This cresent-shaped island lies in the entrance to Moon Bay, between Livingston and Greenwich Islands. It's one of the initial stops on a cruise to the Antarctic Peninsula via the South Shetland Islands. It is often passengers' first sighting of Weddell and Elephant seals, as well as Gentoo penguins along the shore and a large Chinstrap penguin colony (with approximately 3,300 breeding pairs) further up the hill. Here you won't step foot on the Continent proper, instead you'll probably have to wait to arrive at Neko Harbour further down the western coast of the Peninsula or Brown Bluff an extinct volcano on the eastern side of the Peninsula.

Half Moon Island is around 1.2 miles long and home to breeding Antarctic terns, skuas, kelp gulls, Wilson’s storm-petrels and blue-eyed shags. It's also home to the Argentine Cámara Station located on the south-west side of the island.

Find out more about visiting Half Moon Island on an Antarctic Cruise