5 best tips for exploring caves in Minecraft

Caves can be found across the Overworld in Minecraft, and players can find plenty of treasures and materials inside them. However, going into a cave without equipment or a little bit of knowledge can end badly, especially on higher difficulty settings.

While seasoned veterans will likely know what to prepare for before exploring a new cave, newcomers to Minecraft may not be quite as aware. Braving larger caves can get dangerous rather quickly if players don't take a few steps to ensure their safety. Fortunately, these preparations don't require any rare resources. They're simply things to keep in mind before heading off into the caves of the Overworld.

---

Tips to keep in mind when exploring caves in Minecraft

1) Bring plenty of light sources

Light sources like torches are crucial for Minecraft cave exploration (Image via Mojang)

Caves are breeding grounds for many hostile mobs like skeletons, zombies, and the ever-dreaded creepers. Hostile mobs aren't the only danger players will come across in Minecraft caves, but they are some of the most visible and present.

Players can make their exploration easier by bringing along plenty of light sources like torches, lanterns, and candles. Since hostile mobs need a light level of zero to spawn, placing plenty of light sources while exploring will often cut down on the number of hostile mobs a player has to deal with.

---

2) Bring along a water bucket or two

Water buckets are crucial for surviving unexpected falls in caves (Image via Mojang)

Since caves generate using specific parameters in Minecraft, they occasionally contain pitfalls and unexpected drops. There are more than a few ways to prevent a bad fall, but a water bucket is one of the simplest and most effective ways to avoid an unexpected tumble. If players find a large chasm they want to drop into, they can create a stream of water to lower themselves down safely. This also provides a way to swim back up to the area where the bucket was used.

If worse comes to worst, a player who is in freefall can apply water on the ground before impact to save themselves from fatal fall damage.

---

3) Keep plenty of inventory space

Having some empty space in your inventory will allow you to collect plenty of materials (Image via Mojang)

There's a wide variety of caves that are capable of generating, some of which even have their own biomes, like lush or dripstone caves. Since this is the case, it's best to keep plenty of free inventory space to collect materials you may not find during ordinary mining excursions in Minecraft.

Although players will want to use up some of their inventory slots for tools and light sources, plenty of free space should be left to ensure they can collect whatever they find in the cave system.

---

4) Leave a trail behind you

Players should leave markers along the way to ensure they don't get lost (Image via Mojang)

Due to the revamped cave generation mechanics in recent Minecraft updates, caves have become larger and more complex, so players will want to mark their progress as they proceed through one. If they avoid doing this, they may have trouble getting back to their original position. Although torches and other light sources can be used as indicators, they lose effectiveness when used plentifully in large caves.

With that in mind, it may not be a bad idea to bring along paintings or build posts out of blocks to mark your way as you progress through caves.

---

5) Bring along a bucket of milk

Milk buckets can be crucial when dealing with a specific hostile mob (Image via Mojang)

In addition to having plenty of structures and biomes, caves can also spawn a plethora of hostile mobs. Dealing with zombies and skeletons is simple enough, but caves can also spawn cave spiders in some situations. These enemies have a venomous bite that can deal quite a bit of damage over time if players aren't careful. However, bringing along a bucket or two of milk can help address these issues.

When consumed, milk buckets remove all status effects applied to players, including poison. Minecraft players will need to be careful using milk buckets, however, as any beneficial effects from potions will also be removed.