small city on coast, mall, restaurant diversity

[JJReyes]

If surf fish is out, what are your other options?  You mentioned different ethnic cuisines.  The possibility is a suburban location close enough to a major city with a large selection of restaurant.  If you enjoy island hopping or regional travel, accessibility to a large airport might be a factor to consider.  

 

[Kingpin]

4 hours ago, Mike J said:

It is not our desire to recreate a western life style

I described a laid back, comfortable lifestyle in the Philippines, not sure which part was 'western'?

 

4 hours ago, Mike J said:

 but rather to be accepted as friends and neighbors regardless of social status.

My neighbor's social status doesn't matter to me either, that's why I never brought it up.

 

[craftbeerlover]

9 hours ago, Mike J said:

With all due respect, you would not find my neighbors and their children in a gated compound in a large city.  They are poor in wealth, rich in goodness.  It is not our desire to recreate a western life style, but rather to be accepted as friends and neighbors regardless of social status.  Living in a gated high end subdivision is within our reach but not what we are seeking.  

I have only lived in Subdivisions.  I am currently looking to move and although I will still probably target subdivisions I have not ruled out the allure of living on the 'outside'.   The issues mentioned above are real and are something that I will absolutely take into consideration, e.g., brownouts, drunken videoke, security, internet etc.   My preference actually would to not have to live in a subdivision, and I do want the best of both worlds, just seems to be really hard to find (outside of a subdivision).   Its 2023, having electricity and reliable internet does not seem like an unreasonable desire.  Also want to be near quality hospitals, decent food selections, decent beer...  etc.   It has nothing to do with the social status either, I have met good and bad people from every rung of the economic ladder here, and there are good and bad on each rung.   I guess most importantly is what your comfort level is.   I am a little confused by this statement, "It is not our desire to recreate a western life style, but rather to be accepted as friends and neighbors regardless of social status.  Living in a gated high end subdivision is within our reach but not what we are seeking."     What exactly are you seeking, and are you saying you cant be accepted as friends and neighbors in a gated community?  Please let me know what are the benefits of living outside a subdivsion (more province style), vs living in one?  I really am curious as this is something I will strongly consider when moving. 

[Mike J]

35 minutes ago, craftbeerlover said:

I have only lived in Subdivisions.  I am currently looking to move and although I will still probably target subdivisions I have not ruled out the allure of living on the 'outside'.   The issues mentioned above are real and are something that I will absolutely take into consideration, e.g., brownouts, drunken videoke, security, internet etc.   My preference actually would to not have to live in a subdivision, and I do want the best of both worlds, just seems to be really hard to find (outside of a subdivision).   Its 2023, having electricity and reliable internet does not seem like an unreasonable desire.  Also want to be near quality hospitals, decent food selections, decent beer...  etc.   It has nothing to do with the social status either, I have met good and bad people from every rung of the economic ladder here, and there are good and bad on each rung.   I guess most importantly is what your comfort level is.   I am a little confused by this statement, "It is not our desire to recreate a western life style, but rather to be accepted as friends and neighbors regardless of social status.  Living in a gated high end subdivision is within our reach but not what we are seeking."     What exactly are you seeking, and are you saying you cant be accepted as friends and neighbors in a gated community?  Please let me know what are the benefits of living outside a subdivsion (more province style), vs living in one?  I really am curious as this is something I will strongly consider when moving. 

Your question has given me pause and I find myself asking some of the same questions in your post.  "Why small town, versus large city?"  I have always felt more comfortable in smaller towns, even while living in the US.  Here as in the US, the pace of life seems to be slower, less traffic and congestion, people in general seem to be more friendly.  We have lived here in Moalboal for 10 years now and I really feel like I am a member of the community at large.  When I have to go to Cebu City I find the noise, traffic, air quality, etc. to be a real turn off.  You could live in a gated community away from the noise, etc. but aren't you then seeking refuge from the community at large?   Moalboal is small but some of the issues listed are not a big issue here.  Internet is now quite reliable, the only brownouts seem to be when doing major upgrades/repairs to lines.  I do wake to the sound of roosters but I kind of enjoy it now.  We did have an ongoing issue with karaoke and drunken singing but it was finally resolved after police had to called on multiple occasions.  The offenders happened to be expats.  The air quality is quite good here, but like like most of the Philippines litter is a real problem.    You will not find bumper to bumper traffic jams here so it easy to get around.    Moalboal has some advantages over other small towns due to its popularity for tourists.  There is no shortage of good restaurants, Greek, Italian, French, Japanese, etc.  I drink SM beer so not sure about craft beer but I have seen a number of other brands in the stores.  There are two quite small malls here which provide 99% of the things we need.  But there is no hospital, no good dentist, no theaters, etc.  

