Guys is it possible to get good accommodation in Manila for ~ $250? I hear that Makati is the place to be, but it's expensive. I am wondering how livable Manila is outside of Makati? I still want to be able to get to a live casino and obviously would still like to live in a safe neighborhood? Is that even possible in Manila?

How safe and affordable is Manila outside of Makati?

Info shove has posted a lot about this in his thread.

Chuck: there's a post itt with a link to all the fiber villages in Manila. I've never had any disconnect issues when using any of them.

I'm pretty sure when you exit the airport you can just go to the smart or globe booth and get a Sim card with as many gb as you need. My 5 gb was 1000 php and 3 days unlimited.

The casinos are quite far from makati in traffic they're in pasay so you could live there and walk to and from the casinos. Pasay didn't feel unsafe at all to walk around but then I'm quite jacked.

$300 pasay https://manila.craigslist.com.ph/apa/6076419720.html

$240+ makati but prob not very nice https://manila.craigslist.com.ph/apa/6047497832.html

I'd prob just work longer hours to afford to live at solemare or sea residences for $400 though, right by casinos

Thanks, I had no idea I could live there for $400 a month.

Edit, just had a quick look on CL, those apartments in my price range look terrible imo.

Looking at Solemare, cheapest option is £400 or P25.000. Are you sure they have cheaper options? For around £300 max, I guess.

Anybody stayed at Solemare, long term, anything I should be aware of?

21k ($420) https://manila.craigslist.com.ph/apa/6038920870.html

Should be able to find 20k ($400) if you shop around / go there / negotiate. Maybe even less, it depends on the furnishings each room has a different owner.

I stayed there few days was ok dunno about longterm

I stayed six months contract and paid 23k + utilities in one bed room. BGP paid 20k for studio though he got the contract from someone else. There is two casinos with poker and big mall within walking distance(though as BGP said you might get sweaty if you do it sunny day). For night life you better go to Makati(though there are plenty of restaurants in Mall of asia). I enjoyed my time there and felt super safe(though i heard about one gun shooting just outside of solemare)

It doesn't feel unreasonably dangerous outside of Makati as long as you use common sense, don't dress flashy and don't walk through streets drunk as a skunk. I've been living in Taguig and Pasig for 7 weeks now and walking through non touristy streets like 7 hours a week without ever feeling unsafe.

Filipinos are very hospitable and many had already proved that. Also, Filipinos treat one another as family even foreigners who just want to visit the country. In terms of dialect and language spoken, Filipinos have a wide variations of cultures as well as spoken terms in every region that is why most Filipinos are multilingual since mostly can speak many dialects and English language as well. They are also very talented, be it in sports, singing, dancing, etc.

they are certainly talented in singing but they are probably the worst sports nation in the world, what are you talking about?

Manny Pacquiao though...

They are just bad at traditional sports. It's important to remember that the national sports of the Philippines are clash of clans and league of legends.

I used to recommend solemare but no longer do. My last few months there the place was infested with bugs. I asked and apparently it wasn't just my room. Also I began noticing that there are long hairline cracks running throughout the building, I'm assuming from the earthquake which happened last year. Given the 3 recent ones this week I wouldn't want to stay there.

Seeing the drawn guns outside of the shopping center there didn't help either.

I also think resort world is the best option for any live grinder (although honestly I wouldn't recommend Philippines for anyone serious about grinding live) so the time saved by living in solemare vs Makati isn't worth the other sacrifices.

If someone was set on living in the moa area I'd suggest choosing shell or sea residences or one of the ones closer to moa.

Boxing and Pool Billiards comes to mind! They are the best at pool by a country mile!

I can't make my mind up at the moment. I am almost ready to move to Asia, I just don't know where to go. I've never been to Asia so maybe I should just start with Thailand first and get my feet wet. Koh Samui I think, chilled out place with nice beaches, still good value for money, once I get accustomed to life over there I can always switch things up and try new places. What you guys think.

Also I do most my grinding online, so the live casino is more so I can break my week up by spending some fun nights out, grinding low stakes.

There is no live legal poker in Thailand. Having lived all over Asia (excl vietnam), I'd recommend Thailand as cheapest cost of living and best Internet that I've come across. Chiang Mai is beautiful and peaceful if you're not looking for that beach life and want something more up in the mountains. Cambodia (perhaps sihanoukville would work out better for you than phnom penh) is also good, with options for live play and pretty cheap, but quite noticeably 3rd world.

If you have any other questions feel free to pm me.

Thailand first because you can buy the morning after pill and a box of 50 legit kamagra there, then take it with you to the philippines. Can't get those in phils.

Really depends on your money situation and what you are looking for. For me the biggest attractions for Philippines is the visa and language.

If I weren't burned out on visa runs and language barriers from living in China I likely would have moved somewhere else.

would snap move to thailand if i could have more than 1 night conversation with a local. everything is just pretty much better in thailand

staying in cebu 20th - 7th.

any apartment/hotel recommendations from anyone? up to 45kish max. just want a nice clean room with semi-reliable internet

i.t park is best place right?

travel time from place to place much less right compared to manila? getting place right next to i.t park isnt that big of a deal?

calyx centre in it park

right

Daytime traffic can be a pit of a pain but it's not awful. Only difficult thing can be going to and from the airport.

thx. booked a place. last questions:

flying from HK to manila with Philippines airlines then 2hours 30 after from manila to cebu with PA. ive never done a transfer in manila before. or ever seen signs for transfers. Is it pretty easy or a pain in the ass? it would tell me on my booking if i had to go pick up my luggage and check in again in manila ye?

whats taxis like in cebu? scammy af like manila? anything to know about taxis at airport or fairly straight forward?

Pretty sure you'll need to get your luggage then figure out transportation to another terminal. Your ticket should say which terminal you arrive at and which one you fly to cebu from.

When checking in to your flight they should tell you or ask you if you're checking your luggage through to your final destination.

As for taxis. As long as you're not using a terrible airport taxi that charges 10x the rate, you should be okay. Otherwise fire up Uber and ride in style.