📺 Stream EntrepreneurTV for Free 📺

Repel Into an Active Volcano Via Google Street View Thanks to Google, anyone with a computer can explore the remote country of Vanuatu's jungles, black sand beaches and even peer inside an active volcano.

By Angela Moscaritolo

entrepreneur daily

This story originally appeared on PCMag

via PC Mag

Unless you're a world traveler, there's a good chance you'll never make it to Vanuatu, an archipelago of 80 tiny islands located more than a thousand miles off the coast of Australia. But now, thanks to Google, anyone with a computer can explore the remote country's jungles, black sand beaches and even peer inside an active volcano.

"Starting today in Google Maps, we invite you to join us on a journey to the edge of one of the largest boiling lava lakes in the world on the Vanuatuan island of Ambrym," the web giant wrote in a Wednesday blog post.

To get the incredible images, Google partnered with explorers Geoff Mackley and Chris Horsley, who repelled 400 meters into the Marum crater with a Street View Trekker strapped on their backs that collected 360-degree imagery of "the molten lava lake, which is roughly the size of two football fields," Google said.

In a statement, Mackley said standing at the edge of the volcano, feeling the heat on his skin, was a "phenomenal" experience. "You only realize how insignificant humans are when you're standing next to a giant lake of fiery boiling rock," he said.

Google maps landmarks all over the world -- from the Grand Canyon to Mt. Everest -- but this is the first time the web giant has taken its Street View technology beneath the Earth's surface. The tropical island of Ambrym is home to two active volcanic cones called Benbow and Marum as well as more than 7,000 people who have "learned to live in harmony with this beautiful yet deadly natural phenomena."

Google spoke with a local village leader, Chief Moses, who explained that his people "believe that the volcanoes Marum and Benbow are devils … We believe that Benbo is the husband and Marum is the wife. Sometimes when they don't agree there's an eruption which means the spirit is angry so we sacrifice a pig or fawel to the volcano."

Vanuatu in 2015 was hit by Cyclone Pam and natives have been rebuilding the country's infrastructure ever since. Now, "Chief Moses and his village are ready to welcome travelers back," Google wrote. "He believes making Vanuatu more accessible to the world is a key step in the island's recovery and ability to establish a sustainable economy and preserve its culture."

To explore Vanuatu via Street View, head here.

Angela Moscaritolo has been a PCMag reporter since January 2012. 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Franchise

What the NLRB Appeal of the Expanded Joint Employer Rule Judgment Means for Your Business

With this action by the NLRB, the once-dead expanded rule could be resurrected by a federal appeals court. Here's what to do to protect your business.

Marketing

4 Things Ecommerce Startups Need to Be Careful About When Running A/B Tests

A/B testing is a powerful tool, but you should be aware of these aspects that people often overlook.

Side Hustle

The Sweet Side Hustle She Started in an Old CVS Made $800,000 in One Year. Now She's Repeating the Success With Her Daughter — and They've Already Exceeded 8 Figures.

Mother-daughter team Elisabeth and Gina Galvin are taking their snack brand Stellar Snacks to new heights, literally — you've probably seen their products in-flight.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

Kevin O'Leary Says This Is a 'Huge Red Flag' When He's Looking at Resumes

The "Shark Tank" star took to X to share his opinions on job hopping — and how long you should really stay in a job.