Pros and Cons of Manila - I like Angeles City better

[Yohan]

[
Well if I was ever to go there I think the capital would be best. I'd like to be close to embassies, the airport, and close to where the action is. I'm trying to convince myself that there's a part of Manila that is reasonably normal, and it's not working out too well. Damn the Philippines and it's humidity and all the other bullshit.

Better away from Manila, there is no reason for any tourist really to stay there.

Philippines and similar located countries are very humid almost all year round, Indonesia, Malaysia+Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia etc. etc.

Humidity and a large polluted city like Manila - that's really bad. However if you are away from the capital, it's much better, in a resort next to the sea or even better in the mountains.

It takes a while, I would say 1 week or so to accustom to tropical weather and humidity. The hotel I use in Cebu has a wide garden with large trees and a big swimming pool. No sign of pollution. No problem with humidity at all after a few days...

[Zambales]

Baguio is much cooler than the rest of the Philippines because of its mountainous location hence its nickname "Summer Capital of the Philippines"

[Johnny1975]

[
Well if I was ever to go there I think the capital would be best. I'd like to be close to embassies, the airport, and close to where the action is. I'm trying to convince myself that there's a part of Manila that is reasonably normal, and it's not working out too well. Damn the Philippines and it's humidity and all the other bullshit.

Better away from Manila, there is no reason for any tourist really to stay there.

Philippines and similar located countries are very humid almost all year round, Indonesia, Malaysia+Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia etc. etc.

Humidity and a large polluted city like Manila - that's really bad. However if you are away from the capital, it's much better, in a resort next to the sea or even better in the mountains.

It takes a while, I would say 1 week or so to accustom to tropical weather and humidity. The hotel I use in Cebu has a wide garden with large trees and a big swimming pool. No sign of pollution. No problem with humidity at all after a few days...

What a shame. It seems to have both the best (lots of women) and the worst of everything (everything else). Sometimes when I watch videos of Manila I feel like I'm watching millions of ants crawling around. Plus there's this...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_heat_island

What a high price some people must be paying just to be around lots of nice women. Let's face it, if it wasn't for that, the Philippines wouldn't get the attention it does around here.

[celery2010]

You went to the wrong place. Ermita is tourist central and the worst place to go. It's like going to NY and spending your time in Times Square and complaining. Admittedly, other sections of central Manila still aren't very nice. You need to go to areas that are bit further that are nicer.

But more or less, in some of the largest cities, only the nice areas are pretty ok. But there are nice upper middle class areas in the NE, which do not seem to exist as much in smaller cities.

[Johnny1975]

After extensive travelling around Manila courtesy of Google Earth Airlines, I'm starting to change my mind about the place. I think it's nice. There's too many squalid looking buildings, it looks a bit too hectic in parts, and there aren't as many beautiful buildings as there ought to be. Spanish cities are very pretty, but Manila is kind of semi ugly in some parts. But other than that, it's looks pretty good to me.

If you look around on google street view (which has only recently become possible) it's very lively. Lots of people in the streets, lots of action going on, and it just seems like a very human place. I think if they tidied it up a bit, painted some of the buildings rather than leaving them grey, gave it a more latin feel and made a few other changes, it could be much better.

[Johnny1975]

After extensive travelling around Manila courtesy of Google Earth Airlines, I'm starting to change my mind about the place. I think it's nice. There's too many squalid looking buildings, it looks a bit too hectic in parts, and there aren't as many beautiful buildings as there ought to be. Spanish cities are very pretty, but Manila is kind of semi ugly in some parts. But other than that, it's looks pretty good to me.

If you look around on google street view (which has only recently become possible) it's very lively. Lots of people in the streets, lots of action going on, and it just seems like a very human place. I think if they tidied it up a bit, painted some of the buildings rather than leaving them grey, gave it a more latin feel and made a few other changes, it could be much better.

I am glad to see your optimism, and you make a good case, but I don't think Google Streetview has the technology at this point in time to adequately convey the smell and sensation of pollution and filth. That's something only a "boots on the ground" approach will aquaint you with.

True. I guess I can only judge from what I see. I've been waiting for streetview to cover Manila, and now that it has (at least chunks of it) I'm pleasantly surprised. It's like a slightly scruffier version of Bangkok (which I think is quite nice), and I haven't noticed much traffic. Are there any specific areas where traffic is really bad or is it all over, or just on the main roads?

[Yohan]

I can only repeat what I said in my previous comments.

To compare Bangkok and Manila, it is such a big difference between these two cities, I have no idea where to start.

If you have no job in Manila and really need not to stay there for a living, I recommend you to move on to somewhere else.

Now I avoid Manila at all costs, even for transit, as there are some direct flights to Cebu.

Next larger city you might consider is Cebu City, which is also nothing in large parts but a slum, but still much better than Manila.

[Mr S]

Manila is a hell hole, no GOOGLE Earth can clean up once you've actually physically been living here day-in and day-out. Bangkok is light years ahead in regards to infrastructure and over-all livability.

I've been living in Metro Manila area since late 2003, I should know. It's actually gotten worse in my opinion, not better since then in regards to quality of life.

If you want to live in PI and can afford to not live in Manila, I'd suggest not and live in another part of the country. You can maybe live in Manila part-time as long as you can live in a secure condo or decent gated community to get away from the CONSTANT riff-raff one deals with on a daily basis. Manila is basically a shit city in comparison to it's Asian neighbors.

[Mr S]

Baguio is much cooler than the rest of the Philippines because of its mountainous location hence its nickname "Summer Capital of the Philippines"

2nd worst air pollution and traffic next to Metro Manila....

