Delta do Parnaíba

Delta Of The ParnaíBa River On The Piauí MaranhãO Border, Within The Delta Do ParnaíBa Environmental Protection Area; Often Described As The Only Open Sea Delta In The Americas · Parnaíba, Piauí

The Delta do Parnaíba is where the Parnaíba River splits into channels and more than seventy islands before reaching the Atlantic, on the border of Piauí and Maranhão, and it is often described as the only open-sea delta in the Americas. Most of the delta lies in Maranhão, but visits start from the Piauí side, at Parnaíba or the Porto dos Tatus, on day-long boat trips through mangrove channels, past fishermen and crab catchers, to the dunes of the Morro do Meio, where passengers climb and slide down to swim in the river. The highlight comes at the end of the day: thousands of scarlet ibises, the guarás, fly back to roost in the mangroves at sunset, turning the trees red. The delta sits in the middle of the Rota das Emoções, the route linking Jericoacoara, the delta and the Lençóis Maranhenses, and many visitors see it that way. It is less famous than its two neighbours, and a boat day is usually enough. The town of Parnaíba has a restored riverside warehouse quarter, the Porto das Barcas.

Porto dos Tatus, Ilha Grande de Santa Isabel, Parnaíba, PI, Parnaíba, Piauí, Brazil

The delta is open water and can be visited any day, but only by boat. Shared boat tours leave Porto dos Tatus, on the Ilha Grande de Santa Isabel near Parnaíba, once a day in the late morning or around midday and return after sunset so that passengers see the scarlet ibis flight; a tour that comes back before dusk misses the main event. The exact departure time shifts with the tide, since some channels are too shallow at low water, and trips can be shortened or cancelled in strong wind or heavy rain. Private boats and speedboats leave on demand. Tours are also sold from Barreirinhas, Tutóia and Jericoacoara as part of the Rota das Emoções, with long road transfers either side. Book a day ahead in July and at holidays.

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