the president joão goulat avenue runs along the eastern side of the island, connecting it to the ilha universitária to the south through three bridges, and to the duque de caxias municipality through one other bridge to the north - these lanes remain the main access to the city for the people arriving at the airport.

also of note is that the ilha do governador is surrounded by several smaller islands -  some are little more than empty rocks, while others have important uses for several activities.

in the straight between governador and the mainland, in the east, one can find the islands of raimundo, santa rosa and cambembe.