Hello,
Here’s our account of our two weeks in Brazil’s Northeast from March 25 to April 9, 2017. We’re two couples in our fifties. Our itinerary: São Paulo, São Luís, Lençóis Maranhenses Park, the Parnaíba Delta, Jericoacoara, Icaraí de Amontada, Pipa, Olinda, and back to São Paulo.
Our budget came to 1400 € per person, excluding international flights.
For food, in a restaurant, a fish or meat dish for two people served with rice, black beans in sauce, and cassava flour costs an average of 80 BRL. You can eat more cheaply on the street, in self-service spots, or in ‘per kilo’ restaurants.
At all the pousadas, breakfast was included: it was always very good, hearty, and doubled as our midday meal.
Bottled water (1.5 liters): between 2 and 4 BRL
Caipirinha: between 5 and 10 BRL
For organization, we used a local guide, Danielisson, to arrange the "Route of Emotions" from São Luís to Jericoacoara (Days 3 to 7). He’s reliable, speaks French very well, and is passionate about his country. The organization was flawless. We highly recommend him.
For the rest of the trip, we used cars with drivers or taxis instead of public transport. With four of us, it wasn’t too expensive and was much simpler. We don’t regret not renting a car at all—many roads are unpaved or in very poor condition.
Danielisson Pereira: danielissonpereira@yahoo.co.uk
Skype: danielissonpereira (Facebook)
Phone: 55 (98) 991634424 / 981721946
Weather-wise, March-April is the rainy season, so it’s the low season. Downsides: occasional heavy storms, not everything is open (hotels, restaurants, shops…), but upsides: hardly any tourists and lower prices.
Temperature-wise: between 25-30°C year-round, 24/7.
Health-wise: a few mosquitoes, nothing serious, but bring protection.
Day 1: International flight from Lyon to Paris to São Paulo. We went through São Paulo because my husband was there for work.
Hotel: Monreale Hotel: 20 minutes from the airport (free shuttle). For those extending a business trip with a vacation, you can leave your luggage at the hotel for free with no time constraints.
Day 2: São Luís
Flight from São Paulo to São Luís (3.5 hours). We arrived in São Luís in the rain. It felt very strange—the city was deserted. It was Sunday, so everything was closed (don’t count on a currency exchange office or travel agency being open). We struggled to find a restaurant for the evening. Half a day is more than enough to explore the city, but we really liked all the colorful colonial houses.
Flight São Paulo/São Luís: 118 €
Taxi from airport to pousada: 50 BRL for 4
Pousada Portas da Amazônia: 33 € per room
Day 3: Journey to Atins
Shared minibus to Barreirinhas (about 4 hours—paved road) where we left our big bags, then a private boat down the Preguiças River to Atins. Stop at Vassouras, where we discovered our first lagoons and enjoyed excellent fish prepared by locals, then at Mandacaru to climb the lighthouse for a 360-degree view.
Atins is a small fishing village lost in the sand. During our visit in the low season, almost everything was closed, so it was very quiet.
Day 4: Trek in Lençóis Maranhenses Park
At 4 AM, we set off for a two-day trek in the Lençóis Park. One hour by 4x4 to reach the starting point. The sun was just rising. At first, there was some vegetation, but then it was just white sand and lagoons, which, contrary to what we thought, were already quite full for the season. As we went on, the landscapes got more and more beautiful. We never got tired of it. The weather was a bit cloudy but no rain, which was ideal to avoid the heat. We took occasional dips in the clear freshwater. Around noon, we arrived at Baixa Grande oasis. Rest and overnight in hammocks with a local family.
Day 5: Trek in Lençóis Maranhenses Park
We left the oasis at 5 AM. Compared to the day before, we walked higher up, along the dune ridges, and it was even more stunning. Plus, the sun was shining. It was simply magical. Around noon, we climbed the last dune—on the other side, there was no more sand, just vegetation. A 4x4 was waiting to take us back to Barreirinhas (17 km).
A few notes on the trek:
- The 6-7 hours of walking are easy. The sand is hard, nothing like walking on a beach. We wore sandals or sneakers. We often got our feet wet crossing lagoons: at first, we took off our shoes, but later, we crossed fully dressed. Everything dries in 5 minutes!
