at a glance

located in the district by the same name, praia da ribeira is also small and picturesque, containing a statue of the african goddess yemanjá, mounted charmingly on a rock slightly out at sea.

The island's coastline was a widely popular destination amongst locals and vacationers for a significant portion of the 20th Century because of the sensational views it offers, facing guanabara bay, as well as its safe, calm and peaceful waters.

In the 1930s, Vinicius de Moraes, the famous poet and diplomat, spent the summer seasons with his family on cocotá beach, and he wrote fondly about his experiences there, mentioning, amongst other things, the attractive almond trees.

In the second half of the century, the waters suffered from pollution problems - The economic and urban expansion which brought jobs, prosperity and income to many of the citizens of the island, also resulted in unexpected levels of contamination.