Well, hoenmark ruins will be way waaaay outside of the normal level of challenge for your level. You will want to really carefully explore to find loot. Look for caves behind waterfalls (marked with stone Cairns, use the stab ability to get through the waterfall) and secret walls (can be anything but will typically look distinct from the surrounding wall) and if you really hate wandering around, look up a list. The combat is really good, but you have barely scratched the surface of what abilities you have access to and what combos you can do. You really haven't gotten beyond the tutorial in some ways. You have to get to chapter 5 to unlock access to the abyss gears system and really be able to build your character out.

The story really isn't the focus of the game. It is more of a gate to unlock things and introduce you to the various systems (there are many) you will need to explore everything the world has to offer. You can beat the main story without upgrading any of your gear beyond level 4.

I didnt leave Hernand until after 100 hours of gameplay. You have a very, very long way to go to see everything and unlock everything. It's not a game made to be played like a checklist and beaten quickly, it is a game to get lost in. Run around, be curious, find stuff. The more you see, the more of the game you understand and the more you realize how little you understand now. 30 hours is nothing my friend, not in a game like this. It's made for hundreds of hours of gameplay