LENÇÓIS MARANHENSES

Attention, adventure crew! Doors open automatically. Fasten your seatbelts! Our destination today is jaw-dropping: white dunes, turquoise lagoons, and a sun that shines as if it owned the place. Welcome to Lençóis Maranhenses.

This time, we stayed within Brazil and explored this paradisiacal place, rightly designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The trip there was already a grand adventure worthy of a movie.

Baloo and Suki in tow, we left home at seven in the morning for the airport, to conquer the first stage with almost four hours of flying across Brazil. On Maranhão soil, we thought, "Now it's on!" How wrong we were. Then came stage two: a mere 240 kilometers by car. You must be thinking, this is a piece of cake. NO! The roads are far from bountiful, so add five hours of enjoying the world of the sandbanks. In short: between endless hours, where our destination seemed to never arrive, and several snacks in the car (because don't think there was vegan food on the road for your ladyship), we arrived at our temporary Home Sweet Home at seven in the evening. Phew!

In a "hurry up, there's someone behind you" mode, the next day, with the sun still lingering on the horizon, our expeditions began through this water-filled desert. Although the city of Barreirinhas is one of the gateways to the National Park, reaching the dunes requires an hour of bumping in the jeep. Even with the luxury of air conditioning and comfortable seats, this traveling life wasn't easy.

This part of the day is also very special, as Lençóis isn't just about postcard-perfect landscapes. We learned a lot about the community living in this isolated region. Without conventional electricity, each home has four solar panels provided by the government, a bit of progress slowly arriving. The dwellings vary: some made of brick, others just a few twigs lining the walls and a thatched roof. The school, a simple building, is the kind that brings together children of all ages for learning. A simple world, but full of stories to tell.

Until we reached the Dunes, I kept pestering the driver, asking him to stop every time I saw an animal along the way. The first on the list was a coati. Terrified, it quickly hid, so you won't get any photos of it. But further on, a scene worthy of a farm: a mother pig nursing her insatiable offspring. Next, a group of friendly goats, one all smiles, came to say hello. And by the way, you can't imagine I was taking photos from the car window, can you? My mission was to experience this up close, well... it was a veritable endless coming and going in the jeep. My guide, Meydson Gabriel, must have been thinking: "Why does this crazy woman take so many animal photos? Didn't she come here to see the dunes? Every tourist is crazy."

A painkiller for my back and several photos later, we arrived at our long-awaited destination. At first, there was no cinematic scenery, basically just vegetation. Then we had to climb a sandy slope, and there they were, waiting for us: the splendid dunes made of sand that looked like baby powder.

From the top of one of them, a view stretching for miles of rare beauty, something that transcends my powers of description. Although I had seen several photos, nothing was enough to prepare me. When I came across them, I was paralyzed. Everything I saw seemed surreal. In terms of natural beauty, I dare say I've never seen anything so breathtaking. The ever-present winds remind us of their role in continually sculpting them, reshaping the landscape with their constant dance.

We began our walk, barefoot. Each step sank us mid-calf, another peculiar and positive sensation. Soon we reached one of the lagoons, an emerald green that contrasted with the white universe. I didn't think twice: I dived into the perfectly warm waters. Of course... photos, lots of photos!

Guys, an important explanation! I decided to travel in August, even though that's when the lakes begin to dry up. I literally escaped the madness of hundreds of tourists visiting the region at once, vying for the best Instagram photo. And, as a bonus, I took the private tours, which allowed me to go against the flow of those who had the same idea as me. I swear, I was sure they had closed the national park just for me. With practically no one around, each stop became even more memorable. A Lençóis Maranhenses to call my own.

Moving on! Between a lagoon and another stop for lunch. The "restaurants," simple and literally on the beach, surprised me by always having something vegan to adapt my menu. And look, I had brought, just in case, a sort of emergency lunchbox, which in the end, remained untouched. I delighted in eating like a queen.

