Intermediate map

Spice Islands

Info

Spice Islands is an Intermediate map set in a tropical archipelago, with a blue bloon path winding across open sea. It is one of the 21 original maps that shipped with Bloons TD 6 at launch. Like every Intermediate map, it unlocks once you have won games on five different maps.

Layout and path. Spice Islands has a single lane with one entrance and one exit, about 27 red bloon seconds (RBS) long. The path snakes across the water between the islands, so there are plenty of spots that see long stretches of it.

Land and water. This is the defining feature of the map. Land towers can only be placed on five tiny islands: the first and last are round, the second is triangular, the middle one is shaped like an upside-down pear, and the fourth is bean-shaped. Everything else is water, so Monkey Subs, Buccaneers, Mermonkeys and Admiral Brickell have more room here than on almost any other map.

Removable object and line of sight. The fourth island holds four coconut trees. They block line of sight, which is a real problem for long-range towers such as Sniper Monkeys and subs with Advanced Intel. All four can be cleared together for $1,000, which also frees up land on that island.

Terraforming. An Ice Monkey with Arctic Wind (x-3-x or higher) can freeze water into placeable land. This lets you place land towers in the sea, though towers that teleport themselves, such as Dark Knight, Dark Champion and Corvus, cannot move onto frozen water.

Achievement. Beating Spice Islands on Alternate Bloons Rounds using only land towers earns the "So Spiiicey Ninja Kiwi" achievement.

Compared to similar maps. Most maps are mostly land with a few ponds. Spice Islands flips that around. It is the best map in the game for water-tower strategies such as Destroyer spam, Pirate Lord, Sub Commander or Merchantman farming, while land strategies still work thanks to the five islands.

How to beat Spice Islands

Map overview for strategy

Spice Islands is a water map with a few small islands. There is one lane of average length, and almost every spot next to it is water. That makes it one of the best maps in the game for subs and boats, while land towers are limited to five tiny islands.

What shapes your setup:

Water towers are the default. Subs, Buccaneers and Mermonkeys can be placed almost anywhere. Classic strategies include Admiral Brickell with Destroyer spam, a Pirate Lord, Sub Commander spam, and Merchantmen with a Trade Empire in modes that allow income.
Land is precious. Use the islands for towers that have no water alternative, such as an Alchemist, a Monkey Village or a Ninja.
Clear the coconut trees if you rely on vision. They block line of sight for Snipers and subs with Advanced Intel. Removing all four costs $1,000.
Arctic Wind can make land. It freezes water into placeable ground, which is useful for land-tower strategies or for placing a Central Market next to Merchantmen.

Best towers

Monkey Buccaneer 3-0-2 (Destroyer). Fast, cheap popping power with camo detection from Crow's Nest. Destroyer spam with Brickell is a classic strategy here.
Monkey Buccaneer 2-5-0 (Pirate Lord). On this map it can fire in every lateral direction and hit the path well, while its hooks pull down MOAB-class bloons.
Monkey Sub 2-0-4 (First Strike Capability) and 2-5-0 (Sub Commander). Sub Commander buffs every sub around it, and a group of 2-3-0 or 2-0-4 subs around it is a strong late game.
Mermonkey. Plenty of water means plenty of spots for it.
Alchemist 4-2-0 on an island to buff your boats or subs.
Monkey Village 2-2-0 on an island, with Radar Scanner for camo support.
Glue Gunner 2-0-3 (MOAB Glue) on an island near the path.

Best heroes

Admiral Brickell. The obvious pick. Her abilities boost water towers and there is water everywhere for her mines and buffs.
Obyn Greenfoot. Works with Mermonkeys, Ninjas and Alchemists.
Sauda. Strong early from an island next to a tight section of path.
Quincy. A cheap start if you want to save for boats.

Easy and Medium

Start with a sub or a Buccaneer near the start of the path, then your hero. Destroyers handle most of the early and mid game, and Crow's Nest (x-x-2) gives them camo detection for round 24. Add a sub with Heat-tipped Darts for round 28 and a Ballistic Missile sub for round 40. On Medium, add a Monkey Pirates boat (2-4-0) for the BFB on round 60.

