Gear up. Bastions should typically be explored after you have gone the End and defeated the Ender Dragon. Piglins, the defenders of the bastions, are much harder to defeat, especially with their speed boost. You should be bringing items with enchantments similar to those found in an End City.

You will want full enchanted diamond armor, along with enchanted diamond tools and a sword. You should also bring along a bow, arrows, blocks, golden apples or potions of fire resistance, an elytra, fireworks, a hopper to loot chests, one piece of gold armor, a lava bucket, food, and multiple shulker boxes.

Enter the Nether. If your current world was created in a version older than v1.16.0, you'll need to travel to an un-generated area of your Nether in order to have a chance at finding the new biomes and structures.

Make sure to equip your gold armor, as this will prevent Piglins from attacking you.

Avoid Basalt Deltas. Basalt Deltas are the only biome in the Nether where Bastion Remnants will not spawn. They can be identified by their spiky pillars of basalt, blackstone, pools of lava, and magma blocks.

Bastion Remnants can spawn in the Crimson Forest, Nether Wastes, Soul Sand Valley, and the Warped Forest.

Identify a Hoglin Stable Bastion. Hoglin Stables are perhaps the most useless of Bastions, and should typically be avoided. These places contain stable-like structures and consist of two separate buildings. These should not be confused with Housing Bastions, which do not have an abundance of Hoglins inside. The loot in these structures is minimal, and will rarely contain any useful items.

Identify a Housing Bastion. Piglin Bastions, although similar to Hoglin Stable Bastions, can be identified through the Nether Wart, which grows in the center courtyard of the Bastion. This is the only place where you have a chance at finding the rare Pigstep music disc, or the Piglin Banner Pattern.

Identify a Bridge Bastion. Bridge Bastions are noticed for their use of gold blocks. There can be up to around 24 blocks of gold in this bastion, excluding any found in chests. This bastion can be identified through its monster like opening, and use of a gold figurehead at the front of the bridge.

Identify a Treasure Room Bastion. Treasure Room Bastions are very abundant in loot, and can contain around 16 blocks of gold, enchanted but damaged diamond armor, and Netherite Ingots. This Bastion can be identified through its use of two structures connected by a singular bridge, with lava pools under it. This bastion should always be explored, as it's loot can be extremely valuable.