Unlock Cayo Perico Island & Explore in Free Roam

Snapshot

The Cayo Perico heist update for GTA Online introduces the beautiful new island Cayo Perico, but this location currently remains exclusive to heist-only activities.
Desiring to explore the island without restrictions, fans of the game have brewed a glitch that allows free roam on the island.
The glitch involves setting up the heist, proceeding to the 'Gather Intel' mission, getting caught by guards or cameras four times, then using the app on the in-game phone to get caught a fifth time which leads into free roam.
On the island, players are left completely alone, enabling them to freely explore Cayo Perico.
To leave the island, players make their way to the party dance area, interact with a jeep, or optionally, break the glitch by walking into the crowd of party-goers.

Although the new Cayo Perico heist update brings a new island to the world of GTA Online, it is not accessible outside of the "heist-related" activities. Nevertheless, fans want to explore the island for themselves without the constant fear of getting caught by the guards on the island.

If you would like to explore the island in free roam mode without any restrictions, then you've come to the right place. This guide will show you how you can roam around and explore the beautiful Cayo Perico for yourself.

You will be limited to sightseeing and running around the island, nothing more. Feel free to check out our video guide as well.

To perform this glitch, you need to set up the heist by going to your Kosatka as you would normally. After setting up the heist, start the Gather Intel mission, and make your way to the island.

Once you're at the island, make your way to the communications tower and hack the signal box to get access to the sightseer app on your phone.

Once you have the app on your phone, you must get caught 4 times by a guard, a camera, or a patrolling vehicle. Make sure you only get caught 4 times as the fifth time, you will be kicked off the island.

After getting caught 4 times, make your way to a route or location where a patrolling vehicle passes by. A big red circle indicates the patrolling vehicle on the map.

Stand in the middle of the road, pull up your phone interface, and hover over the sightseer app until the car approaches you.

Once the car is nearby, open up the sightseer app, and wait until you get caught by the patrolling vehicle guard. After getting caught, you will be taken out of the app, and the 'Gather Intel' mission will abruptly end, leaving you in free roam mode while you are still on the island.

You will be able to access all your weapons, and there won't be any guards or security cameras on the island. You can then easily explore the Cayo Perico island.

If you wish to leave the island, you can make your way to the party dance area and interact with the parked jeep beside the receptionist to return to Los Santos.

Or break the glitch by directly walking into the crowd of dancers on the dance floor. You will be kicked off the island as you should have when caught for the fifth time naturally.