Subnautica 2 Exploration Guide — How to Navigate Every Biome Safely
Complete exploration guide for Subnautica 2: navigation tips, beacon strategy, depth milestones, how to find every biome entrance, and a prioritized exploration route.
- •There's no map — use beacons to mark everything: bases, resources, danger zones, biome entrances
- •Follow this priority route: Shallows → Jelly Barrens → Old Habitat → Hydrothermal Vents → Karakorum → Metal Farms
- •Never descend below 200m without a Rebreather and High Capacity Air Tank
There's No Map. Here's How to Not Get Lost.
Subnautica 2 doesn't give you a minimap or world map. You handle by memory, landmarks, and beacons. This is terrifying at first, and the best part of the game once you master it.
Your Navigation Toolkit
| Tool | Unlock | Use | |------|--------|-----| | Beacon | Fabricator (1× Titanium, 1× Copper) | Place anywhere, marks locations visible from anywhere on the map | | Scanner Station | Scan fragments in wrecks | Scans resource nodes within range | | Compass | Fabricator (1× Copper, 1× Wiring Kit) | Adds compass heading to HUD | | Tadpole Sonar | Tadpole upgrade (late-game) | Reveals terrain in dark/deep biomes |
Rule #1 of Subnautica 2 exploration: If you find something important, drop a beacon. Resource cluster? Beacon. Biome entrance? Beacon. Leviathan territory? Beacon. Your future self will thank you.
Prioritized Exploration Route
Tier 1: The Shallows (0-30m), Your First 2 Hours
Objectives: Craft Survival Multitool, Scanner, Fins, Air Tank. Gather Titanium, Copper, Quartz.
Landmarks to remember:
- Lifepod (spawn point)
- Welcome Center (SE, ~100m), Biolab activation
- Angel Comb (NE, ~160m), Digestion Adaptation
Beacons to drop: Welcome Center, Angel Comb location.
Tier 2: Jelly Barrens & Old Habitat (20-60m), Hours 2-5
Objectives: Camp One exploration, Habitat Builder fragments, Room blueprint, Sonic Resonator.
How to find: Jelly Barrens is northeast of Shallows. Old Habitat is east-southeast, recognizable by ruined alien structures.
Landmarks: Camp One, Old Habitat ruins, Sea Anemone Forest (west of Old Habitat, Necrolei Cysts).
Threats: Hammerhead (low), Marrowbreach (medium). Deepwing Brooder Leviathan patrols Old Habitat center, approach from edges.
Beacons to drop: Camp One, Old Habitat entrance, Sea Anemone Forest.
Tier 3: Hydrothermal Vents (50-150m), Hours 5-10
Objective: Gold, Sulfur, Lithium. Dexterity Adaptation (Nahema's Lab).
Prerequisites: Heat Tolerance Adaptation (from Blighted Area), Sonic Resonator.
How to find the entrance: East-southeast of Old Habitat, roughly 600m. Look for steam vents and darker, hotter water.
Threats: Houndgar (medium, fast and aggressive), Marrowbreach. Heat damage if you lack Heat Tolerance.
Beacons to drop: Entrance, Nahema's Lab, Gold/Sulfur deposit areas.
Tier 4: Karakorum (100-450m), Hours 10-20
Objective: Celestine, Conduit Crystal. Axum Vision Adaptation. Modification Station.
Prerequisites: Tadpole, Heat Tolerance, Depth Module Mk.1.
How to find the entrance: The trench connecting Coral Gardens to Karakorum is east of the Graveyard. A Collector Leviathan patrols the chasm on a ~45-second loop.
Crossing the trench:
- Wait at the trench edge.
- Watch the Collector's patrol pattern for one full cycle.
- Cross immediately after it passes.
- Dash through at full Tadpole speed. Do not stop mid-trench.
Landmarks: Axum Observatory (140m, your Karakorum hub), Research Outpost, Needler Nest.
Beacons to drop: Trench entrance, Observatory, Power Plant entrance.
Tier 5: Metal Farms (300m+), Hours 20+
Objective: Troilite, Axum Bacterial Culture. Endgame crafting.
Prerequisites: Depth Module Mk.1 (minimum), Feedback Resonator, high-capacity air tank.
Warning: A second Collector Leviathan patrols this zone. The Epicurean (high threat) is common here. Come fully prepared with Repair Tool, spare Power Cells, and medkits.
Depth Milestones
| Depth | What You Need | What You Get | |-------|-------------|--------------| | 0-50m | Nothing special | Titanium, Copper, Quartz, basic tools | | 50-100m | Standard Air Tank | Lead, Silver, Sonic Resonator | | 100-200m | High Capacity Air Tank, Rebreather | Gold, Sulfur, Lithium | | 200-300m | Depth Module Mk.1, Tadpole | Celestine, Conduit Crystal | | 300m+ | Depth Module Mk.1, Impact Armor | Troilite, Axum Bacterial Culture |
Related Guides
Sources
This guide was compiled from multiple public sources. We cross-reference with 3+ sources before publishing.
More Subnautica 2 Guides
Subnautica 2 Adaptive Measures Update — All New Biomods, Biolabs & Creature AI Changes
Subnautica 2's first major Early Access update is here. 6 Biomods, 2 new Biolabs, overhauled creature AI, sprinting, FOV slider, and a roadmap for what's next.
10 Best Survival Games Like Subnautica 2 to Play in 2026
Love Subnautica 2? Here are 10 more survival games with deep exploration, base building, and terrifying creatures. From the original Subnautica to Valheim, ranked by similarity.
Subnautica 2 — 12 Things You Should Stop Doing Immediately
Some habits in Subnautica 2 are actively making your life harder. Stop doing these 12 things and you'll save hours of frustration.