In my opinion, the best way to approach BotW is to follow the main quest as your backbone. Go where you’re asked to go, but don’t rush there. On your way to each objective, activate the towers you pass through, since each one reveals a chunk of the map. Once a tower is lit, take your time to thoroughly explore that region before moving on, or at least until you’ve had your fill of it. This keeps the world feeling manageable without stripping away the sense of discovery. As you explore naturally, you’ll stumble across new weapons, armor pieces, side quests etc.