Complete Subnautica Map Guide: Biomes, Locations & Navigation

The vast underwater world of Subnautica can feel overwhelming without proper navigation tools. While the game intentionally omits a traditional in-game map to enhance immersion and exploration, players have created comprehensive mapping resources to help survivors chart the alien ocean planet 4546B.

Understanding Subnautica’s World Layout

Planet 4546B centers around the Crater, a massive ecological dead zone approximately 2 kilometers in radius. Your journey begins when your lifepod crashes into one of five possible spawn locations within the Safe Shallows biome. Unlike procedurally generated worlds, Subnautica features a fixed map layout—every player explores the same terrain, wreckage locations, and biome placements.

The ocean descends from shallow reef systems down to crushing depths exceeding 1,400 meters. Understanding this vertical progression proves essential for survival, as deeper zones require advanced equipment and vehicles to withstand extreme pressure. Similar to how players need strategic guidance in survival crafting games like Minecraft, mastering Subnautica’s navigation systems separates successful survivors from those who perish in the depths.

Major Biomes and Their Locations

Safe Shallows (0-50m)

Your starting area features coral tubes, acid mushrooms, and abundant food sources. This shallow zone serves as your base-building headquarters and offers relative safety from aggressive fauna.

Kelp Forest (0-160m)

Dense stalker-inhabited regions surround the Safe Shallows, providing essential resources like creepvine samples and stalker teeth needed for advanced crafting.

Grassy Plateaus (80-160m)

These mid-depth regions contain valuable resources and connect multiple biomes. Watch for dangerous sandsharks patrolling the sandy floors.

Sparse Reef and Mushroom Forest (100-300m)

Transition zones featuring unique flora and fauna. The Mushroom Forest’s towering structures create an otherworldly landscape filled with harvesting opportunities.

Blood Kelp Zones (300-600m)

Two distinct blood kelp zones lead to deeper cave systems. These eerie regions mark the threshold between mid-game and advanced exploration areas.

Deep Biomes and Cave Systems

The Bulb Zone, Mountains, Dunes, and Underwater Islands each offer unique challenges and resources. These areas often harbor leviathan-class predators that patrol specific territories.

The Lost River: Gateway to the Depths

This massive underground cavern system connects multiple entry points scattered across the map. The Lost River serves as the primary route to Subnautica’s deepest zones and contains crucial story elements. Four main entrances exist: Northern Blood Kelp, Deep Grand Reef, Mountains Corridor, and Bulb Zone passage.

Within the Lost River, you’ll discover the Ghost Tree, Bones Field, and Disease Research Facility. Navigation here requires careful piloting through tight passages while avoiding Ghost Leviathans.

Inactive Lava Zone and Active Lava Zone

Below the Lost River lies the game’s deepest regions. The Inactive Lava Zone (900-1,300m) features ancient lava flows and precursor architecture. Descending further into the Active Lava Zone (1,200-1,700m) brings you to the Lava Lakes and Primary Containment Facility—the culmination of Subnautica’s story.

Essential Map Resources and Tools

Interactive Online Maps

Several community-created interactive maps help players track their progress:

MapGenie offers the most comprehensive interactive experience, allowing you to toggle biomes, resources, wreckages, data boxes, leviathan spawns, and lifepod locations. You can mark discoveries and track collection progress.

Subnauticamap.io provides an alternative interface with similar features, including both original Subnautica and Below Zero content.

These tools let you filter specific points of interest—perfect when hunting particular fragments or avoiding reaper leviathan patrol routes. For gamers who enjoy exploration-based titles, these mapping tools provide similar utility to quest tracking systems in Pokemon games.

In-Game Navigation Techniques

Without a native map system, successful navigation relies on:

Beacons: Craftable navigation markers you can place anywhere and name custom labels. Deploy these at cave entrances, resource deposits, and wreck sites.

Compass: The HUD compass (once crafted) displays cardinal directions and beacon markers, helping you maintain orientation during long expeditions.

Coordinates: Press F1 to display your current coordinates. Record important locations in a notebook or use screenshot tools.

Landmark Navigation: Learn distinctive biome features and wreck positions. The Aurora’s orientation provides a constant directional reference.

Key Locations to Mark on Your Map

Lifepods

Ten lifepods scattered across the map each contain survivors’ data logs and useful supplies. Your PDA provides distress beacon signals leading to these locations.

Wreckage Sites

Over 20 major wreck locations contain technology fragments essential for progression. Notable wrecks include the Aurora (crashed starship), various scattered debris fields, and facility ruins.

Alien Structures

Four primary precursor facilities exist: the Quarantine Enforcement Platform on the Mountain Island, Thermal Plant in the Lava Castle, Primary Containment Facility in the Lava Lakes, and various caches throughout deeper biomes.

Resource-Rich Zones

Mark locations with concentrated deposits of rare materials like kyanite, nickel ore, and crystalline sulfur found exclusively in deep biomes.

