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Forest Haven & Forbidden Woods

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Welcome back, hero! After wrapping up Dragon Roost Cavern, it’s time to set sail for Forest Haven. Point your sail southward (or use that nifty Swift Sail if you grabbed it in Wind Waker HD) and cruise across the Great Sea. When you arrive, you’ll see a giant tree-covered island with a waterfall – that’s Forest Haven. Park the King of Red Lions by the small shore. (If you see the red mailbox dancing around, check it – there might be a free Heart Piece from a grateful mom if you helped her son earlier!) Now gear up and head inland.

ChuChu cleanup on the Deku Tree! – As you wade into Forest Haven’s lagoon, pesky Octoroks spit rocks at you from the water. Simply hold up your shield to bounce their shots back at them. Use your Grappling Hook to swing across a gap via a branch, and you’ll enter a serene inner grove. In the center stands the enormous Great Deku Tree, but uh-oh – he’s covered in gooey ChuChu blobs! To help this big guy out, roll into his trunk (run forward and press A) to shake off all the Green and Red ChuChus clinging to his face. Once they plop to the ground, slice and dice those jellies (red ones go down in one hit; green take two) to clear the room. With the ChuChus gone, the Great Deku Tree will speak (in Hylian no less) and thank you for the assist.

After the introductions, you meet the adorable Koroks – little wood spirits – who live here. They’re in the middle of their annual ceremony, but one Korok named Makar is missing. It turns out Makar fell into the forbidden forest area nearby. The Great Deku Tree asks if you can rescue poor Makar. Of course you can – but to get there, you’ll need a special item. The Deku Tree spits up a shiny green leaf that lands on a branch high above. Time to do some platforming!

Climb the Deku Tree’s roots around back and hop into one of those purple Boko Buds. These act like springy launchers – tilt the control stick toward the next bud to pop up and land into it. Each leap refills some magic power. Work your way from bud to bud, and partway up, use your Grappling Hook on a branch to swing to the next platform. At the very top ledge, you’ll find the prize: the Deku Leaf! This awesome item lets you glide through the air and even blow gusts of wind. Tip: There’s a convenient potion cauldron up here too – if you drop in, it creates a warp pot you can use later.

Before leaving the Haven, consider a quick collectible: behind the Deku Tree, a particularly bright Forest Firefly is fluttering. In the GameCube version, catch it in a bottle – it’s needed to upgrade your Picto Box to color later. In Wind Waker HD, the firefly isn’t required (you’d just get a Joy Pendant for it). With or without the firefly, equip your new Deku Leaf and head to the exit on the upper level.

Outside, you’ll be atop Forest Haven overlooking the sea. You can actually see the Forbidden Woods island from here – a big tree stump-looking isle covered in thorny vines. Time to put the Deku Leaf to use! First, play the Wind’s Requiem with your Wind Waker and set the wind blowing in the direction of the Forbidden Woods (west/northwest). There’s a updraft swirling between the islands; jump and glide with your leaf, and the updraft will lift you high, letting you float the rest of the way. Steer toward the forested stump and gently land at the entrance. (If pesky flying Peahats start buzzing you, use a Deku Leaf blast (press B while holding the leaf) to stun or push them away). Once you’re on the island, cut down the Boko Babas if they attack, and step into the tree trunk entrance of the Forbidden Woods.

Inside the Forbidden Woods dungeon, prepare for a wild, leafy ride. This place is a maze of vine-covered rooms and tricky plant enemies. Early on, you’ll find the path blocked by strange one-eyed vines covering a door. Pick up a Boko Nut (the round bomb-plants) and toss it at the vine plant to dissolve it. Throughout the dungeon you’ll use these nuts to clear evil flora blocking your way. Keep your eyes peeled for chests too – one near the start has the Dungeon Map, and a later room on the second floor holds the Compass. The enemies here include green ChuChus, spiky floating Morths that cling to you (spin attack to shake them off), and big moth creatures called Mothulas. You’ll also encounter Boko Babas (those man-eating plants); defeat them and their stems turn into Boko Buds you can use to fling upward, just like in Forest Haven.

Partway through, you’ll face a mini-boss: a winged Mothula that drops from the ceiling. It’s a giant moth-like monster – try blowing air at it with the Deku Leaf to knock it down, then slash it up, or just dodge its dives and strike. Defeat the mini-boss and a treasure chest appears containing the Boomerang! This is the key item of Forbidden Woods and super handy – it can lock onto up to five targets. Use it to cut through the tangle of vines in your path. From here on, the Boomerang will help you solve puzzles (like hitting multiple switches or severing those pesky vine doors more easily). Progress through the dungeon by using the Boomerang to sever hanging flowers and vines that block doors or hold platforms aloft.

Make your way upward and you’ll eventually find the Big Key needed for the boss door. (It’s guarded by some tough enemies in a room – clear them out and open the big chest). There’s also a warp pot near the boss door that can take you back to the entrance and back, useful if you need a refill on fairies or soup. When you’re ready, unlock the boss door and step inside to save Makar.

Boss: Kalle Demos – Cutting a giant plant down to size. – In the boss room, you see little Makar playing his violin on a stump… but not for long! Suddenly a giant carnivorous plant grabs him and reveals itself as Kalle Demos, the boss of Forbidden Woods. This tentacled plant-beast hangs from the ceiling by many vine tendrils, with a glowing bulb at its base. Time to put that Boomerang to work: target all the holding vines (five at a time) and throw the Boomerang to slice them. Keep moving to avoid the boss’s slam attacks from above. Once you cut enough vines, WHAM! the giant flower crashes to the ground, stunned. Run in and slash the exposed core inside the petals. After a few seconds, back away before the plant closes up and does damage. The monster will then reattach itself to the ceiling with new vines – repeat the process of cutting it down and whacking the core. After a few rounds, the oversized weed will wither for good.

Pro Tip: If you happened to bring Forest Water (from a side quest) and pour it on Kalle Demos, it dies instantly… but that’s an advanced trick for speedrunners. Otherwise, stick to the pruning method!

When Kalle Demos is defeated, Makar is freed from its belly. He’s shaken but okay! Grab the Heart Container left behind (boosting your life by one) and step into the glowing warp portal with Makar. You’ll be transported back outside to Forest Haven, where the relieved Great Deku Tree and all the Koroks await. What follows is a heartfelt scene: Makar apologizes for the trouble, and the Koroks begin their ceremony. Makar plays his violin and the Deku Tree sprouts a flurry of seeds – it’s a joyous moment for the forest folk. As thanks for your bravery, the Great Deku Tree grants you Farore’s Pearl, the sacred green orb of the Goddess. Two pearls down, one to go! The Deku Tree mentions the final pearl is held by Jabun, the water spirit at Greatfish Isle. When you’re ready, hop in your boat and set sail for our next destination.