The Coral Island 1.3 update has fundamentally transformed the way we interact with the ocean. No longer is the Merfolk Kingdom just a beautiful backdrop; it is now a fully functional society where you can farm, fall in love, and even raise a family. If you’ve been struggling to trigger the “One of Us” quest or find yourself stuck at the Merfolk Kingdom gate, this definitive guide—updated for the 2026 gameplay meta—will get you through.
Preparing for the Depths: Prerequisites
Before you can rub elbows with Empress Ni, you need to prove you are a friend to the ocean.
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The “Into the Ocean” Quest: You must complete the initial diving quest given by Ling.
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Lake Temple Offerings: You need to complete at least one bundle (the Essential Resources bundle is the quickest). This triggers the initial cutscenes that make the Merfolk aware of your presence.
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Diving Suit 2.0: You cannot enter the kingdom with a standard suit. You will receive an upgrade from Ling after you have cleared enough trash and reached the 20m mark.
Pro Tip: In my first playthrough, I focused too much on the farm and ignored the ocean until Year 2. Don’t do this. The stamina fruit you receive from the Merfolk questline is vital for early-game efficiency.
Step-by-Step Walkthrough: Reaching the Merfolk Kingdom
To open the gate, you must “heal” the ocean by activating Solar Orbs.
Healing the Coral
As you dive deeper (10m to 50m), you will encounter Retreating Roots. These roots block the path to the Kingdom. To clear them, find the Solar Orb in each area, activate it, and follow the light to the beacon.
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Check your Map: Gray indicators on the ocean map mean you missed a beacon. Yellow means it’s active.
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Trash Clearing: You must clear the trash around the orbs to trigger them.
The Underwater Music Puzzle Solution
Once you reach the gate, you’ll find a series of tiles on the floor. Many players get stuck here because the orientation is tricky. You must swim over the tiles in a specific order to play the correct melody.
The sequence is:
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Right
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Left
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Down
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Up
When I did this, I found that “Up” refers to the tile closest to the Kingdom gate, while “Down” is the one furthest away. Once successful, the gate will open, and you will meet Semeru and the Royal Guard.
The “One of Us” Quest: Becoming a Merperson
The 1.3 update expanded the “One of Us” quest. To truly integrate, you need to be able to breathe and move like a Merfolk.
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The Offering: Cho Oyu will ask for a “token of sincerity.” Usually, this involves 5 Osmium-quality crops and 5 Silver Kelp Essences.
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The Transformation: After submitting the items, you will receive a letter. Head to the Naga Palace to trigger the transformation cutscene.
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Customization: In the 1.3 update, you can now visit Rysy’s Tattoo Shop once you have the Seal of Naga to customize your tail and markings.
New 1.3 Features: Underwater Marriage & Farming
This is the “meat” of the 1.3 update. For the first time, your Merfolk spouse doesn’t have to move to the surface (though they still can).
Romancing the Merfolk
You can now reach 10 hearts with Semeru, Denali, and Princess Miranjani.
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Gift Preference: Merfolk generally love Seashells (easy find!), but Semeru has a particular fondness for human Beer (keg required).
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Marriage: You can now have an underwater wedding. This requires a “Merfolk Ring,” which is crafted after reaching 8 hearts and completing the Chaperone 1 & 2 quests.
Managing the Ocean Farm
Underwater farming is no longer a “reset” of the game; it’s an endgame powerhouse.
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The Lumina Wand: Upgrade this to Gold as soon as possible. It allows you to “water” (illuminate) 30 quadrants at once.
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Sprinklers: You need to ship 25 underwater crops to unlock the first tier of underwater sprinklers. Focus on Marinip for the best early ROI.
Troubleshooting Common Bugs (2026 Update)
Even in the latest 1.3.x patches, players report the “Ling Suit Glitch.” If Ling doesn’t send the mail for the 2.0 suit upgrade:
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Go to the diving spot.
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Open the menu and use the “Reset the Spot” button.
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Swim back toward the Merfolk gate. This usually re-triggers the cutscene.