Temple Run 2: Imangi's Next Big Mobile Gaming Hit

It is undeniable that Imangi has really made an impact on mobile gaming with their initial game launch called Temple Run. It revolutionized the runner class for mobile gaming and thus spark a new era in that particular niche. Many developers have worked on cashing in on the craze and have since then seen countless number of games that are themed in a similar way. Disney and Imangi have even teamed up and launched a special edition to the game called Temple Run Brave for the Animation Movie Brave, where the idea was pretty much similar to the Original Temple Run but with added tasks such as shooting targets with your arrows as you try to outrun the demon bear known as Mordu through the forest. 

Temple Run 2 is a fresh new out look on the game and Imangi has successfully made the Sequel just as entertaining if not more. Here's what one can expect from Temple Run 2.

Obstacles look similar but with a few new twists

While sticking to the basic principles of the original game, Temple Run 2 is yet again put in a scene where a daring explorer would be scurrying from cave while being chased by a mad demonic ape like creature that is out to gobble him up. The game starts off at an easy pace and eventually picks up speed the further you get into the game. You'll be tasked with collecting coins and power ups as you run, slide, jump, and ride miner carts down a tunnel to avoid various obstacles that are out to hamper your escape. 

 Using the device's Gyro and accelerometer, you can dodge obstacles by tilting your device to the left or right. Swipe gestures are still one of the key factors, and so is collecting gold coins. 

It is the new environment, that makes this game so much more entertaining, even if the gameplay is still essentially the same with the first Temple Run. The once dark and murky swamp has now given way to a picturesque mountain path that is reminiscent of The Great Wall of China. Here you'll find yourself sliding down ropes, swinging left to right collecting coins, jumping across fast moving rivers and waterfalls, skipping past broken bridges and sliding under temple ruins and over spiked booby traps and fire jets along the way. In the mines you'll be forced to ride the mining cart and tilt your way across perilous crossings and broken rails while ducking under broken mine shafts. 

Watch out for those power-ups and tricky miner levels

In the mines, you'll be riding a cart along a beaten track. You'll have to be quick on your wrist and reflexes as you need to lean and duck to collect coins and avoid obstacles or broken tracks. The wrong turn could leave you face first on a dead end or crashing to the unknown depths of the cave below. 

What has been quite a welcome feature in the game is the easy resurrection option which is available immediately after a mishap and costs a gem (collectible within the game) for the first save and two for the second and so forth. You also dont need to buy the head start upgrades as once you have enough coins, the option is readily available on screen as you start the game, without the need to buy in the store to get the upgrade like in the first Temple Run. Upgrades are available nonetheless from boosting the time limit on various options like the magnetic capture of coins or gaining protective shields, speed boosts etc. With 10,000 coins, you can even choose a new character to run. 

Upgrade your existing character or simply choose a new one

The further you get into the game the faster the pace gets and this is where things tend to become rather tricky. There can be some instances where you might think that the road continues up ahead but end up flying off the screen as that signals a dead end cliff hanger situation that you should swipe left or right to avoid.  

Overall, Temple Run 2 is definitely a well designed game, with the new elements making it quite fresh and appealing is proving to be a worthy successor to the original Temple Run Game. It has no issues in terms of gaming in both IOS and Google Android Devices and even plays more smoothly than the first. Best part about it is that it is free to download for both as well. 

Till Next Time...

-Metz- 

PS. I am curious as to how everyone is scoring on their Temple Run 2 Games :) Do post them here in the comment field, or if you have any tips on how to better play that game please do share them as well :) 

Review of HTC Butterfly: Is It Worth Buying?

The HTC Butterfly has finally made its appearance in the Philippines and many are asking if it is really something one should spend on. Many of those that have asked are current owners of the HTC One X and One X+ devices. Below is a full on review of what the HTC Butterfly has to offer and the overall verdict on whether or not the HTC Butterfly is worth your money. 

The Main Focus is Display

The HTC Butterfly isn't what I would call a new device as it was first introduced late last year around Oct 2012. A slightly modified version of this was also released in the US around late November. The Butterfly is basically what HTC markets internationally and works on 3G networks. 

