Midway through the forest just past the island with a mermaid, off to the right usually.
The first part of the game I consider everything up to crossing the river after the first town, the second being the large section/hub that leads to the rest, being second town, witches cottage, altar, and caves. If you go to the top left path out, you'll be headed toward the giantess, top right heads to the mountain with the first "boss" bottom right would be witches cottage, bottom left would be back to the first town.
Past the first boss will take you to the second region, here there aren't many locations per se, just most of the newer encounters. The jester, dark knight, minotaur, etten, elemental, and vampires can be found here, as well as most of the tougher variants of regular monsters. There is a stronghold that allows you to buy a new codpiece for the priestess, and some cursed armor.