Plan on about 13 h 18 min of driving for the 503-mile (810 km) trip from Canoa Quebrada to Atins, 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.”
| Distance by road | 503 mi (810 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 13 h 18 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-304 → CE-040 → BR-020 → BR-222 → CE-187 → CE-232 → PI-213 → BR-343 → BR-402 → MA-346 → MA-345 → MA-034 → MA-315 |
| States on the route | Ceará, Piauí, Maranhão |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Driving Canoa Quebrada to Atins: the shape of the trip
BR-222 (188 mi) and CE-040 (78 mi) carry about 53% of the 503 miles. It runs through 3 states: Ceará, Piauí, Maranhão. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Canoa Quebrada to Atins, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–6 | 6 | Ceará |
| BR-304 | 6–10 | 4 | Ceará |
| CE-040 | 10–88 | 78 | Ceará |
| connecting roads | 88–89 | 1 | Ceará |
| BR-020 | 89–105 | 16 | Ceará |
| BR-222 | 105–293 | 188 | Ceará |
| CE-187 | 293–311 | 18 | Ceará |
| CE-232 | 311–334 | 23 | Ceará |
| PI-213 | 334–362 | 28 | Ceará, Piauí |
| BR-343 | 362–391 | 29 | Piauí |
| BR-402 | 391–400 | 9 | Piauí |
| MA-346 | 400–409 | 9 | Maranhão |
| BR-402 | 409–413 | 4 | Maranhão |
| MA-345 | 413–426 | 13 | Maranhão |
| MA-034 | 426–447 | 21 | Maranhão |
| local roads | 447–451 | 4 | Maranhão |
| MA-315 | 451–485 | 34 | Maranhão |
| local roads | 485–503 | 18 | Maranhão |
- Mile 337 of this route: Ceará → Piauí (state line)
- Mile 400 of this route: Piauí → Maranhão (state line)
Stops between Canoa Quebrada and Atins
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu Sacro São José de Ribamar (mile 81)
- Nature and outdoors: Praia das Fontes (mile 47), Prainha (mile 81), Lagoon of Messejana (mile 92), Parque Botânico de Caucaia (mile 106), Ubajara National Park (mile 276)
- Museums and history: Museu Sacro São José de Ribamar (mile 81), Museu Dom José (mile 238)
Praia das Fontes
Praia das Fontes in Beberibe, Ceará, takes its name from the many freshwater springs that flow out of its cliffs.
Prainha
Prainha is a beach in the municipality of Aquiraz, Ceará, Brazil, located at the mouth of the Catu River.
Museu Sacro São José de Ribamar
Opened in 1967, the Museu Sacro São José de Ribamar in Aquiraz holds around 1,400 sacred objects, including images, silverwork, furniture and vestments, mostly from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Lagoon of Messejana
Lagoon of Messejana (Lagoa de Messejana) sits in the Messejana neighborhood of Fortaleza, Ceará, and is part of the Cocó River basin.
Parque Botânico de Caucaia
Covering 190 hectares in Caucaia, 15 km from Fortaleza, the Ceará State Botanical Park sits along highway CE-090, the road to Icaraí, Cumbuco and other beaches.
Museu Dom José
Owned by the Diocese of Sobral in Ceará, the Museu Dom José is a sacred art museum with a collection of more than thirty thousand pieces.
Teatro São João (Sobral)
Teatro São João is a cultural venue in the city of Sobral, Ceará, a place to check for performances while passing through town.
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.
When you get to Atins
Preguiças Lighthouse
Also called Mandacaru Lighthouse, Preguiças Lighthouse in Maranhão is a white, tapered concrete tower marked by four black bands, with four ribs and a double gallery.
More drives to Atins
From Canoa Quebrada to other places in Brazil
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Canoa Quebrada to Atins?
About 13 h 18 min of driving without stops, over 503 miles.
What is the driving distance from Canoa Quebrada to Atins?
About 503 miles (810 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.
Is it safe to drive from Canoa Quebrada to Atins?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Canoa Quebrada to Atins use?
In order: BR-304, CE-040, BR-020, BR-222, CE-187, CE-232, PI-213, BR-343, BR-402, MA-346, MA-345, MA-034 and MA-315. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Canoa Quebrada and Atins?
Closest to the road: Museu Sacro São José de Ribamar (museum, mile 81, 0.6 mi from the route); Teatro São João (Sobral) (theater, mile 238, 1 mi from the route); Museu Dom José (museum, mile 238, 2 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.