A large lagoon, Bajo Tortugo ("Bay of the Little Tortoise"), is on the northern side, and there is an area named Las Matorrales in the southern part.

Punta de las Raimas in the north is 2 mi (3.2 km) in length and mostly sandy and has rocks and a reef at the tip, while a sand dune can be found on the Punta Negra, which has reefs extending about 2 mi (3.2 km) around it.

It lies between Dakhla and Cintra Bay, while Amseisat Saccum and Imlili are further east within the inner desert.

The geographical and bathymetric factors of Cintra Bay make it suitable for fishing and aquaculture.

[10] Although Morocco once considered to create a national park including Cintra and Dakhla Bays,[11] it has been claimed that both the environment and biodiversity of Cintra Bay are threatened by an ongoing plan to strengthen Morocco's aquaculture with support from the EU,[12][13][6][14] and that research is needed in the area, notably on right whales,[15] and protections for local fishing communities.

[27][28] [29] Along with cetaceans, Cintra Bay may provide an important habitat for critically endangered Mediterranean monk seals.

Though not in Cintra Bay, Cabo Blanco on Dakhla Peninsula still hosts the largest of the remaining colonies.

[34] Many species of migratory birds and oceanic birds, such as Western Palearctic waders, winter on West Sahara's coastline, in the Cintra Bay region and the Banc d'Arguin National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mauritania where nearly 110 species of seabirds are confirmed.

[36] The area is very remote and almost unpopulated, with only several small fishing settlements of shacks scattered along the coast.

Of these, Puntillas de las Raimas which is at Bajo Tortugo, the northern end of the bay, is the largest.

Although Cintra Bay has been considered a local attraction, sandstorms (especially in the spring) and mines collected from Cabo Barbas make the area unsuitable for tourists.