The HTC Butterfly is a full HD display device, sporting a 5inch screen display with a resolution of 1920 X 1080. For the sake of comparison via numbers the screen boasts an incredible pixel density of 440ppi, among the highest on the market.  Apple's iPhone 5 has a pixel density of 326ppi while the Samsung Galaxy Note II offers 267ppi. It is pretty impressive though compared to that of the HTC One X, iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S3 visually there is no noticeable difference making the pixel density only matter really in just paper.

Overall, the HTC Butterfly's color reproduction is excellent, viewing angles are superb and brightness is almost unrivaled. To appreciate this though one would have to see it in person. 

Improved Design

The HTC Butterfly will undoubtedly make a great first impression for those who are using it. The HTC Butterfly is mainly constructed from plastic, which is a far cry from the aluminium unibody designs they used to use but upon touch gives that very solid premium feeling compared to that of the Samsung Galaxy S3's plasticky feel.

HTC Butterfly has also included quite a number of accents on its design that adds to that overall premium feel to the device, such as the addition of the metallic-like glossy white finish of the back, thin edges that taper from the center of the device and HTC's micro-grill pattern edges along the sides. The HTC Butterfly is just about 9mm thick and is light weight, weighing in only at 140g. 

One of the things that I have found a bit awkward is the position of the power button which is top mounted in the center making it an effort to reach up to press considering the size of the unit. The micro sim card and microSD card slot is covered by a flap that is quit hard to open. The flap covering the micro usb port at the bottom is easier to manage, though technically I would prefer to do without these flaps as I find that they would have a tendency to fall off or break with continuous usage especially if one is not too careful. The battery is not removable, which is the sacrifice that HTC made for design and many that have been asking for this to be changed will be left disappointed.

HTC Butterfly Sense

The HTC Butterfly runs on the 4.1 Jelly Bean OS of Google's Android and on top of that uses the HTC Sense 4+ which is the same as that of HTC's ONE X and One X+. The sense UI is something more of a love-hate relationship for those that have used an HTC device and just like many others, your own personal preference will dictate whether this is one you'd like to use. 

The most advantageous thing about HTC Sense are definitely the widgets and many other graphic touches throughout the OS that isn't available on other Android UIs. If this isn't your thing there are many downloadable interfaces off the Google Play store that you can use to change the look and feel of the device without having to root your phone. In terms of performance, the Sense doesn't seem to impede the device in anyway which could be more attributed to the marriage of the hardware and software capabilities that the HTC Butterfly provides. 

The HTC Butterfly's Hardware

The HTC Butterfly's internals are pretty much the same as that of the Nexus 4 that has been released by LG and Google using Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 Pro 1.5GHz quad-core processor. It has a 2GB RAM, which is fast becoming a standard for quad-core phones. 

The HTC Butterfly isn't an LTE ready device which means you'll have to be satisfied with it running on HSPA and 3G networks but with its 2020mAh battery that should be a worthy trade off as LTE would most likely drain the HTC Butterfly's battery rather quickly. 

Gaming is definitely not going to be a problem for this phone, but I would most likely advice that you'd have to get the charger ready as any gaming with this device would most likely drain it quite quickly. 

The Camera is also pretty much the same in terms of specs and performance as that of the HTC One X series, which pretty much translates that you wont be disappointed at all in this particular department, though speaking from experience being an HTC One X user, it would be best to play around with the settings and camera options to get the most out of the Camera/Video Experience. 

Here is HTC Butterfly's Specifications:

• Size: 143 x 70.5 x 9.08 mm
• Weight: 140 grams
• Display: 5-inch SLCD 3, Gorilla Glass 2, Full HD (1920 x 1080)
• CPU: Qualcomm S4 Pro, 1.5GHz, Quad-core
• RAM: 2GB
• Storage: 16GB
• MicroSD slot: yes, up to 32GB
• Networks: HSPA/WCDMA, GSM/GPRS/EDGE
• Battery: 2020mAh
• Camera: back — 8MP, autofocus, LED, BSI, HTC ImageChip; front – 2.1MP (1080p)
• Sensors: Gyro, Accelerometer, Proximity, Light
• Connectivity: GPS+GLONASS, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, DLNA, micro-USB 2.0

Overall, the HTC Butterfly is quite  decent device, but if have already bought the HTC One X, or the HTC One X+ this isn't going to be something I would advice you to switch too as the experience and performance that the One X devices have provided are pretty much at par with the HTC Butterfly minus the screen size. The 2GB extra RAM isn't as important either as the One X devices are still quite capable of holding their own in terms of gaming experience. If anything, I would recommend the HTC Butterfly to those that haven't bought HTC's ONE X devices as that would most likely be a major upgrade to your user experience. Aesthetically the HTC Butterfly is quite tempting and just like the One X models it'll be a good buy but if battery is going to be a major factor for your purchase then best to look somewhere else.

