Airbnb have joined a growing number of worldwide travel brands launching virtual travel alternatives this week, with the announcement of their new online experiences platform.

Whether you’re looking to meditate with Buddhist monks, virtually visit with the dogs of Chernobyl, take cooking lessons with a Moroccan family, or learn how to make coffee from a professional coffee taster, Airbnb’s new online experiences platform offers all that, and more.

The new portal – which already offers more than 50 virtual experiences – is the perfect distraction for those who are starting to climb the walls after weeks of isolation. It also allows hosts to earn an income they would otherwise miss out on during the COVID-19 pandemic, while bringing some incredible virtual travel experiences to people who are stuck at home.

The new online experiences platform offers everything from pasta recipe tips with a local Italian family to pastry lessons with a Swedish baker. You can even learn more about Tokyo’s anime subculture. And when it’s time to work all that delicious food off? Just join a bounce and twerk class with New Orleans’ based MoeJoe.

“Human connection is at the core of what we do,” said Catherine Powell, Head of Airbnb Experiences. “With so many people needing to stay indoors to protect their health, we want to provide an opportunity for our hosts to connect with our global community of guests in the only way possible right now, online.”

The online experiences are hosted on Zoom, with Airbnb providing their hosts access to the streaming service free of charge, along with personalised support services which assist them in curating, capturing and sharing their unique online content with the world.

Several months (or even weeks) ago, the term virtual travel would have seemed ridiculous. But as we all attempt to live with the novel coronavirus pandemic, online experiences like the ones now offered by Airbnb, are becoming a big part of the new normal.

New online experiences are being added all the time, so cure your cabin fever by hopping over to the Airbnb Online Experiences platform here.