We’re coming into a week of circuit breaker measures and unfortunately, outdoor amenities are a little crowded. Beaches and stadiums are now closed – so use this to ensure that your evening stroll is safe and socially responsible. Here’s another option: a virtual outdoor experience complete with high-definition sights and sounds.
These virtual experiences might not be exactly the real thing. But it might be just enough to give you some inspiration for the best outdoor sights out there for when the Covid-19 outbreak is all over.
(Related: Of circuit breakers and cocktails: 5 cocktail recipes for budding mixologists to hone their craft this month)
A bird’s eye view of New South Wales
Take New South Wales in Australia for example. A land of pristine beauty, quaint towns and a myriad of vibrant wildlife (and famed for its dry Hunter’s Valley Semillon), we’ve compiled some of the best sights the region has to offer, courtesy of Destination NSW.
(Related: 4 places to get premium ingredients, delivered right to your doorstep)
Aerial shots are one of the best ways to capture the breath-taking beauty of verdant pastures, expansive snow-scapes and massive waterfalls. If you prefer a video, click here.
https://www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg/gourmet-travel/virtual-experiences-high-definition/
High-definition New South Wales
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Sun rising over Pantoneys Crown tableland, Capertee Valley in the picturesque Gardens of Stone National Park.
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Aerial of a car driving through the outback town of White Cliffs.
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Aerial overlooking the scenic coastline and beaches near Lake Macquarie.
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The sacred Worimi Conservation Lands, Port Stephens.
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Aerial overlooking the canola fields in Sebastopol, Riverina region.
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Aerial over Cudgen Creek break walls, Kingscliff in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales.
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The pastel colours of Lake Menindee, Kinchega National Park.
Apart from those high-definition outdoor aerials, you can go for virtual tours of some of New South Wales’ zoos (complete with crocodile feeding, koala napping and the ever-happy quokka) and gardens. They’ve even created virtual experiences suited for a younger audience – especially useful since you’re stuck working-from-home with them.
(Related: Luxury safari lodge operator Singita has launched its online store)
Other virtual experiences
To explore the rest of the world (virtually), these other virtual experiences range from UNESCO world heritage sites and big safari game drives, to dizzying views atop mountain ranges that’ll promise to get your palms sweaty from the safety of your couch.
https://www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg/gourmet-travel/virtual-experiences-high-definition/
High-definition Other tours
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Explore two billion years of the Earth’s natural history at one of the deepest gorges in the world. One of the seven natural wonders of the world, the 227 km long holds eons of geological secrets and fossils that scientists are discovering to this day – apart from virtual hiking and rafting tours, you can even embark on a virtual archaeology excavation.
Photo by Chen Si Yuan. License: CC BY-SA 3.0.
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One of the most crowded tourist destinations in the world, the Sistine Chapel sees more than 25,000 visitors a day. The queue (and squeeze) can get so ferocious that the Guardian reports that tour guides claim an average of ten tourists faint a day – so much so that daily visitor limits were being considered for the holy site. Thankfully, virtual tours don’t have visitor limits, and you won’t have to crane your neck to see Michelangelo’s iconic painting on the chapel ceiling. It even comes with a playlist.
Photo by Snowdog. License: CC BY-SA 3.0.
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Photographer Scott Highton’s pet project brings us Virtual Yosemite, a high-definition virtual tour of one of America’s most popular national parks. From dizzyingly tall precipices like El Capitan, made famous by professional rock climber Alex Honnold when he climbed the mountain without a safety rope, to serene trails and hidden waterfalls, explore all of Yosemite’s beauty and more thanks to the pioneering virtual reality photographer’s years of hard work and expertise.
Photo by Jarek Tuszynski. License: CC BY-SA 4.0.
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A virtual tour of this ancient site is one for the history buffs: Angkor itself contains remains of the Khmer Empire from the 9th to 15th century and is around 400 km2. The site was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1992, and drew more than 2.6 million visitors in 2019.
This virtual tour of Angkor goes a step further than heritage tour though – a team of historians and virtual reality experts have brought the once-bustling Cambodian metropolis back to life, complete with in-depth explanations on the Khmers’ technology and political framework. You can immerse yourself into the Khmer culture either through panoramic 360 degree videos or full virtual reality experiences with the appropriate accessories.
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Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the Queen, and remains the focus of many national celebrations including Jubilees and other events. Due to the high annual footfall, one often has to wait a couple of hours to get to tour the iconic palace – thankfully, the virtual tour allows you to explore the feted halls without being shuffled along by harried tour guides. Explore the age-old architecture and furniture in glorious detail, complete with captions that go into the history of the building, for as long as you like.
Photo by David Iliff. License: CC BY-SA 3.0.
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Brought to you by aurora photography tour organisers Lights over Lapland, expect gorgeous views of the aurora borealis in all its (virtual) glory in addition to an online dogsledding experience. You can also have a look at their other videos that show the views of the Northern Lights from various locales that you can save for a future visit. Lights over Lapland’s photography tours are limited to ten, so you always know that you’ll be in for an intimate experience under the dazzling aurora.
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If African safari is more up your alley, you can relax into a virtual game drive accompanied by Ross Couper, one of the most respected and knowledgeable wildlife photographers and safari guides. Though the video is a one-off, you can head to their Instagram for daily live game drives (we found it playing at 2pm, local time) and updates on the animals roaming freely near one of Singita’s six safari lodges spread throughout Africa. Else, you can listen to Singita’s safari playlist whilst reclining on a lawn chair in your garden to tide you over until your next great adventure.