And the routine continued in that rhythm: visiting lagoons, walking through dunes, clicking photos as if each one of them were a prize… and repeating it all over again, because it never hurts to feel like the star of your own travel catalog!

Bringing out my inner Indiana Jones , I realized that driving through the dunes was a breeze, and decided to venture into the outdoor seats of our jeep. It was one of the best choices I've ever made: feeling the wind, the heat, and contemplating that immensity, absorbing every moment, made me feel less like a visitor and more like an integral part of the scenery. A sublime connection with that silent and profound nature.

Everything on this trip always had something extra to explore, and this time, it was Atins. A quiet fishing village with a rustic atmosphere, it's perfect for those looking to relax and disconnect from their routine. Its simplicity shelters the grandeur of lagoons, calm rivers, mangroves, and deserted beaches, transforming every moment into an invitation to contemplation. Adventure sports enthusiasts enjoy kitesurfing and windsurfing, as the location boasts strong and constant winds.

The days passed, and our schedule became intense. We traded the jeep for a speedboat, a simple, sleek, and light aluminum boat that glides through the water with ease. Adapted to urban tourists, it had a modest awning to protect us from the sun. Time to explore the Preguiças River. As soon as the tour began, crossing mangroves, sandbanks, and dunes, we knew it wouldn't be an easy day. My boat bounced intensely, bouncing heavily against the water. What a struggle!

First stop, I nearly went crazy with excitement: Mandacaru Mangrove Primate Research Base . As soon as I arrived, the capuchin monkeys, our super cheeky hosts, arrived. Without asking permission to welcome me, with their mischievous glances they want to know what I have to offer. Nimble and agile, without needing permission, they appropriate the food and drink that we careless humans bring, and they set off cheerfully among the branches with a smiling look that made for an irreverent spectacle. Who said that, at the end of the visit, I wanted to leave? Even though we stayed a long time in this place, for me, obviously, it wasn't enough.

The day continued to be full of activities: we climbed the Rio Preguiças Lighthouse, strolled among the colorful craft shops on the Mandacaru pier, explored the region's impressive wind farm, and, to end the day with plenty of fun, we sped along the sands of Caburé beach on a quad bike; a true adventure for those who enjoy feeling the wind on their faces and just the right amount of adrenaline.

I didn't miss a thing on this trip. I had a long list of must-do things, and among them was seeing the Lençóis Maranhenses from above, flying over it in one of those tiny planes. Arriving at Barreirinhas airport*, I was escorted down the runway to my aircraft. I confess I felt butterflies in my stomach sitting next to the pilot; after all, the simplicity of my new mode of transportation didn't inspire much confidence. This airport doesn't even remotely see commercial aircraft. Only the wealthiest in their private jets land, and of course, the intrepid "light aircraft" on scenic flights, like the one I braved, with courage and butterflies in my stomach.

Within moments, we gently lifted off, and everything began to shrink down below as our eyes took in the sheer beauty of the scenery. I ended the trip on a high note, bidding a final farewell from above to the dunes, lagoons, oases, and the Preguiças River that winds through this paradise. Mission accomplished!

Although I left this trip amazed, I can't help but worry about the region's tourism boom . Research indicates that in 2021, the number of visitors was 280,000, and today, it has already risen to 480,000. Although this increase boosts the economy, the negative impacts are evident. Residents and guides report overcrowding, the disorderly expansion of buildings in sensitive areas, many of them illegally built, and rampant deforestation. Real estate speculation, disrespect for the Park, tourists disconnected from the tours, climate change, and irresponsible waste disposal exacerbate the situation. Biodiversity is severely threatened. If nothing is done, future generations will only know these places through photos; testaments to a time when nature still retained its grandeur.

Baloo and Suki always remained in the comfort of their home, but in my imagination they ran free, having unlimited fun across the golden dunes.

Consulting and Review: Arthur Barbosa