There is a whole host of adorable animal characters inCoral Island,some more talkative than others. While most of the talking animal NPCs in Coral Island show up in the ocean, there are a few talking animals for you to discover in the overworld.

One such NPC is Pandazen, a giant panda whose pastimes enjoy strolling through the delicious bamboo forest and playing the flute like a boss. Pandazen hangs out in the Panda Sanctuary, an area to the north of the map accessible from the Hot Springs and School House and unlocked by completing Lake Temple Offerings.

Pandazen playing his flute in Coral Island.

What Is The Panda Sanctuary?

ThePanda Sanctuary(otherwise known as theBamboo Forest) is an area on the north side of Coral Island. This area houses a beautiful pagoda and alush bamboo forest.

Themost notable attributeof the Panda Sanctuary is that it’s home to the adorable and mysteriousPandazen. While Pandazendoesn’t speakin any language understandable by humans (yet), he seems to be a placeholder for content in later patches. Currently, Pandazen wanders the Bamboo Forestplaying his fluteand looking extra cuddly.

Coral Island: An image of the player character standing in the Lake Temple

Pandazen can be spoken to, but youwon’t be able to understandwhat he’s sayingto you. It’s possible that this will change as more patches are added, and more content is fleshed out.

The most useful function of the Panda Sanctuary is as an area forcollecting forageablesandinsects. you’re able to findBamboo Shoots, fireflies, and other bugsin the Panda Sanctuary. Bamboo Shoots are a forageable item that isonly found in the Panda Sanctuaryor rightoutside ofthe entrance, by theBath House.

There areno recipes that require Bamboo Shoots,but you can put them into aMason Jarto makepickled Bamboo Shoots.

Bamboo Shoots willrarely spawn outside of the Panda Sanctuary,so thebest wayto collect them is byunlocking the Panda Sanctuary.

Additionally, you may use the overlook in the Panda Sanctuary to look out over the as-of-yet unavailableSavannah area.

How To Unlock The Panda Sanctuary

To unlock access to the Panda Sanctuary and Bamboo Forest, you need tocomplete a total of ten bundles at the Lake Temple.Once you have offered ten bundles -from any altar set- to the Flower Goddess, the Panda Sanctuary willunlock on the following night. You’ll get a cut scene showing the passage opening up for you on the night that you complete your tenth bundle.

Completing ten bundles doesn’t just unlock the Panda Sanctuary. Bringing any ten bundles to the Lake Temple willalso unlock the fast travel point outside of the Panda Sanctuary and Hot Spring. This fast travel point is themost effectiveway to get to theHot Spring, Ben’s Caravan,and theObservatory.

The Panda Sanctuary alsoconnectstheMountainsideto theForestand, when unlocked, can serve as ashortcutbetween the two northernmost regions of Coral Island’s map.