not oceanic, and not in a bay, the lakeside islands in rio de janeiro are known to have many shared characteristics - principal among them the fact that they are less crowded than the nearby beaches and other tourist destinations, despite their prime locations in the south and west zones of the city.

the islands are peaceful and relaxing, with great food to be had, easy access from the surrounding area and plenty of opportunity for recreation.

rodrigo de freitas lagoon, separated from the ocean by the ipanema and leblon beaches, is home to two islands - ilha do piraquê and ilha caiçaras.

ringed by a 7.5 kilometer long paved bike path and dotted with various food stands, the lagoon is home to some of the most important sporting clubs in rio, including the brazilian jockey club, the naval club (ilha do piraquê), the caiçaras club (ilha caiçaras) and the regatta clubs of botafogo, vasco da gama, and flamengo.