Bubbly Basin is the underwater town that arrives with Part 1 of the Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass. It launched alongside the free v2.0 update on August 5, 2026, and it hands you a submerged version of what looks like the ruins of Cerulean City to slowly bring back to life. Once you can reach it, the main work comes down to a chain of Important Requests tied to the area’s Environment Level.
Quick answer: Follow Popplio to raise Bubbly Basin to Environment Level 3, rebuild the ruined Pokémon Center, complete the “Build the beautiful building” request, then push the area to Environment Level 5 to finish the core progression.
Before you start Bubbly Basin
Two things need to be in place first. You need the Dive move, and you need to have actually started the DLC. Dive is free for every owner through the v2.0 update, but visiting Bubbly Basin and befriending its new Pokémon requires the paid Expansion Pass.
To learn Dive, complete the “Raise the environment level!” request in Bleak Beach. You will also need the ability to jump and the move Surf. After that, Manaphy appears on a small island off Bleak Beach and teaches you Dive once you bring it five seaweed. Speaking with Popplio back at the Pokémon Center then opens the path down to Bubbly Basin.
The entrance sits in the shallow water directly behind the Bleak Beach Pokémon Center. Dive down at the rock there and interact with the gate to open it.
Reach Environment Level 3 and find the Pokémon Center
Reaching it unlocks the “Rebuild the Pokémon Center” Important Request. While you are here, it is worth setting up a home for yourself too, so you can fast travel back to Bubbly Basin instead of swimming out each time.
Rebuild the Bubbly Basin Pokémon Center
Alongside the “Build the beautiful building” request, this is the point to rebuild the Pokémon Center itself. Buy the rebuilding kit from the PC for 1,000 Life Coins, then gather the materials and the right Pokémon below. Construction finishes the next in-game day.
| Requirement | Amount / detail |
|---|---|
| Star-spotted Rock | 25 |
| Shiny Pearl | 5 |
| Seashell | 10 |
| Sea Glass Fragments | 10 |
| Pokémon assigned | Eight total |
| Required Specialities | One Build, one Bulldoze, one Scrub |
| Build time | Next day |
Of the eight Pokémon you assign, at least one needs the Build Speciality, one the Bulldoze Speciality, and one the Scrub Speciality. The remaining slots can be filled with any Pokémon you have available.
Push Bubbly Basin to Environment Level 5
Once the Pokémon Center is rebuilt and “Build the beautiful building” is done, Professor Tangrowth gives you a ring and opens the “Raise the Environment Level” Important Request. As usual, the target is Environment Level 5 for the area.
The fastest way to get there is quantity. Pack Bubbly Basin with as many Pokémon as you can, because the total headcount lifts the overall Environment Level even when individual Pokémon do not contribute much on their own. Filling out habitats does the heavy lifting here.
You will know each stage is done when the matching Important Request clears and the next one appears in your log, ending with Tangrowth handing over the ring after the rebuild. If a request will not advance, the usual cause is an unmet Environment Level or a missing Speciality Pokémon for the rebuild, so check those first.
After the main requests
Clearing those steps opens up the rest of Bubbly Basin. From here the town is yours to shape, with more of the ocean floor to explore, additional Pokémon to find, and new items scattered across the depths. The long-term goal, as with every Pokopia area, is climbing all the way to Environment Level 10 and turning the basin into a fully built-out underwater town.
