Minecraft is a sandbox game based on exploration, and it doesn’t seem to have an end, especially with different terrains and biomes to explore. To help you with this awesome experience, we have compiled this guide for Minecraft Biomes. You’ll learn what to expect and what not to do with a particular biome. We have divided the list of biomes into a few sub-categories to make them easy for beginners to understand. Thankfully, the types of biomes, more or less, remain the same across the Bedrock and Java versions of Minecraft. However, you can expand them further by installing Forge to use Minecraft Mods. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves and carefully jump into the ultimate guide to Minecraft Biomes.
The Complete Guide to Minecraft Biomes (2021)
There is much more to a biome than its name that goes into identifying it. As you read through this guide, you’ll learn how to identify and make the most of each biome divided into the Overworld, Underwater, Nether, End Dimension, and the upcoming Cave Biome. This knowledge will come in handy for finding some mobs and even some rare blocks. In addition, knowing about biomes will help you get the materials you need to survive in destructible conditions. So let’s take it one step at a time and first understand what makes an area a biome.
What is a Biome in Minecraft
A biome in Minecraft is a unique geographic area that players can usually identify visually. Each biome has its unique characteristics. You can see different block colors, vegetation, temperatures, crowds, attitudes, and even different villages. In each world, biome generation is random, with some biomes being less likely than others.
Making things a bit more complicated, Minecraft also offers modified and hilly versions of some biomes. These variants are a combination of different biomes and lead to some stunning scenery. If you are a Minecraft veteran, you already know that we have different dimensions in the same world. This means we can find more biomes in the Netherland and Final Dimensions (more on this below).
How to Identify What Minecraft Biome You Are in
The hard way to identify a Minecraft biome is to guess it using its characteristics. Unless you’ve played the game long enough, it will be hard for you to identify some of the lesser-known biomes. Even though our guide to Minecraft Biomes can get you pretty close to visual recognition, Minecraft’s in-game feature saves you from trying so hard.
On PC, you can press the “F3” button to open the debug screen in Minecraft Java Edition. It shows an overlay with lots of information about the game and your system. Towards the bottom-left of the content, you’ll search for biome information. Minecraft displays this as “Biome: The name of your current biome.” Here’s what it looks like in-game:
Note:Â The debug screen is only accessible in the Minecraft Java version using the F3 shortcut. For all other versions of Minecraft, you’ll need to rely on this third-party add-on to open the debug screen and view biome information.
This method can be especially useful when you cannot directly identify the biome. If you are in a house, underground, or above clouds, it will show the ground-level biome. With that clear, let’s look at the types of biomes available in the game.
Categories of Minecraft Biomes
To make it easier for you to understand each biome, we have divided them into a few categories. These categories will help you understand more as we explain the different biomes in detail. Based on dimensions, biomes can be classified into:
- Overworld Biomes:Â These are the biomes you can spawn in. They don’t require a special portal to access and are all based in the normal world of Minecraft.
- Aquatic Biomes:Â Home to fish and many unique hordes, large open biomes at the bottom of the oceans. Here, if you go with the right tools, you can find a lot of specific stuff.
- Nether Biomes:Â These are dangerous hell-like biomes that you can access through the Nether Portal. It is home to the deadliest mobs in the game and also the best loot.
- End Biome:Â Entering the game’s most mysterious dimension leads you to literal darkness. If you follow the storylines in video games, this is where you meet the final boss of Minecraft: the Ender Dragon.
- Cave Biome:Â An extension of the Overworld biome type, caves are biomes that expand your underground world with increased risks, constant deadly mobs, and unique terrain.
With the categories and basic descriptions covered, let’s get to know each Minecraft biome in this detailed guide.
Complete the list of biomes in Minecraft right now
Our differentiation will be slightly different from the official Minecraft Fandom Wiki. This should make the biome easier to discover and understand. You can also use the official community list to find in-game names and IDs of biomes.
1. Snow Biomes
We’ll start our guide to Minecraft biomes with the biomes that are easiest to identify. The Snow Biome is hard to miss. Here, regardless of altitude, you see snow almost everywhere. All rivers and lakes will be either frozen or purple. You can expect snow instead of rain when exploring such biomes.
