Best Route to Colonist Bunkers and Early Upgrades
This guide is a complete, practical walkthrough to find every Colonist Bunker in Subnautica 2 quickly and reliably so you can claim the permanent biobed upgrades that change the early game. You’ll get clear navigation strategies, survival tips, efficient routes, what to expect inside each bunker, and how to use the rewards to accelerate base-building and exploration. Whether you’re playing a relaxed survival run or racing for speedrun milestones, these tactics will shave hours off aimless searching and keep you alive while you collect the best early-game upgrades.
Why Colonist Bunkers matter right now
Colonist Bunkers contain biobeds that grant permanent character upgrades. These upgrades are rare, stackable, and immediately impactful: extra inventory slots let you carry more resources on long dives, and an extra tool slot gives you more utility without juggling hotkeys. Early access to these upgrades reduces back-and-forth trips to base, speeds up crafting, and opens new exploration windows. In short, finding bunkers early is one of the highest-value activities you can do in the first hours of a playthrough.
How to prepare before you leave the Lifepod
Before you set out, make sure you’re not under-equipped. You don’t need endgame gear, but a few essentials make bunker runs safe and fast.
Equip a reliable light source and keep it on during cave travel.
Top off oxygen and bring a small stack of food and water for emergency recovery.
Carry a Scanner or have the Scanner ready in your quick bar to pick up fragments inside bunkers.
Bring a Repair Tool or have fragments scanned so you can craft one quickly if you find damaged equipment.
Keep a Habitat Builder fragment scanned if you plan to set a temporary base near a cluster of bunkers.
These items keep you alive in tight caves and let you extract maximum value from each bunker visit.
Navigation basics without a map
Colonist Bunkers are not marked on any in-game map. You’ll rely on bearings from your Lifepod, natural landmarks, and consistent route planning. Use the Lifepod as your anchor: always note the direction you leave it from and return along a different, recognizable landmark if you get disoriented. Currents, tall coral domes, wreckage fields, and unique rock pillars are the best visual cues.
When you’re moving between bunkers, travel in short hops rather than long, oxygen-draining swims. Swim to a shallow landmark, reorient, then continue. If you have a vehicle later, use it to chain multiple bunkers in a single run.
General bunker approach and inside behavior
Colonist Bunkers are typically tucked into cave systems or behind current-driven tunnels. Expect narrow corridors, low ceilings, and occasional hostile fauna. Inside, lighting is dim and the layout is compact. Move slowly, scan everything, and clear the entrance before entering if fauna are present.
When you find a biobed, interact with it immediately. The upgrade applies instantly and is permanent. After using a biobed, scan any fragments in the room — bunkers often contain useful fragments for tools and base modules. If a bunker contains a tool fragment you don’t have, prioritize scanning it before leaving.
Fast route overview and recommended order
For maximum efficiency, follow a prioritized route that balances proximity, reward, and fragment value. Start with the closest bunker to the Lifepod to get an early inventory boost, then move to the bunker that grants the extra tool slot, and finish with the remaining bunkers to stack inventory gains.
Start with Anita’s Garden for a quick Endurance boost (+inventory). Next, head to Salvage to pick up Dexterity (+tool slot) and likely tool fragments. Finish with Quaker’s Meetinghouse and Unauthorized NOA Modification to stack additional Endurance upgrades. This order minimizes travel time and maximizes the immediate utility of each reward.
Anita’s Garden — what to look for and how to get there
Anita’s Garden is the most accessible Colonist Bunker and the best first stop. It’s tucked behind a current-driven cavern and often hidden by red kelp or a narrow tunnel. Look for a shallow coral dome or a distinctive rock arch near the Lifepod and follow the current into the cave.
Inside, the bunker is compact and dim. The biobed here grants Endurance — a meaningful early increase in inventory slots. Scan any fragments you find; Anita’s Garden sometimes contains fragments for basic survival tools. Clear the entrance of any aggressive fauna before entering and use your light to reveal hidden alcoves.
Salvage — the extra tool slot and why it’s priority two
Salvage is slightly farther out but is the one bunker that often contains the Dexterity upgrade — the extra tool slot. This is the single most transformative upgrade for early utility: an extra tool keybind means you can carry a Repair Tool, Habitat Builder, and a utility item without constant swapping.
