How to Get to Atins
The road to the rustic village where the Preguiças river meets the sea.
First, get to Barreirinhas
Atins has no direct paved access: the route goes through Barreirinhas, 260 km from São Luís on the BR-402, in about 4 hours. From there, the fun part begins.
From Barreirinhas to Atins
The most enjoyable way to arrive is by speedboat down the Preguiças river, gliding for about 40 minutes to the river mouth. You can also go by 4x4, a crossing of about 2 hours, and there is even a route through the dunes for those who want to turn the arrival into an expedition. Arriving by river is a tour in itself: it is Atins's calling card.
What to expect when you arrive
Atins is a village with sand streets, no pavement and few signs, where the river meets the sea and the wind draws kitesurfers from all over the world. Charming pousadas, rustic restaurants and an end-of-the-world feeling in the best sense. There is no dune access fee.
A photographer's eye
Atins has the mouth of the Preguiças, dunes that walk toward the sea and a late-afternoon light that blends river, ocean and sand into a single frame. It was here that Guilherme dropped to one knee to surprise Júlia, and where Matheus discovered that waiting for the big lagoons was worth it. Two of the most memorable sessions of my life happened on these dunes.
If your route ends in Atins, get ready to never want to leave. And if you want to keep this trip in photographs, read the two stories I lived here.
Compare the three base towns →
