Gold & Silver Whirl Islands

Flooded sea caves off Cianwood hide Lugia in their deepest hollow. In Silver, the Silver Wing draws the diving guardian up from the dark.

Whirl Islands is in Johto, with Route 41 to the south. In the story it comes after Team Rocket HQ and before Radio Tower.

WHIRL ISLANDS MAP

Ride a Whirlpool at the edge of the Whirl Islands to get inside the four flooded sea caves. From there Surf down through a dark basement maze until the water bottoms out.

Pokemon Encounters

Lugia broods deep in the flooded caves as the legendary that defines Silver, with Seel, Krabby, and Horsea filling the water around it.

Method
Floor
Type
✦Special encounters1
#249Lugia
Legendary Lv 40
▾B1F4
Walking4
#098Krabby
50% - Lv 23–25
#041Zubat
30% - Lv 24
#086Seel
15% - Lv 23–25
#042Golbat
5% - Lv 24
▾B2F15
Walking4
#098Krabby
50% - Lv 23–25
#041Zubat
30% - Lv 24
#086Seel
15% - Lv 23–25
#042Golbat
5% - Lv 24
Surf2
#116Horsea
90% - Lv 15–24
#073Tentacruel
10% - Lv 20–24
Fish9
Old Rod2
#129Magikarp
85% - Lv 10
#098Krabby
15% - Lv 10
Good Rod3
#098Krabby
55% - Lv 20
#129Magikarp
35% - Lv 20
#116Horsea
10% - Lv 20
Super Rod4
#098Krabby
40% - Lv 40
#116Horsea
30% - Lv 40
#099Kingler
20% - Lv 40
#117Seadra
10% - Lv 40
▾B2F Inner Cave16
Walking4
#098Krabby
50% - Lv 24–26
#041Zubat
30% - Lv 25
#086Seel
15% - Lv 24–26
#042Golbat
5% - Lv 25
Surf3
#116Horsea
60% - Lv 20–24
#073Tentacruel
30% - Lv 20–24
#117Seadra
10% - Lv 20–24
Fish9
Old Rod2
#129Magikarp
85% - Lv 10
#098Krabby
15% - Lv 10
Good Rod3
#098Krabby
55% - Lv 20
#129Magikarp
35% - Lv 20
#116Horsea
10% - Lv 20
Super Rod4
#098Krabby
40% - Lv 40
#116Horsea
30% - Lv 40
#099Kingler
20% - Lv 40
#117Seadra
10% - Lv 40
▾Cave4
Walking4
#098Krabby
50% - Lv 22–24
#041Zubat
30% - Lv 23
#086Seel
15% - Lv 22–24
#042Golbat
5% - Lv 23
▾NE4
Walking4
#098Krabby
50% - Lv 22–24
#041Zubat
30% - Lv 23
#086Seel
15% - Lv 22–24
#042Golbat
5% - Lv 23
▾NW4
Walking4
#098Krabby
50% - Lv 22–24
#041Zubat
30% - Lv 23
#086Seel
15% - Lv 22–24
#042Golbat
5% - Lv 23
▾SE13
Walking4
#098Krabby
50% - Lv 22–24
#041Zubat
30% - Lv 23
#086Seel
15% - Lv 22–24
#042Golbat
5% - Lv 23
Fish9
Old Rod2
#129Magikarp
85% - Lv 10
#098Krabby
15% - Lv 10
Good Rod3
#098Krabby
55% - Lv 20
#129Magikarp
35% - Lv 20
#116Horsea
10% - Lv 20
Super Rod4
#098Krabby
40% - Lv 40
#116Horsea
30% - Lv 40
#099Kingler
20% - Lv 40
#117Seadra
10% - Lv 40
▾SW16
Walking4
#098Krabby
50% - Lv 22–24
#041Zubat
30% - Lv 23
#086Seel
15% - Lv 22–24
#042Golbat
5% - Lv 23
Surf3
#072Tentacool
60% - Lv 20–24
#116Horsea
30% - Lv 15–19
#073Tentacruel
10% - Lv 20–24
Fish9
Old Rod2
#129Magikarp
85% - Lv 10
#098Krabby
15% - Lv 10
Good Rod3
#098Krabby
55% - Lv 20
#129Magikarp
35% - Lv 20
#116Horsea
10% - Lv 20
Super Rod4
#098Krabby
40% - Lv 40
#116Horsea
30% - Lv 40
#099Kingler
20% - Lv 40
#117Seadra
10% - Lv 40
Legendary
Lugia
#249

