Exploring the world through VR relies on the same concept as Google Maps Street View. 360 degree cameras capture a real world environment and transfer it into a format where viewers can freely look around an environment without any restriction to their viewing angle.Of course instead of viewing these 360 degree environments on a flat computer screen, virtual reality provides an entirely immersive experience by placing the viewer in a virtual environment with no restricted viewing perspective with realistic depth and composition to the images they are seeing, essentially giving the viewer the ability to freely look around a 3D environment that looks damn close to the real thing.Google Earth even has a VR app now, meaning that you can experience every inch of the globe that Google has mapped in an immersive experience that actually gives you the illusion that you are there. You can now roam the streets of Brazil without fear of thieving monkeysExploring the world through VR isn’t limited to viewing static landscapes and buildings in Google Maps however. There are an unlimited number of video experiences to be experienced in virtual reality as well that put you bang centre in the middle of the action.You can experience recorded virtual concerts and even attend live-streamed concerts in VR, a perfect option for music fans who can’t always travel to attend gigs. You can go cage diving with sharks, an amazing opportunity to get a closer look at these amazing creatures without fear of losing a limb. If someone records it with a 360 degree camera and makes it available to VR users, then you can experience it as if you were actually there.If you’re looking for something truly immersive, and have a capable headset, then you can experience some really crazy stuff. The Everest VR experience lets you engage in a virtual climb up Mount Everest. And before you ask, no it’s not the entire trip because your battery won’t last the two month climb. Hillary and Norgay eat your hearts outWhile it’s not as interactive as a fully fledged video game, it’s still a brilliant example of VR being used to provide people with experiences that at least give the illusion that they are doing stuff like climbing Mount Everest. I’d also recommend cranking your AC as cold as possible to really get immersed in this one.VR is actually proving itself to be an extremely useful travelling tool as well. It gives people the chance to have a sneak peak at locations they’re planning to travel to one day and help them decide if they’re worth experiencing in person. Additionally, some Hotels are now offering VR Hotel Tours so you can make informed decisions about accommodation and even peep the views you can get from the balcony.While none of these experiences are one to one with reality, it’s impressive that VR is immersive enough that our brain actually tricks us into believing what we are seeing and hearing in these headsets is real. As a bonus, you tend to save a lot of money on plane tickets when you can virtually travel to the Mediterranean from the comfort of your bedroom.