Exploring beautiful Asia from home – Virtual Travel!

Since COVID-19 closed off countless countries’ borders, 2020 was the year of lockdown. The only way to travel was through photos and videos online. Now, the world is preparing for a new form of tourism – virtual sightseeing. While the unfortunate global pandemic has slowed down the tourism industry physically, it did not take away the travelers’ desire to explore the globe. Thankfully with advanced technology, the desire can be fulfilled through multitudes of virtual tours. Here are some recommendations as your next travel destination of Asia that you can experience in the comfort of your own bed!

Korea, offering a 360-degree VR with the free themed and personalized virtual tour

Snowscape of Gwangharu Pavillion, located at Namwon, Jeollabuk-do -Copyright to Photographer Oh Hui-jae of Korea Tourism Organization

A variety of themed curated VR tours are offered like the K-Pop Tour above — The Korea Tourism Organization has created a section called ‘IMAGINE [Virtual Reality] KOREA’ on its official website. The section contains multiple hot spots in Korea. It also has a variety of themed tour productions such as K-Drama Tour, Night Tour, DMZ Tour, and etc. Like the title of the section, each place includes a 360-degree VR (Virtual Reality) experience. The VR tour truly feels like one is really physically there. The tourist can zoom in or out while maintaining the high quality of the image, move in 360 degrees, and click on descriptions that explain the history and reason why the place is considered a significant location to visit. All of the contents are available in 15 languages, including English, Japanese, and Spanish.

*To see more, visit here: http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/

Singapore, showcasing iconic spots through VR images and videos.

Marina Bay Sands hotel, lighting up the dark sky of Singapore

The user can travel locations through video or image, both in 360-degrees.

VR technology has been the number one choice for many, including Singapore. The Singapore Tourism Board’s official website offers 360-degree images of its most popular scenes such as Marina Bay Sands and Sentosa Island. The site also includes 360-degree videos of well-known tourist experiences such as Supertrees Light Show and Marina Bay Sands Light Show. In total, it displays 27 locations and attractions for online sightseeing as of January 2021. While these virtual experiences are free for all visitors in 12 languages, it suggests several partner sites of private institutions that also offer online tour experiences for those who want to deep dive into the country.

*To see more, visit here: https://www.visitsingapore.com/

Japan, introducing hidden gems of scenery and culture through the online travel magazine.

Kinkaku-ji of Kyoto, beautifully reflected in the lake - photo by Myoung Ae Lee of LA Times Asia Journal

Click on ‘Destinations’, then choose any of the top destinations listed below for pictures and historic information.

Japan is one of the traveler’s go-to Asia tour destinations. The official website of the Japan National Tourism Organization has a dedicated online section that includes 20+ top destination locations. After clicking on a chosen location, the page loads with an abundance of information, pictures, and a map guide of the area. While there is no VR content, the organization publishes monthly web magazines, two articles per month. The articles contain detailed information on popular scenery, experience, or attraction with multiple images of the topic.

*To see more, visit here: https://www.japan.travel/

Taipei, exploring must-visit places with extensive audio guides and 720 degrees panorama.

Jiufen’s infamous red lantern alley that looks like the setting of the Oscar award winner Japanese film, Spirited Away - photo by Myoung Ae Lee of LA Times Asia Journal

Search any keyword to look around the 113 panorama images of Taipei City.

The official website of the Department of Information and Tourism of Taipei City Government, Undiscovered Taipei contains endless content on the country’s best attractions and must-visit places. One of the most unique media on this website is the audio guide. It includes audio guides of 87 historical and popular tour locations that you can download unlimited with also written form of the guide as well as related pictures. Speaking of pictures, the site also has a gallery of 720-degree panorama images. The images show famous landmarks of Taipei, including Taipei 101 and Bopiliao Old Street. For a quick overview of the city, the city’s official Youtube channel called ‘Taipei City Government’ provides a video called “Biking Taipei” – taking you around the major spots of the city, on a bike. The video is uploaded in multiple languages for anyone around the world to enjoy.

*To see more, visit here: https://www.travel.taipei/

Jenny Hwang

Asia Journal

(Los Angeles Times Advertising Supplement)