I loved the area right after the forest Sazh and Vanille treck through. I can't remember what it was called. There's the cliff and the waterfall, and you can see for miles into the distance. FF13 has some of the most amazing scenery I've ever seen in a game. I've just stopped and stared so many times throughout the story.

I don't know how you can say the linear maps discourage you from looking at the scenery. It's because of the linearity that the landscapes could be made so beautiful. It's literally the exact opposite, you're supposed to notice the scenery as you're progressing.