REPORT PLACES TO VISIT IN MARANHÃO

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IEMA – INSTITUTO ESTADUAL DE EDUCAÇÃO, CIÊNCIA E 
TECNOLOGIA DO MARANHÃO 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PLACES TO VISIT IN MARANHÃO 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
São Luís - MA 
2022 
 
1. Lencóis Maranhenses National Park 
 
Maranhão is one of the largest states in northeastern Brazil and has a rich 
ecosystem made up of mangroves, beaches, rivers, waterfalls and a tropical desert. 
The amazing tourist destinations for meet in Maranhão, which are surrounded by 
beautiful landscapes and deserve to be admired up close. To illustrate that, we have 
four places to talk about in this report. 
Lençóis Maranhenses National Park is located on the northern coast of 
Maranhão. It covers an area of 115 thousand hectares. The nearest cities are: 
Barreirinhas, Santo Amaro and Atins. The city of Barreirinhas is the main gateway for 
those are visiting Lençóis Maranhenses. It’s 250 km from the capital São Luis. 
 
2. Lagoa do Cassó 
 
It is in the municipality of Primeira Cruz, about 207 km away from the capital 
of Maranhão, São Luís, that is a lagoon of calm and crystalline waters. Although little 
explored, the attraction has even gained a nickname from tourists: the “Jericoacoara 
Maranhense”, given the similarity with the famous destination in Ceará. The locals 
prefer to call it Pérola dos Lençóis Maranhenses. 
 In the middle of the exuberant native forest that surrounds it, with vegetation 
transiting between caatinga, savannah and sandbank, the 6 km long lagoon reaches 
up to 20 meters deep when it is high season, becoming a tributary of the Preguiça 
river, which is in the neighboring town of Barreirinhas. 
For this reason, since 2015 there has been a challenge for professional and 
amateur swimmers, who can swim strokes of up to 5,000 meters. 
Cassó is ideal for bathing, making people of all ages happy. Water sports such 
as stand up paddle, windsurf, canoeing and diving are other leisure options allowed 
on site. The winds are favorable for sailing modalities. 
 To complete the paradisiacal setting, hammocks were placed in the middle 
of the water, as well as floating platforms that help visitors sunbathe and get their 
feet wet at the same time. 
 
 
2.1 Camping Cassó 
 Another option is the Camping Cassó, which offers all the equipment for 
camping, in addition to a chalet and a trailer to accommodate guests, offering a 
differentiated experience. The infrastructure includes bathrooms, full kitchen and 
rental of equipment such as kayaks. 
 
3. Porto do Caju 
Some residents maintain shops and inns, such as Porto do Caju, one of the first 
to settle on the banks of Lagoa do Cassó. 
 The rooms are equipped with air conditioning, TV, fridge and wi-fi. It also 
offers tents and breakfast daily. 
 A good part of the lodgings work with bar and restaurant service for visitors 
to the lagoon. In Porto do Caju, the menu works with regional foods, such as free-
range chicken, free-range capon, goat in coconut milk, fried fish, fish and dried 
meat. 
4. Chapada das Mesas National Park 
The Chapada das Mesas National Park was created in 2005, a conservation 
unit with 160,046 hectares of Cerrado, covering part of the cities of Carolina, Riachão, 
Estreito. The Chapada das Mesas is in the center-south of Maranhão state, on the 
border with Tocantins, between the cities of Araguaína TO and Balsas MA. 
The city of Carolina is located 850 km south of the capital, São Luís, and the 
attractions also include the towns of Riachão and Estreito. 
This cerrado region is rich in animal and plant species, besides the high tourist 
potential due to the natural beauty of the red plateaus, rocky formations, canyons, 
caves, and waterfalls. 
The most outstanding waterfalls within the park area are the São Romão 
Waterfall and the Prata Waterfalls, accessible by guided tours in 4×4 trucks. Other 
attractions are the trekkings such as the one to Morro do Chapéu. 
 