Leviathan Locations and Avoidance

Understanding leviathan patrol patterns prevents catastrophic encounters:

Reaper Leviathans: Twenty-five individuals patrol the Crash Zone, Dunes, Mountains, and portions of the Bulb Zone. Their distinctive roar provides audio warning.

Ghost Leviathans: Juvenile specimens inhabit the Lost River (three total), while adults patrol the Crater Edge and deeper zones.

Sea Dragon Leviathans: Three individuals guard the Inactive Lava Zone and Active Lava Zone. These represent the game’s largest aggressive creatures.

Interactive maps let you toggle leviathan positions, helping you plan safe routes through dangerous territories. The strategic planning required here mirrors the tactical approach needed in games like Escape from Tarkov, where knowing enemy positions proves crucial for survival.

Using Maps Without Spoiling Exploration

Many players debate whether using maps diminishes Subnautica’s intended exploration experience. Consider these approaches:

Progressive Mapping: Start with only biome outlines visible, enabling additional markers as you naturally discover locations.

Emergency Reference: Keep maps bookmarked but only consult them when genuinely stuck or after multiple failed searches.

Post-Playthrough Tool: Complete your first playthrough blind, then use comprehensive maps for subsequent runs or specific item hunts.

Selective Filtering: Interactive maps allow disabling story-related markers while keeping resource and biome information visible.

Advanced Navigation: The Scanner Room

The Scanner Room base module acts as your personal sonar system, detecting specific resources, flora, or fauna within a 300-meter radius (500m with range upgrades). Deploy Scanner Rooms in strategic locations to create a network of automated detection systems.

Combining Scanner Room technology with manual beacons creates an effective hybrid navigation system that balances game immersion with practical exploration needs.

Depth Zones and Progression

Understanding depth requirements prevents premature exploration deaths:

• 0-200m: Base Seamoth depth
• 200-500m: Requires Seamoth Depth Module MK1
• 500-900m: Requires Seamoth MK2 or Prawn Suit
• 900-1,300m: Requires Cyclops with depth modules or upgraded Prawn
• 1,300m+: Requires maximum depth upgrades

Plan expeditions according to your available vehicle modifications. Pushing depth limits without proper upgrades results in catastrophic hull failures.

Creating Your Personal Map Strategy

Develop a personalized navigation system combining multiple techniques:

1. Phase One (Early Game): Rely on beacons and compass navigation, focusing on Safe Shallows, Kelp Forest, and Grassy Plateaus exploration.
2. Phase Two (Mid Game): Build Scanner Rooms near resource-rich biomes. Begin marking wreck sites and lifepods systematically.
3. Phase Three (Late Game): Use interactive maps to locate final story elements and rare resources. Mark Lost River entrances and Lava Zone navigation waypoints.
4. Phase Four (Completion): Return to missed locations using comprehensive interactive maps for 100% exploration achievements.

Maps for Subnautica: Below Zero

The standalone expansion Below Zero features an entirely different map set on Sector Zero. While smaller than the original Crater, Below Zero adds above-water land masses and glacial zones. The same interactive map resources (MapGenie and Subnauticamap.io) include complete Below Zero coverage with separate filters for Arctic biomes, land outposts, and new creature locations.

Technical Map Information

For players interested in coordinate systems and technical mapping:

Subnautica uses a three-axis coordinate system (X, Y, Z). The Y-axis represents depth (negative values), while X and Z represent horizontal position. Community maps convert these coordinates into interactive latitude/longitude representations.

The F1 console displays your exact position. Recording coordinates for discoveries creates a personal database exportable to spreadsheets or note-taking applications.

Gaming Platform Recommendations for Subnautica

Subnautica performs optimally on modern gaming systems. PC players benefit from modding capabilities and higher graphical fidelity, while console versions offer comfortable couch gameplay. For those considering hardware upgrades, check out our guides on Xbox Game Pass availability or upcoming PlayStation hardware like the PS6 for future-proofing your gaming setup.

Handheld gaming enthusiasts can also explore Subnautica on devices like the Lenovo Legion Go, which offers portable survival gaming experiences.

Related Survival and Exploration Games

If you enjoy Subnautica’s exploration-focused gameplay, consider these similar titles:

• Open-world survival games that reward exploration and resource management
• Story-driven adventures with environmental storytelling similar to Red Dead Redemption 2
• Horror survival titles featuring atmospheric tension

For players interested in other gaming guides and strategies, explore our comprehensive gaming guides category covering everything from action-adventure titles to puzzle games.

Conclusion

While Subnautica intentionally challenges players to navigate without traditional mapping tools, the community’s interactive maps provide invaluable resources for both new survivors and veteran explorers. Whether you choose blind exploration or guided navigation, understanding Planet 4546B’s geography transforms your underwater journey from confusing survival into confident mastery.

Balance immersion with practicality—use mapping resources that enhance rather than diminish your experience. The alien ocean awaits your exploration, and with proper navigation tools, you’ll chart every biome, discover every wreck, and ultimately escape the quarantined planet.