In Pokémon Pokopia, Ditto starts out as a pretty poor swimmer. Leave it in water too long and it will be warped back to shore before you know it. However, with so much of the map covered in water, particularly in Bleak Beach, getting around without the ability to swim becomes a real obstacle fairly quickly. The good news is that swimming is very much available in the game, and unlocking it comes down to befriending the right Pokémon. Here is everything you need to know about how to unlock and use Surf in Pokémon Pokopia.
Can You Swim in Pokémon Pokopia?
Yes, Ditto can swim in Pokémon Pokopia by learning the Surf move. Surf transforms Ditto into Lapras, allowing it to cross bodies of water freely. However, the move is not available from the start and needs to be unlocked by completing a specific request in Bleak Beach.
| Detail | Information |
| Move | Surf |
| Transforms Ditto Into | Lapras |
| Region | Bleak Beach |
| Unlocked Via | Completing Lapras’s request after building the Tropical Seaside habitat |
| Prerequisite | Start the “Brighten Things Up!” Important Request in Bleak Beach |
| Button to Activate | B (near water) |
| Button to Deactivate | B (while in water) |
How to Unlock Surf in Pokémon Pokopia
To unlock Surf, you need to reach Bleak Beach, attract Lapras by building a Tropical Seaside habitat, and then complete Lapras’s request. Here is a full step-by-step breakdown.
Step 1: Reach Bleak Beach
Bleak Beach becomes accessible after you complete the first Important Request in Withered Wasteland, which involves finishing the “Yawn Up a Storm!” quest. Once that is done, head to the right side of Withered Wasteland and pass through the gate to enter Bleak Beach.
Once you are in Bleak Beach, progress until you begin the “Brighten Things Up!” Important Request. During this request, Piplup will give you a side request called “Let’s Swim Together!”, which is what sets the Surf unlock in motion. Keep an eye on Piplup’s speech bubble and speak to it when the yellow prompt appears, as this is what triggers the habitat hint for the Tropical Seaside.
Step 2: Build the Tropical Seaside Habitat
To attract Lapras, you need to build a Tropical Seaside habitat in Bleak Beach. The habitat requires the following items placed near the ocean:
| Item Required | Quantity |
| Large Palm Tree | 1 |
| Hedge (any type) | 4 |
| Ocean Water | 2 |
A good spot for this habitat is near the palm tree just west of where Smearguru paints on the beach, as there is enough space for the hedges and it sits close to the ocean. If you need hedges, using Rototiller to pull up existing hedges from around Bleak Beach is much faster than growing them from scratch.
Once you have placed all the required items correctly, the game will confirm that the habitat is complete.
Step 3: Wait for Lapras to Appear
After building the habitat, it is time to wait for Lapras to arrive. It typically takes around three to five minutes for Lapras to appear. However, it is worth placing a Security Camera pointed at the habitat beforehand so you receive a notification the moment Lapras shows up, rather than having to keep checking back manually.
Step 4: Complete Lapras’s Request
Once Lapras appears and settles into its new habitat, it will give you a request. To complete it, you need to wash away 80 squares of mud in the surrounding area using Water Gun. After doing so, Lapras will teach you the Surf move as a reward.
Step 5: Use Surf
With Surf now unlocked, you can press B whenever Ditto is near water to transform into Lapras and swim freely. Use the Left Thumbstick to move through the water. Ditto will revert back to its human form automatically upon reaching land. However, if you press B again while still in the water, the transformation will end early, which may cause Ditto to start sinking depending on the water depth.
How to Use Surf: Quick Recap
| Action | Button |
| Transform into Lapras (Surf) | Press B near water |
| Swim | Left Thumbstick |
| Revert to Ditto manually | Press B while in water |
| Auto-revert | Happens automatically on land |
Key Takeaways
- Ditto cannot swim by default in Pokémon Pokopia and will be warped back to shore if it stays in water too long
- You unlock swimming by learning Surf, which transforms Ditto into Lapras
- Surf becomes available in Bleak Beach after completing the “Yawn Up a Storm!” Important Request in Withered Wasteland
- To attract Lapras, build a Tropical Seaside habitat using 1 Large Palm Tree, 4 Hedges, and 2 Ocean Water near the ocean in Bleak Beach
- The habitat hint unlocks after speaking to Piplup during the “Brighten Things Up!” Important Request
- Once Lapras arrives, complete its request by washing away 80 squares of mud to earn the Surf move
- Press B near water to activate Surf, and B again to deactivate it while in water
- Surf is also a key step toward unlocking the Waterfall transformation later in the game
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