I think when you say "I guess most importantly is what your comfort level is" really is the reason I choose to live here.  I am comfortable here, I am not comfortable in the city.  Here I feel like a part of the community.  I have never felt that sense of community in a large city.   My wife and I also have a small ministry working with youth.  I think it is probably easier in smaller communities to establish trusting relationships with families, but I could be wrong.

I guess bottom line is that I am a "small town" guy.  For me Moalboal is a friendly, comfortable, peaceful place that I call home.  Not for everyone, but close to perfect for me.  But damn, I wish we had a hospital!    

[craftbeerlover]

1 hour ago, Mike J said:

Your question has given me pause and I find myself asking some of the same questions in your post.  "Why small town, versus large city?"  I have always felt more comfortable in smaller towns, even while living in the US.  Here as in the US, the pace of life seems to be slower, less traffic and congestion, people in general seem to be more friendly.  We have lived here in Moalboal for 10 years now and I really feel like I am a member of the community at large.  When I have to go to Cebu City I find the noise, traffic, air quality, etc. to be a real turn off.  You could live in a gated community away from the noise, etc. but aren't you then seeking refuge from the community at large?   Moalboal is small but some of the issues listed are not a big issue here.  Internet is now quite reliable, the only brownouts seem to be when doing major upgrades/repairs to lines.  I do wake to the sound of roosters but I kind of enjoy it now.  We did have an ongoing issue with karaoke and drunken singing but it was finally resolved after police had to called on multiple occasions.  The offenders happened to be expats.  The air quality is quite good here, but like like most of the Philippines litter is a real problem.    You will not find bumper to bumper traffic jams here so it easy to get around.    Moalboal has some advantages over other small towns due to its popularity for tourists.  There is no shortage of good restaurants, Greek, Italian, French, Japanese, etc.  I drink SM beer so not sure about craft beer but I have seen a number of other brands in the stores.  There are two quite small malls here which provide 99% of the things we need.  But there is no hospital, no good dentist, no theaters, etc.  

I think when you say "I guess most importantly is what your comfort level is" really is the reason I choose to live here.  I am comfortable here, I am not comfortable in the city.  Here I feel like a part of the community.  I have never felt that sense of community in a large city.   My wife and I also have a small ministry working with youth.  I think it is probably easier in smaller communities to establish trusting relationships with families, but I could be wrong.

I guess bottom line is that I am a "small town" guy.  For me Moalboal is a friendly, comfortable, peaceful place that I call home.  Not for everyone, but close to perfect for me.  But damn, I wish we had a hospital!    

Thanks much, some of the things you mentioned are a big factor to me as well.  Especially less traffic/congestion, cleaner air etc.. For the record, I dont and never would live in Manila :), for many of the reasons you stated.   Having said that, I do find living in a subdivision (80+ percent of the houses are for vacation only), very peaceful and relaxing.   And the added security (needed or not), is also a plus.   I also like the ability to have quality variety in my purchases, and as you are well aware, the farther away from places like Cebu City and Manila, your selection decreases 10fold.  Roosters dont bother me as well.  Having a "quality" hospital near by is (or can be) a big deal.  Thanks again for your reply, it will make me consider a little stronger, alternatives to subdivision living.     PS I looked up Moalboal and it does look like a nice place.  

[scott h]

I think you can probably find as many different opinions as you can find expats. 

We live in southern Metro Manila in a city called Paranaque, and when we travel, I continually remark to my wife that I am grateful that she was not a province girl for we live on the same property that she grew up on (new house built to our standards.) Her brother lives in a nearby subdivision so I have experienced that life style also.

For ME and the wife, our primary reason for moving here is so we could enjoy the same level of comfort that we enjoyed in the states living on our pensions. For me subdivisions are just to secluded and small towns and cities (at least the ones we have visited) lack the amenities.

For example in most subdivisions I have seen, if you need anything you must either drive or get a trike. Here each morning I walk to get my newspaper and daily Pan de Sal, I also can visit my barber, my mani-pedi lady (have not held a nail clipper for almost 11 years now ) get our drinking water refilled, send the maid to the wet market for veggies and the like, all within 100 meters of my front door. And within a 15 minute drive (thanks to the new expressways) we have all the modern conveniences such as major malls, restaurants and casinos, and the express ways we can get to our favorite resorts and other provincial travel destinations with relative ease. 

