Isle Delfino

Known as the "glittering jewel of the southern seas", Isle Delfino is a tropical island resort in the southern seas and populated mainly by Piantas and Nokis. It is a tourist hotspot known for its natural sightseeing spots, entertainment facilities and succulent seafood.

Geography
The region colloquially referred to as Isle Delfino is actually formed of two distinct islands. The eponymous Isle Delfino and the smaller Pinna Island. Together, both form a distinct dolphin shape giving the island its name (“Delfino”, meaning Dolphin in Italian). It is located “far from the hustle and bustle of the Mushroom Kingdom”.

The island is around 2 kilometers long, from the "head" of the island to its tail (not counting Pinna Island) and around 1.4 kilometers wide, from its "flipper" to "dorsal fin". Its terrain is extremely mountainous with Corona Mountain being its highest peak and an active volcano. Most of the island’s coastlines is made up of tall cliffs while sand beaches are few and far between. The majority of the island's settlements are, thus, located on the coast.

Locations

 * Delfino Airstrip - The island airport, it features a landing strip and a small tower built on three small islets located east of Delfino Plaza. Visitors arrive via small airplanes and are then ferried to the main island.


 * Delfino Plaza - The largest city on the island and the main hub for tourists. Shines, the island's guardians, gather around the Shine Gate. Other attractions include the Grand Pianta Statue, the Lighthouse and the Boathouse. Many fruit stalls. decorate its streets.


 * Bianco Hills - A quiet community of villas located next to a lake on the hillside, it is known for its windmills. Given its proximity to Corona Mountain, it is likely the lake's water comes from the volcano.


 * Ricco Harbor - A busy port city known for its harbor thriving with tourism trade. Locals take boats from here to fish and large ships dock at the harbor bringing and taking large containers.


 * Gelato Beach - The island's largest beach, where the Watermelon Festival is held. It houses the Shine Tower, the former home of the Sand Bird. The Surf Cabana and the Sand Cabana found here provide its visitors with smoothies and other snacks.


 * Pinna Park - An amusement park built on Pinna Island. It’s managed mainly by Nokis and can be accessed through a ferry boat or a cannon in Delfino Plaza.


 * Sirena Beach - A quiet beach home to the Hotel Delfino, a four-stars hotel and casino.


 * Noki Bay - A secluded bay hidden away by tall cliffs and populated by the Nokis since ancient times. Large seashells decorate pillars that rise from the sea, and ancient ruins can be found on the cliffside.


 * Pianta Village - The ancestral home of the Piantas. It’s a village built on a giant palm tree hanging above a gigantic pit. Many large mushrooms grow beneath the village.


 * Corona Mountain - A large volcano featuring natural hot springs popular with tourists and dangerous underground lava caverns. Its top crater is filled with hot steaming water.

Ancient Times
During ancient times, Piantas used to lived on a village held by a giant tree on top of a giant pit to escape wild beasts, before moving on to other areas such as the coast. The Nokis, on the other hand, are said to have first evolved from shellfish. They used to live in coral reefs, before forming a large kingdom that extended deep beneath Noki Bay. They were once ruled by a Noki King, who died and now rests in a secret tomb in Tricky Ruins, hidden by magical paintings on the wall.

At some point in time, Yoshis lived on Pinna Island, although they have since disappeared. Nowadays, Pinna Park utilizes Yoshis as advertisements on their maps and as props for a merry-go-round attraction called Yoshi-Go-Round.

For over a hundred years before modern times, the Legendary Sand Bird incubated in an egg inside the Shine Tower, before hatching during Super Mario Sunshine.

Super Mario Sunshine
During the events of Super Mario Sunshine, Mario, Peach, Toadsworth, and an entourage of Toads went on vacation to Isle Delfino. Unknowingly, Bowser and his son, Bowser Jr. were already on the island, on a family vacation of their own. Determined to fight Mario, Bowserr Jr. had spent the previous days disguised as Shadow Mario, using the Magic Paintbrush to pollute the island with goop, driving away the Shine Sprites that would gather at the Shine Gate and incriminating Mario in the process. Upon arrival, Mario met F.L.U.D.D., a mechanical pump sent by E. Gadd to assist him, before was arrested by the Delfino Island police and taken to trial. There, he was sentenced to stay on the island and clean it from its pollution.

Mario Power Tennis
During Mario Power Tennis, Isle Delfino hosted two tennis courts. The Delfino Plaza Court and the Gooper Blooper Court, hosted in Delfino Plaza and in Ricco Harbor, respectively.