Brazilian Atlantic Islands: Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas Reserves

Far off Brazil's north-east coast, the tips of a submerged Atlantic mountain ridge break the surface as Fernando de Noronha and the Rocas Atoll. Their nutrient-rich waters draw tuna, sharks, turtles and marine mammals, while the islands host the Western Atlantic's greatest gathering of tropical seabirds — plus a famous resident dolphin population in Baía dos Golfinhos. Low tide at Rocas uncovers a maze of lagoons and pools alive with fish. UNESCO granted the reserves World Heritage status in 2001.