It consists of several peninsulas, islands and lagoon shore areas in the Baltic Sea, belonging to the district of Vorpommern-Rügen.

All portions of the national park are famous for being a resting place for tens of thousands of cranes and geese.

Thus it protects these shallow water areas (in the Baltic Sea, the National Park boundary is based on the ten-metre depth contour) with their rich flora and fauna.

The differing salt content of the brackish water habitats of the Baltic and the bodden (shallow lagoons) contribute significantly to the local diversity of nature.

The territory of the national park includes parts of the Darß and the peninsula of Zingst as well as most of the island of Hiddensee.