{"id":169519,"date":"2025-06-19T17:25:47","date_gmt":"2025-06-19T15:25:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/efecomunica.efe.com\/?p=169519"},"modified":"2025-06-19T19:14:52","modified_gmt":"2025-06-19T17:14:52","slug":"lencois-maranhenses-flooded-desert-symbol-sustainable-tourism-brazil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/efecomunica.efe.com\/en\/lencois-maranhenses-flooded-desert-symbol-sustainable-tourism-brazil\/","title":{"rendered":"Len\u00e7\u00f3is Maranhenses, the \u201cflooded desert\u201d symbol of sustainable tourism in Brazil"},"content":{"rendered":"

S\u00e3o Paulo, June 19 (EFE).- A desert of white dunes<\/strong> conceals thousands of freshwater lagoons with crystal-clear water<\/strong>: this is the surreal landscape of Len\u00e7\u00f3is Maranhenses<\/strong>, a paradise that is causing a sensation on social media and has become a symbol of sustainable tourism in Brazil.<\/p>\n

The phenomenon only occurs in an ecological transition area between the Amazon, Caatinga, and Cerrado biomes<\/strong>. It is the result of the accumulation of fresh water from tropical rains on an impermeable sedimentary rock surface covered by fine white sand.<\/p>\n

The absence of pollutants and organic sediments keeps the water transparent, and, by reflecting sunlight, the sand gives the lagoons blue, green, and turquoise hues<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

With shifting dunes that can reach 40 meters high<\/strong>, this landscape dominates 90,000 of the 155,000 hectares of the Len\u00e7\u00f3is Maranhenses National Park<\/strong>, which spans four municipalities in the state of Maranh\u00e3o, in northeastern Brazil.<\/p>\n

Exuberance and sustainability<\/h2>\n

The park, which received more than 440,000 visitors in 2024<\/strong>, according to officials, is \u201ca powerful showcase of the country’s potential as a destination for ecotourism and sustainable tourism.\u201d In addition, it conveys the image of a \u201clush, preserved, and welcoming\u201d Brazil, which has an emotional impact due to its \u201crare beauty\u201d and \u201ccultural richness,\u201d said Marcelo Freixo<\/strong>, president of the Brazilian International Tourism Board (Embratur)<\/a>, in an interview with EFE.<\/p>\n

The most visited lagoon is Lagoa Azul<\/strong>, in the city of Barreirinhas, but Lagoa do Buriti Amarelo<\/strong> also stands out for its reddish tones with a touch of vegetation.<\/p>\n

The largest in the park is Lagoa da Gaivota<\/strong>, in Santo Amaro, which remains full throughout the year and where it is possible to surf on the dunes.<\/p>\n

In addition to countless lagoons and deserted beaches, tourists can admire sunsets, starry skies, and abundant fauna and flora, with endemic species such as anteaters, turtles, armadillos, and sloths.<\/p>\n

\u201cTourism is a green industry that, if done sustainably, can contribute to preserving heritage sites like this and the communities that surround them (…) Tourism can be for this century and the next what oil was for the 20th century<\/strong>,\u201d added Freixo.<\/p>\n

\"Fotograf\u00eda <\/a>
Fotograf\u00eda cedida por la oficina de Divulgaci\u00f3n Embratur y Sebrae que muestra dunas en el Parque Nacional de los Len\u00e7\u00f3is Maranhenses. Un desierto de dunas blancas que esconde miles de lagunas de agua dulce y cristalina: este es el paisaje surrealista de los Len\u00e7\u00f3is Maranhenses, el para\u00edso que causa furor en las redes sociales y se ha convertido en un s\u00edmbolo del turismo sostenible de Brasil. EFE\/Divulgaci\u00f3n Embratur y Sebrae \/SOLO USO EDITORIAL NO VENTAS\/SOLO DISPONIBLE PARA ILUSTRAR LA NOTICIA QUE ACOMPA\u00d1A (CR\u00c9DITO OBLIGATORIO)M\u00c1XIMA CALIDAD DISPONIBLE <\/div> <\/div>
\"Photo <\/a>
Photo courtesy of the Embratur and Sebrae showing a boat in the Len\u00e7\u00f3is Maranhenses National Park. A desert of white dunes that hides thousands of freshwater lagoons and crystal clear water: this is the surreal landscape of the Len\u00e7\u00f3is Maranhenses, the paradise that causes a furor in social networks and has become a symbol of sustainable tourism in Brazil. EFE\/Embratur and Sebrae \/FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY, NOT FOR SALE\/ONLY AVAILABLE TO ILLUSTRATE THE ACCOMPANYING NEWS ITEM (MANDATORY CREDIT) HIGHEST QUALITY AVAILABLE <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Photo <\/a>
Photo courtesy of the Embratur and Sebrae showing handicrafts in the Len\u00e7\u00f3is Maranhenses National Park. A desert of white dunes that hides thousands of freshwater lagoons and crystal clear water: this is the surreal landscape of the Len\u00e7\u00f3is Maranhenses, the paradise that causes a furor in social networks and has become a symbol of sustainable tourism in Brazil. EFE\/Divulgation Embratur and Sebrae \/EDITORIAL USE ONLY\/NOT FOR SALE\/Only AVAILABLE TO ILLUSTRATE THE ACCOMPANYING NEWS (CREDIT REQUIRED)HIGHEST QUALITY AVAILABLE <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Culture and gastronomy<\/h2>\n

