due to the area's relative isolation from the city, and its importance to ecological conservation, the lands around the canal do bacalhau are much more sparsely populated than other areas of the state, with the main local attractions of a more natural theme.

popular places of interest near to the channel, include a number of beaches, such as the beautiful praia grande de guaratiba, and the wild beaches praia dos búzios, praia do perigoso, praia do meio, praia funda, hills for climbing, such as the morro da fachina, morro de guaratiba, and morro santo antônio da bica, and some popular islands in the canal do bacalhau, such as the ilha do cavado, and the ilha do bom jardim.