Breath of the Wild’s Hyrule is perhaps The Legend of Zelda’s most vast version, with lots of locations for you to discover. The game prioritizes exploration, emphasizing discovery to ensure you experience everything Hyrule has to offer.
Even though the world has been devastated by Calamity Ganon, there’s beauty to be found all around it. By climbing up a mountain or venturing into a forest, you might come across a location you might not have found if you didn’t go off the beaten track. There are plenty of these areas to find, so you might not have discovered them all.
10 Lost Civilization - Forgotten Temple
As the name suggests, the Forgotten Temple is a historical temple once used to worship the goddess Hylia. The Forgotten Temple now stands abandoned in a state of decay and is populated by Guardians that you must navigate through to explore the ruins and reach the Rona Kachta Shrine.
The Forgotten Temple houses the biggest statue of Hylia that can be seen in the game, showing how important the goddess was to Hyrule’s people in the past. The scope of the temple shows that, in ancient times, it was once a breathtaking location used to revere the goddess. While it’s dangerous and not what it once was, the Forgotten Temple is a glimpse into Hyrule’s history and a thrill to explore.
9 Looking For Love - Lover’s Pond
Lover’s Pond is found atop Tuft Mountain, a short distance from Lurelin Village. Various NPCs say that Lover’s Pond is an infamous spot for hopeful romantics, as you can supposedly meet your true love there.
The heart-shaped pond is the reason for the legend and makes it stand out in Hyrule’s vast landscape. It’s also the location of the side quest, A Gift of Nightshade, where you help Wabbin romance Perda by giving her a Blue Nightshade flower. The pond's unique shape and the myth surrounding it make it worth seeking out on your travels around Hyrule.
8 Studious Princess - Zelda’s Study
Through a Memory, you’re given an insight into Princess Zelda’s character and the research she conducted on ancient technology 100 years prior to the game’s events. This is reflected in Hyrule Castle’s environment, as you’re able to discover where Zelda performed her research.
Although it can be a perilous journey to reach Zelda’s study, it’s worth it to see more of Zelda’s personality, especially through her research notes, which can be found in the room. A nice final touch is the Silent Princess flower that somehow grows in the devastated ruins of the study, symbolizing Zelda’s resilience against the Calamity.
7 What Happened To Malon? - Ranch Ruins
Breath of the Wild’s world is filled with ruins of once prosperous places, and one such location is in Hyrule Field. As Ranch Ruins has sat abandoned for 100 years, there’s little left resembling the bustling place it once was. After Calamity Ganon took hold of Hyrule, the Ranch also fell, with monsters taking over the grounds.
However, it’s also clear that the Ranch Ruins represent another location in the Zelda series, as the layout is extremely similar to Lon Lon Ranch in Ocarina of Time. Although seeing a representation of Lon Lon Ranch in such devastation is tragic, it’s a nice homage to the fan-favorite game.
6 Trial In The Dark - Thyphlo Ruins
You can discover the Thyplo Ruins far north above Korok Forest, but when you enter, the location is cast in darkness, and you’ll have to use a lit torch or fire weapon to navigate the ruins. To unlock the Shrine, you’ll need to find and defeat a blue Hinox in the area and then take the Ancient Orb on its necklace to place it on the pedestal.
Thyphlo Ruins may be completely dark, but there are plenty of secrets to discover there. The entire location is covered in bird and dragon-shaped architecture, similar to that found in the Zonai Ruins, suggesting that it’s from the same civilization.
5 Horsing Around - Taobab Grasslands
The Taobab Grasslands are located in the Gerudo Highlands, and it unsurprisingly has a savanna-like climate. Taobab is most likely derived from the baobab trees that grow in the area, helping to make this location stand apart from the rest of Hyrule.
The Taobab Grasslands is also where you can find the Giant Horse, a black horse with an orange mane that bears an uncanny resemblance to Ganondorf’s horse in Ocarina of Time, which has a similar color scheme. It’s worth visiting this location to view the unique flora and pick up this humongous horse.
4 Mysterious Reference - Mekar Island
Breath of the Wild has lots of locations that reference previous Legend of Zelda titles, including Mekar Island. This location references Makar, a Korok from The Wind Waker, who is also the Sage of Wind.
On Mekar Island, there is a dead tree and a campfire surrounded by piles of bones. Sleeping at the campfire until nighttime will cause Stal monsters to appear. Its peculiarity has caused lots of Zelda fans to theorize about Mekar Island’s symbolism. Perhaps it’s little more than a neat reference; however, it’s an intriguing location nonetheless.
3 Even Heroes Need A Spa Day: Sturnida Secret Hot Spring
There are multiple naturally occurring hot springs that you can discover scattered throughout Hyrule. Nestled in the west of Hebra Mountain is the Sturnida Secret Hot Spring. Crystal clear blue waters offer a reprieve from the cold climate of the Hebra region.
Bathing in its warm waters and taking in the snowy environment can be a welcome change from battling monsters and scaling the breadths of Hyrule. If you’re down a couple of hearts and battle weary, the hot spring is the perfect spot to rest up.
2 Dragon Bathhouse - Riola Spring
Riola Spring is found in the Necluda region, at the top of the Floria Falls waterfall. A stone pillar lies in the centre of the spring, as well as a hidden Korok. There are also treasure chests deep beneath the water that you can collect using Magnesis or Cryonis.
However, the most magical part about Riola Spring is that, during the very early morning, you can get up close and personal with Farosh, the yellow dragon. On some nights, it bathes in the spring, but its electricity is dangerous, so you’ll want to be careful when it appears.
1 Spirits Of The Mountain - Satori Mountain
Located west of Hyrule Field, Satori Mountain first appears to be a regular mountain; however, on certain nights, a blue glow can be seen at the summit, signifying that something mystical is occurring.
If you visit Satori Mountain when it’s glowing, you can see multiple Blupees around the pond and cherry blossom trees, as well as the majestic Lord of the Mountain, also known as Satori. You can even mount the Lord of the Mountain if you’re stealthy enough. Sadly, the creatures of Satori Mountain are easily startled, meaning that you’ll have to approach carefully to take in its splendor. Although its mountaintop is a smaller area, it’s one of the most magical.