Currently planning your next trip to Brazil? Love the desert? Then setting aside at least two days to explore the Sand Dune Pools located inside Lencois Maranhenses National Park is a definite must!
Lencois Maranhenses National Park
The Lencois Maranhenses National Park is located on the north eastern coastal side of Brazil. The Park is well known for its spectacular sand dunes, which are naturally and impressively sculpted by the desert winds. While much of the area is covered with sand and sand dunes making it look like a desert, the fact is the area gets too much rain in order to be officially called a desert. In fact, the area receives almost five times as much rain as an actual desert would receive in any one year period.
The Park gets most of their rain between the months of January and June via heavy rainstorms. The pools of water from these storms will begin to collect in the valley areas located between the dunes, which will end up creating thousands of various sized and really cool sand dune pools.
The Sand Dune Pools
Ready to experience the magic of the sand dune pools located in the Brazilian Desert? From January to June the dunes, aka pop up pools and desert lagoons, act as a holding pool for the rain waters. They’ll last until about September, making them a must see seasonal attraction. The clear pools of water are warm, with temperatures lingering in the 80 something degree area.
The largest sand dune pools are about 300 feet in length and up to 10 feet deep, and can easily accommodate up to a couple hundred people or so. Visitors will need to access the pools via a jeep, which can easily handle all of the desert terrain. Because the Park is so big, it can be easy for visitors to get lost, making hiring an experienced guide recommended.
And visitors aren’t the only ones who enjoy the specialness of these naturally occurring desert based swimming pools, as burrowing creatures like the wolffish will once again appear once the wet season hits the area.
By the time October arrives, the gorgeous pools of water are for the most part gone. The heat of the sun has some of the sand dune pools lowering their water levels by inches every few days. All soon to be fully absorbed by the desert sands making the area look like a desert once again. Until next year, that is.
Travel Makers