Armchair travel

Viewing the world through a rectangular frame is becoming a thing of the past now that virtual-reality technology allows people to look around in 360º while watching a video—following the trajectory of a stingray passing overhead, or watching dolphins swim below.

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For the past 18 months a small team has been working to join this new technology with the New Zealand Geographic mission—to document the wild places of our realm. The NZ-VR Project began in the marine environment, that part of our archipelago which is hardest to access, and most difficult to imagine.

Now, you can travel to the Three Kings Islands, Parengarenga Harbour, the Poor Knights Marine Reserve, Niue and more. Further locations will be added next year—to an ever-expanding set of experiences that will ultimately cover the full extent of the New Zealand realm.

Visit vr.nzgeo.com to see it for yourself.

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