One of the most exciting and rewarding additions introduced with the Sailing skill in Old School RuneScape is the arrival of brand-new, fully explorable islands. These islands are packed with new resources, monsters, skilling methods, and unique mechanics, making them a core part of the Sailing experience rather than optional side content.

With Sailing, Jagex added 27 dockable islands to OSRS. Whether you play as an Ironman or a main account, ignoring these islands would be a major mistake. Many of them dramatically impact skilling efficiency, Slayer progression, and long-term OSRS gold money-making potential.

In this guide, we will take a detailed look at all 27 Sailing islands and rank them in a tier list so you know exactly which islands to prioritize, which ones to unlock early, and which are more situational.

If you want access to these islands without grinding Sailing levels yourself, consider using our OSRS Sailing Services to fast-track your progress.

OSRS Island Tier List – Ranking Criteria

Each island is ranked based on its overall value to a player, taking into account:

  • Unique or exclusive resources

  • Skill training potential

  • Money-making opportunities

  • Utility and access benefits

  • Importance for Ironman accounts

S-Tier Islands (Must Unlock)

These islands provide massive value and should be prioritized as soon as you meet their requirements. To fully capitalize on them, some starting cash helps—if you are short on gold, our OSRS Gold Store can help you get exactly what you need.

The Great Conch (Summer Shore)

The Great Conch should be the first island on your unlock list. It requires 45 Sailing and completion of Troubled Tortugans. This island is so feature-rich that it feels like an extension of the mainland.

Key Features:

Trees (6 types):

  • Normal

  • Teak

  • Jatoba

  • Mahogany

  • Yew

  • Camphor

Camphor is a newly introduced tree and is essential for ship upgrades, making this island critical for Sailing progression.

Mining (8 ores):

  • Clay

  • Copper

  • Tin

  • Iron

  • Coal

  • Sandstone

  • Granite

  • Mithril

This mix makes it excellent for both early-game and mid-game accounts.

Hunting:

  • Tropical wagtails

  • Blue crabs

  • Black warlocks

  • Carnivorous chinchompas

  • Orange salamanders

This island dramatically reshapes early Hunter training, offering both orange salamanders and red chinchompas, alongside the new blue crabs with guaranteed catch rates.

Farming:

  • Calquat patch

  • Coral nurseries (underwater farming)

This is the only location where players can grow elkhorn, pillar, and umbral corals, making it mandatory for completionists and Ironmen.

Fishing:

  • Big net

  • Harpoon

  • Lure

  • Bait

Slayer:

  • Gryphons

  • Shellbane Gryphon (Slayer boss)

These monsters drop Belle’s Folly, a new stab weapon, and the Horn of Plenty, which boosts Hunter gains. For optimized setups, see our dedicated OSRS Gryphon Slayer Guide.

Stalls (Ironman-friendly):

  • Hunting

  • Herblore

  • Spear & Shield

  • Fishing

  • Crafting

  • Farming

Port Roberts

Port Roberts earns its S-tier ranking due to its strategic location and unmatched travel utility. It is one of the destinations accessible via the Sailor’s Amulet, and when combined with the Summon Boat spell, it becomes a central hub for nearby content.

A halibut fishing shoal just outside the port adds extra value. Thieving (Major Highlight): Port Roberts introduces non-depleting thieving stalls, a massive quality-of-life upgrade—especially for Ironmen.

  • Steal every 5 ticks (automatic action)

  • Guards patrol the area and can jail you if caught

  • Optimal rotations allow up to 254k Thieving XP per hour

Available Stalls (9 total):

  • Veg (2 Thieving)

  • Silk (20)

  • Fur (35)

  • Fish (42)

  • Silver (50)

  • Spice (65)

  • Gem (75)

  • Ore (82)

  • Cannonball (87)

Charred Island

Unlocked at 60 Sailing, Charred Island becomes exceptional once you build a bank chest (requires magic stone, cupronickel bars, adamantite bars, and ironwood planks).

Surface Features:

  • Rock crabs

  • Red salamanders

  • Seaweed spawns

  • Zamorakian paint chest

Dungeon (Why It’s S-Tier):

This is a full Slayer dungeon containing:

Monsters:

  • Fire giants

  • Baby & adult black dragons

  • Red dragons

  • Hellhounds

  • Lesser demons

  • Nechryaels

  • Skeleton mages

  • Black demons

  • Lava strykewyrms

Mining:

  • Coal

  • Adamantite

  • Runite

  • Future rubium nodes (planned)

Lava strykewyrms can drop dragon metal sheets, making this dungeon extremely valuable at only 60 Sailing.

Deepfin Point

Deepfin Point is arguably the most important utility island added with Sailing. It offers quick access to fishing shoals, merchant shipwrecks, and is the closest bank to a shipwright, making it the best place to upgrade and customize ships.

Teleport access via Sailor’s Amulet further cements its S-tier status.

Mining (Best Nickel Spot in OSRS):

Surface Ores:

  • Copper, Tin, Iron

  • Silver, Lead, Gold

  • Mithril, Nickel

Deepfin Mine:

  • Iron

  • Lead

  • Coal

  • Mithril

  • Adamantite

  • Nickel

  • Runite

Grimstone Island

Unlocked at 87 Sailing, Grimstone is the final unlock and contains the most profitable Sailing money-making method.

Surface:

  • Coal, Adamantite, Runite, Nickel

  • Uncontested runite rocks

  • Dragon keel schematics

  • Fast access to vampyre krakens and Marlin Shoal

Dungeon (Core Value):

  • Fairy ring access

  • Ancient furnace (double cannonball smelting speed)

  • Chilled jellies

  • Frost dragons

Frost dragons are the primary source of dragon metal sheets and dragon nails, both essential for high-tier ships.

A-Tier Islands

These islands are highly useful but more specialized or location-dependent.

  • Drumstick Island – Level 92 rosewood trees (essential for ship upgrades)

  • Chinchompa Island – New, uncontested chinchompa hunting spot

  • Buccaneers’ Haven – Lantern fishing, skilling hubs with bank

  • Ynysdail – Aquanites, runite rocks, herb seed drops

  • Sunbleak Island – Ironwood trees with bank access

  • The Crown Jewel – Rainbow crabs for Armadyl brews

  • Laguna Aurorae – Spirit tree access, Kurask cave, fishing

B-Tier Islands

These islands are situational and generally serve one niche purpose.

  • Dognose Island

  • Vatrachos Island

  • The Onyx Crest

  • Shimmering Atoll

  • Anglers’ Retreat

  • Minotaurs’ Rest

  • Isle of Bones

  • Tear of the Soul

  • Wintumber Island

  • Lledrith Island

  • Rainbow’s End

  • Brittle Isle

Final Thoughts

Sailing has fundamentally changed how players interact with the OSRS world, and these islands are at the heart of that transformation. Prioritizing the right islands early can drastically improve your skilling efficiency, Slayer progression, and long-term profitability—especially for OSRS Ironman accounts.

For a deeper breakdown of profit methods tied to these locations, be sure to check out our OSRS Sailing Money Making Guide.

RSorder Team