The unique experience of exploring the Len\u00e7\u00f3is includes walks through the dunes<\/strong>, which are cool and compact due to the water; boat trips on the Pregui\u00e7as River<\/strong>; and visits to local communities rich in culture and gastronomy.<\/p>\n

The fishing village of Mandacaru<\/strong>, for example, is home to a 54-meter lighthouse, one of the region’s main viewpoints.<\/p>\n

Cabur\u00e9<\/strong>, a picturesque peninsula between the Pregui\u00e7as River and the Atlantic Ocean, offers swimming in fresh and salt water, as well as local dishes such as free-range chicken, goat with coconut milk, and fish.<\/strong><\/p>\n

For a more \u201ccomplete and safe\u201d experience, it is advisable to hire local guides, according to Cristiane Figueiredo<\/strong>, head of the park managed by the Ministry of the Environment through the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio).<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cEach restaurant, or hammock area, has a particular characteristic of the traditional local people,\u201d she told EFE.<\/p>\n

\"Photo <\/a>
Photo courtesy of the Embratur and Sebrae showing a gastronomic dish in the Len\u00e7\u00f3is Maranhenses National Park. A desert of white dunes that hides thousands of freshwater lagoons and crystal clear water: this is the surreal landscape of the Len\u00e7\u00f3is Maranhenses, the paradise that causes a furor in social networks and has become a symbol of sustainable tourism in Brazil. EFE\/Divulgation Embratur and Sebrae \/EDITORIAL USE ONLY\/NOT FOR SALE\/Only AVAILABLE TO ILLUSTRATE THE ACCOMPANYING NEWS (CREDIT REQUIRED)HIGHEST QUALITY AVAILABLE <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Photo <\/a>
Photo courtesy of the Embratur and Sebrae showing people in the dunes of the Len\u00e7\u00f3is Maranhenses National Park. A desert of white dunes that hides thousands of freshwater lagoons and crystal clear water: this is the surreal landscape of the Len\u00e7\u00f3is Maranhenses, the paradise that causes a furor in social networks and has become a symbol of sustainable tourism in Brazil. EFE\/Divulgation Embratur and Sebrae \/EDITORIAL USE ONLY\/NOT FOR SALE\/Only AVAILABLE TO ILLUSTRATE THE ACCOMPANYING NEWS (CREDIT REQUIRED)HIGHEST QUALITY AVAILABLE <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

International appeal<\/h2>\n

Although it offers a variety of stunning landscapes throughout the year, the high season for foreigners is currently between August and September.<\/strong><\/p>\n

For Freixo, these tourists, mainly French, German, Portuguese, British, and American, as well as South Americans,<\/strong> find in the destination \u201cthe perfect combination of stunning nature and adventure\u201d and are won over by \u201can authentic experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis image is essential for attracting tourists who value authenticity, nature, and environmental responsibility<\/strong>, and it encourages them to return to Brazil to discover other equally amazing destinations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, the park’s recognition as a World Natural Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in July 2024<\/strong> is boosting its international reputation.<\/p>\n

That same year, it ranked fourth<\/strong> among the most searched Brazilian tourist destinations by foreigners on the internet, just behind Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro, and Iguazu Falls on the border with Argentina, according to data from the Similarweb platform published by the magazine \u2018Tend\u00eancias do Turismo\u2019 in 2025<\/a>.<\/p>\n

According to Freixo, the more than 12,000 internet searches recorded \u201creinforce its value as a tourist asset of global prestige\u201d and corroborate the efforts of Embratur, together with other agencies and airlines, to improve the destination’s connectivity.<\/p>\n

“Brazil has incredible and unique destinations<\/strong> from north to south. That is precisely its tourist differential. Only here are there paradisiacal beaches, waterfalls, the Amazon, the Pantanal, and, of course, a flooded desert like the Len\u00e7\u00f3is Maranhenses,” he concluded. EFE<\/p>\n

Embratur supported Agencia EFE for the dissemination of this content.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

S\u00e3o Paulo, June 19 (EFE).- A desert of white dunes conceals thousands of freshwater lagoons with crystal-clear water: this is the surreal landscape of Len\u00e7\u00f3is Maranhenses, a paradise that is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":198164071,"featured_media":169521,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[123769,123782,123786,123785],"tags":[128492,128516],"class_list":["post-169519","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","category-sustainability","category-tourism","category-trends","tag-brazil","tag-embratur-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhite 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