Before Cataclysm, every World of Warcraft expansion meant a whole new continent for players to explore. This time around, the entirety of Azeroth has been rebuilt, but one thing remains constant—unlocking new zones requires new questlines and upgrades.

The new zones include some of PVP zones and several new dungeons found in old Azeroth, as well as new areas located beneath Earth’s crust and deep in the ocean. Characters can visit some of these new locations before reaching the optimal level and unlocking quests.

But you should be aware that you won’t be at the highest level at this point. If you plan on farming WOW Cataclysm Classic Gold or grinding in high-level areas, be careful.

Bulletin Board

Bulletin Board is a new item added to Stormwind and Orgrimmar capitals, and is an easy way to start exploring new areas. You need to go to Bulletin Board and select the zone you want to go to. You will be given a quest, and following it will take you to NPCs for that quest.

The first time you go to a new zone, that’s when you can thoroughly explore the story of that zone, or even the entire zone. You will complete a certain number of tasks in each zone to get certain achievements, but not every zone will be easy.

Mount Hyjal

• How To Unlock: Quest “Hero’s Call: Warchief’s Command: Clear Mount Hyjal!” and Be level 80 or higher
• Faction: Watchmen of Hyjal
• New Feature: Blackrock Cave

When you reach level 80 and first visit the new bulletin board in your home city, you will be given the choice of two new zones to explore - Mount Hyjal or Vashj’ir. For those who play as casters, Guardians of Hyjal Provisioners have many Arcanums of Hyjal and important items, so Mount Hyjal is the first choice.

Your journey will start in Moonglade and continue to Mount Hyjal, where Archimonde tried to destroy World Tree. You will meet a group along the way who can befriend them and help you at some point in the later stages.

The quest chain in this zone contains many ancient legends, some of which can even be traced back to the earliest stories of Azeroth.

Vashj’ir

• How To Unlock: Quest “Hero’s Call / Warchief’s Command: Vasj’ir!” and Be level 80 or higher
• Faction: Earthen Ring
• New Feature: Throne of Tides

Whether you like Cataclysm’s “underwater level” or not, it’s undeniably a great place to start grinding your way to level 85. Not only do you gain experience points, you also gain professions. You can take down a variety of humanoid enemies in this zone, which will reward you with very rare Embersilk, some herbs, and even a lot of fish to cook!

The lord of water Neptulon is now threatening the inhabitants of the deep and their allies, and you, as a righteous warrior, must stop him. Your first trip to this zone will be a very dramatic story involving a shipwreck, and your task throughout the process is to help other survivors.

Deepholm

• How To Unlock: Quest “Hero’s Call / Warchief’s Command: Deepholm!” and Be level 83
• Faction: Earthen Ring, Therazane
• New Feature: Stonecore

You need to start this zone’s quest chain with “A Personal Summons”, which involves a very dramatic conversation with the former Warchief of Horde Thrall - he uses his Shamanic powers and the elements to chat with you.

After completing this quest, you will unlock a portal that leads directly to Temple of Earth in Deepholm. Unlike other areas, there is no open sky or flight path to fly here, so you have to walk.

Deepholm is roughly circular, and walking through it and starting from the east side and walking clockwise will end in Throne of Therazane in the north.

Uldum

• How To Unlock: Quest “Hero’s Call / Warchief’s Command: Uldum!” and Be level 83 or higher
• Faction: Uldum Accord
• New Feature: Lost City of Tol’vir, Halls of Origination, and Vortex Pinnacle

For Horde members, their immediate point of contact is Belloc Brightblade, a Blood Elf in Warchief’s Hold in Orgrimmar. Alliance players can speak with Harrison Jones in Stormwind Keep. Your main task is to escort a caravan through a treacherous desert with some giant insects and ancient ghosts to contend with.

Of course, the journey goes wrong, and the entire caravan is captured and held captive in a section of Lost City of Tol’vir. Harrison Jones will also meet players here, and following his questline is a fun way to explore the area regardless of their faction.

Unsurprisingly, this journey is definitely going to go wrong. The entire caravan will be captured and held in a small area in Lost City of Tol’Vir, where you can meet Harrison Jones and talk to him. No matter what their faction is, just follow them. It will be very interesting.

Twilight Highlands

• How To Unlock: Be level 84 and go to Bulletin Board or follow quests from other areas
• Faction: Dragonmaw Orcs, Wilidhammer Dwarves, and Red Dragonflight
• New Feature: Grim Batol and Bastion of Twilight

As you pursue Twilight’s Hammer, you’ll eventually travel through a number of areas to find where they live. The introductory quest for Twilight Highlands actually starts in your Faction’s home city and slowly expands throughout the region.

Cultists have now infiltrated various parts of town, and you’ll have to search some dark alleys and find some laborers inside to stop them. Once you’re ready to do this, you’ll need to travel to the east coast of Eastern Kingdoms, where Twilight Highlands is located.

Note that Alliance players will land on the island from Highbank, while Horde players will start by protecting Dragonmaw Port.

Tol Barad

• How To Unlock: Be level 80-85
• Faction: Baradin’s Wardens
• New Feature: Baradin Hold

Island of Tol Barad is created and organized similarly to Winterspring. Any player level 80 and above can enter this new area through a portal in Stormwind or Orgrimmar. Baradin Hold is a raid inside this area, currently only available to the faction that owns the area.

This raid can be accessed through the portal just mentioned, and is in the same location as the other raids in the newly opened area. Baradin’s Wardens of an unknown faction who are in charge of the fortress will provide two epic mounts after you reach Exalted, so don’t ignore this raid just because it is behind a PVP wall.

Now that you know all about the new zones, are you more interested in exploring them? We look forward to seeing you again in Azeroth!