In human perception, deserts are often viewed as barren, desolate lands, covered in golden sands, and devoid of life. However, this particular desert is quite different. Not only does it feature bodies of water, but it also hosts fish and shrimp, boasting an incredibly beautiful landscape.
Whenever anyone mentions a desert, they commonly describe it as a vast, dry, hot place filled with golden sand. Yet, every rule has its exceptions, and deserts are no different.
A Unique Natural Landscape
Lençóis Maranhenses Desert is renowned as the most beautiful desert in the world. It is also considered the “strangest” desert globally, as half of it is sea, while the other half is desert, breaking the conventional understanding of what a desert should be.
This desert spans approximately 1000 km2.
Located in the state of Maranhão in northeastern Brazil, this is actually a beautiful national park covering an area of about 1000 km2. Each year, it receives a considerable amount of rainfall. As a result, it is not truly classified as a desert, but the locals still refer to it by that name.
Lençóis Maranhenses is rated as one of the most miraculous locations. During the rainy season, from January to June, it is often likened to a dream paradise. After the rains, thousands of large and small lakes appear, nestled among the fine sand dunes, with crystal-clear waters that allow visibility to the bottom. This stunning desert also served as a filming location for the planet Vormir in the famous film “The Avengers.”
Lençóis Maranhenses is a very “strange” desert. The sea exists within the desert, or rather, thousands of lakes have fragmented the desert, resembling green gems set amidst the vast sands. For this reason, this desert is also referred to as the “desert of a thousand lakes.” When the sun rises, countless clear lakes combine with the white sand dunes to create an exquisite oil painting.
Those who have visited know that at different times of the day, the desert exhibits various beauties, with sand dunes stretching like ribbons and crescent-shaped dunes shaped by winds and ocean currents that can rise up to 40 meters high.
Additionally, the landscape of Lençóis Maranhenses changes once a year. After the rainy season ends in June, the desert enters a dry season, where water in the lakes begins to evaporate, and the water level can drop by an average of one meter within a month. During the dry season, from July to December, the northeastern winds continuously blow, pushing the sand dunes inland, reaching depths of about 48 kilometers, while creating towering sand dunes.
This desert is also known as the “desert of a thousand lakes.”
The difference between Lençóis Maranhenses and typical deserts is that rain creates transparent water bodies among the sand dunes. Despite its desert-like appearance, Lençóis Maranhenses National Park receives an annual rainfall of 1,600 millimeters, which is 300 times more than the Sahara Desert.
The reason Lençóis Maranhenses receives such rainfall is its coastal geographic location, close to the Amazon, the largest rainforest in the world. Additionally, being near the equator means it is influenced by the equatorial low-pressure zone, as well as the northeast and southeast trade winds.
Furthermore, a large amount of sea sand is blown inland, causing Lençóis Maranhenses to extend further into the land. Currently, the desert stretches about 50 kilometers and continues to progress inland at a rate of approximately 20 centimeters per year. Lençóis Maranhenses mainly consists of white sand dunes and saline lakes.
Due to the abundant rainfall here, the formation of freshwater lakes among the sand dunes is completely normal. After the rainy season, thousands of lakes of various sizes appear, hidden among the fine sand dunes. Among them, Lake Xanh is one of the most famous spots in the park, home to thousands of small fish where visitors can swim.
During the dry season, the lakes may evaporate partially or even dry up completely, but when the rainy season comes, the lakes once again become habitats for many species of fish, turtles, and clams. Besides fish and shrimp, the suitable temperature also attracts many bird species, turtles, and other animals congregating around the small lakes in the middle of the desert.
One of the most notable species in the “Desert of a Thousand Lakes” is the desert fish, scientifically named Lepidosiren paradoxa. This fish has an incredible ability to survive under harsh conditions. During the dry season, when the lakes dry up and temperatures can exceed 40 degrees Celsius, these fish do not die. Instead, they wrap themselves in a cocoon, reduce their metabolism, and enter a state similar to hibernation, waiting for the rainy season to arrive.
When the rains arrive, filling the lakes with water, these fish awaken from their dormancy. They break free from their cocoon and immediately enter their breeding season. The fish larvae that hatch from the eggs then serve as food for numerous other organisms, creating a complete food chain. This process repeats every year, sustaining life and ecological balance in the lake area.
Moreover, the temperatures during the rainy season in Lençóis Maranhenses are quite different from those in other deserts. Specifically, rather than extreme heat, the Lençóis Maranhenses Desert is cooled by the lakes.
Conversely, during the dry season (from July to December), Lençóis Maranhenses transforms similarly to typical deserts, with small lakes shrinking or even drying up entirely.
And this is the most miraculous aspect: when the lakes are full, the animals reappear as if they had never vanished.
Cultural Heritage and People
The “Desert of a Thousand Lakes” is not only a natural wonder but also embodies precious cultural values. Thousands of years ago, ancient nomadic tribes lived here, leaving behind unique cultural imprints through rock carvings in an area known as the “City of Devils.” The sand columns here were formed over thousands of years by wind and water, creating stone pillars with strange shapes resembling an ancient city made of sand.
These rock carvings depict the lives of ancient people, from hunting and fishing scenes to everyday activities like tug-of-war. The ancient people’s images are portrayed with lively movements, showcasing the artistic and cultural level of their time.
White sand dunes interspersed with small emerald lakes. This scene transforms the area into one of the rarest places on the planet: a desert “blending” with a tropical paradise.
Challenges from Climate Change and Human Activity
However, the “Desert of a Thousand Lakes” is facing significant challenges from climate change and human activities. In recent years, rainfall has dramatically decreased, and groundwater levels have dropped, causing many lakes to lack sufficient water to sustain life after the rainy season. This severely impacts the ecosystem, particularly affecting the ancient fish species that have existed for up to 10,000 years.
Furthermore, agricultural and industrial development in the surrounding areas contributes to water pollution, placing immense pressure on the fragile ecosystem. Overdevelopment of tourism is also an issue, as uncontrolled exploitation further harms the natural environment.
Every year, Lençóis Maranhenses Desert attracts a large number of tourists to admire its unique and unparalleled beauty.
Who says deserts and water cannot coexist? That’s only if you haven’t seen the desert landscape in Brazil. Only by witnessing it with your own eyes can you truly understand the genuine awe; no camera can capture its full beauty.