[Johnny1975]

Manila is a hell hole, no GOOGLE Earth can clean up once you've actually physically been living here day-in and day-out. Bangkok is light years ahead in regards to infrastructure and over-all livability.

I've been living in Metro Manila area since late 2003, I should know. It's actually gotten worse in my opinion, not better since then in regards to quality of life.

If you want to live in PI and can afford to not live in Manila, I'd suggest not and live in another part of the country. You can maybe live in Manila part-time as long as you can live in a secure condo or decent gated community to get away from the CONSTANT riff-raff one deals with on a daily basis. Manila is basically a shit city in comparison to it's Asian neighbors.

Metro Manila is a big area. Surely it can't be that bad all over. Does what you're saying apply to the whole place? I just find it hard to believe that it's bad everywhere. What about the suburbs?

[Yohan]

Metro Manila is a big area. Surely it can't be that bad all over. Does what you're saying apply to the whole place? I just find it hard to believe that it's bad everywhere. What about the suburbs?

Manila's suburbs are often nothing but a slum. It is dangerous there, even by day.
Sometimes it's raining and such poor living areas are under water.

Terrible living conditions. It is said, that Philippines has about 2 million street-children, do not ask me how many of them are in the streets of Manila.

In general income in Philippines is about 3 times lower than in Thailand, many Filipinos do not have even access to basic health care, pay cash or die early, is the motto for many, including children.

[Johnny1975]

Metro Manila is a big area. Surely it can't be that bad all over. Does what you're saying apply to the whole place? I just find it hard to believe that it's bad everywhere. What about the suburbs?

Manila's suburbs are often nothing but a slum. It is dangerous there, even by day.
Sometimes it's raining and such poor living areas are under water.

Terrible living conditions. It is said, that Philippines has about 2 million street-children, do not ask me how many of them are in the streets of Manila.

In general income in Philippines is about 3 times lower than in Thailand, many Filipinos do not have even access to basic health care, pay cash or die early, is the motto for many, including children.

So places like :

Imus, Bacoor, Las piñas, Parañaque, Muntinlupa, San Pedro, Meycauayan city, Marikina, Antipolo, Cainta

They're shitholes? They seem like normal places to me. Although some areas are a bit scruffy, there's mostly normal looking houses, clean streets, and everything looks normal, although it's very densely packed. And there's lots of little businesses and people hustling. Sure it's different to what i'm used to, but it's the Philippines. I just don't see any major poverty or squalidness in the suburbs. Can you give some examples?

[Rock]

Metro Manila is a big area. Surely it can't be that bad all over. Does what you're saying apply to the whole place? I just find it hard to believe that it's bad everywhere. What about the suburbs?

Manila's suburbs are often nothing but a slum. It is dangerous there, even by day.
Sometimes it's raining and such poor living areas are under water.

Terrible living conditions. It is said, that Philippines has about 2 million street-children, do not ask me how many of them are in the streets of Manila.

In general income in Philippines is about 3 times lower than in Thailand, many Filipinos do not have even access to basic health care, pay cash or die early, is the motto for many, including children.

So places like :

Imus, Bacoor, Las piñas, Parañaque, Muntinlupa, San Pedro, Meycauayan city, Marikina, Antipolo, Cainta

They're shitholes? They seem like normal places to me. Although some areas are a bit scruffy, there's mostly normal looking houses, clean streets, and everything looks normal, although it's very densely packed. And there's lots of little businesses and people hustling. Sure it's different to what i'm used to, but it's the Philippines. I just don't see any major poverty or squalidness in the suburbs. Can you give some examples?

When you get out into the suburbs, it gets very inconvenient. Do you plan to own a car? Can you live in an expensive gated community? Outlying areas of Metro Manila are not user friendly. You've got a few scattered malls and then just residential areas. About the only game in town for basic eating in shopping will be the nearest mall (SM or maybe Robinsons or some local knockoff) and that may be many km away.

Perhaps Clark/Angeles City which is about 1 - 1.5 hours from northermost parts of Metro Manila when no traffic (middle of night) would be more convenient and easy to live in than outskirts of NCR if you don't wanna live stay in the more central enclaves - Global City, Makati, Ortigas, certain parts of Quezon City, Eastwood, or perhaps even the slummy area right around Robinsons Ermita.

I was just in Jakarta last month. I was surprised at how much more user friendly even that city is than Metro Manila. It used to be considered a basket case.

[Yohan]

They're shitholes? They seem like normal places to me. Although some areas are a bit scruffy, there's mostly normal looking houses, clean streets, and everything looks normal, although it's very densely packed. And there's lots of little businesses and people hustling

You will notice soon frequent brownouts and blackouts, sometimes no water and electricity, and also flood during heavy rain, all what you see on your monitor screen is obviously a main street next to a city hall, shopping center, hotel, church or private school or something like that - but you have to look 50 meters away, enter a side lane - look in such so-called 'houses' and see what is inside....how people are living there...

Rock speaks out of his experience. As Rock said already, be prepared in such places as a foreigner to live in a guarded housing community and you need your car, otherwise after passing the community entrance gate you are in a 'nobody land', many kilometers around there is 'nothing'. It's dangerous there especially during night time. Security remains a major concern.

I can speak more about Cebu area than about Manila, as I spend most time there because of my Filipina fosterdaughter and I often use only direct flights - however ask Filipinos, any Filipino, if you don't believe me and others like Rock and Mr_S, and they will assure you that Manila is by far worse than Cebu.

I agree with the comment of Mr_S to consider as a foreigner to buy or rent a room inside a condominium building in the city center area. It might cost you some money, but at least you are safe inside, usually such buildings have swimming pool, parking for car/motorcycle, generator, water tanks and pumps - they are often nearby a shopping center and clinic.