Till Next Time...

-Metz-

Budget Tablet: Full Review of Kata T2 8" Tablet

With the success of their last year's model, Kata T1 7" Tablet, Kata has now released a worthy budget tablet successor called the Kata T2 which sports an 8" Full touch display and an upgraded cpu and gpu chip that makes gaming and browsing fast and easy. They also used Google Android's latest mobile OS the Android Jelly Bean 4.1.1, which makes Kata T2 quite a power house.

Here is the summary of it's specs:

Platform:	Android v4.1.1 (Jelly Bean)
Dimension (H x W x D):	203 x 153 x 9.9mm
Weight:	445g
Display:	8" Full-Touch Display (1024 x 768 pixels)
Processor:	1.6GHz Dual Core Quad Core GPU
Memory:	Internal: 8GB (RAM: 1GB DDR3) External: Support microSD card, up to 32GB
Color:	Black
Camera:	5.0 Mega-pixel Camera 2.0 Mega-pixel Front Camera
Support Format:	Audio: MP3 / AAC / OGG / FLAC Video: MKV / MPG / MP4 / AVI
Battery:	Playback time: 10 hours Standby time: 336 hours Capacity: 4100mAh
Connectivity:	Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR GPS
HDMI:	Mini HDMI

The Kata T2 is quite a sturdy and well built device that one would most likely not think it cost roughly about $200. The Kata T1 was something that I would recommend as a buy for those wanting to give something special for their kids but now with the Kata T2 it is not hard to recommend even the power users to take a shot at this device and see how it performs.

In terms of display it pretty much rivals the display quality of that of Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 which makes it quite pleasant to look at though not as good as the screen quality as that of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7. In terms of performance and speed, the Kata T2 really holds its own against the top brands and can play many of the high end games without a glitch and with Jelly Bean backing up its hardware, everything is as what Google promised of a machine that is fine tuned with their software, the Kata T2 is quite buttery smooth and pleasant to use.

The Kata T2 uses a roughly uses the stock Jelly Bean android so you'll be enjoying the full unadulterated experience of the the latest Android Software without much of the common bloatware you'd find on other tablets. Battery life it pretty much average lasting pretty much well over a day of moderate to heavy usage with its 4100mAh battery. It also has support for GPS making applications like MapFactor Navigation work extremely well.

In terms of camera, though it now supports 5MP which is quite an upgrade to the previous KATA T1's 2MP rear camera, the picture quality isn't something to be too ecstatic about, though with good lighting does dish out pretty decent shots and videos. The front facing camera though is quite a pleasant surprise with 2MP for video calling and those self-portrait shots most people love to take of themselves from time to time.

WiFi connection is also much better compared to the previous Kata T1, which I have to say isn't bad at all, just now this one is at par with most mid-range to high end branded tablet models out there.

Overall, the Kata T2 8" Tablet is quite an eye-candy both in and out and at the current price tag of $200  it is pretty tempting. Would I recommend this right off the bat? most likely it would be on the top three of the best budget tablet choices out there for the year. The only issue you might encounter is finding the right casing for it though there are many gadget accessory shops out there that I am sure can produce a pretty good option for the Kata T2, should you ever decide to purchase one. Again, if this is what you choose I would have no doubt that you'd love it from first glance.

Till Next Time...

-Metz-

The Month of Love and Celebration: Places to Visit in February

With the many festivals that are occurring world wide in the season of love, there is no better place to go to then places where each country proudly represents love and individuality through music, dance culture and costumes.

Here are the top places of festivities this February:

Chun Jie - The Spring Festival and Chinese Celebration for the New Year
Location: Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore and Hong Kong
Dates: Lunar New Year which is roughly between January 19 and February 20.

Chun jie Festival in Singapore

The Chinese New Year is pretty much celebrated around the world, especially where there is a Chinatown, however there is something special about being in one of these places during this high point in the Chinese Calendar. It is a definitely something you shouldn't miss out on.

