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Tour companies are offering virtual excursions to whet our appetite for travel. Photo: Shutterstock

Lifestyle Travel & Leisure

Angkor Wat as it was, Gardens by the Bay for children, Bagan temples by bike – virtual tours of Southeast Asia whet appetites for return to travel

With travel on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, the only way to see the sights of Southeast Asia is through a screen
Some of the best virtual excursions on offer take in Unesco sites, temples, markets, even an underwater adventure

Asia travel

Marissa Carruthers

Published: 6:15pm, 20 Feb 2021

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Actual travel may still be some way off, even with Covid-19 vaccination programmes being rolled out in many countries, but tourism players in Southeast Asia are whetting appetites with virtual tours.

From a visit to Cambodia’s Angkor Wat and an exploration of Myanmar’s Bagan temples by bike to the discovery of Indonesia above and below water, online tours are feeding the travel bug by enabling viewers to experience the region’s delights from their armchair.

Here are some of the best:

Bike Through Bagan

The virtual tour in Bagan, Myanmar. Photo: exploration.travel

Since Myanmar closed its borders in April 2020, international visitors have been unable to bask in Bagan’s beauty. Then in January, Exploration Travel Myanmar unveiled virtual tours of the city that served as the capital from the 9th to 13th centuries.

Groups can book a private 45-minute tour led by a guide via Zoom. Armed with a camera, the guide navigates the vast complex astride an electric bike, delving into the rich history and culture at temples such as Ananda and Dhammayangyi. The guide also answers questions.

Six months? Two years? How long can Sabah tourism operators hold out?

Despite the recent political coup, tours, which cost US$50 for a group of 10 people, will continue.

exploration.travel

Virtual Vietnam

Take a virtual tour of Hanoi, Vietnam. Photo: vietnam.travel

Vietnam’s borders have remained shut to visitors since March 2020, but the country’s tourism board has gone to great lengths to ensure the country remains on the tourist map.

Visitors to the Virtual Vietnam website can explore the country’s eight Unesco World Heritage Sites on 360-degree tours. Foodies can cook up a Vietnamese storm at home with downloadable recipes, and Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City’s delights can be discovered via interactive tours. Local guides offer intimate introductions to their hometowns.

vietnam.travel/virtual-vietnam

Visualise Cambodia’s Angkor Wat as it was in the past through a virtual tour. Photo: virtualangkor.com

Angkor Wat online

With Cambodia having suspended tourist visas in March, Angkor Wat saw 80 per cent fewer visitors in the first 11 months of 2020 compared with the same period the year before.

Although nothing beats standing in the shadow of the iconic monument, Virtual Angkor offers the next best thing. The tool takes visitors on a journey back in time to the mighty Khmer Empire using interactive 360-degree panoramas and technology.

Tourists amazed about seeing Angkor Wat without usual crowds

Best experienced with a virtual reality headset, viewers see the city that stood at the centre of the empire when it was at its peak. Rewind to the 12th century and watch the structures being built, stroll inside the temple walls, take a glimpse of daily life and enjoy a royal procession.

virtualangkor.com

A water buffalo race, or Makepung, in Negara, Bali, Indonesia. Photo: Shutterstock

Experience Bali

Bali’s beaches, rice terraces, temples and soaring volcanic peaks have been off limits to most outsiders since March 2020. However, the Indonesian island’s beauty can be enjoyed through the Traveloka Online Xperience.

A series of virtual 60- to 90-minute tours across Indonesia are being curated. Starting from US$3.50, tours will cover 15 destinations including East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua.

For now, viewers can experience Bali’s remote northwest, with the ‘Negara: Uniqueness of West Bali’ option, which traverses a rugged region known for its water buffalo racing, lush rolling landscapes and dramatic coastline.

traveloka.com/en-en/online-xperience

The Reclining Buddha at Wat Chedi Luang outside Chiang Mai, Thailand. Photo: Shutterstock

Tour Thailand

In January, Tourism Authority Thailand went out of its way to virtually scratch the itch of visitors unable to reach the Land of Smiles by bringing attractions across four cities to life through immersive 360-degree adventures.