Lugia

PsychicFlying
Level
40
EV yield
3 Sp. Def
Acquisition
Legendary
How to get itB2F Inner Cave
Silver Wing
at B2F Inner Cave
Sealed locationB2F Inner CaveWhirl IslandsView on map
One-of-a-kind. You only get a single shot per cartridge — knock it out or run, and it is gone for the run. Save before engaging.
Lugia page →

ITEMS

Lugia's flooded caves double as a loot run: Full Restores, a Max Revive, a Max Elixir, and a Nugget to cash in. A pair of vitamins and a hidden Rare Candy reward anyone mapping the whole maze.

Source
Floor
Vitamin3
Calcium
B1F
Carbos
B1F
Rare Candy
B1F
Item ball7
Full Restore
B1F
Guard Spec
Sw
Ultra Ball
Ne
Escape Rope
B1F
Nugget
B1F
Max Elixir
B2F
Max Revive
B2F
Hidden2
Full Restore
B1F
Ultra Ball
B1F
VITAMIN

Calcium

Found on B1F · B1F; northeast of southeast island ladder
Effect

Ups SPECIAL stats of one Pokemon.

Vitamin3
VITAMIN

Calcium

Found on B1F · B1F; northeast of southeast island ladder
Effect

Ups SPECIAL stats of one Pokemon.

VITAMIN

Carbos

Found on B1F · B1F southwest; of northwest island ladder
Effect

Raises SPEED of one Pokemon.

VITAMIN

Rare Candy

Found on B1F · B1F northeast; northeast of northeast island ladder (hidden)
Effect

Raises level of a Pokemon by one.

Item ball7
ITEM BALL

Full Restore

Found on B1F · B2F; east of ladder in enclosed section
Effect

Fully restores HP & status.

ITEM BALL

Guard Spec

Found on Sw · Southwestern island section
Effect

Prevents stat reduction. (1 BTL)

ITEM BALL

Ultra Ball

Found on Ne · Northeast island entrance; next to southern ladder
Effect

A BALL with a high rate of success.

ITEM BALL

Escape Rope

Found on B1F · B1F; east of southwest island ladder
Effect

Use for escaping from caves, etc.

ITEM BALL

Nugget

Found on B1F · B1F; near center of northern edge of room
Effect

Made of pure gold. Sell high.

ITEM BALL

Max Elixir

Found on B2F · B2F; southwest of ladder in enclosed section
Effect

Fully restores the PP of one Pokemon.

ITEM BALL

Max Revive

Found on B2F · B2F; west of main ladder located at the top
Effect

Fully restores a fainted Pokemon.

Hidden2
HIDDEN

Full Restore

Found on B1F · B1F; southeast of northwest island ladder B1F west; in the isolated boulder (hidden)
Effect

Fully restores HP & status.

HIDDEN

Ultra Ball

Found on B1F · B1F east; northeast of southeast island ladder (hidden)
Effect

A BALL with a high rate of success.

Whirl Islands Guide

  • You'll need a few field moves to get deep enough: Surf to enter, Whirlpool to clear the eddies, and Strength to shift an interior boulder. The path down to Lugia drops over a waterfall ledge, so the Waterfall HM is not required. The catch swaps by version too. In Silver, Lugia turns up at level 40 before the League. In Gold it's a level 70 find much later, and the Silver Wing opens its chamber.

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