- Even with clouds, we got sunburned, so it’s best to wear long sleeves and pants (in addition to a cap, sunscreen, lip balm, water…).
- It’s impossible to navigate the desert alone. With the wind, the dunes change shape and position regularly. A guide is essential.
Day 6: Parnaíba Delta
A Jeep took us to Tutoia, where we boarded a boat for the Parnaíba Delta. Nothing exceptional. Normally, you can see red ibises at sunset, but we weren’t lucky—they were in their breeding season, so we couldn’t get close. We slept on Canary Island, next to a pretty fishing village.
Day 7: Journey to Jericoacoara
Boat to Tatus port, then a car to Jericoacoara (via Parnaíba and Camocim). From Camocim onward, it’s a sandy track. We arrived in Jericoacoara in the late afternoon—it was a brutal return to civilization 😅: tourists, shops, restaurants, pousadas, and that’s during the low season!
Pousada Capim Verde: 120 BRL (basic rooms but well-located and cheap)
Day 8: Buggy tour
Classic buggy tour (offered by all Jeri agencies) to Lagoa do Paraíso. Unfortunately, it rained a lot, and we cut our ride short. That was the only day slightly "ruined" by the weather.
Buggy: 270 BRL
Day 9: Icaraí de Amontada
To find some "peace," we headed to Icaraí de Amontada. On the way, alternating wind farms and coconut plantations. Icaraizinho is a village with a stunning beach (as long as you look toward the coconut trees, not the wind turbines). Little wind at this time of year, so no tourists.
Pousada Pais Tropical (run by French owners): very nice, right on the beach.
Taxi Jericoacoara–Icaraí de Amontada: 340 BRL
Day 10: Transfer day to Pipa
Taxi Icaraí–Fortaleza: 350 BRL
Flight Fortaleza–Natal: 37 € per person
Taxi Natal–Pipa: 180 BRL
Pousada in Pipa: Aconchego, run by French owners. Great welcome, quiet, perfectly located in the city center.
Day 11: Pipa – Dolphin Beach
Skeptical, we set off in the morning before high tide (afterward, it’s hard to pass) to try and see dolphins. And we saw them! Mothers with their calves swimming in the waves, appearing where and when you least expect them. They’re not afraid of humans and pop up just a few meters away. It’s unforgettable. No need to take a boat tour—they come to the same spot and stay for 5-10 minutes. For those who don’t want to swim (there were waves and surf when we were there), the dolphins are visible from the beach.
Day 12: Pipa – Tibau do Sul via the beaches
A lovely hike where you go from one beach to another until Tibau do Sul: 2 hours of brisk walking! We stayed a while by the lagoon before taking a shuttle back to Pipa.
Shuttle: 2.5 BRL per person
Day 13: Pipa – Dolphin Beach
We wanted more—it was too good, and we saw them all day long.
Day 14: Recife
A taxi took us to Olinda, where we’d booked a pousada. In the afternoon, we took the bus to Recife: some pretty facades, but nothing unforgettable.
Taxi Pipa–Olinda: 400 BRL
Bus Olinda–Recife: about 4 BRL per person per trip (45 min)
Pousada Villa Olinda (in Olinda): 99 BRL—very well located
Day 15: Olinda
All day walking around Olinda, a small town with colorful houses and many churches. In the late evening, we flew to São Paulo.
Uber Olinda–Recife airport: 32 BRL
Flight Recife–São Paulo: 123 €
Day 16: São Paulo
The hotel in Guarulhos is about an hour by public transport from downtown São Paulo. Short on time, we didn’t see much of the city. We went to Avenida Paulista: it was a Sunday, with lots of cultural and sports events, and the avenue was closed to cars. It was nice. Then we walked down to Ibirapuera Park, but it was marathon day, and we couldn’t get in.
Bus Guarulhos–first metro station: 4.70 BRL
Metro ticket: 3.8 BRL
Conclusion:
With this second trip to Brazil, we discovered another side of the country—a poorer region with fewer infrastructures than the Rio area. The trek in Lençóis Maranhenses Park was the highlight of the trip—landscapes you won’t see anywhere else in the world, worth the trip on their own. We also won’t forget swimming with the dolphins in Pipa.
