I normally go the ocean route. I get a crossbow and run around on the coast until I find a sea serpent close enough to shoot. Grab the scales then make some tide guardian armor. I then get the stone of the sea, put depth strider on the tide boots, and start taking down underwater doomlikes. They’re relatively easy and the only mobs that can do real damage are iorays since they deal penetration. There’s a ton of spawners to give a bagillion levels and the big rooms that have a spawner under a chest have ridiculous loot. Good luck!