All six Smugglers’ League Hideouts mapped with grid squares, safe entrances, trap routes, and pro tips to get in, cash out, and sail clean—2025 edition.
Smugglers operate where the lantern-light doesn’t reach—and in Season 17 they’ve moved into the Sea of Thieves with six purpose‑built Hideouts tucked into large islands. These sites are where you pick up and turn in Smugglers’ League cargo (rum, paintings, and the dangerously volatile Black Powder Barrel), and they’re rigged with traps to keep nosy pirates at bay. This guide gives you every Hideout location (with map grid squares), the safest approach into each cave, and practical tips for threading their pressure‑plate gauntlets without blowing yourself—or your loot—to bits.
Smugglers’ League 101 (what these Hideouts are for)
- What the League is: A new faction that isn’t a traditional Trading Company—you won’t run an Emissary or build reputation. You take jobs and loot for straight gold and cosmetics/Commendations. Their goods are “the stuff no one else will touch,” notably rum bottles (fragile), paintings (sturdy, water‑safe), and Black Powder Barrels (explosive).
- Two ways you’ll use Hideouts:
- Smugglers’ Runs (from Messages in Bottles and world events): pick up at one Hideout, deliver to another. Inspect each item to learn who it’s addressed to (e.g., “Deliver to Wei‑Lin”). You can sell any qualifying loot at any Hideout, but addressed consignments have a specific destination.
- Smugglers’ Route Runs (Quest Table, High Seas only): the “golden route” that’s visible to all crews as a dashed line on your ship’s map. The pick‑up island and drop‑off island are the same for everyone until the Route rotates each Season, making this corridor a PvP hot‑zone.
- Emergent sources of loot: Smuggler cargo can also turn up in special caches, shipwrecks, and even on Skeleton Ships—worth sinking if you’re shopping for contraband.
- Why care about Commendations: Season 17 adds Smugglers‑themed ship/clothing trinkets and the cheeky Black Powder Barrel Disguise, unlockable via League Commendations and then purchased at Outposts.
All Six Smugglers’ League Hideouts (by region)
Format: Island – grid square – Smuggler NPC – where to find the cave – “how to get in” notes.
Shores of Plenty (2 Hideouts)
- Smugglers’ Bay (F‑3) – Sea‑Cloak Solomon
Cave location: The big cliff‑face cave set into the inside of the bay. Sail through the rock gate and anchor in the lagoon, then head north to the central cave mouth. Inside path: Go straight to the back chamber. Traps: Wooden pressure plates near the entrance will trigger the cave’s defenses—step wide or hop clean over them. - Crescent Isle (B‑9) – Low‑Tide Lottie
Cave location: Enter the main central cavern and follow the wooden bridge south to a hidden storage chamber. Lottie stands below scaffolding in the south chamber. Traps: Pressure‑plate triggers near the chamber door—walk the stone edges, not the wooden slats.
Ancient Isles (2 Hideouts)
- Plunder Valley (G‑16) – Wily Wei‑Lin
Cave location: The southern cave. Two approaches: Canyon Pass entrance, or the south‑hill opening. Traps: Plate triggers sit just inside both entrances—send a scout through first before carrying fragile cargo. - Crook’s Hollow (M‑16) – Starbright Ix
Cave location: The northern cave chamber near the Endless Lizard painting. Most direct is the west‑dock cave entrance. Traps: Plate triggers around the entrances—hug the wall or fully clear each plank.
The Wilds (2 Hideouts)
- Old Faithful Isle (M‑4) – Bloodwake Kidir
Cave location: The large southern cave reached via the south beach. Walk through the old shipwreck hull to enter Kidir’s cavern. Traps: Plate triggers just inside—watch your footwork before you carry anything delicate or explosive. - The Crooked Masts (O‑11) – Little Lord Leander
Cave location: On the south side of the island with east and west cave mouths spiraling inward. Traps: Plate triggers at each entrance—clear one side and use that route for ferrying cargo.
Notes on coordinates: These grid squares match the official community documentation and long‑standing island references (e.g., Crescent Isle B‑9, Crook’s Hollow M‑16, Plunder Valley G‑16, Old Faithful M‑4, Crooked Masts O‑11, Smugglers’ Bay F‑3).
Trap 101: How to walk a booby‑trapped cave (with cargo)
Every Hideout uses pressure plates—small, rectangular wooden slats set into sand or stone—near the entrance or at choke points. Step on one and you’ll trigger hazards designed to smash rum and punish the careless. Use this checklist:
- Scout first, carry later. Leave cargo at the cave mouth, take a quick dry run to spot plates and reset any traps. (Plates are placed just inside the entry on all six Hideouts.)
- Hug stone, avoid wood. Plates blend into floor textures, but wood-on-stone rectangles and slightly raised slats give them away. Walk the outer edges of bends and squeeze past posts rather than center‑line them.
- Mind your movement. Don’t sword‑lunge while carrying fragile cargo; avoid jump‑spam with rum crates (they can crack), and don’t juke across the plate pattern with a Black Powder Barrel—that’s how legends become fireworks. (Rare calls out rum as delicate and barrels as explosively risky.)
- One‑at‑a‑time ferrying. Clear the path and then shuttle cargo one piece at a time along the same safe footfalls.
- If something lights a fuse: Barrels and embedded explosives can be doused with water to extinguish lit fuses (sea dip or bucket)—do it fast, then let the area settle before proceeding. (Applies explicitly to Black Powder Darts and functionally to barrels.)
Common pattern: At most Hideouts the first few plates are right at the door, so the safest tactic is to creep in at the wall, then swing wide around the first curve before stepping into the main chamber.
