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Voykit pocket guide · Brazil
Grajaú
Spend a half‑day for the Grajaú River waterfalls; add a night if you want a quiet stay at Gramado Hotel.
Grajaú is a small city in Maranhão known for its river waterfalls, which draw tourists especially after the July flood. The town offers limited services, so a short visit focused on the natural sights and a simple overnight stay is sufficient.
- Country
- Brazil
- Best months
- Jun–Sep (dry season, after the July flood recedes)
- Avoid
- Jan–May (heavy rain and high water)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- BRL
- Money
- Currency is the Brazilian real (BRL, R$). About R$5–5.8 per US dollar in 2026 — check. Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere, even at beach kiosks.
- Daily spend
- Budget R$150–250 excl. bed · Mid R$250–400 excl. bed · High R$400+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vivo, Claro and TIM cover the country; buying a prepaid SIM needs a passport and sometimes a CPF — an eSIM before you fly is easier.
- Emergency
- Police 190 · Ambulance 192 · Fire 193
- Plugs
- Types N, C · 127 V (Rio, São Paulo) or 220 V (Brasília, much of the Northeast) · Check the voltage on the socket; most chargers are dual-voltage.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% service (serviço) usually on the bill; optional but normal.; Beach kiosk / bar: Often included; round up.; Taxi / Uber: Not expected; round up.; Guide: US$5–15 per person per day.; Hotel staff: Small tip for porters.
- Water
- Do not drink tap water; filtered water is provided in most homes and hotels.
- Toilets
- Put toilet paper in the bin, not the toilet, in most places.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Meal at a local restaurant | R$20–35 |
| Bottle of water (500 ml) | R$2–4 |
| Coffee | R$5–10 |
| Beer, 600 ml bottle | R$10–18 |
| Taxi across town | R$15–30 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SLZ · Marechal Cunha Machado International Airport, São Luís
- Main gateway for Maranhão; about 8–9 h by road to Grajaú, so most travellers overnight in São Luís first (check)
- IMP · Imperatriz Airport
- Closest commercial airport to Grajaú; onward road transfer of several hours on the BR-010/BR-226 axis (check)
Typical fares
- Taxi city centre to Gramado Hotel
- about R$30 (check)
- Taxi city centre to the river waterfalls, return
- about R$80 for the car (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town centre is walkable; taxis and informal minibuses cover the rest. The waterfalls on the Grajaú River are outside the centre, so arrange a taxi or a local guide for the day.
See and do
Known for
- Grajaú River waterfalls
- River‑side tourism
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Barra do Corda | Road via the BR-226 corridor; check local bus and shared-taxi times in Grajaú | About 3–4 h |
| Imperatriz | Long road day on the BR-010/BR-226 axis; buses run from the Grajaú terminal | 6 h+ |
| Barreirinhas and the Lençóis Maranhenses | Road east via Presidente Dutra and Chapadinha; no direct tourist shuttle | 8 h+ |
| São Luís | Road via Presidente Dutra; intercity buses from the Grajaú terminal | About 8–9 h |
Sleep
- Gramado Hotel
- Located on BR‑226 km415; basic rooms, suitable for one night.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Desculpedes-ku-le |
| Thank you | Obrigadoob-ri-ga-do |
| How much is it? | Quanto custa?kwan-toh koos-tah |
| Where is the waterfall? | Onde fica a cachoeira?on-jee fee-kah ah kah-sho-way-rah |
| Can I pay by card? | Posso pagar com cartão?poh-soo pah-gar kon kar-tow |
| I need help | Preciso de ajudapre-see-zoo jee ah-zhoo-dah |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, hug or cheek kiss (one in São Paulo, two in Rio); avoid: Being stiff with new acquaintances
- Gestures: Use thumbs-up freely; avoid: The OK hand sign (it is rude)
- Language: Try Portuguese; say obrigado/obrigada; avoid: Defaulting to Spanish
- Time: Expect relaxed social punctuality; avoid: Being late for tours and flights
- Beach: Bring only a towel, cash and a copy of your ID; avoid: Leaving things unattended
Scams and watch-outs
- July flood season can affect road access; verify conditions before travel.
- River currents and sudden water-level changes: swim only where locals do, and never alone.
- Long-distance roads in Maranhão are poorly lit: travel by day.
- English is rare outside hotels; have addresses written in Portuguese.
Grajaú is a small inland town with no tourist-oriented crime problem; the real risks are long, poorly lit roads after dark, river currents and flash floods in the July high-water period. Use common sense in the centre and travel by day.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Grajaú yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Grajaú River waterfalls
- River‑side tourism
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata — Grajaú: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1006353
- Wikivoyage: Grajaú, revision 5135615 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5135615
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/grajau). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.