Officially, you can see various ice-based biomes such as icy tundra, ice spikes, icy beaches, and frozen rivers. Wolves, polar bears, foxes, and rabbits are common in these biomes. You can expect to find igloos, snow spikes, packed snow, and snow villages as you explore this snowy terrain.
2. Mountains
Just like in the real world, Minecraft has a wide variety of mountains. Gravel, wood, grass, and many other types of mountain biomes can be found throughout the game. In general, mountains are high pieces of land with waterfalls, cliffs, peaks, and overhangs. And since this is Minecraft, you’ll sometimes even see a floating island.
In the mountains you must be careful as the damage caused by falling from such a height can be fatal. This is the only place where you can easily find emerald ore and silverfish naturally. As you go up the mountains, you can expect a drop in temperature and snowfall. The number of trees also decreases with height.
3. Taiga
Quite popular among Minecraft players, Taiga is a very rare biome in this guide. Consider yourself lucky if you ever come directly to the taiga area. You will see rich vegetation along with tall black trees that give the game a rainforest vibe. This biome is home to spruce trees of all sizes. Even though we mostly see them as plains, taiga mountains can be seen occasionally.
You can expect to find berry bushes, flowers, ferns, mushrooms, foxes, and even wolves throughout the map. There is also the possibility of discovering mossy cobblestone boulders and spruce-based villages in the taiga biome.
4. Ground
When starting with Minecraft, you will discover a lot of grounds. This is usually the biome where you spawn for the first time. You will see grass everywhere in this biome. Luckily, there are always enough trees to make crafting tables and boats. In addition, you can discover villages, lakes, lavafalls, and waterfalls in this biome.
As variants, you can discover sunflowers, grass, and even empty fields in the game. Naturally, this is the only biome where you can find horses or sunflowers. Other common items you can find in this biome include bees, oak trees, donkeys, and flowers. If you want to build large structures and bases in Minecraft, fields are a great biome to plan for.
5. Forest
As you might have guessed, this biome is home to a lot of trees. Generally simple and small, forests in Minecraft are a wonderful source of resources. Not only do you get wood but also animals, mushrooms and lots of flowers. If you stumble across a forest at the beginning of the game, the huge amount of wood will give you all the tools you need.
Minecraft forests can be further classified into:
Forest of Flowers:Â Low on trees, these forests have a variety of flowers. If you want to collect die in-game, they are a jackpot for you. You may even spot some rabbits in them.
Oak Forest:Â This is the most common type of forest and is rich in oak trees. This will probably be where you get your first block of wood.
Birch Forest:Â Here, instead of oak, you get a lot of birch trees. As an unusual variant of the same, you can discover forests with tall birch trees. Additionally, no wolves roam the Birch Forest.
There are also no more common types of forests. We’ll discuss them separately below in our guide to the Minecraft biomes.
6. The Black Forest
Sometimes on the plains and sometimes on the hills, these forests are great hiding places. They are made of dark oak whose leaves do not allow light to enter easily. Due to this, they remain hotspots for the crowd even during the day. Dark forests formed as hills have more light sources, thus, making them less prone to congestion. However, due to the high altitude, they become extremely dangerous due to fall damage.
Additionally, legendary woodland mansions can only be found in these forests. In case you’re not aware, they’re home to mighty mobs and the best in-game chests. With the proper weapons and smart attacks, you can get a handful of resources from them.
7. Swamp
Home of the witches, the Swamp Biome has many special resources, including sugar cane and mushrooms. The marshes have shallow pools of seemingly muddy water dotted with lily pads. Trees emerging from the same water are usually covered with vines.
At night, you can expect mud and even drowned zombies in the swamps. If you are not careful, you can die at the hands of witches. They roam inside the swamp huts with a black cat with them. You can find mud, seagrass, and clay in this Minecraft biome. Even the villagers who live here have a different themed look. However, no full villages exist in the marshes.
