You could also find a base near a lava geyser on the surface, there are a couple geysers pretty close to each other near lifepod 17, and they would be a great source of power with the thermal plant

Yeah. I'm pretty sure Im going to go with the grassy plateaus near lifepod 17.

Build in the blood kelp trench to prove your worth to RNGesus in the hopes he gifts you with many resources

WAIT

The Best Place Is Near Acid Mushrooms, if you have the bioreactor

I recommend the you build near the edges of the safe shallows you can sometimes find places where you can fit the cyclops and the scenery is great and it is a lot more convenient because it is right in the middle of the map. Or the grassy plateaus cause it has tons of resources and is relatively safe. The downside is the scenery (in my opinion) isn't as great. But, it just my opinion and you might find the plateaus prettier the shallows. If you prefer over function over aesthetics go with the grassy plateaus, if you prefer the latter go with the safe shallows.

Under your lifepod. Good solar energy, and if you run out of power, you can use the fabricator in the pod.

My idea is to make your main bases in the safe shallows and also your cyclops, then make other bases in different biomes (best places lost river, lava zone and biomes with entrances to the lost river) so you can make pit stops.

I am far from experienced at this game, but I would recommend what I was recommended on Reddit:

For the time being, you can build a base in either the Grassy Plateaus to the Northeast (I think) or the Mushroom Forest (the two near the Aurora). The fungal samples from the Mushrooms will work decently with a Bioreactor, and its near the Bulb Zone so you have an entrance to the Lost river nearby.

Safe Shallows, Grassy Plateaus, Mushroom Forests, and the Kelp zone are pretty good areas for starter bases. Once your in the late game, the Lost river Ghost Tree is a good spot because its a safe area in the Lost River and it has an entrance to the Inactive Lava Zone. Plus, the Ghost Tree looks really cool and has some good materials close by.

Also, one of the Mushroom Forests is close by a Blood Kelp Zone. I recommend building in this certain Mushroom Forest because the Blood Kelp zone, while scary, has lots of good loot and an entrance into the Lost River. But, the other Mushroom Forest is also really good because not only is it close to the Lost River entrance at the bulb zone, but also close by the Aroura which has some pretty good materials.