Ponta dos Rosais is situated 200 metres (660 ft) above sea level on the extreme northwestern tip of the island of São Jorge.

[2] On the promontory stands the isolated, mid-century Nationalist lighthouse complex of Ponta dos Rosais.

[3] Since June 1995 the Ponta dos Rosais area has also been protected through the European Environment Agency's Natura 2000 initiative under the Habitats Directive.

The reserve also includes the waters surrounding the point, the Rosais Islets, Ponta da Ilha, and Torrão da Açucar, as well as the Fajã Mata Sete, a volcanic debris field (fajã) of mixed basalt rocks, stacks, pyroclastic flows, and eroded debris.

[2][3][4] The invasive cane grass Arundo donax threatens the continued presence and health of these endemic plants.