8. Jungle
You can consider it an improved version of Forest Biome. Forests provide tall trees and a lush green environment. You will see vines on tree trunks and even on the surface of caves originating in this biome. Generally, there are more leaves on a forest tree than on the trunks forming a bush-like structure. They have many interesting eggs, including pandas, parrots, melons, ocelots, and even pyramids.
Along the same path, we have its form – the modified forest. These are more hilly, whose surface is difficult to find. They also have dangerous rock-like droplets that can be seen from anywhere. Then, you also have trees that can reach above the clouds, making them even more special. Even though they may not be as crowded as dark forests (due to steep edges), they are equally dangerous at night.
9. Bamboo Forest
Unlike other biomes, these forests are not at all independent of the biome. They still have enough individual characteristics to set them apart from the rest. Bamboo forests consist of tall forest trees along with huge thick layers of bamboo trees. A large number of bamboo trees makes them natural spawn points for pandas. In the Java version of Minecraft, you cannot find a panda outside the bamboo jungle biome.
In comparison, these are easier to navigate than regular forests. You can expect to see features like jungle biomes with low steep falls and a lot of water for some reason.
10. Beaches and Rivers
No guide for Minecraft Biomes can be complete without Biome Connectors. Rivers and beaches are both biomes that generate seabeds and another biome. Unless this is a rare game-world, all Minecraft rivers are connected or leading to an ocean. They serve to connect the oceans to distant biomes and separate the two different biomes.
At a common tangent, beaches meet an ocean at the edge of a biome. There are no trees on the beach in these areas, and you can see the iconic sand blocks all around. The only crowd you can usually see on the beaches are turtles. In some worlds, you can see the kinds of beaches we might call shores. They are also formed at the edge of a biome that meets an ocean. What sets them apart is that they have blocked other than sand blocks, such as stones, on the edge of the ocean.
11. Mushroom Fields
This is a very rare biome and also a haven for Minecraft bases. Mostly next to the sea there are hills and lots of mushroom fields. It is rare to find this biome near a biome other than the ocean. Giant full-scale mushrooms only occur naturally in this biome. You can also see many mushrooms here, which are a type of cows that have mushrooms on their bodies. In addition to mushrooms, the blocks around the mycelium surface are distinguished enough to identify this biome.
Then to top it off, no other mobs can spawn in this biome. This also applies to the underground area of ​​this biome. Whether night or day, you can live and explore the area freely without worrying about any danger. Not to forget, you can still discover ships and buried treasure on the shore.
12. Desert
Just like in the real world, the desert in Minecraft is home to dunes, cacti, shrubs, and high temperatures. Sometimes, you can even find fossils under the sand of the desert. No trees grow in this biome, but you can see the diversity in the crowd. Rabbits are common during the day, while you might expect huskies as a hostile crowd during the night.
Next, the desert villages can be a bit difficult to see with the continuous scenery. If there is water around this biome, you may even see sugar cane on the shore. If it’s the same type: Desert Lake, Village, and Desert Pyramid cannot originate here.
13. Savannah
This biome is similar to the desert in vibes but filled with brown grass and acacia trees. You can also see villages covered with acacia and terracotta blocks. The naturally occurring horde in this biome consists of horses and llamas.
A variant version of this biome is called a scattered savanna. In it, you can see huge steep hills and waterfalls. Most of these are nearly impossible to climb and can cause heavy damage if you are not careful. Then, they also compete with the biomes of the mountains by generating cloud-touching cliffs.
14. Badlands
Badlands is another rare biome in our guide to Minecraft biomes, and you can call it a red version of the desert biome. Red sand replaces sand blocks with terracotta and stained terracotta blocks. You can find cacti and dead shrubs in biomes. Talking about the benefits, gold ores are usually found here. Badlands biomes are hard to find but looking around the desert is a good way to start.
If you ever stumble upon this, here are some interesting options to explore:
- Â Eroded Badlands:Â Here, you’ll see spikes of terracotta coming across the badlands floor. It is also covered in red sand but does not originate near-desert.
- Wooded Badlands Plateau:Â The difference between a normal badland and this type is not much. They may look exactly alike at first glance, but this biome version has oak trees and grass growing in it.
