Formigas Islets & Dollabarat Reef

The Formigas — 'the ants' — are a scatter of low rocks in open ocean, protected as a nature reserve and rarely dived because getting there takes commitment. Underwater the reward is some of the clearest water in the Azores over pinnacles patrolled by dusky groupers, amberjacks and barracuda walls, with devil rays and other pelagics appearing out of the blue at Dollabarat. The absence of regular boat traffic gives the fish life an unbothered, old-Atlantic character few European sites retain.

The moment you come for: Exceptional visibility, big groupers, pelagic surprises at a rarely visited reserve

Topography: Volcanic pinnacles and boulder slopes dropping into deep water; the Dollabarat shoal lies a few kilometers from the islets

Current: Exposed to whatever the open Atlantic is doing; slack conditions are chosen carefully.

Entry: A remote nature reserve between Sao Miguel and Santa Maria, reached on long day trips or small expeditions in stable weather only.

Hazards: Remoteness is the main risk: open-sea crossings, current, and no nearby support if conditions turn.

Permits & rules: Access is regulated as part of the reserve — trips run through licensed operators.

Conservation: Formigas and Dollabarat sit inside a marine reserve; fishing is restricted and visits are weather- and permission-dependent.

Nitrox: Worth it here — profiles sit in the range where enriched air meaningfully extends no-stop time (with the training to use it).