Best Posts in Thread: Best things about Dumaguete

We know the Philippines, 30 years of being around, we have friends in lots of places, but we chose Dumaguete to settle. So what is so good? We can live cheap local style, fish and rice eaten with hands Or we can buy lombardie bread nice cheese and decent red wine. We are well accepted by locals because there are so many foreigners around we don't stand out. Although I still tend to because I am white, old and female rather than white, old and male. We laugh a lot! You have to have a well developed sense of humour to really enjoy living here. Dumaguete has enough of everything we want to live an easy going simple life. We have made good friends, local and from everywhere else in the world. Dumaguete offers us acceptance, choice, security.Life is good.

 

I come in Duma since 1982 and cven married here. In early day's Duma was fine but now to crowded for my taste. As an (ex) sailor I like and have to live in open spaces. So for me Dumaguete is only good for one half day shopping a week . Always be glad to be back in our country retreat.

 

The ferry out across to Siquijor? Maybe I am being unfair here but the noise and the dust gets overwhelming for this woodland god.

Otherwise, Duma has its perks...I can find stuff I need that's not available on Siq, spare parts for this and that, a couple of restaurants for a change, a couple of supermarkets (bearing in mind that it is the Phils and not my western superior brand affair).

I find the folks helpful and friendly. I also get a strange weird kick from the sight of of a Lolo Westerner on first visit waddling about with a barely out of her teens filipina on their first dates....how romance blossoms lol. Otherwise the "only in the Philippines" type of sight, Sibulan airport for convenience, the drive down to Malatapay and beyond. Reasonable ease of access depending on traffic between stuff. The fact that I can always find stuff I need with a bit of digging, I love that process of being sent to this guy or that guy who might have, but when he doesn't have will refer me on to someone who does...9 times out of 10 I get there. It's the process man. Even returning empty handed, I made some connections that might come in handy the next time.

The alarmed look of wonder of meeting someone I haven't seen in ages in Duma...eg the Pasalubong girlie in the port..."where you been sir?" ....me: "I just got out of prison", Her: "Ha? You got out of prison? What did you do sir?" Me: " I killed a few ladies and they caught me".....cue alarmed look of wonder, then the dawning of realisation and the high five.....yep I like Dumaguete.

Cheers,

C

 

More and more I'm finding that it's best for me to get out of Dumaguete when I can. But I still feel like I need a city at least the size of Dumaguete to make life happen since I'm not retired.

Living in the bubble of global markets via an internet connection can only take you so far. You still need to connect with the real world somewhere. Dumaguete does this for me right now. But the chill island life is only a short drive away when you need the escape though.

 

Sharing is the same as borrowing, you never see it returned if you are a foreigner. I seem to have lost the thread.

 

Best things are in the water. It's a great place for diving but also okay for other water activities such as kite surfing, something I just watched last weekend.

As a city I think Dumaguete is best as a sort of medium sized hub to get to other places. You can get out of here easy, you generally get what you want and there are great places to live not too far out.

Inside the city is too loud, noisy, dirty, etc. But the area is better for it.

 

lots of beautiful sights to see if you are into nature and/or scuba diving and snorkeling or Island hopping etc... Also the people here are very friendly compared to other parts of PI IMPO. Weather is nice year round although it does get a bit hot in summer. More laid back and relaxed than almost anywhere in the "Civilized" world. Great place to raise a family and or retire. The natives are friendly and they like foreigners.