Tet Nguyen Dan - The Festival of the First Day
Location - Vietnam
Dates: Lunar New Year which is roughly between January 19 and February 20.

It is in Vietnam that Tet ushers in the New Year and is by far the biggest celebration on Vietnam's national calendar. Tet rites begin a week before the Lunar New Year and the first three days of the Tet Nguyen Dan are considered as their National Holidays.

International Ice and Snow Festival - Snow and Ice World Festival in Harbin China
Location: Zhaolin Park and Sun Island Park, Harbin China
Dates: 5th of January to 29th of Feb

The Northern province of China known as the Heilongjiang province may be riddled with the coldest climate in the whole of Asia, but it is undoubtedly the best place for an Ice Wonderland Celebration right at the heart in Harbin.

Thaipusam
Location: Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - (this is also celebrated in Singapore)

Date: Full Moon Day in the 10th Tamil month of Thai which is somewhere between mid month of January to mid February.

This is the most amazing Hindu festival in Malaysia. It is celebrated in a wild ecstatic celebration of seemingly outrageous body piercings, marking the day when Lord Shiva's son, Murugan, was given a lance to vanquish three demons.

Carnaval de Quebec - Winter Carnival
Location: Old Town, Quebec City, Canada
Dates: Late January to mid-February

The Carnaval de Quebec has made a reputation of being the world's largest winter carnival. The 17 day Carnaval de Quebec was first done in the early 1894 as a means to get over the winter chills, but only became a full blown festival it is now by the 1950s.

Carnevale Venezia - Venice Carnival
Location: Venice, Italy, Piazza San Marcos is the festival's main focus
Dates: Starts around two Fridays before Ash Wed and completes around Fat/Shrove Tuesday.

The most anticipated social event of Venice, Carnevale Venezia is a masked extravaganza reminiscent of the Phantom of the Opera. It is also known as the best baroque dance party and is rivaling even that of  Rio De Janeiro's Carnival in terms of spirit and gusto.

Pasola
Location: Sumba, Indonesia
Dates: During February and March. This is determined by the arrival of a type of sea worm known as nyale

This is celebrated with a tournament of two rivaling teams wielding spears, known as ikat horsemen. The Pasola is most likely Asia's bloodiest and extravagant harvest festival.

St Valentine's Day
Location: Terni, Italy - The feast takes place outside of the Basilica di San Valentino
Dates: This is celebrated all throughout February with February 14 as its highlight

I would most likely believe that this is by far the most romantic place to celebrate the Month of Love with your special one. With Terni's ambiance to match, you shouldn't be surprised to see many getting down on their knees and proposing right there on the streets of the Saint's Umbrian hometown.

Saidai-Ji Eyo - Naked Festival
Location: Kannon-in Temple, Saidi-ji, Japan
Date: Third Saturday of February

Naked Festivals(they actually are not naked because they use loincloths) are quite common throughout Japan in the early start of the Lunar New Year but the most extraordinary is done in the Kannon-in Temple right outside of Okayama

Carnaval De Binche
Location: Binche, Belgium and starts at the town hall
Date: Fat/Shrove Tuesday

Come prepared for a bit of bruising at Belgium's most eccentric carnival celebration. It has been listed by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, the Binche carnival sees local men called Gilles, stomp around while wearing an odd green eyed mask and shaking sticks to ward of evil spirits.

Battaglie delle Arance - Battle of the Oranges
Location: Ivrea, Italy which start right at the town center
Dates: It concludes on Fat/Shrove Tuesday

A part of Ivrea's carnival celebration, Battaglie delle Arance is their version of another town known as Valencia's famous La Tomatina. It is here that for three days nine teams of revolutionaries totaling to about 3000 people or more pound each other with over 400,000kg of oranges. I would recommend to carry an umbrella as a shield if you are caught in the crossfire.

Art Deco Weekend
Location: Several Venues in Napier and Hastings, New Zealand
Dates: Third weekend of February

When the Hawkes Bay town of Napier was decimated by a massive earthquake in the 1930s, Art Deco moved in. It rebuilt the town in Art Deco Style with a bit of Spanish Mission thrown in also influencing the near by town of Hastings. This place has now become the World's Best showcase of Art Deco Designs.

