popular places of interest near to the channel, include a number of beaches, such as the praia do meio, praia do perigoso, praia funda, praia pequena, praia de guaratiba, and praia do inferno, as well as hills for climbing, such as the morro da fachina, morro de guaratiba, and morro santo antônio da bica, and some popular islands in the sepetiba bay, such as the ilha do frade, and the ilha do bom jardim.

on the west side of the canal do bacalhau lies the marambaia restinga, with an extension of 42 kilometers, which is separated from the mainland by the channel. within the marambaia restinga is the marambaia island, which houses some of the rarest ecosystems of the atlantic forest and is not actually a fully disconnect island.

yachting is one of the few pastimes found on the canal, whilst it is also sometimes used as a shipping lane. there are a few hotels spread out across the region, which in contrast to the imposing structures in the heart of the city, tend to be in touch with the nature around, and offer guests a much more tranquil affair.