Cururupu combines a historic cityscape with the wider coastal and island areas of the region. In the town, streets, squares and cultural influences shape the scenery; in the surrounding region, protected areas, mangroves, islands and tides take centre stage. This distinction helps you see local history and the natural environment as different aspects of your trip.

Cityscape and Festive Traditions

Cururupu’s cityscape includes wide, grid-patterned streets, colonial mansions and centuries-old squares. The Igreja de São João Batista (Matriz) is also an architectural landmark in the town. The church, streets and squares offer different perspectives: a distinctive building here, the broader urban layout there.

The Festejo de São João Batista, the festival of the municipality’s patron saint, is part of Cururupu’s June cultural calendar. The programme includes novenas and processions, an Arraial, and performances of Bumba-meu-boi, Tambor de Crioula and Quadrilhas Juninas. If you plan to time your trip around this festival, check the specific event dates in advance.

Boi Prenda de Cururupu is associated with Bumba-meu-boi in Cururupu.

The Region’s Coastal and Island Areas

The municipality of Cururupu lies within the Área de Proteção Ambiental das Reentrâncias Maranhenses, a protected area for the sustainable use of nature. The 2,631,260-hectare coastal plain encompasses islands, bays, sea inlets, channels, Igarapés and mangroves. These habitats are home to and provide sustenance for fish, crustaceans, molluscs and migratory birds. Thus, the wider regional setting is shaped not only by individual beaches but also by interconnected wetland and coastal landscapes.

Another protected area is the Reserva Extrativista de Cururupu. It extends across the municipalities of Cururupu and Serrano do Maranhão, covers 186,053.87 hectares and lies in the coastal marine biome. The endangered marine manatee, Peixe-boi marinho (Trichechus manatus), is also protected in the Resex. The Reserva Extrativista and the Área de Proteção Ambiental therefore describe different protected areas within the wider region.

Cururupu serves as a gateway to the Arquipélago de Maiaú, a landscape of dozens of islands, wild beaches and traditional fishing communities. One of the region’s island destinations is Ilha de Lençóis in the Resex Cururupu: it is associated with dunes, seasonal lagoons, distinctive biodiversity, a strong cultural tradition and the legend of Dom Sebastião. A community-based ecotourism initiative is also associated with the island.

Praia de Guajerutiua is on the island of the same name. Its landscape is characterised by dunes covered in Guajurus, striking sunsets and a tradition of artisanal fishing. Praia do Guará (Iguará) is known as a centre of artisanal shrimp production; it is surrounded by mangroves and is a habitat for the Guará. These two coastal destinations have different highlights: Guajerutiua combines dunes with a fishing tradition, while Guará is particularly associated with mangroves and shrimp production.

Getting There and Coastal Navigation

A regional travel note: the Município Cururupu can be reached via the MA-006 road. Tides are also important for navigating the coastal area. In the Reentrâncias Maranhenses, where the Resex Cururupu is located, the tidal range during spring tides is 4 to 8 metres; the tidal cycle repeats every six hours.

The Parque Estadual Marinho do Parcel de Manoel Luís is also part of the wider regional setting, but is not in the city: this protected marine conservation area is in the Atlantic Ocean, 45 nautical miles off the coast in the territorial waters of Cururupu. The cityscape, islands and marine areas represent different geographical scales that you can keep in mind when choosing your destination.

Discover more destinations: São Luís, Cariri, Dom Pedro, Barra do Corda, Codó, Humberto De Campos, Barreirinhas, São José De Ribamar.

For the broader travel overview: Maranhão.