Oruro Carnival
Location: Oruro, Bolivia
Dates: 10 days around Ash Wed

The Oruro Carnival has been listed by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. It is also Bolivia's largest annual celebration that draws a crowd of close to half a million people. The central focus of the event is in La Diabla-da, which translate to Dance of the Devils, is an extraordinary showcase of demonic dancers in the most extravagant costumes.

Jenadriyah National Festival
Location: Al Jenadriyah, Saudi Arabia
Dates: Late Feb to early March

The Jenadriyah National Festival is held at a very special site situated about 45km northeast of central Riyadh. It promotes the country's traditional cultures and crafts. The festival opens with an epic camel race that has about 2000 participants racing across a 19km track.

Rio De Janiero Carnival
Location: Sambodromo, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Dates: It culminates on Shrove/Fat Tuesday but begins on a previous Saturday

In Rio De Janeiro, Indian Costumes and African Beats were incorporated in the celebration in a show of rebellious indigenous identity. Today the anticipation of Carnaval fills the air months before the actual event. The main feature of the celebration are the Brazilian Bandas - street parties guided by drummers and singers through the streets of Rio and tailed by those willing to dance behind them.

I may not have been able to personally get to visit these places but based on the stories from friends that have, it is definitely worth to have these events included in a bucket list of things to experience before we age to a point where we can no longer travel. Writing about them has only but created a taste for adventure.

I am sure that there are many more places to go to for the month of February, I would most definitely love to hear from others of special places to visit that you have discovered. If possible can you post those places you know are worthy of going to in the Season of Love here in the comment section below. I would personally be grateful, as I am constantly on the lookout for more things to add on my bucket list.

Till Next Time...

-Metz-

PS. If you are Filipino and are curious about these places mentioned and want to know if it is a place you can visit without the need for a visa, check out the list of countries where we can go with a Philippine Passport here: Travel w/o a Visa for Filipinos

Butandings(Whale Sharks) "The Gentle Giants" of the Philippines

The whale shark also known as Rhincodon Typus is locally known here in the Philippines as the Butanding. This is a gentle giant which has so often been misjudged due to the term "shark" that has been attached to its name. It is actually quite far from being a terror of the sea and it merely feeds on plankton or krill along the coasts. The Butanding(Whale Shark) is also considered to being one of the largest living known fish in the world and has been recorded to grow to over 15 meters in length.

Butandings can be sighted in numerous places here The Philippines, however the most popular spot is located in Donsol, Sorsogon. It is in this area that it is considered to have the highest concentration of Butandings in the world. The Department of Tourism in 1998 has declared Donsol as an official Butanding sanctuary in order to protect its species. Other Butanding spots here in the Philippines are Oslob in Cebu, Palawan, Nasugbu, and Anilao both of which are in Batangas. The average size of Butandings in Donsol range between 7 to 8 meters in length as compared to Oslob which is roughly about 6 meters.

Butandings(Whale Sharks) are gentle giants. Most of those that have been able to share their stories of encounters with these marvelous giants of the sea, have nothing but awe. To many it is also the most humbling experience that they have had. One should definitely feel privileged to be beside one of these gentle giants as not many can experience this. Some though would initially feel a bit terrified at first as once you are beside one you'll get to finally realize how massive the Butandings really are.

Buttanding season is mostly around the December to May months with a more probable sighting between the months of Feb and April.

Tips and what you should do when you are interacting with a Butanding.

1. Listen to the safety precautions that are being discussed during the briefing period. The person conducting the briefing should be a Butanding Interaction Officer (BIO).

2. If you are planning to swim with the Butanding, it would be wise to inform the BIO about your swimming prowess before attempting to do so. It would be advisable to wear the necessary safety gear at all times and always stay close to the BIO and the boat you are assigned to.

3. Test all equipment prior to using it in the water.

4. Never jump in the water unless the BIO signals that it is safe to do so.

5. Underwater photography is allowed but should not use flash or any other artificial lighting as this could startle the Butanding.

6. You should never ride, feed or impede the movement of the Butanding. Observe a safe distance from the Butanding which is roughly about 3 meters from the head and body while keeping a distance of 4 meters from its tail.

7. Keep the environment clean at all times. It is important to dispose of waste and trash materials properly to safeguard the habitat of the ocean life in the area.

