Honestly, I feel like a travel expert. Have done quite a bit of travelling over the years. But seen so much more exploring the world online. Sure might not compare to being there in real life. But travel the world online can be a lot of fun. I have travelled to different parts of the world both in real life and virtually. Many of the areas I’ve seen virtually, looking back it feels like I was actually there.
Exploring The World Virtually Can Be Satisfying
It’s much more affordable than travelling in real life. You will also get to the destination much faster. No need to travel to the airport, check in, go through security, sit in the waiting area, board the plane, sit in the plane for hours, use airplane washroom.
Speaking of washroom, have you ever tried using it while the plane is flying?
Very difficult… I try holding it for the entire plane ride if it’s a short flight. But if I’m going to Hong Kong, that won’t be possible. Last time I went, we flew with Cathay Pacific.
OMG.. Washrooms were bigger than normal planes and always clean. I gave Cathay Pacific thumbs up!
Why You Should Travel The World Online
Other than avoiding airplane washrooms, you get to see places you won’t be able to see due to having no travel partner, it being unaffordable or the potential danger with that particular destination. But what I love most is when travelling deep into specific locations online, looking back I remember everything clearly and carry the belief I was physically there.
Oh yes, I remember La Rinconada very well. It’s a HUGE travel destination in Peru. 5100 meters above sea level where it’s very difficult to breathe. I remember so much about it including the huge amounts of garbage all over the place, high crime and nightlife. I watched a YouTube video about this destination and learned so much about it.
Story with La Rinconada is people live up there because of the gold mine and they are hoping to find gold. Crime is high for that reason. It’s a fascinating place and the videos I watched were interesting.
I truly believe I was there in person. Still have the images of what I saw (from the videos) fresh in my head. I tried Street View for that location but nothing available.
Look up places which seem very fascinating to you!
Different Ways to Travel Online
Google Maps – Street View
This is my favourite. Available in many areas. Unavailable in restricted countries (China, North Korea, etc.)
Pull up a random city on Google Maps. Zoom in on a random section.
Bottom right of the window there’s an orange stick man.
I click on the stick man, hold down the mouse button and drag it towards the streets on the map. All the streets that highlight blue means street view is available.
Position the stick man on the street you want to see, let go of the mouse button and voila.
You can move up or down the street. Great way to see more of the city outside of mainstream tourist areas.
TIP – Zoomed in onto the map, once you click, hold and drag the orange stick man onto the map, you may find little blue circles scattered in different areas of the region. Those are 360 degree photos. Let go of the orange stick man on top and you will be inside a 360 degree image of the area which you can rotate in different directions. These icons can also be found in countries where street view isn’t available.
I’ve seen parts of Chinese cities with the 360 degree images. Same with North Korea.
Image Search
If you want to see pictures of a city, search for it under Image Search. If you want to see more than the mainstream areas, search for the suburbs.
Example
Searching Toronto you will get majority pictures of the Toronto skyline with the CN Tower.
If you search a specific area of Toronto, you will get images of that.
- Toronto Beaches
- Toronto Kensington market
- Toronto Queens Park
- Toronto Yorkville
By searching for different areas and regions, you will see a lot more and it will feel more like a vacation.
Videos
Search YouTube for videos on a city or location you want to see or learn more about. I’ve come across some really good videos on specific locations.
To add to the atmosphere, eat something related to that culture. The other day I was watching something on Seoul, South Korea. At the same time I was also eating a bag of Ruffles Korean BBQ Chips. Unsure if that passes as ‘South Korean’ food but it worked for me.
Use The Internet From A Different Country
When I was in Hong Kong, I searched news online and my feed was filled with both Hong Kong and China news websites. When in Fort Lauderdale I got tons of Miami news.
When using the internet in foreign land it truly feels like you’re away, on vacation. Well you can get the same feeling from the comfort of your home or phone.
I have been using a VPN for years. One of the main reasons includes accessing local content for the sole purpose of making myself feel like I’m on vacation when I’m really not.
Some people say I always appear to be on vacation. Half the time I am physically there. Mentally I am always there.
Login into your VPN and select the country or city you want to connect to. Once connected then start using the internet
Search “local news” and you will see news from the country you’re connected to.
Google Earth
I just started using Google Earth for world travel. Will update this as I have lots of experience using this.
Fun Ways To Travel The World Online
Search for blogs, articles or videos of random things. Ideas include;
- Most dangerous cities
- Cities with the highest elevation
- Coldest cities
- Hottest deserts
Anything else you can think of?
What I Have Learned From Travelling The World Online
African country which is cold and snowy most of the year – Lesotho
Most northern traffic light intersection in North America – Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada
Area with the highest altitude where people live – La Rinconada, Peru
Planning To Travel Somewhere In Real Life?
Use the tips and ideas from above to research the area you will be visiting. Get a sense of the area and region.
Thanks for Reading Travel The World Online
I have been travelling online for years. Feels like I’ve been all over the world. Sometimes a random area comes to mind and right away check to see if any streets are available with Google Street View. I hope you learned some fun ideas you can start using right away. If you have any questions or comments feel free to post them below.