Hard

A sub or Buccaneer from round 3, then Admiral Brickell.
Destroyers with Crow's Nest for camo by round 24, Heat-tipped Darts for round 28.
A sub at 2-0-3 for round 40.
More Destroyers, an Alchemist on an island and Shattering Shells or Monkey Pirates by round 63.
A Pirate Lord or two First Strike subs and MOAB Glue for the ZOMG on round 80.

CHIMPS

CHIMPS starts on round 6 with $650. Admiral Brickell costs more than your starting cash, so open with water towers and add her shortly after. A realistic plan:

Round 6: A Monkey Sub or Buccaneer near the start of the path, plus a Dart Monkey on the first island if you have money left.
Rounds 7–15: Admiral Brickell in the water near the middle of the path. A second Buccaneer.
Rounds 16–23: Upgrade a Buccaneer to 3-0-2 (Destroyer with Crow's Nest) for camo on round 24.
By round 27: a sub with Heat-tipped Darts (2-0-2) for the leads on round 28.
Rounds 30–39: The sub to 2-0-3 for round 40. A second Destroyer.
Rounds 40–62: An Alchemist 4-2-0 on an island next to your Destroyers, a Monkey Pirates boat (2-4-0) before round 60, and a Glue Gunner 2-0-3 on an island. A Mortar 0-2-4 or more Destroyers for round 63.
Rounds 63–80: Subs toward 2-0-4 and a Village 2-2-0 on an island. Have enough MOAB damage for round 80.
Rounds 81–100: A Pirate Lord (2-5-0) or a Sub Commander with First Strike subs around it, plus more MOAB Glue. Keep camo coverage for round 95.

Impoppable

Same plan, higher prices and one life. Merchantmen are excellent farms here because of all the water, and a Trade Empire later boosts every Merchantman on the map.

Other modes

Military Only: this map is practically built for it. Boats and subs carry everything.
Primary Only: harder, because primary towers are land towers and the islands are small. The Ice Monkey is a primary tower, though, so Arctic Wind can freeze water into extra land.
Alternate Bloons Rounds with land towers only: this earns the "So Spiiicey Ninja Kiwi" achievement. Clear the coconut trees and plan the islands carefully.

Dangerous rounds on this map

Round 24 (camo green): water towers do not see camo by default. Crow's Nest on a Buccaneer or a Radar Scanner Village fixes it.
Round 28 (leads): Buccaneer darts cannot pop leads. Heat-tipped Darts on a sub or a Mortar covers them.
Round 40 (first MOAB): a Ballistic Missile sub or a Monkey Pirates boat handles it.
Round 63 (75 leads, 122 ceramics): Destroyers alone struggle with leads, so make sure lead popping is in place.
Rounds 76 and 78: regrow ceramics, then a mixed rush with camo ceramics.
Round 95: camo leads and DDTs. Destroyer-heavy setups need lead and camo support plus real MOAB damage.
Rounds 98 to 100: fortified BFBs, ZOMGs, fortified DDTs and the BAD. Pirate Lord hooks cannot take the BAD, so pair them with First Strike subs.

For a full walkthrough, see our videos on the BTD6 Master YouTube channel.

Frequently asked questions

Where can you place land towers on Spice Islands?

Only on the five small islands, unless you freeze water into land with an Ice Monkey's Arctic Wind.

How much does it cost to remove the coconut trees on Spice Islands?

$1,000 for all four. They block line of sight, especially for Snipers and Advanced Intel subs.

What is the best hero for Spice Islands?

Admiral Brickell. The map is almost all water, so her buffs and mines have the most value here.

How do you beat Spice Islands on CHIMPS?

Open with subs and Buccaneers, add Brickell, use Destroyers with Crow's Nest for camo and Heat-tipped subs for leads, then build Monkey Pirates, First Strike subs and a Pirate Lord for the MOAB rounds.