Mystery Island Tour: Island Hopping

Learn how to make the most of your Nook Miles tickets! This guide covers preparing for island hopping, what to do on mystery islands, and how to return home with treasures.

Hey there! So, you've heard about the Mystery Island Tour and want to know how to make the most of it, right? It's super cool – you can use Nook Miles to snag tickets and visit all sorts of deserted islands. Each one is different, so hopping between them is a great way to find new stuff for your own island. Grabbing a ticket from the Nookstop costs 2,000 Nook Miles, so keep that in mind!

Preparing to Go Island Hopping!

Before you jet off, there are a few smart moves to make your trip way more productive. Trust me on this!

• Empty your pockets! Seriously, do this. Especially on your first few trips, your inventory space is pretty limited. Sell or stash anything you don't absolutely need. You'll want every single slot free for all the goodies you're gonna find.
• Make Tools! Bring a full set of fresh tools. You don't want them breaking on you right when you need them. If you're planning on a serious resource run, maybe even bring some extra materials to craft more tools on the island. Most islands have trees for wood, but it's not a guarantee! You *can* buy tools from the pilot, but try to save your Nook Miles for other things early on.

Head to the Airport

Alright, got your ticket? Awesome. You'll need a Nook Miles ticket ready to go. If you've already upgraded your house once, Orville at the Airport will give you your first ticket. If not, you'll have to buy one from the Nookstop in Resident Services for those 2,000 miles. Make sure you have it with you when you head to the airport!

Once you're at the Airport, just tell Orville you want to fly. If you've got that Nook Miles ticket, you'll see the option to use it. Orville will give you a heads-up to make sure you're really ready to go before you take off.

What to Do on the Island

People visit mystery islands for all sorts of reasons, but here are some must-dos for pretty much every trip:

• Gather Materials! These islands are packed with trees, flowers, and rocks. Harvest whatever you need – wood, iron, stone, you name it! You can even do some weeding if you're feeling ambitious.
• Dig Up Any Fossils You might stumble upon some fossils while you're exploring. Definitely dig them up! You'll want to donate them to the Museum back home.
• Shake Trees Keep an eye out for one tree on the island (if there are trees, that is) that might have a piece of furniture hidden inside. Just be careful – sometimes wasps come out!
• Scour the Beaches Look for those message bottles washed up on the shore. They often contain new DIY recipes, which are super valuable.
• Collect Fruit This is HUGE, especially if the fruit isn't native to your island. Your island's native fruit only sells for 100 Bells each, but non-native fruit? That's 500 Bells a pop! If you find an island with new fruit, grab as much as you can. You can plant some on your island to grow more and sell the rest for a nice profit. Don't forget about coconuts too – they grow on palm trees on the beaches and sell for 500 Bells each. Plant some on your own beaches to have a steady supply!
• Catch Bugs and Fish You might find some new critters you haven't caught yet. Some islands even have specific, rarer creatures that spawn over and over, making them perfect spots to farm those elusive, expensive fish and bugs.
• Talk to new villagers! This doesn't happen on every island, but if you have an empty plot for a new resident on your island, you might find potential villagers wandering around. Chat them up, and if you like them, you can invite them to live with you! If not, no worries, just leave them be.

Going Home

Ready to head back? Just make your way to Wilbur, who's usually hanging out by the dock. Remember, anything you leave behind on the mystery island is gone for good, so double-check that you've grabbed everything you wanted. Wilbur will give you one last chance to confirm you're ready before he flies you back home.