Have you stayed in Dumaguete before for a decent period? Where have you stayed in the Philippines because if its like Cebu city or worse being Manila its a poor comparison. Depending where you lived before and enjoyed you might hate Dumaguete (or love it). Now what are you looking for? What you want or can do w/o makes all the difference on what places to avoid. However DO stay away from anything within the flood zone of the river... don't be that fool! Anyways if you want good internet (as far as what is available) you need to be 300 meters from a major road PLDT has fiber on and make sure they have a slot available. If you want quiet that is NOT very close to a trafficked road (main road, major road, or shortcut road).... and watch out for all the animals like roosters, goats, etc etc. Do you want super close beach access because that tends to mean crap internet and double price as well for that trade off. Do you want to be close to decent places to eat or are you happy eating at home and barely go out? We can't really say what you'd like. I know guys I think are nuts for what they like and they think I'm nuts for what I like. Depends which kind of nut you are.
Mark: The other thing to watch out for is the human animal noise makers, dance bars, noisy neighbors... Our street shut down one expat with a "karaoke till 2 am" addiction with the new 10 pm law (with the help of the barangay captain), but you might wander down around midnight on sat night to sit for awhile before making a final decision. But you probably already know that...
Do yourself a big favor and bypass Dumaguete and area. Instead take a bus ride to the other side of the island to Bayawan. Life there is less hectic and the city is just now beginning to modernize. The only traffic jam there is if you create one.
Your choices here depend on your budget, lifestyle, hobbies, sexual preferences. There is a wide range of foreigner and local wealth here, Some foreigners make the adjustments (and there are many) while others complain until they had enough and leave. Good luck.
Thanks for all your feedback and advice. I ended up in Talay after looking at a few places. So far, so good, really like it here. Yet to become one of those who complain all the time, but who knows what the future holds
Most expats/foreigners either settle in Bacong or Valencia. Both are cute pretty towns but I think the latter is more preferred because of its cool climate, flowers, nice plaza, and proximity to the city. Bacong is close to Siaton,a place that has been in the headlines lately. Power rates are lower in Valencia, according to them.
Talay has the reputation of being the place for drug rehabilitation and the mentally ill. The rehab for addicts and mentally ill is located in Talay, that is why.
I like it because where I live feels like I'm in the countryside. All I can see from my front and rear windows are palm trees, fields and the occasional cow. Apart from the occasional motorbike, all I can hear are birds singing and the odd cockerel, cow or goat, and the cicadas in the evening. I can watch the sunrise from my rear balcony and the sunset behind Mount Talinis from my front balcony. Yet within 5 minutes I can be in Dumaguete city, supermarket, mall etc. 5 Mins the other way and I'm in Valencia and it's attractions. The only downside is no decent bar within walking distance, but I guess one can't have everything.
As soon as you mentioned 5 mins to Dumaguete city, Snap I knew I had the wrong Talay.. maybe I was thinking Tanjay, haha