- Modified Wooded Badlands Plateau: This biome originates next to eroded badlands. They are usually small but have trees and grass growing inside it. The area of ​​this biome and the height of the block are random.
15. Warm Ocean
The next section of our guide to Minecraft biomes will focus on underwater locations. These biomes are a bit difficult to locate due to the lack of oxygen within the water. They will all be extensions of the oceanic biomes we learned about earlier. Building a boat in Minecraft may be the best way to explore them. Also, since you can’t see the ocean floor from above, we’ve added a comparison image to give you a better view of these biomes and to identify them more easily.
This part of the sea has a bottom of blocks of sand, with a light green color on top. You will see seagrass growing on top of it. You can expect the same spawn as a normal ocean in this biome as well. What makes it stand out is the presence of coral reefs and sea pickles. It is also worth noting that kelp cannot go into this area.
16. Warm Ocean
This type of ocean biome has pale blue water at the top, and its bottom is a combination of sand, dirt, and clay. Seagrass and kelp usually spawn in this Minecraft biome. What sets them apart is that coral cannot grow in this biome.
As a variant, you can also find deep lukewarm oceans in the game. They only have a difference in depth. These deep oceans can become mountains with ocean monuments and hostile patron hordes. It is risky to explore the deep end of a warm sea without the proper resources. But sometimes, doing so can lead you to valuable loot.
17. Cold Ocean
This deep blue from the ocean biome has floors made of gravel and irregular sand blocks. As the name suggests, the sea temperature will be lower than the normal sports temperature. They also have a deep cold ocean version. Like other dark forms, you can find sea monuments with large guardians, primaries, and sponges. Keep in mind that your visibility will also be affected due to the deep water. Carry several light sources with you as you explore this biome.
18. Frozen Ocean
Lowering the temperature even further, we have frozen oceans. Expect a view of Antarctica when exploring these biomes. You will see an ocean covered with a layer of ice. Its surface is constantly broken into pieces to make it realistic. In terms of mobs, polar bears, rabbits, and stray animals frequent here. If you choose to dig deeper and go below the surface, you will find a biome similar to a cold ocean. You can expect the same resources as a cold ocean beneath a frozen ocean.
Its deep-frozen variant offers a surface made of gravel. And as you might expect, ocean monuments and floating icebergs will constantly welcome you to this biome. Sometimes, you can expect polar bears in the water as well. But don’t take them lightly as they can swim just as fast as you and can cause deadly damage when angry.
19. Crimson Forest
Our guide to Minecraft biomes is entering dangerous territory with the biomes of the Netherlands. Almost every mob you meet here will have the ability to kill you. ie, if you can avoid the environment first. Water cannot be produced or used in any of the biomes listed below, and there is lava at every turn. You can access these biomes by creating a Nether Portal inside the game.
Starting with an interesting entry, a spooky-looking forest in which Piglin and Hoglin roam. Even zombified piglins can roam here. You can trade with pigs, and they don’t harm you as long as you have gold. In the meantime, the Hogglins will need some extra protection. Without proper precautions, these hostile mobs can easily overwhelm you and take you down.
Coming to the biome itself, as you can see in the image, its name comes from its color. A crimson fungus had grown around this scarlet biome. There are even blocks with weeping vines or shore lights on them. If you look up, you’ll see glowstone, bottom wart, and vines. As for the floor, it is covered with nethers, bottom warts, and crimson linoleum blocks.
20. Soul Sand Valley
The good thing about this biome is that it is not as deep as other biomes in the Netherlands. But it is far more dangerous. As the name suggests, the biome comprises spirit sand, basalt, and spirit soil. Ghosts and skeletons are constantly being created, and both can inflict deadly damage on you from afar. You can also find lots of bone blocks lying around for me.
Spirit’s sand slows down your walking speed. So, be sure to carry a shield as you might not be able to run away from the crowd. An interesting concept you will see is a blue fire in some places. Spirit fire does more damage than regular fire, and you can create it by setting fire to spirit sand or spirit clay. You can also do this in the Overworld using flint and steel.