In Bangkok, explore ancient royal residences, including the Mekhala Ruchi Pavilion. Alternatively, take a virtual visit to Chiang Maiand discover its ancient religious monuments, including the Big Reclining Buddha at Wat Chedi Luang. In the south, enjoy the vistas from the Chedi Khao Hua Chuk stupa, in Surat Thani, and visit Phuket’s 100-year-old mansion, Chinpracha House.

tourismthailand.org/Articles/virtual-tours

Khlong Toei Market, in Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: toursbylocals.com

Bangkok Alongside a Local

Since 2008, ToursByLocals has been matching intrepid travellers with local tour guides to offer adventures in destinations around the world. In the wake of the pandemic, it has called on its global army of guides to offer live, virtual tours of their home turf.

In Bangkok, up to six people can join guide Peachaya as she delves into the sights, sounds and smells of the Thai capital. Foodies can get lost in Khlong Toei Market (US$80 per tour), the city’s largest fresh food market.

Alternatively, get a taste of the nightlife in vibrant Chinatown and the fragrant flower market (US$90 per tour), or visit the city’s top attractions, including the Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha Temple (US$100 per tour).

toursbylocals.com/Live-Virtual-Tours&country=214

You can learn about Melaka, Malaysia through Explore Malaysia Virtually. Photo: Shutterstock

Magical Malaysia

With Malaysia also off-limits to overseas arrivals, the curious can instead glimpse its diversity with Explore Malaysia Virtually. Co-founded by seasoned tour guides, the set-up offers live excursions and recorded snippets. Two in-depth, 360-degree tours of the capital, Kuala Lumpur, will be released soon.

Live options include a singalong session with Martin Theseira, an expert intraditional Kristang music. Or virtual visitors may join a talented local chef, who picks ingredients in the garden before creating a range of local delicacies, and a historian is on hand to delve into life in ancient Melaka.

exploremalaysiavirtually.com

A tour of Old Manila in the Philippines. Photo: app.philippines.travel

Marvel at Manila

In December, the Philippines’ Tourism Promotions Board launched interactive virtual experiences that introduce some of Manila’s landmarks. Through its Travel Philippines app, 20 destinations can be discovered on 360-degree tours crafted by tour guide Ivan Man Dy.

Two tours portray different sides of Manila. Soak up culture and heritage at the National Museum of Fine Arts and the National Museum of Natural History, and admire ancient architecture at Manila Cathedral and Plaza de Armas. Alternatively, dive into Metro Manila at the Philippine International Convention Centre and Quezon Memorial Shrine.

app.philippines.travel/

The Hindu temple complex at Candi in central Java, Indonesia. Photo: Shutterstock

Indonesia Online

Those wanting to soak up Indonesia’s historic sites can do so through a range of virtual, guide-led adventures via Zoom for little more than US$2 a time.

The Bersukaria Open Trip programme regularly hosts virtual events that take viewers on a journey across central Java. Online guests have admired the mix of 18th century Dutch and Indonesian architecture in the well-preserved city of Semarang and the sprawling Candi temple complex on the border of Yogyakarta and Central Java.

bersukaria.com

The Cloud Forest Explorer tour in Singapore teaches about tropical plants and their environmental threats. Photo: gardensbythebay.com.sg

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

One of Singapore’s top attractions, Gardens by the Bay may not be able to physically open its doors to the outside world, but virtual guests can take an informative 360-degree tour of the colourful 100-hectare horticultural delight, soaking up city vistas from The Canopy and OCBC Skyway before exploring a world of flora.

Young explorers can sign up to two, 45-minute tours aimed at keeping four- to six- year-olds educated and entertained. The Chew on This tour introduces the range of edible plants on display at the Flower Dome while the Cloud Forest Explorer introduces an array of tropical plants and highlights threats to their environment.

Dive into the clear waters around Indonesia’s Komodo island. Photo: airpano.com

Dive into Komodo island

Lockdown can lead to a desperation to be transported to another world, and AirPano’s virtual diving session exploring Komodo island takes the viewer to an underwater one.

Zoom in and out of the pink corals that adorn an underwater cave off the Indonesian island, watch the schools of colourful fish – more than 900 species call this area home – and gently wafting seagrasses while keeping an eye out for turtles, stingrays and sharks.

airpano.com/360photo/komodo-underwater/

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