I really have no desire to become "one with the community" or immerse myself in the local culture. Folks can do their thing and we do ours lolol 

On a side note, I do find it hilarious that when I watch Korean shows on Netflix, almost any time a bad guy needs to flee the country, the always run to the Philippines 

[hk blues]

2 hours ago, scott h said:

I think you can probably find as many different opinions as you can find expats. 

We live in southern Metro Manila in a city called Paranaque, and when we travel, I continually remark to my wife that I am grateful that she was not a province girl for we live on the same property that she grew up on (new house built to our standards.) Her brother lives in a nearby subdivision so I have experienced that life style also.

For ME and the wife, our primary reason for moving here is so we could enjoy the same level of comfort that we enjoyed in the states living on our pensions. For me subdivisions are just to secluded and small towns and cities (at least the ones we have visited) lack the amenities.

For example in most subdivisions I have seen, if you need anything you must either drive or get a trike. Here each morning I walk to get my newspaper and daily Pan de Sal, I also can visit my barber, my mani-pedi lady (have not held a nail clipper for almost 11 years now ) get our drinking water refilled, send the maid to the wet market for veggies and the like, all within 100 meters of my front door. And within a 15 minute drive (thanks to the new expressways) we have all the modern conveniences such as major malls, restaurants and casinos, and the express ways we can get to our favorite resorts and other provincial travel destinations with relative ease. 

I really have no desire to become "one with the community" or immerse myself in the local culture. Folks can do their thing and we do ours lolol 

On a side note, I do find it hilarious that when I watch Korean shows on Netflix, almost any time a bad guy needs to flee the country, the always run to the Philippines 

I'm in the suburbs of a Tier 2 city. Our subdivision has 2 malls within short walking distance as well as 2 local markets, barbers, etc etc.  We lived 8 years here with no car and managed to live comfortably.  Does it have all the amenities and 'stuff' a city would have, no but a 20-minute drive can solve that.  If I was a twenty-something I may think it's slightly lacking but for me at my stage of life it's more than adequate.  Honestly speaking, If I really wanted that high-life I'd have stayed where I was in Hong Kong rathe than look for that here in the Philippines. 

[Kingpin]

22 hours ago, craftbeerlover said:

I have only lived in Subdivisions.  I am currently looking to move and although I will still probably target subdivisions I have not ruled out the allure of living on the 'outside'.   The issues mentioned above are real and are something that I will absolutely take into consideration, e.g., brownouts, drunken videoke, security, internet etc.   My preference actually would to not have to live in a subdivision, and I do want the best of both worlds, just seems to be really hard to find (outside of a subdivision).  

 In my experience, it's an issue every expat faces; this is the Philippines, why are we paying Western prices to rent / buy in a subdivision? When you leave the city, everything, especially land, is so damn cheap. Every expat I know, including myself, gradually learned that 'rural' here is not at all like rural in the US, and we all ended up back in a city for the above mentioned reasons and more. @Mike J has some illuminating posts about province life, one time after a typhoon he had to drive 3 hours just to find an ATM to get money, that falls under my checklist of Nope.

 

17 hours ago, hk blues said:

 If I really wanted that high-life I'd have stayed where I was in Hong Kong rathe than look for that here in the Philippines. 

The high-life in the Philippines is a gated city subdivision, like where you live. Granted there are different levels, but any area a subdivision is built is at least semi-developed.

21 hours ago, Mike J said:

You could live in a gated community away from the noise, etc. but aren't you then seeking refuge from the community at large? 

No, but I think your post explains why you'd say that; when you visit the city, you only see the traffic and noise etc so of course it doesn't seem comfortable. You don't enter the subdivisions, and even if you did you wouldn't notice the communities of those living within, for years. We call them "subdivisions" but they're more like neighborhoods, or even 'smaller towns' than the small town life you prefer. The lifestyle is no different. What is different, as already mentioned, are the conveniences and amenities.

 

[firecracker]

I'm in no way an expert on all parts of the Philippines and am still in planning stages to move over. However, u should have a look at San Fernando city, La union. It's pretty big, on the coast and has a good selection of restaurants. Very close by is San Juan which is one of the most popular surf resorts in the Philippines 

[RBM]

One of the issues we experienced living in a high end gated sub division was the maids, not ours, neighbours. First off, neighbour directly over road, just as soon as the owners left for work the radio shot up to maximum decibels. After gently speaking to offending maid volume was lowered for just a couple of days, decided to talk to owner as it was impossible to concentrate on anything. Although i thought being very gently an tactful would work he was openly hostile and denies this was possible,

Previously we always chatted a Lille and were friendly, this suddenly changed, unfortunately the noise not. 

Fast forward now living in a tiny condo and never been happier, my time is my own, no gardens, lawns or maintenance, not for everyone but works well for me.