About 200 km south of Nouadhibou, the Banc d'Arguin National Park is a UNESCO-listed expanse of shallow flats, sand islands, seagrass and tidal channels — and one of the great wildlife sites of Africa. The traditional Imraguen fishing people, who use trained dolphins to drive fish into their nets, still live in a handful of villages along the coast.
Access is from Nouakchott rather than Nouadhibou but trips can be arranged from either end with a 4WD and a guide. The park is best visited between November and April when shorebird numbers peak.