Plan on about 11 h 49 min of driving for the 488-mile (786 km) trip from Bacabal to Barra Grande, before any stops.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
Full advisory: Brazil. Advisory issued: Brazil August 31, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Brazil: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
| Total distance | 488 mi (786 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 11 h 49 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-316 → BR-226 → BR-343 → BR-222 → CE-240 → CE-163 |
| States on the route | Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
What the drive from Bacabal to Barra Grande is like
BR-316 (159 mi) and BR-222 (125 mi) carry about 58% of the 488 miles. It runs through 3 states: Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Bacabal to Barra Grande, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Maranhão |
| BR-316 | 1–160 | 159 | Maranhão |
| BR-226 | 160–165 | 5 | Maranhão, Piauí |
| BR-343 | 165–268 | 103 | Piauí |
| BR-222 | 268–393 | 125 | Piauí, Ceará |
| connecting roads | 393–396 | 3 | Ceará |
| CE-240 | 396–472 | 76 | Ceará |
| connecting roads | 472–475 | 3 | Ceará |
| CE-163 | 475–483 | 8 | Ceará |
| local roads | 483–488 | 5 | Ceará |
- Mile 164 of this route: Maranhão → Piauí (state line)
- Mile 313 of this route: Piauí → Ceará (state line)
Places worth a stop between Bacabal and Barra Grande
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): St. Anthony Cathedral, Campo Maior (mile 219), Casa da Fazenda da Dona Alemã (mile 250)
- Nature and outdoors: Sete Cidades National Park (mile 281), Ubajara National Park (mile 353)
- Museums and history: Memorial da Balaiada (mile 119), Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora das Dores (mile 165), Museu do Piauí (mile 165), St. Anthony Cathedral, Campo Maior (mile 219), Casa da Fazenda da Dona Alemã (mile 250), Sobral Cathedral (mile 391)
Memorial da Balaiada
Opened in 2004 in Caxias, 365 km from São Luís, Memorial da Balaiada is an educational and cultural center with a museum and a documentation center.
Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora das Dores
Locally called the Igreja das Dores, the Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora das Dores is Teresina's Catholic cathedral and the seat of the Archdiocese of Teresina in Piauí.
Museu do Piauí
Created and run by the Piauí state government, the Museu do Piauí is a museum founded in 1995 by former vice governor Osmar Junior.
St. Anthony Cathedral, Campo Maior
In Campo Maior, Piauí, St. Anthony Cathedral is a Catholic church on Bona Primo Square, also known as Campo Maior Cathedral.
Casa da Fazenda da Dona Alemã
Also called Vovó Alemã, Casa da Fazenda da Dona Alemã is a 19th-century farmhouse in Capitão de Campos, protected by state decree in 1992 as an example of rural Piauí architecture with its original features intact.
Sete Cidades National Park
Sete Cidades National Park is a national park in the state of Piauí, Brazil.
Ubajara National Park
Ubajara National Park is a national park in the state of Ceará, best known for the Ubajara grotto, a cave that gives the park its reputation.
Sobral Cathedral
Sobral Cathedral (Catedral de Sobral), also called the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Conception, is the main church of the Diocese of Sobral in Brazil.
More drives to Barra Grande
- Pipa Beach to Barra Grande
- Olinda to Barra Grande
- Caruaru to Barra Grande
- Parnaíba to Barra Grande
- Codó to Barra Grande
- Caxias to Barra Grande
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Bacabal to Barra Grande?
About 11 h 49 min of driving without stops, over 488 miles.
What is the driving distance from Bacabal to Barra Grande?
About 488 miles (786 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Bacabal to Barra Grande drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Bacabal to Barra Grande?
In order: BR-316, BR-226, BR-343, BR-222, CE-240 and CE-163. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Bacabal to Barra Grande?
Closest to the road: St. Anthony Cathedral, Campo Maior (cathedral, mile 219, 0.5 mi from the route); Casa da Fazenda da Dona Alemã (historic estate, mile 250, 0.3 mi from the route); Sobral Cathedral (cathedral, mile 391, 1 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.