The pandemic has spoiled many travel plans, but you can still see the world from the comfort of your own home.
Who here likes to travel the world? I’m willing to bet most of you reading this do! Unfortunately, traveling the world, visiting new countries, and seeing new biomes, has been difficult lately due to COVID-19 and the plethora of traveling restrictions it brought with it.
That said, there are a few ways you can experience the world from inside your home. All that’s needed from you is some spare time, an Internet connection, and maybe some money.
4 Ways to Virtually Travel the World
Explore Nature Via Nature Documentaries
In 2006, BBC released Planet Earth, a documentary that focused on the various biomes and wildlife found across the world. It was highly successful. So successful, in fact, that many nature documentaries in the same vein have been released since then.
The truth is, there are tons of nature documentaries available on YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming services. From documentaries dedicated to showcasing the entire world (like Planet Earth) to more specialized documentaries (like Cheetah Family & Me), there is an entire backlog available that will let you travel the world through your TV screen.
Certain documentaries may not be available in your region due to geo restrictions. Some people choose to use a VPN to overcome the restrictions and access more online content.
Immerse Yourself in Virtual Reality
While virtual reality still has a ways to go before becoming more than a niche hobby, the affordability of the Oculus Quest 2 has introduced many to the advantages virtual reality provides, especially when it comes to traveling and immersion.
With a virtual reality headset, you can travel the world from within your home. For example, there are virtual reality video games dedicated to exploring the world, such as The Climb. There are also videos that take advantage of virtual reality, such as 360-degree videos.
If you can afford it (and find a virtual reality headset), a virtual reality headset is a great option for those who want an immersive travel experience.
Take to the Oceans With a Virtual Cruise
The cruise industry has been in jeopardy since the beginning of the pandemic. After all, how can the industry turn a profit when so many cruise liners have been forced to dock until the foreseeable future. But what if we told you that you could go on a cruise from the comfort of your couch?
Some cruise liners are offering free virtual tours of their cruises. What the tours offer varies from the cruise liner to cruise liner, with some offering full 3D tours while others offer cooking lessons and live chats.
Watch Others Travel with Travel Vlogs
Just because you can’t travel doesn’t mean you can’t watch others travel! There are dozens of channels on YouTube dedicated to recording the travels of the people behind the channels. Channels like Fearless and Far and Drew Binsky are great ways to travel vicariously through others.
Of course, the amount of travel content has dwindled during the pandemic. However, there is plenty of backlog for those who want to watch someone explore the world. The best part? These videos are absolutely free and can be watched anywhere.
Conclusion
Being stuck at home doesn’t mean you can’t travel. While virtual exploration may not be the same as the real thing, it’s a good alternative for those stuck at home due to COVID.
