Pousada Rancho Das Dunas

Rancho das Dunas has a refreshing pool set in tropical gardens, a much-needed antidote to Maranhão’s fierce midday heat. The restaurant is unfussy but delicious, showcasing interesting regional ingredients, while a cosy lounge, hammock-filled nooks, and a little boutique brimming with local crafts keep things charmingly low-key. The pièce de résistance, however, is the elevated deck, where you can spend hours watching light change across the magnificent dune landscape.

Scattered among the grounds are 20 rustic chalets, each with air-conditioning, a minibar and shaded terraces screened with mosquito nets, some with pretty views of the gardens and some, to the dunes beyond. Interiors are cool and simple with stone floors, high thatched ceilings and a touch of handcrafted charm. Ensuite bathrooms are surprisingly generous, with tiled showers, hot water on tap and crisp linens.

This is prime dune-and-lagoon territory and Rancho das Dunas puts you right in the heart of it. Lagoa das Andorinhas, Lagoa Betânia and the Circuito Lagoa das Emendadas are all close by, with deeper, more remote lagoons waiting if you’re keen for an adventure. The pousada’s tour desk can organise guided hikes, 4x4 adventures, kayaking, paddle-boarding and even kite-surfing for wind-seekers. Photographers will be in heaven, but equally, you could just swing in a hammock and let the desert do the dazzling.