rio's beaches and urban forests seem to always get the international spotlight, yet one of the greatest assets of both the city and the state are a number of beautiful lakes and lagoons scattered along the coast, between the ocean and the mountains. such is the importance of lagoas in rio de janeiro state, that an entire portion of the region is actually called ' região dos lagos ', or lakes' region. this area is just outside rio de janeiro, in the direction of famous vacation spots such as búzios and cabo frio, and it is blessed with some of the most beautiful inland water formations of brazil.