Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, located in the state of Maranhão in northeastern Brazil, is one of the most stunning and unique places on Earth.
Covering an area of about 1,000 square kilometers, the park features vast white sand dunes interspersed with turquoise freshwater lagoons. The incredible harmony of desert-like dunes and crystal-clear lagoons is due to the region receiving a tremendous amount of rainfall—up to 300 times more than the Sahara Desert—carried from the Amazon basin during the rainy season. Rainwater collects in the valleys and lowlands between the dunes, forming vibrant blue and green lagoons that create a truly otherworldly landscape.