aside from the total disappearance of sand
during high tide, the surrounding waters, though tranquil, are
not necessarily the best for swimming due to general runoff from
the urban sprawl that rings the essentially closed system of
guanabara bay.
the ocean-facing beaches are cleaner
because they have access to greater water circulation.
however, for foodies in the area, salinas is
a must - as it is famous for the fishermen's colony there.