Review Dumaguete is not the best place to retire.

Most of the OP comments I agree with, some don't represent my experience. How Dumaguete ever got to be ranked the #5 place in the world to retire is beyond me. If I was to make a list, it would not make my top 20. It definitely takes a certain kind of person to be able to be happy here. If you come here thinking it's a low-cost alternative to retiring in Hawaii, boy are you going to be disappointed. But, having said that, I've been here for a year and a half and I have found a way to be happy here. The comments about the people and service is not what I have experienced. I usually get water at restaurants, and if not, when I ask it comes quickly and with a smile. Prices do seem to be up, but still are very good compared to what I was used to living in the States so I wouldn't complain. I agree the driving is a serious issue. When you first start you don't realize that things you thought nobody would ever do, they are going to do all the time. I am always aware if there is a motor cycle on my right side because you never know when a Ceres bus going the other way is going to suddenly pull into your lane driving high speed straight at you blinking their lights expecting you to pull over to the edge to get out of their way; or when a tricycle going the other way will see someone walking on your side of the road and suddenly pull a U-turn right in front of you and put on their brakes to pick them up. So getting used to driving here is one of the biggest challenges. It's amazing how if you encounter these people in person they are gentle smiling friendly people, but put them in a vehicle and they drive like aggressive psychopaths. It is an interesting phenomenon.

 

Thanx for that :-)

 

Sage advice for the unhappy.

 

I think to level the playing field on this debate, there is one criteria that should be front and center, and that is “do you have money”? If so, there are hundreds of places one would rather retire in.
On the other end of the scale, if you come here with insufficient retirement funds, broke or too small pension, Dumaguete may not meet your expectations or work for you, unfortunately.
The class of guys who have enough for a semi-comfortable life style and don’t require a heavy dose of night life seem to be content here. Some even “live the dream” with a place on the beach.
You can’t stop progress, Dumaguete will continue to grow and suffer the growing pains. Third World countries can’t afford to build the Infrstructure ahead of the growth.

 

I fail to understand the purpose of the painted cross walks in Dumaguete.

Traffic will not stop or slow down ever for pedestrians.

 

Maybe to give jobless painters a job once in a while to repaint the white stripes when almost faded by traffic.

 

May I

May I suggest you use them, I know of a friend who got hit by a motorcycle while crossing the street, the police were called and put all the blame on the foreigner because he was not using the cross walk that was about 20 meters from the accident scene One more bit of advice when using the cross walk, don,t run walk at a normal pace, the reason is that it makes it easier for them to judge how to weave around you.

 

Same anywhere in the Philippines...worse in fact where there are more jeepneys operating as they just put metal to the floor approaching pedestrian crossings.. .at least in duma the trikes are slower and a raise hand sometimes works

 

Robinson’s mall...the oval drive is a race track.