at a glance
occasionally, alligators venture onto the asphalted area and need to be rescued - they are brought to the nearby parque chico mendes for medical assesments and released back into the marapendi reserve. when considered healthy along the secluded praia da reserva there are not many public facilities. a handfull of kiosks offer refreshments, but no lifeguards are on duty here, other than the helicopter that patrols the area on some days. there are also no public restrooms, or exercise equipment along this beach. the kiosks on this beach have a particular look, different from all others in rio and are called 'ilhas' (islands). they are numbered from 1 to 26, with 1 being on the praia do recreio 's side (towards the west of rio), and 26 on the praia da barra 's side.
