Getting to Lencois Maranhenses
By Car
Barreirinhas is located 250 km (155 miles) from São Luís on the BR-135 and MA-402 highways, which have recently been paved and are in good condition.
Take the MA-402, the Translitorânea highway, from São Luís, which will take you to the main gate of the Lencois National Park in Barreirinhas in approximately 3 hours.
If you're travelling in a 4x4 vehicle, then you can take the BR-135 from São Luís to Bacabeira and then the Rosary highway MA-110 to Morros. At Morros, get on the BR-402, the Translitorânea, for 101 km to the city of Sangue. Be prepared for a 40 kilometers of adrenaline-pumping driving until you reach Santo Amaro.
By Bus
There are daily buses from Terminal Road in São Luís. From Sangue, there are two buses, at 8 am and 5 pm.
By Minivan
Several daily services offer air-conditioned minivans to Barreirinhas. Contact VanExpress (tel: (98) 3256 4027, cell: (98) 8122 9912) to book your trip. Each trip costs R $30 (US $13) per passenger and usually takes 3-4 hours. VanExpress will pick you up at your hotel. Departures from São Luís vary between 5 am and 9 am, based on the demand. From Barreirinhas, departure time is 5 pm daily. Another option is Cisne Branco (tel: (98) 3243 2238), which has non-air-conditioned buses that run three times daily between São Luís and Barreirinhas. Departures start at the rodoviaria in São Luís, or the Barreirinhas rodoviaria. A one-way trip takes 5-7 hours and costs R $15 (US $6.25).
By Plane
The Litoranea Aero Taxi (tel: (98) 3217 6181) offers flights to Barreirinhas daily, except for Thursdays. Flights depart at 7 am, 9 am and 11 am, and cost R $230 (US $96) for the 40-minute flight. Pilots fly low over the Lençóis National Park to give you great views of the dunes. This is the best way to see the area, and you will not need to take a sightseeing flight from Barreirinhas. For transport from the airport to the city (or from the city to the airport), we recommend Green Path Transfers, who offer eco-friendly airport transfers in hundreds of destinations around the world.
Getting Around Lencois Maranhenses
Taxis are a good option for travel in Lencois. Taxis are easily found at the stands in the city centre in Barreirinhas. Fares from the city centre to Lencois Maranhenses hotels in the suburbs will cost R $12 (US $5). Motorcycle taxis are also available and will cost R $4 (US $1.70) from the city centre to outlying hotels. Call them at tel (98) 3349 0687 or cell (98) 9111 5609.
There are no access roads in the park, even though the area is quite extensive. Due to the park's protected status, vehicles are not allowed inside. You can only enter the park by foot or by 4-wheel drive trucks. The park headquarters is located 2 km from Barreirinhas and is accessed by ferry across the Preguiças River.
The circuits and trails within the park are best explored using a combination of different modes of travel. The dunes are best viewed from above, by flying over them in a single-engine plane. Jeeps are a good option to cover the area as well, and to see the varied landscape and wildlife.