Salvage is usually near wreckage or Alterra debris. Look for a ledge with a cave opening and a cluster of metal fragments. Inside, you’ll often find tool fragments like the Repair Tool and Habitat Builder. If you can craft a Repair Tool after scanning fragments, do so — it makes future exploration and base repairs much easier.
Quaker’s Meetinghouse — deeper cave layout and rewards
Quaker’s Meetinghouse sits in a deeper cave system and is often guarded by territorial fauna. The approach is marked by tall stone pillars or a field of coral spires. Expect narrow passages and a multi-room bunker interior.
The biobed here grants Endurance. Because the bunker is deeper, bring extra light and be ready to retreat if you encounter aggressive creatures. Scan everything in the bunker; Quaker’s often hides fragments for mid-tier base modules that speed up your expansion.
Unauthorized NOA Modification — the farthest bunker and what to expect
Unauthorized NOA Modification is typically the farthest of the four and may require the most careful navigation. It’s often hidden behind a current tunnel or inside a collapsed structure. The reward is another Endurance upgrade, and the bunker can contain fragments for specialized equipment.
Because this bunker is farther, consider setting a temporary base or placing a beacon nearby if you plan to return. If you have a vehicle, this is the best bunker to tackle with it — the extra speed and oxygen make the trip trivial.
How to handle hostile fauna and environmental hazards
Bunker entrances and cave systems can be home to territorial creatures. Use these tactics to stay safe:
Light and distance: Keep your light on and maintain distance from large fauna. Many creatures will ignore you if you don’t get too close.
Retreat path: Always have a clear path back to open water or the Lifepod. Don’t block your exit with debris or by entering a narrow tunnel you can’t back out of.
Use the Repair Tool defensively: If you have a Repair Tool, it can sometimes be used to disable or distract smaller hostile machines or to repair damaged equipment quickly.
Avoid unnecessary fights: You don’t need to kill everything. Speed and stealth are often better than combat.
Using the upgrades to accelerate your play
Once you’ve collected one or more biobed upgrades, use them strategically:
Inventory slots: With more inventory, you can carry more raw materials for base modules, more food and water, and more fragments. This reduces trips back to base and lets you craft on the go.
Extra tool slot: Equip a Repair Tool and a Habitat Builder simultaneously with other essentials. This lets you repair and expand bases without returning to craft tools.
Fragment scanning: Use the extra inventory to carry more fragments and components you find, then craft them at a base or mobile platform.
Stacking these upgrades early turns long exploration loops into efficient resource runs.
Midgame planning after the bunkers
After you’ve collected the bunkers, your priorities shift. Use the new capacity and tools to:
Build a forward base near a cluster of resource-rich biomes. A small habitat with a fabricator and storage near a bunker cluster saves travel time.
Craft a vehicle (if available) to chain distant objectives. Vehicles let you sweep large areas and return quickly.
Focus on fragment hunting for advanced tools and modules now that you can carry more. Prioritize fragments that unlock propulsion, power, and storage upgrades.
These steps compound the value of the bunkers and make later goals like deep-sea exploration and large base construction much easier.
Quick survival checklist for bunker runs
Light source on and spare batteries if applicable.
Oxygen topped off and plan short hops.
Scanner ready for fragments.
Food and water for emergency recovery.
Repair Tool or fragments scanned to craft one.
Habitat Builder fragment scanned if you plan a forward base.
This checklist keeps runs short, safe, and productive.
Minimal bullet list of common mistakes to avoid
Entering caves without a light source.
Ignoring the Lifepod bearing and getting lost.
Leaving a biobed unclaimed because you panicked.
Not scanning fragments before leaving a bunker.
Avoid these and your runs will be far more efficient.
How to mark and remember bunker bearings
If you don’t have in-game markers, use natural landmarks and a simple mental map. Note the direction from the Lifepod (e.g., “east-southeast past the red kelp arch”) and a nearby landmark (coral dome, wreckage, tall pillar). If you have a beacon or deployable marker, place it near the bunker entrance for quick returns. Otherwise, swim back to the Lifepod and reorient using the sun angle or surface landmarks.
