# Looking for my paradise



## jmace (Mar 27, 2015)

I am looking to get out of America for a few years and I feel the Philippines has what I need. Problem is, I cant seem to find exactly where my "spot" is. Ironically, my lack of being picky seems to make it harder to find where I want to be. Here is what I am looking for...

1. Somewhere cheap. I am on a low monthly income (VA disability) with about $5000 saved up for emergency expenses. I am hoping to spend less than $5-600 a month

2. I need to be next to a coral reef. I don't need to live right on the beach, but within a few miles would be nice. With that low monthly income I would ideally like to hunt my own fish (and land animals if that's possible) and buy very little at the market. Though, I would obviously have to have a market nearby for the basics.

3. Small town. I am not looking for the party night life or bar hopping. I want simple and relaxing. With this I know comes the chance of the locals not speaking english though, which, I could try to adapt to but ideally I would be in a spot where english will get me by.

Thats pretty much it, as far as amenities go I'm not super picky. Obviously it'd be nice to have AC and a toilet but I have done without and made it just fine.

The purpose of this is to get away from the chaos in the US, get healthy, and set up a possible future living arrangement if it comes to that. Any help from you guys would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading.


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## Lanhawk (Feb 25, 2015)

To get started check out some Youtube channels. Two channels that come to mind is two expats in Dumaguete in the ****** Oriental providence. One is into diving the other does a fine job of showing all the sites on the area. One is my philippine dreams and the other is called Life Beyond the Sea. Here is url




 and the other is 



.
At least this will get you started and welcome to the group!!


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## jmace (Mar 27, 2015)

Thanks for the links. Yea i'v been checking out Youtube for a bit now, I'm surprised I haven't come across these two videos. A set up like the guy in the 2nd video has is awesome. I'll look into Dumaguete more and see what I can find.


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## Tukaram (Dec 18, 2014)

I have found that around most larger cities the water is horribly polluted. So fishing and swimming are not so good. I live in Iloilo and it is much cheaper than Cebu or Manila (according to my Cebu & Manila friends). But we also have horrid beaches. But at any of these locations, as you get farther from town, the prices drop and the water quality improves. 

Best thing is just pick a starting point for a home base and travel around the islands to see what you like... that was my plan but I found a wife too quickly ha ha... so I am stuck here in Iloilo... and all my scuba gear is going to waste


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## jmace (Mar 27, 2015)

I'm glad you confirmed that for me, I was under the impression the water would be bad around the cities but I have never been there so I had nothing to base that off of. Yea I would like to be as far away from the cities as possible haha. Not on an island by myself, but pretty close to it. I just want simple and easy, no tourist stuff, no noise, no issues, just a small local town with a small population.

Where would be a good spot to start you think? I was originally thinking of starting on Palawan and branching off from there, but the more I look the more options I keep finding.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Just a couple of points to note. AC will hit your budget hard, if you can do without it great. Fishing, take care, the locals do not take kindly to people taking their fish and as you are not allowed a weapon of any sort as a foreigner in the Philippines hunting will be a bit difficult.


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## Tukaram (Dec 18, 2014)

From what I have seen when you get an hour or two out of the city (any city) the water is much nicer, and the prices much lower. I have only been to Palawan once, so I don't know much about it, other than in Puerto Princessa it is hard to find a decent beach too ha ha. But outside of town, and all the small neighboring islands are beautiful there.

I was going to start in Cebu - simply because it is big but not Manila big. Ended up meeting a girl from Panay so here we are in Iloilo. I need to find something soon...


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## jmace (Mar 27, 2015)

Gary D said:


> Just a couple of points to note. AC will hit your budget hard, if you can do without it great. Fishing, take care, the locals do not take kindly to people taking their fish and as you are not allowed a weapon of any sort as a foreigner in the Philippines hunting will be a bit difficult.


Interesting, this is the first I have heard about the weapon policy. So, even a polespear is a no-go there?


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

jmace said:


> Interesting, this is the first I have heard about the weapon policy. So, even a polespear is a no-go there?


Yes even locals aren't allowed to carry anything sharp or pointed unless they are going about their lawfull occupation. I guess you could get away with it for hunting as a lawfull activity. Don't know what you would hunt as I can imagine there isn't much in the way of game left in the Philippines that hasn't been hunted to extinction or someone else thinks they own it which could lead to all sorts of trouble. All firearms are a definite no no unless you can hunt at a range.


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## pakawala (Sep 10, 2014)

Gary D said:


> Yes even locals aren't allowed to carry anything sharp or pointed unless they are going about their lawfull occupation. I guess you could get away with it for hunting as a lawfull activity. Don't know what you would hunt as I can imagine there isn't much in the way of game left in the Philippines that hasn't been hunted to extinction or someone else thinks they own it which could lead to all sorts of trouble. All firearms are a definite no no unless you can hunt at a range.


I'm a licensed sport scuba diver. I have never heard of a law where a foreigner not permitted to utilize a divers tool (knife) being strapped to ones leg while diving nor a law not permitting the use of a pana (spear gun) or poke pole while snorkeling/diving. In fact, go to virtually any dive shop here and you will see these items for sale, rent and foreigners using them.

I have a multi tool leather-man that has a knife as one of the tools that i keep in my Car and Motorcycle, knives in my kitchen, an Itak (Machate) as a garden tools. Some may call it a gray area but I have never heard of a law where a Foreigner is not allowed to have these these items.

This article will add a little more clarity: http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2014/10/16/1380523/harsher-penalties-illegal-possession-deadly-weapons-sought

This is the law: http://www.chanrobles.com/bataspambansabilang6.htm#.VRiXYuHKOZY


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## Tukaram (Dec 18, 2014)

When we dove in Mexico we were told we cannot carry a knife... but a "dive tool" was acceptable. It was a semantics game. But my knife was called a "tool".


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## pakawala (Sep 10, 2014)

Tukaram said:


> When we dove in Mexico we were told we cannot carry a knife... but a "dive tool" was acceptable. It was a semantics game. But my knife was called a "tool".


It is unlawful to carry outside of one's residence any bladed, pointed or blunt weapon such as "knife", "spear", "pana", "dagger", "bolo", "barong", "kris", or "chako", *except where such articles are being used as necessary tools or implements to earn a livelihood or in pursuit of a lawful activity.*

*except where such articles are being used as necessary tools or implements to earn a livelihood or in pursuit of a lawful activity.* is obviously the "common sense" clause.


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