Beachside Rentals

[tothevictor]

Here's the guts ladies and gents:

 

We left laguna a while ago and have been hanging out in Benguet but but I'm thinking it is time for a more permanent relocation to the coast.  We are three, me plus her plus our rottweiler.  Here is what we don't need:

 

Western style housing

Air conditioning (as long as we're near the coast and a good breeze)

Girlie bars, bar girls, drinking spots (one comfortable watering hole, preferably with wifi, will do me - if it is not full of drunken expats all the better - no offence, I love that sometimes but time and place)

 

Here is what we do need:

Some semblance of security and comfort

An area that is not full of shabu hooked gangbangers 

For the place to cost about 4-5000 pesos a month

A reasonably reliable power supply (no regular brownouts of more than a couple of hours, my laptop has a max life of about four with the 3g modem plugged into it)

A decent sort of a water supply

A shopping area with a decent supermarket (something like a puregold is fine) within easy reach of a jeepney / trike or taxi ride

A bloody lovely bit of beach where I can sit back with a tanduay and pineapple juice at sunset after I walk my dog down it.

 

It also goes without saying that a purebred female rottweiler at breeding age is a target for theft (right now similar dogs are selling for over 10-20k) so I'd prefer if there was a small fenced off section or even better some sort of a terrace / balcony that was private and that we could keep her on.

 

My cost of living budget for the PI is 30-40,000 pesos a month.  I earn my living freelancing as a web optimization specialist online and can often pull in a lot more than that but that's a base level of expense with which I'm comfortable, I try not to work more than 15 hours a month if I have to :-)

 

My other major requirement is that it's on Luzon.  I have looked into Cebu but I don't think it's really 100% my scene (feel free to convince me otherwise) and everywhere else seems a bit on the remote side.  Oh, and if possible, not too far from an Immigration satellite office, I don't want to hire sherpas and book a hotel every time I need to renew my visa.

 

Thoughts?

 

[jon1]

I would check out the Pundaquit beach area in San Antonio, Zambeles. There is a decent sized Expat community there (Aussies, Brits, Americans). The BI office however is about a 45 minutes drive from there.

 

You also might want to consider the La Union area. They cater to surfing tourists. The BI office is located in San Fernando/Dagupan City.

 

I can't attest to what rentals cost in either location.

[tothevictor]

I would check out the Pundaquit beach area in San Antonio, Zambeles. There is a decent sized Expat community there (Aussies, Brits, Americans). The BI office however is about a 45 minutes drive from there.

 

You also might want to consider the La Union area. They cater to surfing tourists. The BI office is located in San Fernando/Dagupan City.

 

I can't attest to what rentals cost in either location.

Thanks for the input Jon.  It's funny,  La Union never crossed my mind even though it's about an hour away from where I'm sitting.  That would certainly make the logistics of canine transport somewhat more straightforward.  I hadn't heard of Pundaquit but it looks nice.  My mission for Saturday:  Get thee to San Fernando and have a look around.  

[earthdome]

I did the reverse. Lived in San Fernando, La Union for 5 months before moving to Baguio.

 

I lived in a small bare bones studio apartment in San Fernando not to far from Poro Point where the BI office is. Cost was p5000/month but electric with aircon was another p5000. There is a small mall in SF with a Cost Savers supermarket.

 

I never looked into what a rental near the beach cost.

[tothevictor]

I did the reverse. Lived in San Fernando, La Union for 5 months before moving to Baguio.

 

I lived in a small bare bones studio apartment in San Fernando not to far from Poro Point where the BI office is. Cost was p5000/month but electric with aircon was another p5000. There is a small mall in SF with a Cost Savers supermarket.

 

I never looked into what a rental near the beach cost.

Thanks for your reply, that electric bill is tremendous!  Ours in Baguio for sept was just under 300 pesos.  I will definitely head down and check out SF in the next few days.  Baguio is nice but it's a bit on the cold side to fulfill my fantasy of humid days and warm, moist nights ;-)

[rfhypnos]

I am looking for a short term rental of 4 to 5 months in Bohol, preferably around Tagbalaran or Panglao, but would consider anything near Jagna also.   Just need 1 or 2 bedroom clean with hot/cold water, furnished and with one AC ......don't want to pay anything more than $400 a month.  

I guess I failed to mention from Dec to April on the rental.