Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is packed with special locations that are easy to miss even after endless hours of adventuring. The world is so vast and nonlinear, even several months after release, players worldwide are still stumbling into new surprises.
It’s been awhile since Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild‘s release, but if you’re looking for a reason to revisit the wild, here are eight vacation locations that are totally worth checking out. We could list dozens more, but we’ve got to stick with just eight.
Hyrule Castle Lockup – The Hylian Shield Trial
The best shield in Breath of the Wild is located deep in the dungeons of Hyrule Castle. This fancy shield is practically unbreakable and comes with an incredibly high durability rating. There’s no other shield that even comes close, and this fancy find is located deep in the Hyrule Castle Lockup – an area that’s easy to miss.
Find the entrance on the lower northern edge of the castle, near the underground cave leading to the docks. Using Link’s abilities, you’ll be able to clear the corruption and encounter a massive (and totally unique) skeleton giant in the underground chamber. Defeating this monster nets Link one sweet shield – it’s also the best shield for sledding, that’s for sure.
Lake of the Horse God & Taobab Grassland – The Horse Fairy & The Giant Horse
If you’ve lost your favorite horse (or want a new, gigantic horse of your own) – then you’ll want to take Link down to the Lake Tower Region. There are two unique horse-related tourist traps near Lake Hylia that are worth checking out.
First up is the Lake of the Horse God. Talk to the folks at the Highland Stable, south of Lake Hylia, for helpful instructions. Really, all you need to do is travel south from the stable to stumble upon this very strange fairy.
Unlike the other fairies, this Horse Fairy revives dead horses! Well, he’ll revive them so long as they only died accidentally. If you killed a horse on purpose, the Horse Fairy isn’t so friendly.
West of Lake Hylia, Link can stumble into the Taobab Grasslands. This seemingly tranquil valley between East Gerudo Mesa and Mount Faloraa is home to one super-special horse – the Giant Horse! This oversized equine positively dwarfs Link, and you’ll need three bars of stamina to tame this beast. Yes, you can still send it to the stable.
The Forgotten Temple – A Gift From the Monks
The Forgotten Temple is an old ruin on the northern edge of Tanagar Canyon, west of central Hyrule. This vast gap bordering the Hebra and Tabantha regions can be tricky to cross, and a dangerous dragon makes it roost along the rocky passage. The interior ruins are guarded by a small army of partially-disabled Guardians, so reached it won’t be easy. We recommend using the glider and sticking to the sky. Too bad the big reward isn’t available until you’ve finish a titanic quest – Link needs to complete all 120 shrines to get “A Gift From the Monks”.
After completing all 120 shrines, Link instantly gains the “A Gift From The Monks” quest, directing the young hero to the Forgotten Temple. If you can avoid the ancient guardians, the interior of the temple has a special outfit for Link as a reward. The “Of the Wild” gear is patterned after classic Link outfits, and enhances the Master Sword’s beam attack.
Tarrey Town – “From the Ground Up” & Grante’s Secret Shop
Early in Link’s Breath of the Wild adventure, you’ll reach Hateno Village. This idyllic location is far from the strife and danger that marks most of Hyrule, and its here that Link can purchase (and enhance) his very own house. But there’s more than just a house to earn. Link can unlock an entire town!
Once the house is complete, one of the workers sets off for the Akkala Tower region in northeast Hyrule. The tiny island in the center of Lake Akkala becomes a staging ground for building a whole town. Finding special characters (anyone with “-son” at the end of their name) adds new villages and shops to the village. When it’s finally complete, you’ll even get bonus side-quests.
There’s one villager that’s especially useful. Grante and his secret shop are available on a rooftop patio. Talk to Grante, and he’ll sell Link rare armor sets like Rubber Armor, Climbing Gear, and the Barbarian Set. He’ll even sell you unique, one of a kind weapons you’ve collected (and lost!) before.
Eventide Island – A True Survival Challenge
There’s nothing particularly useful on Eventide Island. Visible off the coast near Lurelin Village, a totally optional town on the southeastern shores of Hyrule, Eventide Island is a tough challenge that’s worth checking out.
Upon arriving on the large island, you’ll begin a Shrine Quest that instantly removes all your items and armor. That’s right, Link will have to scavenge and use his innate powers to survive.
It’s an awesome little island challenge, forcing players to think outside the box without the benefits of armor or weapons. You’ll need to track down three ancient orbs to escape.
Surviving the island is all about ingenuity. All you’ve got is a stick? Set the stick on fire and burn the bokoblin camp down, or plant a rusty spear and attract a lightning bolt.
Use Magnesis to smack opponents around with metal crates, or set bomb traps to send bokoblins off nearby cliffs. If you’re looking for a tricky experience that forces you to reframe everything you’ve learned so far in Breath of the Wild, this is the best place to visit.
Skull Lake – Kilton’s Monster Shop
Up north in Akkala, you’re very likely to notice a massive skull-shaped lake. That’s where a nocturnal NPC that trades in his very own unique currency calls home. Kilton sells special gear you won’t find anywhere else – Dark Link armor, monster masks, and weird weapons that are way more useful than they first appear. To get mons, you’ll have to trade Kilton gross bits from all the monsters you’ve killed. The tougher the monster, the more mons you’ll get for trading in those chunks.
After meeting with Kilton for the first time, he’ll move around randomly, usually appearing on the outskirts of major villages at night. He arrives in a big monster-shaped balloon, so he isn’t too hard to spot.
Visit him often and grab the Spring-Loaded Hammer and the monster masks first! The Spring-Loaded Hammer is a toy that launches enemies, but doesn’t do any damage. It’s infinite durability is what really makes this tool worthwhile. The monster masks allow Link to blend in and avoid conflict with Bokoblins, Moblins, and Lizalfos… unless you get too rowdy.
Coliseum Ruins – Silver Lynels & More
The Coliseum Ruins are one of the earliest locations Link can stumble across after gliding down from the Great Plateau. This massive coliseum is always filled to the brim with dangerous monsters, but the monsters get stronger as Link progresses. Eventually, the coliseum spawns Silver Lynels – the toughest enemies in Breath of the Wild.
If Lynels are too tricky, the upper floors always consist of opponents wielding high-level swords and other powerful elemental gear. One trip to the top of the Coliseum Ruins can easily net Link an overabundant supply of strong swords, shields and bows. Everything Link could possibly need if he’s running low.
It’s also a fun, endless challenge. The enemies will reappear after every Blood Moon, so there’s no end to the weapon-farming fun times.
Lover’s Pond – Two Spots To Find True Love
The last locations on this list are tranquil ponds – pretty low-key compared to the rest. There are two mythical “Lover’s Ponds” in Hyrule. One is found near Hateno Village, and is most likely the first one you’ll find.
The wary travel there has made a wrong stop – this is “Heartbreak Pond”, featuring a broken heart shape that’s visible from the map. Find it up the hill from the house Link can purchase in Hateno Village.
The real Lover’s Pond is actually in the far southeast section of Hyrule, in an area you’ll never need to visit if you’re focused only on the main quest to defeat Ganon. West of Lurelin Village, follow the road to Tuft Mountain. The winding leads all the way up to Lover’s Pond.
Grab plenty of Hearty Radishes around the true Lover’s Pond while visiting, and talk to the nearby NPCs for a fun little love-making quest. Bring Nightshade to Wabbin to seal the deal between him and the love of his life at the pond.
That’s eight awesome vacation spots worth exploring in Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Got your own fave locations? Let us know in the comments section!
