One of Africa’s only surviving colonies of dugong, a cousin to the manatee, lives amid the Bazaruto Archipelago’s curling vines of seaweed. A team of conservationists based at Marlin Lodge monitors the creatures weekly. Guests can participate in the early morning surveys, often accompanied by curious sea turtles.

Benguerra Island, 27/(0) 12-940-4212. Photo by Blickwinkel/Alamy. This appeared in the January/February 2013 issue.