21. Lava Ocean
Not officially a biome, but you will be constantly greeted by the lava ocean, located at the base of the Netherlands. Once you fall, there is no way to avoid it. It would be good to carry stable blocks and hold the “Shift” key or crouch key to sharp edges. Additionally, unlike the Overworld, most mobs in the Nether can survive after falling into the lava.
22. Netherlands Waste
If you’ve ever been to the Netherlands, chances are you already know this Minecraft biome. This is the biome that was the entire Netherland in earlier versions of the game. You will usually see this as soon as you enter the Netherlands. Endermen, magma cubes, piggins, ghosts, zombified piglins, and sometimes skeletons are also born here.
Netherlands west biome Minecraft
The interesting thing here is that you can see the forts of the Netherlands in it. If you can avoid the dangerous hordes that grow inside them, they are great loot houses. Quartz ore and glowstone conglomerates from the Netherlands may also have originated near the lower fortress.
23. Basalt Deltas
This biome looks lifeless and is comparatively safer than other biomes. The floor is made of basalt, netherrack, and Blackstone. You will see random structures generated throughout the biome, creating a beautiful sight. The main mob you’ll find here are magma cubes, and on rare occasions, ghosts. Try not to fall into the small lava pool while trying to avoid them.
24. Warped Forest
Also protected by a basalt delta, this greenish-blue biome resembles a scarlet forest. Surrounding the biome are fungal structures. You will see a deformed nyleum on the floor as well as on the ceiling. Netherracks and discolored wart blocks also appear at certain times.
There are only mobs that spawn Strider and Endermen. They’re both non-hostile unless you look into the Enderman’s eyes or attack him. If there is a Netherland fortress nearby, you can use this biome as a safe base that you can return to after looting and exploring.
25. End
Let’s say you have spent a few days inside the game and you have enough resources ready. Now will be the time to take on the EnderDragon in the End Dimension Biome. You can enter it using the Ender portal filled with the 12 eyes of Ender. The world beyond the portal is what we will discuss in this section of our Minecraft biome guide.
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The one you spawn as soon as you enter the Ender Portal is a biome called The End. It is a small circular biome. In the middle is an exit portal platform that opens after killing the Ender Dragon. The obsidian pillar, endermen, end gateway, dragon’s source of power, and end crystals are what you can expect to see in this challenging biome.
26. Small and Islands
Once you defeat the Ender Dragon, you can explore the outer islands of the End Biome. Here, you will notice that the islands at the smaller End cover the looser spaces between the larger islands. They are usually circular.
27. Finish Midlands
These are the biomes you should be looking for. Chorus flowers or final cities arise on these islands. But not at the same time. The cities are home to the Chargers and can hold some of the rarest loot in the game. The cities are tower-like structures that have a treasure room that you must visit.
28. Finish Highlands
Like the Midlands, this biome also has the last cities. But taking it a step further, you can see chorus trees here as well. You can use them to get Chorus Fruit and Chorus Flower. You can use that flower to make a new tree by planting it on a stone with one End.
29. End Barrens
This biome is located on the edge of each island. Falling from them would mean inevitable death. It would help if you stayed away from the End Barrens as there is nothing useful here other than the occasional Endermen.
30. Lush Caves
As the Minecraft 1.18 update arrives, we’ll have some new biomes to try. Let’s take a quick look at each of them.
Lush Caves is an overworld biome that expands on regular caves by including trees and plants. Root dirt, vines, glowing berries, grass, carpets of moss, azaleas, and azalea trees with hanging roots occur in this biome. You can also see dry and shallow lakes underground in these caves. Clay and drip leaf plants can also be found in these lakes.
31. Dripstone Caves
Heavy at first glance, we find caves with dripstones and pointed dripstones. They are growing out of the ground or hanging from the ceiling. You can also see some small water blocks at the bottom of the cave with dripstones around them. Here ores and mobs arise naturally, just like in any normal cave.
32. Deep Dark Caves
As you might expect from the name itself, these caves are the scariest part of the underground world. Like the blind Vader, the crowd is born in them, and there is no light source to tell us about its presence. You can also find skull blocks in this biome. These blocks emit very limited light, but only when close enough, making them more decorative than useful.