Due to recent advances in hardware and software technologies, virtual reality (VR) is becoming ubiquitous, finding its use in more and more professional applications apart from the gaming industry. Up to now, VR could be successfully implemented for virtual surgery, virtual therapy, flight and vehicle simulations and cultural heritage. While geographical data sets are commonly projected in a top-down view onto a 2D surface, virtual reality could become a helpful tool to visualise terrain data in a more intuitive and immersive way. This study covers the methodology, advantages, limitations and practical usages of such visualisation tools for hydrographic applications.