When to use a vehicle and when to swim
Vehicles are game-changers for chaining bunkers. Use a vehicle when:
You need to reach the farthest bunker in one trip.
You want to sweep a wide area for fragments and resources.
You’re carrying heavy loads back to base.
Swim when:
You’re doing short, close-range runs.
The cave entrances are too narrow for vehicles.
You want to conserve vehicle power for longer trips.
Balance both approaches to maximize efficiency.
Making the most of fragments found in bunkers
Bunkers often contain fragments for tools and base modules. Prioritize scanning:
Repair Tool fragments — immediate utility for repairs and clearing debris.
Habitat Builder fragments — lets you set up forward bases.
Storage and fabricator fragments — speed up crafting and resource management.
Scan everything you can carry and return to base to craft the most impactful items first.
Speedrun tips for players chasing time records
If you’re racing the clock, follow these principles:
Memorize the shortest route from the Lifepod to Anita’s Garden and Salvage.
Skip nonessential fragments unless they unlock a tool you need immediately.
Use a vehicle to chain Quaker’s Meetinghouse and Unauthorized NOA Modification in one loop.
Practice cave navigation to avoid time-consuming backtracking.
Speedruns are about repetition and route optimization; these bunkers are high-value checkpoints.
Playstyle variations and role of bunkers in each
Survival players: Bunkers reduce grind and make survival more forgiving by increasing carry capacity.
Explorers: Extra inventory lets you collect more samples and fragments on long dives.
Builders: Tool slots and fragments accelerate base construction and repairs.
Speedrunners: Bunkers are early milestones that unlock faster progression.
No matter your style, the bunkers are worth prioritizing.
Troubleshooting common problems
If you can’t find a bunker, try these fixes:
Retrace your path to the Lifepod and reorient using a large landmark.
Look for current-driven tunnels and red kelp clusters — bunkers often hide behind them.
If fauna block an entrance, retreat and approach from a different angle.
If you’re low on oxygen, surface and swim along the coastline to reorient.
Patience and methodical searching beat frantic wandering.
Endgame value of the bunkers
Even late in the game, the biobed upgrades remain useful. Extra inventory slots let you carry more rare resources on deep dives, and the extra tool slot is invaluable when juggling multiple specialized tools. The fragments you scanned early often pay dividends later when you build advanced modules and vehicles.
FAQ
How many Colonist Bunkers are there There are four Colonist Bunkers, each containing a biobed that grants a permanent upgrade.
What upgrades do the biobeds give Biobeds grant Endurance (extra inventory slots) or Dexterity (an extra tool slot). These upgrades stack.
Do the upgrades stack Yes. Each biobed use stacks with previous upgrades, so collecting all four yields the maximum benefit.
Are bunkers dangerous Bunkers are in caves and sometimes guarded by fauna. They’re not impossible, but bring light, oxygen, and an escape route.
Which bunker should I do first Start with Anita’s Garden for a quick inventory boost, then Salvage for the extra tool slot, followed by the other two to stack inventory gains.
Can I miss a bunker permanently No. Bunkers remain in the world and can be revisited at any time, but finding them early is more efficient.
What fragments are commonly found in bunkers Expect fragments for the Repair Tool, Habitat Builder, storage modules, and occasionally vehicle or power fragments.
Should I use a vehicle Vehicles are recommended for the farthest bunker and for chaining multiple bunkers in one run.
What if I get lost Surface to a landmark, reorient to the Lifepod, and use currents or tall structures as bearings.
Will the upgrades break my game balance They’re designed to be part of progression. They make exploration smoother but don’t trivialize late-game challenges.
Final checklist before you go
Light source and spare power.
Oxygen topped off.
Scanner ready.
Food and water.
Repair Tool fragments scanned or crafted.
Mental map of Lifepod bearings.
Closing tips and next steps
After you collect the bunkers, use the new capacity and tool slot to set up a forward base, craft a vehicle, and sweep nearby biomes for advanced fragments. The early investment in bunker hunting pays off quickly: you’ll spend less time ferrying materials and more time exploring the deeper mysteries of the world.
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