It is wise to follow these guidelines to protect the Butandings and of course yourself from getting harmed. Be very careful with guides that say you can touch or ride the Butandings as that is not allowed. It is because of some boat operators and guides that there are many Butandings that have gotten scared because of close human contact. Be reminded not to feed the Butandings as this too will disrupt their natural eating habits and might make them dependent on humans. If these rules are followed strictly, you and the Butandings will guaranteed a safe and awe inspiring experience.

To get to Donsol, Sorsogon which is located in Bicol Province, you can either take the bus or plane from Manila to get to Legaspi City. From there you should be able to find a van or cab that'll take you to Donsol from the terminals. The trip from Legaspi to Donsol would usually take around 1 to 1 1/2 hours give or take depending on traffic. You can also bring your own vehicle from Manila, though this option would usually leave the driver too exhausted to do anything else.

Another place mentioned earler is Oslob which is located in Cebu City. From Manila, you'd have to take a plane ride to Cebu City. Once there you can hire a van or ride a bus from the South Bus Terminal that would head to Oslob. The trip takes roughly about 3 hours. From Oslob you have to go to Tan-Awan which is about 10 km away which is where the Butandings are normally spotted.

The Butandings are amazing and one which we can take pride in as they grace our seas quite often. It is our responsibility build awareness and take care of them as well as their environment. They've long been a source of tourism here and shall continue to do so if we take steps into conserving their environment. I am glad that the current efforts of those living with them and The Philippine government are moving towards a better future for the Butandings and those around them, but we still have a long way to go to ensure that these gentle giants of the sea have a future to look forward to with us and with the generations to come.

Till Next Time...

-Metz-

Philippine Passport: Places to Visit w/o Visa Requirements

With Filipinos now becoming more active as tourists and with Budget Airline Carriers such as Cebu Pacific reaching destinations that go further out, there is a lot of talk about which countries can Filipinos go to without the need to apply for a Visa. Below is a compiled list of those particular countries. Though some may still require a certain fee to be paid upon arrival for a visa but unlike most that is all that you would need to do in order to be granted access into their country.

Africa

Burkina Faso 3-month visa issued upon arrival for XOF10,000
Burundi Burundi visa issued upon arrival
Cape Verde Cape Verde visa issued upon arrival
Comoros visa issued upon arrival
Djibouti 10-day visa issued upon arrival for DJF3,000; 1-month visa issued upon arrival for DJF5,000
Egypt (South Sinai only) 14-day visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Kenya 3-month visa issued upon arrival for US$50
Madagascar 90-day visa issued upon arrival for MGA28,000
Morocco 3 months
Mozambique 30-day visa issued upon arrival for US$25
Niger 1-month visa issued upon arrival for XOF25,000
Saint Helena visa issued upon arrival
Seychelles 1 month
Tanzania visa issued upon arrival for US$50
Togo 7-day visa issued upon arrival
Uganda 6-month visa issued upon arrival for US$50
Zambia visa issued upon arrival for US$25 (single), US$40 (double), and US$80 (multiple)

Asia

ASEAN
Brunei Darussalam 14 days
Cambodia 21 days
Indonesia 30 days
Laos 30 days
Malaysia 1 month
Singapore 30 days
Thailand 30 days
Vietnam 21 days

Non-ASEAN
Bangladesh 90-day visa issued upon arrival for US$50
Hong Kong 14 days
Iran 17-day visa issued upon arrival for US$50
Israel 3 months
South Korea (Jeju Island only) 30 days
Macau 30 days
Maldives 30-day visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Mongolia 21 days
Nepal 60-day visa issued upon arrival for US$30
Sri Lanka 30 days
Timor-Leste 30-day visa issued upon arrival for US$30

Europe

Armenia 21-day visa issued upon arrival for US$30
Azerbaijan 30-day visa issued upon arrival for US$100
Georgia 3 month visa issued on arrival for US$10 ~ US$200

Oceania

Cook Islands 31 days
Fiji 6-month Visitor's Permit issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Marshall Islands 30-day visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Federated States of Micronesia 30 days
Niue 30 days
Palau 30-day visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Samoa 60-day Visitor's Permit issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Tuvalu 1-month visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Vanuatu 30 days