How to get in (and back out) of each Hideout quickly
Below are fast, repeatable routes—chosen to minimize your time in the “trap zone” and your exposure to other crews. All of these start with drop sails early, coast in, and anchor quietly.
- Smugglers’ Bay (F‑3, Solomon) – Enter the bay from the south, anchor in the lagoon, and run north to the central cave. Step around the first plate cluster and go straight to Solomon at the back. Exit the same way; don’t shortcut over the inner sandbar on your way back (easy to clip plates when you’re tired).
- Crescent Isle (B‑9, Lottie) – Park on the east beach; the main cave mouth is hard to miss. Cross the central bridge, then pivot south into the storage chamber. The plate band is right before the chamber—walk the left‑hand rock lip.
- Plunder Valley (G‑16, Wei‑Lin) – Favor the south‑hill entrance if the island’s busy—fewer lines of sight from the main trail. After the first bend there’s open floor to Wei‑Lin’s platform. On the way out, pause a beat at the bend to ensure no plates are still cooling down.
- Crook’s Hollow (M‑16, Ix) – Approach the west dock and use the west cave—shortest walk to Ix’s northern chamber (landmark: Endless Lizard painting). The plate run is short but tight; move single file.
- Old Faithful (M‑4, Kidir) – South beach landfall, through the shipwreck hull. The plates sit inside the hull threshold—sidestep them and you’re basically there. On return, don’t sprint out through the hull; edge out, then run.
- The Crooked Masts (O‑11, Leander) – Choose one entrance (east or west), safely clear it once, then only use that same side to ferry items. Switching sides mid‑run is how crews hit a fresh plate by accident.
The Smugglers’ Route (dashed gold line): reading and using the highway
- The dashed gold line on your ship’s map marks the Smugglers’ Route—it always connects two large islands (Hideouts), is visible to everyone, and stays fixed for the whole Season before rotating. You’ll get a Voyage card with the island silhouette + coordinates + the Smuggler’s name to pinpoint your two Hideouts.
- This is a high‑risk corridor—crews and even Skeleton Ships patrol it for easy ambushes and salvage. Sail smart: ride wind off‑route and cut in late, or use islands as LOS breaks before dashing the final approach to the cave.
Route‑run survival tips
- Pre‑stage the drop. Scout the cave empty‑handed and clear plates; then bring the cargo.
- Crew roles: Helms stays in a holding pattern offshore; a runner does the hand‑in; a lookout scans the horizon.
- If hunted: Don’t drag pursuers straight to the Hideout. Break route, circle wide, and re‑enter when clear.
Cargo care: how fragile is fragile?
- Rum Crates: Fragile. Avoid big falls and wild jumps; take ladders and gentle slopes. (Rare explicitly warns rum is delicate.)
- Paintings: Surprisingly hardy and okay with a dunk. If you must bail into water to avoid a fight or fuse, the canvas will be fine.
- Black Powder Barrel: Treat like an angry volcano. Enough damage will ignite it; if the fuse lights, bucket water or submerge fast. Black Powder‑type explosives in Season 17 also interact with water like barrels and can be extinguished. (Dart behavior is explicitly documented; practical barrel handling is analogous.)
- Value & toughness: Black Powder Barrels are heavier duty than classic kegs (longer fuse, bigger blast, more damage needed before detonation), but they’re still a “you drop it, you own it” risk in trap corridors.
Extra finds inside Hideouts (don’t miss these)
Each Hideout contains a journal for the “Smugglers’ Secret Scrawlings” Commendation. If you’re not being chased, take 20 seconds to grab the entry before you leave.
Frequently asked “why am I dead again?” questions
“Do I need a key to enter a Hideout?”
No keys, no rituals—all six caves are open. The only barrier is the trap plates near the entrances.
“Can I sell any contraband at any Hideout?”
Yes for general Smugglers’ loot, but items from a Smugglers’ Run are often addressed to a specific Smuggler. Inspect the item; if it names, say, Kidir, you must deliver at Old Faithful for full credit.
“How do I know which two islands the Route Run uses today?”
Always visible as the gold dashed line on your map; it’s the same for all crews and shifts each Season, not daily.
“Why do I keep getting jumped right outside the cave?”
Because other crews know the Route Run end‑points never change mid‑Season. Sail off‑route, approach behind island cover, and don’t park your ship directly in front of the cave—that’s a beacon for opportunists.
Rapid reference (copy this to your notes)
- Shores of Plenty
- Smugglers’ Bay (F‑3) – Solomon – central bay cave; plates at entry.
- Crescent Isle (B‑9) – Lottie – south storage chamber off the main cavern; plate band at door.
- Ancient Isles
- Plunder Valley (G‑16) – Wei‑Lin – south cave; plates at both entrances.
- Crook’s Hollow (M‑16) – Ix – north chamber near Endless Lizard; west cave is most direct.
- The Wilds
- Old Faithful (M‑4) – Kidir – south beach → shipwreck hull → cave; plate cluster inside.
- Crooked Masts (O‑11) – Leander – south‑side caves; pick one entrance and stick to it.
Final tips from veteran runners
- Plan two exits. Your safest exit isn’t always the way you came in—if a brig parks on your beach, slip out the opposite shore and row.
- Hide your hand‑in. Keep the helm turning offshore while the runner does the trade; a still ship screams “we’re selling.”
- Use Season timing. Route Runs are busiest just after a Season update and during Community Weekends—run standard Smuggler jobs or non‑Route sales if the corridor is stacked.
With these routes, plate‑dance habits, and a little stealth, you’ll be in and out of every Hideout fast enough to make the Smugglers smile (which, by the way, they almost never do). Happy running.
