Recommend Town Within An Hour Of Manila?

[Adam Lee]

Hi all,

 

Not convinced with living in Metro Manila proper and would also like to avoid the higher rents associated with the place if possible. Would still want to explore it on a regular basis though so can anyone recommend a town/area within about an hour of the outskirts?

 

Ideally it wouldn't be too small/quiet but at the moment with my knowledge it's no better than sticking a pin in the map. Seen one or two suggestions on the forum for Santa Rosa, Dasmarinas, Cavite in general etc., but also seen suggestions for Paranaque and Taguig at the south end of Manila, so maybe something to consider as an alternative to Eastwood etc.

 

As always any thoughts greatly appreciated.

[scott h]

Adam, I live in Barangay San Dionisio, Paranaque. Paranaque is one of the larger cities in the Metro area. There are many different levels of economic living here. Myself, we live in town (we built  a house on property my wife inherited) in the "Bayan" (old downtown area) of Paranaque. We are about 45 minutes by car from Downtown Manila (useful for visits to the Bureau of Immigration etc.) depending on traffic lolol. We take runs to Tagayatay, Cavite, Laguna and other "escape" places all usually with in an hours drive. Paranaque is also where the subdivision of BF Homes is located. It is one of the larger subdivision around and for the most part its upper middle class. Lots of expats and Koreans live there. There are also other subdivisions around the area. Just south of Paranaque is the subdivision of Ayala Alabang, but you had best sell your lear jet to live there lol.

 

Paranaque also has many condo towers, some better than others, in location and quality, but condo living is not for me for a variety of reasons (save that for another topic)

 

Just yesterday my daily exercise walk took me towards MOA (Mall of Asia, one of the larges mall complexes in Asia) within 30 minutes of walking I was halfway there, so it is close to Paranaque also. If memory serves Paranaque has 2 SM Mall complexes and several other mall type complexes. Bottom line is everything I need here for a satisfying retirement is within easy walking or driving distance.

 

You can google SAN DIONISIO and the map will give you an idea.

 

hope that helped a bit :cheersty:

[mogo51]

Hi Scott,

Also interested in your reply and some interesting points raised that make it a possible viable place. My only

worry is, that really it is still Manila and as Manila sprawls you will be swallowed up. How is the air there,

I find it quite appalling in Manila. Stayed a few days in outer Makati near EDSA road and the air was foul.

Is it still what I call the metropolis feel or is it more relaxed - any bars to have a drink with fellow westerners. \\

So you are about an hour from beaches or water?

[scott h]

Manila and as Manila

 

For the first few days on each visit and after we made the move I had "manila throat" but I adapted to it and frankly don't notice it anymore. I also live near Manila bay so we get a bit of a sea breeze. We are far enough out of the center city to escape the worst of it.

 

If you google           aguirre street bf homes Paranaque              the google map will put you dead center in BF homes, the subdivision I mentioned. That is basically the main drag of the area. Scroll down and you will see lots of restaurants and stuff. I do know there are a couple of English pubs there and US style hamburger joints that expats hang out in. There is also a Robinsons mall and SM mall at one end of the road and Pure Gold.

 

So you are about an hour from beaches or water?

 

Is it still what I call the metropolis feel or is it more relaxed

 

It is much more relaxed, BF homes is a large gated community, with smaller gated communities inside of it (as long as your house is not along one of the main drags) So as your looking at the map, each one of those housing areas has an additional guard shack. Traffic in the entire development is limited to residents with stickers or those (like me) who can afford to pay for a guest permit. That keeps the riff raff out. Recently we attended a birthday party at a batch mates of my wife's house. Sat outside under the stars. If it wasn't for all the Filipinos around, I might have been at my sisters house in California lolol.

 

So you are about an hour from beaches or water?

 

Mogo, cant help ya much here, being raised on the beaches of California, I am not that much of a beach guy anymore lolol. However Cavite is about 30-45 minutes away and all points south.

 

Probably the biggest disadvantage of the southern Manila area is that if you do want to travel north you have to traverse the entire city, and as of yet they do not have a freeway that really goes all the way.

[Gratefuled]

If you have to be 1 hour driving distance from Manila, I would not know. However, if you don't mind flying to another island, I'm sure you can find what you are looking for. You'll need to do some legwork or know someone there or rely on a good real estate agent.

The Visayas are good, so is Cebu.

 

I do not recommend Mindanao at all. 

[Jack Peterson]

 1+ Hour from Manila 2 flights morning and 2 Flights in the Afternoon or go home Friday pm and go to Work am Monday. Easy!

 

Commuting in a Different World. Cebu can Offer More but I am Bias here.  :)

 

https://www.google.com.ph/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1GIWA_enPH638PH638&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=images%20of%20dumaguete%20city

 

Just Pop down and have a look.

 

JP :tiphat:

[Methersgate]

To me, having lived in Paranaque some years ago, and more recently in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, if you are within an hour of Metro Manila then for all practical purposes you are in Metro Manila.

I did quite like San Jose del Monte.

 

But I prefer Subic

 

[Adam Lee]

Thanks for the detailed info on Paranaque Scott. Interesting stuff after researching.

 

If I'm honest though really can't decide between full on city living or a medium sized town. I'm figuring you may get more of a sense of community and the chance to meet and mix with more people in a town but then again won't get so much of the hustle and bustle of the city, which I actually quite enjoy.

 

I now find myself contemplating Eastwood, Quezon; Salcedo Village and Bel Air in Makati :1 (103):  

 

Condo living in the city against apartment/townhouse living in a town maybe :unsure:

[Methersgate]

I was, much to my own surprise, never happier than when we lived with a small child in a studio flat in a modern block in downtown Makati.

No neighbours, and everything to hand.

Oh, and no cockerels, no tricycles, no hours in traffic

Edited May 2, 2015 by Methersgate

[Adam Lee]

Ah okay Methersgate, good to know.

 

Can you recommend an area of Makati then above any others? I don't have an unlimited budget but looking online I could probably stretch to a 1 bed condo in the above mentioned places. Do remember wondering through Makati not so long back and started to like it around Jupiter St.