Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, National park in Maranhão, Brazil
White sand dunes extend across 155,000 hectares (383,014 acres), forming a constantly shifting terrain interspersed with freshwater lagoons that appear between January and July, creating a labyrinthine pattern of sand and water.
Created on 2 June 1981 by Decree No. 86,060 on federal unclaimed land, the park originally covered 155,000 hectares. In July 2024, UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site for its exceptional beauty and as a natural phenomenon unique in the world.
The park's name means "bedsheets of Maranhão" in Portuguese, after the pale dunes that resemble sheets spread out to dry. Two oases inside the dunes, Queimada dos Britos (1,100 ha) and Baixa Grande (850 ha), are inhabited restinga settlements. The park's landscape served as the planet Vormir in Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019).
The park headquarters lies about 260 km from São Luís on the Preguiças river; access is by road via the BR-135 and BR-402 to Barreirinhas, by boat from Barreirinhas, or by small plane. Lagoons fill from January to July and can dry by December–February.
An impermeable rock layer beneath the dunes prevents drainage, creating seasonal lagoons that reach depths of 10 feet (3 meters) and lengths of 328 feet (100 meters).
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