North America

Bermuda 6 months
Costa Rica 30 days
Dominica 21 days
Haiti 3 months
Saint Kitts and Nevis 14 days
Saint Lucia 6-week visa issued upon arrival for US$50
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1 month
Turks and Caicos Islands 30 days

South America

Bolivia 59 days
Brazil 90 days
Colombia 90 days
Ecuador 90 days
Peru 90 days
Suriname 120 days

The Philippines' economy has become highly progressive in the past couple of years and still continues to be, allowing our citizens to become more active as tourists. It is pretty good to know that we have these particular countries that we can go to without having to go through the headache of having to prepare tons of documents just to get a travel visa approved. All of these countries are on my lists of places to visit in my lifetime and hopefully we all get to see them :) 

PS. This list is going to be needing updates every now and then, if there is anything that needs to be removed or edited please do inform me. TY

Till Next Time...

-Metz- 

Dubai Visa Requirements for Tourists and Work

With Cebu Pacific now currently flying to Dubai starting on Oct 7, 2013 there are many that are asking if it one needs to apply for a visa to get to Dubai. Detailed below are the list of things one would have to take note of and do in order for you to get to travel to Dubai. 

IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION

Citizens of the following Countries will get their visa upon arrival to the UAE airports, if the duration of stay is less than one (1) month and they hold visas in their passports or entry stamps from other countries:

Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, United Kingdom (except the British overseas citizens), United States, Vatican

For all other nationalities, a visa must be applied for before the visitor enters the country either through their respective embassy, a local UAE sponsor or a local hotel.

GCC NATIONALS

Visa requirements for entering Dubai vary greatly between different nationalities and it is always advised to check regulations before traveling. Currently, every nationality entering the UAE needs a visa except citizens of GCC countries (Gulf Cooperation Council: 

Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia) expatriate residents of the GCC (certain nationalities and professions) and British citizens with the right of abode in the UK, who will be granted a visa on arrival in the UAE.

GCC nationals can stay more or less as long they like. British citizens can stay for a month and then apply for a visa for a further two months.

Please note that Israelis and travelers whose passports bear Israeli stamps will be denied a visa.

VISAS THROUGH HOTELS

Tourists can get a visa from a tourist company or a hotel by first making a reservation for at least one night. They must fax/courier the hotel a copy of their passport along with the reason for the visit (tourism is an acceptable reason) and their arrival date. You must also make sure that the hotel faxes you a copy of the visa when it is ready. Airlines may require confirmation (preferably a fax copy of the document) that a visa is held before check-in at the airport. The original is held at Dubai Airport for collection before passport control.

SERVICE VISA ENTRY APPLIED THROUGH A HOTEL:

Standard process of application, but please check with your hotel first.

The visa is valid for 14 days from the date of issue and 14 days from the date of entry. The visa fees and security deposit will vary from country to country. The security deposit is also required per person and will be refunded once the visa holder leaves the country. It is advisable to contact your nearest Dubai Embassy or the hotel for more details.

Please be aware that once the visa is applied for, charges for the cost of the visa will not be refunded in such cases as Expiration, Booking cancellation, Rejection.

For the visa to be processed by the hotel, the visitor must remain a guest in that hotel for the entrire duration of their stay. Port of entry and exit of the visitor must be Dubai only. Three working days are needed to process the visa excluding, Friday, Saturday and Public Holidays.

Documents required:

Visa Charges and Security Deposit. An authorisation letter with the signature of the cardholder, as well as a copy of the credit card used (front and back side). Passport copies of card holder and visitors.

Please note all document copies, passport copies and credit card copies must be scanned clearly and with colour when sent, otherwise they will be rejected by Dubai Immigration.

TOURIST VISA

This visa is issued through tourist companies and it is valid for 30 days. You cannot renew it or extend it. If the Visa holder of the tourist visa stays more than the 30 days, that person has to pay a fine per day plus some charges for an out pass.

VISIT VISA

This Visa is issued through DNRD. It is stamped for 30 days validity but it is valid for 60 days and can be extended for 30 more days by paying an extra amount. The extension needs to be done before the 60th day. If the visitor stays more than 60 days or more than 90 days (after the extension) they will have to pay a fine per day plus some charges for an out pass.

Certain passport holders can enter the UAE without obtaining a visit visa prior to arrival and stay up to 30 days.

