the companies that offer tours to the islands vary in route and ships, ranging from a world-war one ship to sailing boats, yachts, and speed-boats. depending on the tour, food and drinks are served onboard, and it is usually possible to go for a swim along the way, near the islands.

some of the companies offering the tours are marlim yacht charters, with boats for up to 80 people, orion yachts, with speed boats and sailboats, saveiros tur, that gets also to the fortaleza de santa cruz, and finally the laurindo pitta, last of the brazilian navy force of world war one, home to a small museum onboard.

the paper 'cariocas da gema': evidências de presença humana na ilha redonda no período pré-colonial' (truly carioca: evidence of human presence on ilha redonda in pre-colonial times) by archeologists angela buarque and the museu national and rogério oliveira examines in more detail and puts into perspective the first occupation of the cagarra islands, dating back thousands of years.