This method is the fastest way to reach Home Island. In order to better understand how this method works, consider how the islands are set in four tiers: Easy, Medium, Hard, and Killer.

Easy islands are unlocked at the beginning. The rest are unlocked by visiting a particular island:

• Medium islands are unlocked by visiting Archipelago.
• Hard islands are unlocked by visiting Overgrown Jungle.
• Killer islands are unlocked by visiting Crossing.

Other important game mechanics to note:

• You only need to visit them to unlock the next tier of islands. As such, it it possible (and recommended during the any% category) to go extinct, and the game will still remember what tier of islands you were on (as well as all your unlocked gene mutations).
• Becoming extinct in Story Mode doesn't spell a complete restart, as the game will still keep the tier of islands you have unlocked, as well as all of your unlocked gene mutations. You will also still keep your genes and immunities (You will keep Home Island immunity if you had it before dying, so don't worry about losing it!) from the few remaining nichelings you had before dying.
• When you start over, you will have 20 food, 10 nesting material, and a breedable pair of 3-day old nichelings.

Whale Island is considered a "Medium Island", so after having been in an archipelago, whale islands are unlocked and have a chance to generate to the east port of any island. Since Whales are unlocked, it ultimately doesn't matter which port you take while in Archipelago, as you simply just need to get out and find a whale on whatever island you go to. In fact, you don't even need to travel out of archipelago, you could just let your pack go extinct, and "start over". The resulting new pack when restart has a chance be on an island with a whale port already available.

If you are doing a "Homecoming" run and cannot have your pack go extinct, travelling to the west port on Archipelago is generally the best option to quickly start your search for a whale port as soon as possible. The only rare exception to this is if the east port of Archipelago is already a whale port. In this case, traveling to the whale port takes priority.

If there is no whale port on the east on the island after archipelago, it doesn't matter if you go east or west. Pick whichever port is closest to your pack.

Once at the whale, use it to travel to Overgrown Jungle, as this island needed to unlock hard islands.

Arriving at Overgrown Jungle unlocks hard islands. Therefore, once you arrive, your fastest route is to try and get out of the island as soon as possible. Generally, the west port is easier to reach. It is not necessary to clear 5 roots and reach the north port. Having your tribe go extinct is also an option for getting out of overgrown jungle.

Once out of Overgrown Jungle, Hard islands are unlocked at the whale. At this point, your main priority is to travel between islands (east or west port, whichever is closest) to find a whale port that generates on the east.

Once you find this second whale, go on it and make sure you travel to Crossing. Once at crossing, you simply need to travel north to reach Home Island.