Documents required:

1. Photocopy of the visitor's passport
2. Visit Visa Application form, completed and signed by the sponsoring company.
3. Photocopy of the trade license of the company
4. A Guarantee letter from the company stating its responsibility of the visitor during his visit.

WORK VISA

These visas are issued for people who want to work or do business in UAE. It is valid for 60 days only, during this the work residence visa has to be processed. If the person delays in stamping the residence he will pay 25 AED fine for each day.

There are different types of Work visas:

Private companies or Establishments employees (Issued from labor Office)

1. Servants
2. Partners
3. Investors
4. Governmental institutions and Ministries (Issued from DNRD) and the person can only work in governmental institutions

We suggest that you check with your nearest UAE consulate or embassy whether you require a visa to be issued in your passport prior to flying to the UAE.

Cebu Pacific's rates going to Dubai are very cheap and it is definitely going to be tempting to go to Dubai. Even with their regular fees they still will most likely be the airline of choice as none of its international competitors comes close to what they are offering. Dubai though is definitely a must visit for me as it would bring me back to a place that was once my childhood home. 

Till Next Time...

-Metz-

Cebu Pacific Will Start Flying to Dubai and More

Budget carrier Cebu Pacific is set to fly to Dubai, its first long-haul destination, in October.

The Gokongwei-led airline will start its daily flights to Dubai on October 7, 2013.  No Philippine carriers are currently plying the Middle East routes.  Cebu Pacific will be up against Emirates Airlines, which is the only airline with direct flights from Dubai to Manila. 

Emirates is adding an additional flight from Dubai to Manila in January 2013. It currently flies twice daily non-stop between Manila and Dubai.

Cebu Pacific is planning to lease up to 8 Airbus A330-300 aircraft to serve new markets beyond the range of its current fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft. The A330-300 planes have a range of up to 11 hours, which means the airline can embark on long-haul flights that are within 11 hours of the Philippines

The Airbus A330 has a range of up to 11 hours which means CEB could serve markets such as Australia, Middle East, parts of Europe and the US. The aircraft is one of the most commonly used wide-body aircraft in operation today, given its highly reliable operating statistics.

“The A330-300 will give us the lowest cost per seat, allowing us to drive long-haul fares 35% lower than those currently offered by other airlines, and as much as 80% lower when CEB offers promo fares. This aircraft type is very well suited to the kind of network we want to build and the routes we want to launch,” said Lance Gokongwei, CEB President and CEO.

“We are exploring serving cities where large Filipino communities reside --- Europe, Middle East, Oceania and the USA. Data indicates that more than half of Filipinos deployed in these regions take multiple stops and connecting flights because no home carrier can fly them there non-stop,” added Gokongwei.

Gokongwei cited Saudi Arabia as an example, where only 165,000 passengers flew direct non-stop flights from Manila (Civil Aeronautics Board 2010 data), compared to 293,000 Filipinos deployed to Saudi Arabia in the same year. This means that nearly half of Filipinos who flew to Saudi Arabia in 2010 had to take multiple flights to get to their destination. With CEB’s long haul operations, the budget airline will provide more affordable, direct flight options to Filipinos overseas, a population estimated to be 11 million worldwide.

Since its inception in 1996, CEB has posted a good track record in stimulating short-haul travel of Filipinos working and residing overseas. Passenger traffic to and from Hong Kong, where a lot of Filipinos reside and work, grew by 88% since CEB started operating flights from Manila in 2001.

“We want to do the same for long-haul traffic --- offer the lowest fares possible and drive a significant increase on demand for air travel to regions outside of Asia. This is truly an exciting time for CEB as we continue to be of service to the 11 million strong global Filipinos, wherever they are in the world; and to their families back home,” Gokongwei said.

“As CEB develops long-haul routes and opens new destinations for a Philippine flag carrier, we will be creating an important enabler for increased trade, tourism and foreign investment.” 

I guess the major air carriers of South EastAsia and the Middle East are to expect a major price and choice competition by the time this gets fully launched as currently Cebu Pacific is a tough contender in air fare packages.  

Will you be flying with Cebu Pacific to Dubai, Saudi Arabia and other 11 hour flight destinations? I would believe the OFW would definitely love this offer, as for regular tourists, that's the question that I would like to consider but the offer is going to be tempting. 

Till Next Time...

-Metz-