Forza Horizon 5 Biomes: All 11 Mexico Biomes Explained
Forza Horizon 5’s Mexico is split into 11 distinct biomes, the most varied map Playground Games had ever shipped when the game launched in 2021. With Forza Horizon 6 launching on May 19, 2026 and shifting the series to Japan, this page is a definitive reference for what each FH5 biome actually contains, sourced from the official forza.net biome breakdown and Xbox Wire’s mirrored deep-dive.
Key Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Total biomes | 11 |
| Setting | Mexico |
| Map size vs FH4 | Approximately 1.5× the size of Forza Horizon 4’s map |
| Snow location | Gran Caldera volcano only |
| Launch year | 2021 |
How many biomes are in Forza Horizon 5?
Forza Horizon 5 ships with 11 unique biomes spread across its Mexico map. Forza.net’s official biome and seasons article states the team “broken down Forza Horizon 5’s Mexico into 11 distinct and unique biomes, each of which was painstakingly researched and recreated.”
The map itself is “about one-and-a-half times the size of Forza Horizon 4’s,” making it the largest Forza Horizon map at the time of release and the most biome-diverse the series had attempted. Each biome reacts differently to FH5’s four seasons — “each of the 11 unique biomes will transition through the seasons differently.”
Quick reference list of all 11 official biomes:
- Living Desert
- Sand Desert (sand dunes / Dunas Blancas)
- Rocky Coast
- Tropical Coast
- Jungle (sometimes called Tropical Jungle in community guides)
- Mangrove Swamp
- Arid Hills
- Canyon
- Farmland
- Urban City of Guanajuato
- Gran Caldera Volcano
(unconfirmed) Note on “Mining Quarry”: the user-supplied biome list included a “Mining Quarry,” but no entry by that name appears in the official forza.net or Xbox Wire 11-biome breakdown. It is most likely a landmark or sub-area inside the Arid Hills or Canyon biome rather than a standalone biome.
All 11 FH5 Biomes at a Glance
| # | Biome | Standout Feature | Seasonal Twist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Living Desert | Cactus desert with saguaros, rock piles and wildlife (series first) | Flowers bloom in Storm season |
| 2 | Sand Desert | Towering dunes — buggy / off-road playground | Sandstorms in Hot season |
| 3 | Rocky Coast | Treeless ocean cliffs and a drivable golf course | Best sunsets year-round |
| 4 | Tropical Coast | Palm trees, white-sand beaches | Storm season floods coastal roads |
| 5 | Jungle | Dense canopy, waterfalls, hidden temples | Visibility drops in Wet season |
| 6 | Mangrove Swamp | Shallow water racing, smashable mangrove roots (series first) | Water level rises in Wet season |
| 7 | Arid Hills | Dry grassland with rolling open terrain | A lake fully dries up in Dry season, opening shortcuts |
| 8 | Canyon | Striated rocks and hoodoos; loudest echo in the game | Lighting shifts dramatically through the day |
| 9 | Farmland | Fields, fences and homesteads | Greener in Wet season |
| 10 | Urban City of Guanajuato | Tight colourful streets, hill climbs, tunnels | Festival lighting changes seasonally |
| 11 | Gran Caldera Volcano | Highest point on the map; series-first volcano | Only biome where snow falls |
All biome descriptions are sourced directly from forza.net’s official article or Xbox Wire’s mirrored version.
Living Desert, Sand Desert and Gran Caldera (the Western Half)
The western half of FH5’s map is dominated by three of the most distinctive biomes Playground has ever built.
Living Desert. Forza.net describes it as “a cactus desert that’s full of towering saguaros. There are also a number of rock formations and rock piles, but unlike a lot of deserts, this one is teeming with life with plenty of flowers and wildlife.” It’s a first for the Horizon series — every previous desert in the franchise was sand-only.
Sand Desert (Dunas Blancas). The classic dune-bashing biome: “Full of towering sand dunes, this biome is perfect for cruising around in a buggy.” Community guides often refer to it as Dunas Blancas (“white dunes”) and treat it as the high-speed off-road counterpart to the Living Desert next door.
Gran Caldera Volcano. The single most iconic FH5 location. Forza.net frames it as “another first for the series” — “this massive mountain is situated right next to the Living Desert. It’s a very high-altitude volcano, so driving to the top is a unique experience that rewards players by seeing way off into the horizon.” GTPlanet’s coverage adds it is the “largest geological feature” the series has built. The volcano is also the only spot on the map where snowfall consistently occurs, even during the Dry / Summer season at the highest elevations — players starting in rain at the base will see it turn to snow as they climb.
Coastal, Jungle and Swamp Biomes (the Eastern Half)
FH5’s east side trades sand for water and dense vegetation.
Tropical Coast is the postcard biome — “filled with palm trees, seagulls, white sand beaches and calm waters,” but radically reshaped by storm season, which floods low-lying roads and reroutes coastal races.
Rocky Coast is its harsher mirror: “While the tropical coast features lots of trees and vegetation, this one has a completely different vibe with few trees, a full view of the ocean, and excellent views of the sun setting,” and famously includes a drivable golf course.
Jungle — what some guides call Tropical Jungle — is described as “filled with lush, dense vegetation and towering trees that let beautiful rays of sun through the canopy,” with hidden Mayan-style temples “based on real locations in Mexico” and impressive waterfalls.
