any time spent in the idyllic bliss of the west zone is well worth the travel. guaratiba remains an excellent area for fishing -fishing boats are often trawling the waters out at sea, and many fishermen live in the region. this also means that the bars and restaurants in the area tend to specialize in the freshest and most delicious seafood around.  

this link shows some pictures of ilha rasa de guaratiba by edson ribeiro fotografia. this link shows ilha rasa de guaratiba on a wikimapia - the link as we present it is best seen using google chrome, as it might not open correctly with other browsers.

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.