Golden Walnuts Unlocks on Ginger Island – Stardew Valley

by enricofairme · Published December 22, 2020 10:02 PM · Updated September 13, 2024 4:28 PM

Leo and his parrot inside his cozy hut on Ginger Island in Stardew Valley, surrounded by wooden furniture and island-themed decorations.

Golden Walnuts are a vital currency on Ginger Island in Stardew Valley, used to unlock new areas, features, and progress the story with the NPC Leo. If you’re looking to unlock everything Ginger Island has to offer using Golden Walnuts, you’ve come to the right place! Below is a detailed guide on all the Golden Walnut unlocks.

Befriend Leo and Get Hints From His Parrot

After freeing Professor Snail, your next goal on Ginger Island is to befriend Leo. To do this, collect 11 Golden Walnuts. The first Walnut is found on the way to Leo’s hut, which will trigger a cutscene. Once you’ve gathered the remaining 10 Walnuts, return to Leo’s hut to trigger another cutscene, officially befriending him.

Once Leo is your friend, his parrot will begin appearing in various locations around the island, offering helpful hints for finding more Golden Walnuts. Simply approach and interact with the parrot to get clues on how many walnuts are needed to unlock new features.

Additionally if you return to Leo’s Hut you can interact with the parrot there. This parrot will give you one tip per day about the location of Golden Walnuts on the island. This is very useful to narrow down which Golden Walnuts you have remaining to find.

All Ginger Island Golden Walnuts Unlocks

After befriending Leo, you can start unlocking different areas of Ginger Island by spending the Golden Walnuts you’ve collected. Each unlock provides helpful benefits, such as opening new sections of the island, improving travel with shortcuts and fast travel options, and even allowing you to set up a farm on the island.

The sections below detail the different unlocks of the island and what they do for you.

Wake the Turtle to Unlock the West Part of the Island (10 Golden Walnuts)

Unlock a new path on the west side of the island by paying 10 Golden Walnuts to wake the turtle. This path leads to key areas, including the Farm, Birdie’s Hut, a Parrot Express, and the door to the Golden Walnut Room.

Farm Hut and Mailbox (20 + 5 Golden Walnuts)

Unlock the Farm Hut for 20 Golden Walnuts to rest on the island without having to return to Stardew Valley. You can also add a mailbox for 5 additional Walnuts, allowing you to receive mail from the Valley.

Farm Obelisk (20 Golden Walnuts)

The Farm Obelisk, located beside the Farm Hut, allows you to teleport back to your farm, making it a convenient option if you don’t own the Return Scepter. Since it only provides one-way travel, you’ll need to construct the Island Obelisk on your farm to teleport back to Ginger Island.

Parrot Express (10 Golden Walnuts)

The Parrot Express unlocks fast travel around the island. For 10 Golden Walnuts, you can travel to key locations like the Volcano, Dig Site, Jungle, and Docks by stepping onto the platform.

Golden Walnut Room (100 Golden Walnuts)

Collect 100 Golden Walnuts to unlock the Golden Walnut Room, where you’ll meet Mr. Qi and access his shop. This shop offers end-game items like the Key to the Town and Horse Flute.

Island Trader (10 Golden Walnuts)

Unlock the Trading Hut for 10 Golden Walnuts. Here, you can purchase island-specific items like Banana Saplings (can be used for the Banana Shrine) and other valuable goods that aid your farming efforts.

Bridge to Dig Site (10 Golden Walnuts)

Pay 10 Golden Walnuts to repair the bridge to the Dig Site, where you’ll find more Golden Walnuts and free Professor Snail. The Dig Site is also rich in fossils that can be donated for additional rewards.

Volcano Dungeon Entrance Bridge (5 Golden Walnuts)

Tired of using your watering can to cross the lava? Spend 5 Golden Walnuts to build a permanent bridge at the entrance of the Volcano Dungeon.

Volcano Dungeon Floor 5 Escape (5 Golden Walnuts)

On Floor 5 of the Volcano Dungeon, there’s a safe zone with a Dwarf merchant. Pay 5 Golden Walnuts here to unlock an escape hole, letting you quickly exit the dungeon.

Resort (20 Golden Walnuts)

Image showing the Resort on Ginger Island in Stardew Valley, located on the beach north of the dock. — Villagers will visit the resort once you’ve unlocked it.

Unlock the Resort for 20 Golden Walnuts. Located on the northern beach, the Resort attracts Stardew Valley residents to visit Ginger Island in their beach attire, offering new interactions and dialogue.

Unlocking this area also grants access to the southeastern part of the island, where you can fish for Stingrays and encounter pirates (detailed in Journal Scrap #2).

Tips for Finding and Using Golden Walnuts

To collect enough Golden Walnuts for these unlocks, you’ll need to participate in various island activities. Here are some key sources:

Bird-Gem Puzzle: Solve the puzzle in the island’s jungle.
Banana Shrine: Place a banana on the shrine to receive a Golden Walnut.
Fossil Collection: Donate fossils to Professor Snail’s research tent.
Professor Snail’s Questions: Correctly answer questions posed by Professor Snail for additional walnuts.

You’ll need a total of 100 Golden Walnuts to unlock all the features and upgrades on Ginger Island, but with careful exploration and attention to puzzles, you’ll unlock the island’s full potential.

Check out our Stardew Valley guide and walkthrough hub for more helpful guides on the game, including tips on collecting Golden Walnuts and completing island quests.

Thoughts on unlocking everything with Golden Walnuts? Share your experiences in the comments below!