Floating Islands

Floating Islands are masses of land that appear high in the sky. They are mostly made out of Dirt Blocks and clouds, and they will often have Rain Clouds pouring on them.

Floating Islands most often spawn with a room made out of Disc Wall adorned with Gravity, World, or Sun Banners which has a Skyware Chest in it, and sometimes spawn with skyware table and chair set. The room also may or may not be missing a door. However, an island can rarely spawn without a room entirely. The Islands also have cloud blocks on the bottom-side of them. The monsters that spawn on a Floating Island are the same as the ones from the Forest, with the addition of Harpies and (in Hard Mode) Wyverns. The maximum amount of floating islands in a large map is 8. Floating Islands can be found at different levels of height, based on the size of the map selected. Use a Depth Meter to determine your height. If you don't have a Depth Meter, you can build your way to the top of the map, and then count tiles as you descend. On a small map, a Skybridge built about 80 tiles (160 feet) below the top of the world is optimal for finding the islands. Even though it has all the requirements for it to be a house (if you place a piece of lighting equipment), it is not recommended because an NPC will have trouble getting up.

Floating islands are found at the following heights above sea level (depending on World Size):

Small World - Floating Islands are located around 400 feet above sea level, and in some circumstances are very close to large hills.
Medium World - they are generally found around 400 to 750 feet. The easiest way to find one is to move horizontally at about 480 feet (estimation).
Large World - they are located between 400-1200 feet. It can be more difficult to find islands on large maps, due to the broad height range; the best option is to get a map viewer, so it's easier to spot them. You can also use a Gravitation Potion if you feel it is needed.
All Console Worlds - they are located between 245-490 feet.

Locating Floating Islands[]

There are several ways of locating Floating Islands from the ground:

You could craft Meteor Shot and shoot them into the air while traveling. Since Meteor Shot ricochets, you will be able to tell when there is an island above you, since the bullets will bounce off the islands and come back down.
Bridging at the height floating islands are found based on your world size is known as a consistent way to locate floating islands.
You can use a Water Bolt, and if it comes back down then there is a floating island above you, though this is a slow alternative to meteor shots.
You can use Magic Missile depending on the map size. Magic Missile has a trailing sound effect that plays until it hits a surface. Firing directly up at a floating island will cause the sound effect to stop abruptly when it hits the island.
Leaping off a skybridge with accessories that allow flight and increase speed such as Wings and Spectre Boots is a great way to scout a large area for them.
- A similar option it to get a bunch of Rope, Vine Rope, or Silk Rope and place vertical ropes going from the surface to space. Then at the top jump/glide as far as you can. This takes several vertical ropes to cover the entire map(12-ish on large map). It also helps to have a way to avoid dying of fall damage.
Using a large resolution can help in finding Floating Islands.
You can create a hardcore character, kill yourself to become a ghost and search for them this way, but this, of course, kills you so it is recommended you do .
You can also use a Gravitation Potion if you have enough, and continually switch between fall directions. This is the most common and believed to be most effective way to find floating islands without wasting too many resources by bridging.
If you're in a small world, wherein the floating islands would probably be around 400-600 feet, normal Musket Balls should do just fine if you have good audio (music volume should be reduced) as you could spray your shots into the sky (in several different angles) while running to one direction and listen for the sound of the impact and maybe vine-destruction, and if you're not sure if you hit an island, try shooting from approximately the same angle and position. Shooting from fairly low altitudes (pits in the ground) isn't recommended. This should be a cost-effective strategy for anyone with a gun.
The projectiles from Ice Blade and Frostbrand (Hardmode) can also be used to find islands. Swing upwards at the sky and listen for the shattering sound when the projectile strikes a block.
On a small world, build a few blocks high, use Rocket Boots and an Ivy Whip, there is a chance you can find a floating island.
Find a high point on the map, fly forwards with any flight boots, stopping to prevent vertical movement, then fly forwards with a magic carpet.
On a large world, build up 300-600 blocks then build a bridge across the top of the world. After you do this, use wings and a hook (preferably a Dual Hook) and fly down, then shoot your hook at the bridge and you'll discover more of the sky, probably finding an island.
Inexplicable small puddles on the ground can indicate a floating island above in biomes where water isn't common. Floating islands generate with more water than can be held, so some trickles off to the side.

There are also several ways to find floating islands from space:

An effective way to locate floating islands is to use a Cute Fishron or UFO Mount mount, obtained by killing Duke Fishron in expert mode or a Martian Saucer, respectively. The next step is to simply find one floating island by flying around in the sky, then fly at that same height around the world until you find more islands.
if you encounter a pink treasure fairy on the surface it might fly up into the sky towards a an island with a treasure chest inside.

Notes[]

Mining on the Floating Islands is also a good idea. Gold Ore and Silver Ore can usually be found inside the islands. (As of worlds in 1.2, this no longer works due to clouds consuming the dirt almost completely)

Chests may contain:
- Lucky Horseshoe
- Shiny Red Balloon
- Starfury
- Sky Mill
- Any other common item found in chests like arrows or coins (up to Gold Bars.)

Conjoined Floating Islands are possible.
Some Floating Islands are found over large deposits of clay on the surface, so if you see clay there is a chance of there being a floating island above you.
It is possible to spawn on a floating island if you generate a small world.
In worlds prior from 1.2, Floating islands can be corrupted or hallowed in Hardmode.
On a multiplayer server, a player who died in Hardcore Mode could conceivably search the skies for Floating Islands as a ghost.
Placing a torch in a Floating Island room is often all that is required for it to be suitable for housing since it is possible for it to spawn with a complete set of furniture.
On the mobile version of Terraria, the tutorial world is a floating island above a pit of lava. It seems to be standard every time it is accessed.
- On console version the tutorial world island is set above an ocean
Some Floating Islands have the Dirt Blocks replaced with water. These rarely have chests on them as well.

Bugs[]

Rarely, the building in which the Chest spawns in, will not spawn. (Console, and Desktop version)
Rarely, in the mobile versions the building on the floating island will be floating next to a small floating island.

Update Info[]

v1.3.0.1

Added Sky Lakes

v1.2

Chests no longer locked, all materials which make up Floating Islands changed. Clouds and rain clouds added onto and around the islands. New banners added inside the house.

v1.0.6