Barreirinhas

Barreirinhas is a city in Northern Maranhão. Mainly serving as a base for visitors to Lençóis Maranhenses, its riverside setting and sandy patches gives it a charm of its own.

By plane

 * Closest airport is in São Luís . Shared vans, occasionally referred to as transporte alternativo, pick up passengers at the airport on their way from São Luís to Barreirinhas - ask the guys in yellow polo shirt written "Barreirinhas" to help you, 3.5 hr, R$ 70 (October 2018). There are departures on the wee hours as well, to cater for the flights coming from São Paulo that often land between 02:00 and 04:00.

Air taxis to Barreirinhas landstrip can be arranged through agencies.

By taxi

 * Taxis to São Luís leave as soon as they are full, 3–4 hours, R$140 (4 people). Many in the morning, few locals will ride along after dark. Note that a taxi can take considerably longer than a bus depending on where your fellow passengers want to be dropped off.

By 4x4 from Jericoacoara

 * Now there is a better road between Paulino Neves and Barreirinhas, 4x4 transport from Jericoacoara can take you all the way to Barreirinhas in about 7 hours. Prices are less than R$1000 for a car up to 4 and R$1200 for a car up to 6 passengers. Just check with Global Connection (globalconnection.tur.br) on Rua do Forró in Jericoacoara. If you want they will try to combine you with other travellers to share a car to save expenses.

By bus

 * Four buses a day from São Luís from the Rodoviaria, 06:00, 08:45, 14:00, 19:30, 4½ hours, 60 R$ (Nov 2023), Cisne Branco company.
 * Vans do the same route as the buses to São Luís
 * Several daily pick-up trucks to Paulino Neves, with onward connections to Tutóia and Parnaíba, R$13, 2½ hours.

By boat

 * Daily boat to Atins via Mandacaru (also stops in Caburé upon request) around 09:00. 4 hours, 5 R$. Returns well after dark, depending on tide.

By other means

 * Arrange transport to the dunes, and then walk some 27 km across to Atins. This can be done in a day, or with camping half way.
 * Agencies can arrange for a combination of water and overland transport, typically to Parnaíba or Jericoacoara.

Get around
Mostly walkable. Otherwise a mototaxi will take you anywhere for R$ 3.

Do
Barreirinhas is the main gateway to Lençóis Maranhenses, and virtually all tours can be arranged from there. However, since Santo Amaro operators blocked external tour agencies from taking tourists there, tours going there organized from Barreirinhas got more expensive because the price now includes two fees: one for the Barreirinhas agent and another to the Santo Amaro's one.



Buy
The region is a big producer of cashew nut. Funily enough, it's not found at the central produce market, but either at shops nearby the church (R$ 50/kg) or on stalls inside the National Park (R$ 40/kg). (August/2018)

Drink
There is something most every day, but locations shift. Ask around.
 * Chill on one of the stalls along the riverfront boardwalk.

Sleep
Beds in the center are fairly expensive, with one outstanding exception:
 * Pousada Lagoa Bonito is at the top of the sanddune where there is a great view of the marina ..... double with fan and good breakfast for R$40.
 * Pousada Lagoa Bonito is at the top of the sanddune where there is a great view of the marina ..... double with fan and good breakfast for R$40.
 * Pousada Lagoa Bonito is at the top of the sanddune where there is a great view of the marina ..... double with fan and good breakfast for R$40.
 * Pousada Lagoa Bonito is at the top of the sanddune where there is a great view of the marina ..... double with fan and good breakfast for R$40.
 * Pousada Lagoa Bonito is at the top of the sanddune where there is a great view of the marina ..... double with fan and good breakfast for R$40.

Connect
Slow internet at R$2–3 an hour.

Go next

 * São Luís: the state capital. Four services a day (06:00, 09:00, 14:00, 18:45), 5 hours, R$ 51, Cisne Branco.
 * Paulino Neves: village at trekking distance from the site known as "small Lençóis", also with lagoons on sand dunes.
 * Tutóia: gateway to Parnaíba delta. Two services a day (11:00, 19:00), 2 hours, R$ 15, Cisne Branco.