Santo Amaro ↔ Atins ↔ São Luís
- All tours with expert guides
- English-speaking local support
- Shrimp lunch in Atins
Pricing: Contact LDJ Travel for customized quotes based on your group size
Note: Santo Amaro and Atins have limited accommodation options. If booking independently, reserve well in advance, especially during peak season (June-September).
Best Time to Visit Santo Amaro & Atins
Prime Season: June to September ⭐
Why it’s ideal:
- Lagoons are fullest and most spectacular
- Water levels perfect for swimming
- Weather is warm but not oppressively hot
- Minimal rainfall
- Best photographic conditions
Consider: This is peak season, meaning higher prices and more visitors (though still far fewer than Barreirinhas).
Shoulder Season: May & October
Advantages:
- Good lagoon levels (early in May, late September/October)
- Fewer tourists
- More affordable pricing
- Still beautiful weather
Consideration: Lagoons may be starting to fill (May) or beginning to evaporate (October)
Off-Season: November to April
What to expect:
- Rainy season (December-April especially)
- Lagoons may be drying (November-December) or not yet formed (January-March)
- Lower prices and minimal tourists
- Can still be beautiful, but unpredictable
Honest Assessment: If possible, visit during June-September when Lençóis Maranhenses reveals its full glory.
Why LDJ Travel & Cia Is Your Santo Amaro & Atins Expert
When exploring remote destinations like Santo Amaro and Atins, your tour operator choice is critical. Here’s why LDJ Travel & Cia stands out:
🏆 Lençóis Maranhenses Specialists
LDJ Travel doesn’t just visit Lençóis Maranhenses—they specialize in it. Based in nearby Parnaíba, they know this region intimately:
- Which lagoons are most spectacular during which months
- How to navigate the complex logistics of Santo Amaro and Atins
- The best local guides (who actually live in these communities)
- Alternative routes and backup plans when conditions change
This expertise transforms a good trip into an exceptional one.
🌍 Full English-Speaking Support
From your first inquiry email to your final transfer, English-speaking assistance ensures clear communication. Guides explain the ecology and culture, answer questions, provide cultural context, and make you feel informed rather than confused.
🚗 Reliable Transfers in Remote Areas
Getting to Santo Amaro requires crossing rivers. Reaching Atins involves navigating challenging terrain. These aren’t simple point-A-to-point-B transfers—they require:
- Experienced drivers who know the routes and conditions
- Well-maintained 4×4 vehicles
- Proper timing to coordinate with ferries and boats
- Backup plans when weather affects access
LDJ Travel handles this complexity seamlessly, allowing you to relax and enjoy the journey.
🎯 Truly Customized Itineraries
Want to spend extra days in Atins for kitesurfing? Prefer more challenging treks? Need to adjust for mobility considerations? Want to add São Luís exploration? LDJ Travel customizes everything around your preferences, pace, and priorities.
📱 24/7 WhatsApp Support
When you’re in remote areas with limited connectivity, knowing you can reach your tour operator anytime provides invaluable peace of mind. WhatsApp support (+55 86 98866-0924) means help is always a message away.
💚 Sustainable, Community-Based Tourism
LDJ Travel partners with local guides from Santo Amaro and Atins, ensuring your tourism benefits the communities you’re visiting. This isn’t extraction tourism—it’s partnership that helps preserve these special places.
🏖️ Comprehensive Regional Knowledge
Based in Parnaíba (gateway to the Parnaíba Delta), LDJ Travel can seamlessly combine your Lençóis Maranhenses adventure with other regional highlights:
- Delta do Parnaíba exploration
- Jericoacoara extensions
- Complete Route of Emotions packages
They understand the entire northeastern Brazil adventure landscape.
Essential Tips for Santo Amaro & Atins
Physical Preparation: Trekking across dunes requires moderate fitness. You don’t need to be an athlete, but be honest about your abilities. LDJ Travel can adjust based on your fitness level.
What to Pack:
- High SPF sunscreen (sun reflects off white sand—you’ll burn without protection)
- Wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses
- Lightweight, breathable clothing
- Swimsuit and quick-dry towel
- Water shoes or sandals for lagoons
- Comfortable trekking sandals or shoes
- Waterproof bag for electronics
- Plenty of memory cards—you’ll take thousands of photos
Cash: Both Santo Amaro and Atins are small communities with limited ATM access and many cash-only establishments. Bring sufficient cash from São Luís.
Flexibility: Weather, river conditions, and tides affect access and schedules. Embrace flexibility—this is remote adventure travel, not a city tour.
Disconnect: Internet is limited. Consider this an opportunity to unplug and be present.
Respect: These are real communities, not theme parks. Respect local customs, ask permission before photographing people, and support local businesses.
The Bigger Picture: Why This Matters
In a world where “hidden gems” are instantly broadcast to millions via social media, truly undiscovered places become increasingly rare. Santo Amaro and Atins won’t remain secret forever.
But right now, in this moment, they offer something precious: the chance to experience one of Earth’s most extraordinary landscapes authentically, without crowds, with genuine cultural immersion, in a way that benefits local communities.
This isn’t just tourism—it’s the kind of travel that reminds you why exploration matters. Why going beyond the obvious destinations rewards you with experiences that transcend simple sightseeing. Why sometimes the best adventures require getting a little off the beaten path.
Your Santo Amaro & Atins Adventure Begins Now
Imagine looking back a year from now. Will you remember scrolling through more photos of places you never visited? Or will you remember:
- The moment you crested that dune and saw Lagoa da Gaivota spread before you
- Swimming in water so clear you could see your toes in the sandy bottom 10 meters below
- Watching kitesurfers dance across Atins bay at sunset
- Tasting the sweetest, freshest shrimp you’ve ever had at a simple beach restaurant
- The profound quiet of sleeping in a fishing village where most guests are fishermen
- Meeting local guides whose knowledge and passion brought the landscape alive
One version is passive scrolling. The other is living.
Every day you postpone this adventure is another sunset over the dunes you don’t witness. Another lagoon you don’t swim in. Another story you don’t have to tell.
The question isn’t whether Santo Amaro and Atins are worth visiting—travelers who’ve been will tell you emphatically they are. The question is whether you’re ready to move from dreaming to booking.
Start Planning Your Santo Amaro & Atins Journey Today
📱 WhatsApp: +55 86 98866-0924
✉️ Email: contact@ldjtravelecia.com
🌐 Website: ldjtravelecia.com
Contact LDJ Travel & Cia now for a personalized quote based on your travel dates, group size, and accommodation preferences. Share your interests, any special considerations, and what excites you most about Lençóis Maranhenses.
They’ll craft a detailed itinerary with transparent pricing, answer all your questions, and provide the local expertise that transforms logistics into seamless adventure.
With their English-speaking support, Lençóis Maranhenses specialization, reliable transfers, and commitment to authentic experiences, you’re not just booking tours—you’re gaining a trusted partner for one of travel’s most unique experiences.
Santo Amaro and Atins are waiting. The lagoons are full. Your footprints in pristine sand await. When will you make them?
Book with LDJ Travel & Cia—your expert for authentic Lençóis Maranhenses experiences. As specialists in Santo Amaro, Atins, and all of Maranhão’s hidden treasures, they provide the local knowledge, English-speaking support, and reliable service that transforms travel dreams into unforgettable reality.
