How to Build a Sky Island in Minecraft

Last Updated: October 26, 2019

One aspect of Minecraft that fascinates many people is that the game occasionally generates "sky islands" - floating areas of land - automatically. These sky islands are rather uncommon, and ones of substantial size are very rare. However, a sky island is a great location for a home base in survival, a challenge on an adventure map, or an incredible fantasy building in creative. This article will teach you how to make an island in the sky.

Note that in Minecraft, falls from great heights can injure or kill you. Thus, it is recommended that you build your sky island while on Peaceful or Easy (if in Survival) or start with a Creative world, in which you cannot die, and change it to a Survival world later on.

Steps

1
Find a good location for your island. In Minecraft, there is a limit to how high you can build, so if you start in a mountainous area, you will have little room to build your island. The islands shown in this article will be built over the ocean; this location offers two advantages: falling into the ocean will not kill you, and sea level is a low elevation by default.
- You may have to search around a little for a good place to build. As a general rule, look for the area of lowest elevation.
- While Ocean biomes work well for this, Deep Oceans may cause you some trouble if you're in Survival mode. If you aren't sure of the difference, press F3 to see data for your location. The third line from the bottom will tell you what biome you are in.
2
Create a dirt pillar. Dirt is best because it will not fall in the event of an accident, and it's easy to get. Place one block, stand on it, and then jump continuously (hold space bar) while placing more blocks (right click and hold). Continue until you feel you are at a sufficient height to begin building your island.
3
Create a platform. Press and hold shift to crouch so you will not fall off the side, then build out from your pillar by placing blocks on all sides. This will become the lowest level of your island.
- If you are using Creative mode while doing this, you can fly instead of standing on the platform.
4
Continue adding to your platform. From here forward, though, make it an abnormal shape to mimic the random effects of nature.
5
Add a level of dirt on this in the same manner. Make it even wider than the first level. Again, have a factor of irregularity in the process.
6
Continue this process for as long as you feel is necessary.
7
Add a layer of grass blocks on top of these. If you are in survival, use a silk touch shovel and dig some grass blocks..You can also try hunt endermans with grass blocks in their hands to get a grass block.
- Adding areas of different elevation will make it even more natural-looking.
8
Add natural touches. Put trees, tall grasses, water, and/or flowers on your island, if you want to.
9
Build structures. This island will hold a small house for the player.
10
Add ladders and torches to the pillar. If this will be your home in Survival mode, you will need to have a way to get up and down. The torches will make it easier to see in the shadow of your island and make it harder for monsters to spawn. If this is just a build for you or part of a challenge map, destroy the pillar.
11
Finished!

Community Q&A

Question

How do I get up to the floating island in Survival without using water, stairs or ladders so that mobs can't get up?

CaptianYaya

Community Answer

Method One: Use your existing way to get up to the island, but secure the perimeter with a fence and an iron door so no mobs can get in. However, creepers can blow things up or a fellow player can troll you, so you should experiment. Method Two: Enable cheats by exporting your world to LAN and enable cheats. Go into the island, press F3 and write down the coordinates. Press F3 again to get rid of the weird text. Get down to the ground. Use /tp X Y Z where X Y Z are the coordinates. Method Three: Enter the command/difficulty p.
Question

How do I make the island so it is in the sky and if someone falls, they die?

Nathan Cullen

Community Answer

You can make it very high up in the sky with a solid surface as the ground. If you fall, you will die from fall damage.
Question

How do I get water and no land?

Community Answer

if you are in creative mode you can use the water bucket to make a lot of water.
Question

Can I make a wheat farm on the island?

Community Answer

Yes.
Question

Can I build a normal island?

Ellie

Community Answer

Yes. On Minecraft, you can do all sorts of things! Follow the steps above, but with water instead of sky.
Question

Can you make a village on the island?

Delicious Banana Cupcake

Community Answer

Yes. You need a big enough island though, and if you want it to spawn an iron golem, you'll need at least 10 villagers and 20 beds in 1.16.
Question

If in creative, can I make waterfalls go off the sides?

Delicious Banana Cupcake

Community Answer

Of course! You can do this in survival too. However, mobs or players may climb up if you don't secure it.
Question

What if there is a tribe next door trying to attack my island and steal my diamonds?

Xiao Po

Community Answer

Try to make a defence as soon as possible. try to go back to the surface and get some materials (like redstone, pistons, anything). If the other player attacks your island, try to get the best sword/axe to attack the other player (like PvP). If the other player stoles your diamonds, then make a better protection to your chest full of diamonds (maybe like hidden door to the diamond vault).