for anyone wnting to stay on the island, it would be necessary to be directly invited by a member of the local community.   since 1991, marambaia island is protected by the secretaria de estado de cultura do rio de janeiro (rio de janeiro's state department of culture), in order to better preserve its areas of particular historical and environmental interest.. 

in 1992, the marambaia's status was further elevated to reserve of the biosphere by unesco's program man and biosphere - this detailed the sandbank (restinga), the mangroves (manguezais), the beaches (praias) and sand dunes (dunas) as vital ecosystems to the area.

the vegetation of the sandbank is also specifically protected as it is crucial for the stabilization of the sand dunes.