I found Lumenor SMP and it feels like vanilla but with way more stuff to discover. It runs 24 7 and it is on 1.21.11 with ViaVersion so newer clients can join too. It also lets Java Bedrock and cracked players play together.
The big thing here is the role system. You can pick Passive if you want peace or pick PvP if you want chaos. It makes the server feel fair since not everyone wants the same kind of survival.
The world is custom vanilla with custom biomes and huge structures like ancient temples. There are powerful rewards to find and it is made for exploring for a long time.
Trading is player run and it is more like villager style trading not some giant economy shop. There are PvP and Passive arenas and keep inventory is on in the arena only so you can practice without losing your stuff.
There are custom armor trims that give small buffs and the Nether is meant to be very challenging. They also say the anti cheat is strong. The server is hosted in Germany and the staff is from a bunch of different countries so it feels pretty welcoming.