5. Delta do Parnaíba 
 
The Parnaiba Delta is a popular stop on the Rota das Emoçes, and it has some 
of the most breathtaking scenery on the route - and in the entire country. This area, 
however less well-known than its neighbors Lençóis Maranhenses and Jericoacoara, 
astounds all visitors who travel through it. 
Before proceeding, some explanation is in need. A delta is a type of foz in which 
the river empties into the sea through several branches. This meeting of the waters 
ends up forming the shape of a triangle (the Greek letter delta), and so the name of 
the phenomenon. 
The Delta of Parnaiba, located in an environmental protection area, has 
breathtaking scenery and a rich biodiversity. The area is three times larger than that of 
the Lençóis Maranhenses. 
Located in an environmental protection area, in the Parnaiba Delta, impressive 
landscapes are rich in biodiversity. The area is three times larger than Lençóis 
Maranhenses - a delta of great proportion, compared to others such as the Nile River 
or the Mekong River in Vietnam. 
 
Mangroves, lagoons, large sand dunes, deserted beaches, and a great variety 
of Brazilian flora and fauna are some of the highlights found in the scenery of this 
Piauense treasure. Without a doubt, one of the most exuberant environments in Brazil, 
and well worth getting to know. 
The Parnaiba Delta is an archipelago located where the waters of the Parnaiba 
River meet the Atlantic Ocean, between the coasts of Piauí and Maranhão. There are 
five arms of fresh water that flow into the sea, giving rise to the paradisiacal landscape 
of the place. 
 
Altogether, the Delta is formed by more than 70 islands, which occupy an area 
of about 2,700 km². Despite having a name that refers to the city of Parnaíba, in Piauí, 
about 80% of the territory is located in Maranhão, up to the city of Tutoia. 
The greatest time to visit the Parnaiba Delta is during the first semester, 
between July and August when the temperatures are not as high. 
If you want to see the creatures that reside in this area, the rainy season, 
between February and May, is best for you because the fauna is more active. 
Going during other seasons is also an option. The heat is always present, 
peaking towards the end and beginning of the year when it is highly windy and ideal 
for people who prefer kitesurfing or sailing. 
However, lagoons will not be overflowing during this time period. So, if you're 
going to do it. 
The entire Parnaíba Delta requires a few days of dedication to be properly 
experienced. After all, there are hundreds of kilometers of islands between the 
branches of the river that flows into the sea; But for those who want to know the 
essentials, at least two days in the region are enough. With this time it is possible to 
take a boat trip, sleep in one of the inns on the islands, and visit some beaches and 
other points of interest the next day. 
 
If you are following the Route of Emotions or have a tighter time there, with only 
one day it is possible to do some of the most essential tours of the Delta. A good tip, 
in these cases, is to take the opportunity to see the flocking of the guaras, in a tour in 
the late afternoon. 
There are various tours to do in the Parnaíba Delta, depending on what you 
want to see and how much time you have in the region. The vast majority leave from 
Porto dos Tatus, almost 12 km away from the city of Parnaíba, towards the attractions 
of the Delta. 
One of the most common tours is the Traditional Delta, which leaves at 9am and 
returns at 3pm. During the trip, there are stops at the Poldros Island and Morro Branco, 
besides passing by the Canárias Bay, the Periquitos Igarapé, and serving lunch, fruits, 
and crabs. It is a great choice for those who have little time in the region. 
You can opt for an individual speedboat, at an average price of R$ 500 for up 
to four people (a negotiable alternative that can have different prices, depending on 
whatyour group wants to see), or choose to go on the regular boat, for about R$ 60 
per person. 
There are good lodging options in the cities around the Parnaíba Delta, both in 
the Piauí and Maranhão parts. However, most of the people usually stay overnight in 
Parnaíba, from where it is easier to go on the tours, or even in the other gateway to 
the region, in the city of Tutoia. 
 
Other cities like Paulino Neves, Araioses and Água Doce, in Maranhão, or Luís 
Correia and Cajueiro da Praia, in Piauí, also have lodging options. On the beaches 
and islands of the Delta there are perfect accommodations for a trip more immersed in 
the atmosphere of the region, such as in Barra Grande, Ilha Grande, or Canary Island.