Always wanted to explore the Great Barrier Reef but couldn’t quite get the cash together? Don’t worry, good guy Google has it covered. Its latest Street View collection comes from beneath the waves of several famous diving spots and the results are nothing less than spectacular.

Google Maps partnered with The Catlin Seaview Survey to initiate its first underwater adventure. Although locations are still very limited at this time, you can already virtually visit the Great Barrier Reef and some spots in Hawaii and the Philippines. This, from the announcement on its official blog:

Today we’re adding the very first underwater panoramic images to Google Maps, the next step in our quest to provide people with the most comprehensive, accurate and usable map of the world. With these vibrant and stunning photos you don’t have to be a scuba diver—or even know how to swim—to explore and experience six of the ocean’s most incredible living coral reefs. Now, anyone can become the next virtual Jacques Cousteau and dive with sea turtles, fish and manta rays in Australia, the Philippines and Hawaii.

To capture the amazing footage, a team from The Catlin Seaview Survey swam with a specially designed underwater camera called the SVII. They swam at a pace of four kilometres per hour, taking in every inch of the vast underwater landscape.

To get you started, why not take a swim with a turtle, peek at a Manta Ray or check out the Barrier Reef. When you have more than a few minutes to spare, you can browse through the entire collection of underwater images here or, of course, plot your own course.

[Source: Google Maps Blog via TechCrunch]