upon arrival, the beach is truly a stunning sight, with lush green atlantic forest surrounding the vast stretches of yellow sand.

curious visitors can continue onwards for another brief ten minutes or so to reach the natural pool, another remarkable natural escape - from there fishermen offer boat rides, at a small fee, for anyone who wants to avoid the hike home.

for ornithologists and other bird lovers in the area, the organization aves de paraty makes this list available with all the species that inhabit the area.

the paper aves marinhas e aquáticas das ilhas do litoral do estado do rio de janeiro (birds of marine and aquatic islands along the coastline of rio de janeiro) is a rare study containing a wealth of information on all bird species in the region.