Mangrove Swamp is “another first for the series”: “shallow waters are a great place for racing, and the swamp also features a lot of mangrove trees that sport very thick, interconnected roots that players can smash through during races.”
Farmland sits inland between the coasts and the central biomes — “rolling hills filled with lush vegetation, fruit-bearing trees, and wide, shallow rivers, with plenty of fences to smash through and picturesque homesteads to explore.”
Arid Hills, Canyon and Guanajuato (the Central Biomes)
The map’s central spine connects everything else through three transitional biomes.
Arid Hills is dry grassland with a strong seasonal hook: “full of dry grasses on rolling hills and plains, providing plenty of open spaces to drive across,” and one of its lakes “completely dries up during winter,” opening shortcuts that don’t exist in the wet seasons.
Canyon is one of FH5’s most acoustically distinctive biomes — “filled with rock formations patterned with unique striations, many of which erode into hoodoos” (tall thin spires of rock that, per forza.net, are found only in this biome). Playground designed unique audio reverb for this area so engine sounds echo more here than anywhere else on the map.
Urban City of Guanajuato. FH5’s only true urban biome and the festival’s set-piece city. Forza.net: “Like a number of cities in Mexico, there’s a good deal of amazing architecture and vibrant colors, and it features a lot of rolling hills and tunnels, with plenty of echoes bouncing around the city’s tight roadways.”
(unconfirmed) On “Mining Quarry”. The 11-biome official list does not include a Mining Quarry biome. There is a stone-quarry / pit landmark visible in the southwest of the map between the Living Desert and Arid Hills, but it is not classed as one of the 11 biomes by forza.net or Xbox Wire. Treat “Mining Quarry” as a point-of-interest, not a biome.
How Seasons Change Each Biome
FH5 runs the same Spring / Summer / Autumn / Winter cycle as FH4, but in Mexico the seasons are renamed and re-themed because Mexico does not have northern-hemisphere snow seasons. From forza.net:
- Hot season (Summer) — long sunny days; the lake in Arid Hills shrinks but is still present.
- Wet season (Autumn) — heavy rainfall, especially on the Tropical Coast where storms reshape routes.
- Storm season (Spring) — the most dramatic — “a storm rolls in, palm trees blow in the wind, the waves get more pronounced and rougher, and the water often comes up onto the road, completely flooding it.”
- Dry season (Winter) — the Arid Hills lake fully evaporates; snow only appears on the upper slopes of the Gran Caldera volcano.
Because “each of the 11 unique biomes will transition through the seasons differently,” the same biome can be effectively two different driving experiences across the seasonal rotation. Forza.net stresses Playground used real photogrammetry of Mexican locations to keep each season visually distinct rather than just a colour-grade swap.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many biomes are in Forza Horizon 5?
Eleven. Forza.net and Xbox Wire both confirm Playground Games “broken down Forza Horizon 5’s Mexico into 11 distinct and unique biomes.”
What is the Gran Caldera in Forza Horizon 5?
Gran Caldera is FH5’s high-altitude volcano biome, sitting next to the Living Desert. Forza.net calls it “another first for the series” and the only place on the map where snow falls consistently, even during the Dry season at the summit.
Is there a Mining Quarry biome in FH5?
(unconfirmed) No — the 11 official biomes named by forza.net do not include a Mining Quarry. There is a quarry / stone-pit landmark on the map, but it appears to be a point-of-interest inside the Arid Hills or Living Desert biome rather than a 12th biome.
What is the difference between the Living Desert and the Sand Desert?
The Living Desert is a cactus desert “full of towering saguaros” with flowers and wildlife. The Sand Desert is towering sand dunes built for buggy off-roading. They sit next to each other in the west of the map.
Is there snow in Forza Horizon 5?
Only on the Gran Caldera volcano. Mexico’s climate means snow doesn’t appear at lower elevations, but the volcano’s altitude means rain at the base becomes snow as you climb to the summit.
What is the urban biome called in Forza Horizon 5?
The Urban City of Guanajuato. Forza.net describes it as having “amazing architecture and vibrant colors,” rolling hills, and a network of tunnels with strong audio echoes through tight streets.
How big is the FH5 map compared to FH4?
Forza.net states FH5’s map is “about one-and-a-half times the size of Forza Horizon 4’s,” which made it the largest Horizon map at release in November 2021.
Is the Jungle biome the same as Tropical Jungle?
Yes. Forza.net officially names it simply “Jungle.” Community guides sometimes call it Tropical Jungle to distinguish it from Mexican drylands, but it is the same biome.
Sources
- Forza.net — From a Living Desert to a Volcano’s Peak: Exploring Forza Horizon 5’s Biomes and Seasons
- Xbox Wire — From a Living Desert to a Volcano’s Peak: Exploring Forza Horizon 5’s Biomes and Seasons
- GTPlanet — Here Are the 11 Unique “Biomes” in Forza Horizon 5
- Game Rant — Every Biome In Forza Horizon 5, Ranked
- Dexerto — 11 biomes revealed for Forza Horizon 5’s Mexico map
- The Loadout — Forza Horizon 5 map size, biomes, real-world locations, and more