Coral Island is a farming simulator that allows players to explore so much more than creating their own farm as it takes place on a tropical island. This farming simulator also takes great inspiration from life simulators like Stardew Valley and Story of Seasons, which encourage players to do more than simply focus on their farm.

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With Starlet Town receiving a rank of F that it hasn't been able to escape for years, it is up to the new farmer – better known as the player – to get the town back on its feet. There are plenty of ways to do this, as well as plenty of other things to do on the island, and that's why these are the best things to do besides farming.

1 Get Lost Going Deeper In The Caverns

Each Cavern Has A Giant To Free

The Caverns, also known as the Mines, are a great place for players to explore on either rainy days when their farms don't require water, or simply when the player has some spare time. Besides being a great place to find the resources needed to build certain buildings, and upgrade their tools, or craft, when hitting the bottom floor of these different cavern rooms, players will free an elemental giant.

This is only one storyline of many that can be explored on Coral Island. The chieftain of the giants pleads for the player to help free the rest. This will push players to reach the bottom of the cavern, which will also help them unlock various rewards and gifts from reaching certain milestones.

2 Clean And Explore The Ocean

Find And Befriend The Merfolk

Alternatively, another way that players can spend their time on Coral Island, while also improving the ranking of Starlet Town, is by helping to clean the tropical ocean that surrounds the island. Like the caverns, players will gradually go deeper into the ocean, using their scythe to clean up the trash and get the towers that clean the coral back in shape.

As players manage to clean more, they will eventually encounter the Merfolk people and their kingdom. These people have become very cautious of humans, though it is possible to gain their trust as the player continues to clean their home. While the main Merfolk questline is yet to be implemented into the game, the ocean is still a great place to explore.

3 Spend Some Time Fishing On A Rainy Day

Every Season Has Different Fish To Catch

Like Stardew Valley, players have more than their simple farm tools at hand, as the game will gift them early into their playthrough with a fishing rod. With the trusty tool in hand, players can stand near any water source in the game, cast their hook, and wait for a bite.

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Depending on the season, time of day, and weather, players are likely to encounter different sorts of fish. The best time to go fishing is when it's raining, as that is when the most can be found. Otherwise, players are likely to catch trash rather than anything that lives underwater.

4 Take Part In The Festivals

Mini-Games And Money To Be Made

While players can't take part in these as often as any other activity in Coral Island, this makes attending the festivals that happen once or twice a season even more important. While some of these festivals have a heavy focus on farming, such as Fall's Harvest Festival, other seasons have even more interesting activities.

One of the best happens in summer when the entire town helps to clean the beach of all its trash. Besides collecting rubbish, there are several mini-games for players to compete in, including one that sees players find out who is the fastest swimmer. Winning these mini-games will give the player some money, as well as some other things, but it also makes for a great break from farming.

5 Wield A Net To Catch Insects

Some Are Harder Than Others To Trap

Alongside fishing, players can also take part in a common activity seen when playing Animal Crossing. This is catching all sorts of critters with a net. When the player is gifted their fishing rod, they are also given a net. Players may enjoy catching insects more than fish due to having more of an active role when finding them.

Unlike fish that can be found by finding water and throwing out the hook, players will spot butterflies, land insects, and many other creepy crawlies minding their own business around the island. Players will need to sneak up to them and quickly swing their net before they are alerted if they hope to catch them.

6 Take All Finds To The Museum

Leave Not A Single Space In The Building

While it may be tempting to sell every mineral found, every bug caught, or every fish hooked, the first one of each of these finds should be donated to the museum. This is a great little side activity for any player who sees themselves as a bit of a completionist.

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When players have found enough things to donate to the museum, it will be upgraded into an even bigger building. This not only improves the town ranking of Starlet Town, but it also unlocks the possibility of the player finding more things such as fossils and books that can also be donated.

7 Befriend The Townsfolk

Witness Heart Events And Find Love

When players don't want to farm but also don't want to take part in any other activities, one of the greatest things, and possibly even a necessary task on Coral Island, is befriending all the townsfolk. There are plenty of people to get to know both in and around Starlet Town, with some even not staying permanently on the island, giving players a limited chance to talk to them. Everyone can be given at least two gifts a week, with birthdays being an exception due to them being allowed to have another.

By giving people what they like, players can unlock their heart events and may eventually befriend someone enough to develop a relationship with them. This can lead to so much more, like getting married, living together, and eventually even having a baby.