Nature's blessings make Maranhão ideal for tourism and adventure. Two regions are exceptional for eco-tourism: the Chapada das Mesas where the scenery consists of waterfalls, trails, and rivers and the Lençóis do Maranhenses covered with white sandy dunes, beautiful rivers and an astonishing seashore.

Chapada das Mesas - Chapadas is a place for people that enjoy adventure. The local landscape with its sertoes, florestas de buritizais and trilhas are an invitation to take long and enjoyable walks. For those who want a bigger challenge, the rapel - a sport based on special techniques of descending cliffs, is a real treat. Add to that the innumerable waterfalls throughout the cities of Carolina and Riachao, especially the ones at Cocal some 86 meters high, and you'll have plenty to explore and enjoy. Camping is available throughout the year and swimming is mostly enjoyable between June and November when the rivers' tides are particularly low.

Lençóis - At Lençóis the beaches, dunes, lakes and waters of Rio Preguica offer possibilities for the practice of a wide variety of sports such as walking, dune climbing, kite surfing, wind skating, wind car and wind surfing. Sports equipment can easily be transported from São Luís to the City of Barreirinhas, the gateway to the Parque dos Lençóis. The park is particularly attractive after June after the rain season is over, and multitudes of lakes are formed on the white dunes.