Dumaguete
  APRIL 2016:   Click here to read our Philippines Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I had spent 3 nights in HAROLD’S MANSION in Dumaguete, Western Visayas. I was slowly making my way south from the famous Boracay Island to Siquijor Island. My trip had taken me via Roxas (Panay), Iloilo (Panay), Bacolod (Negros) and now Dumaguete (Negros); I was unimpressed by all of these cities … in fact, I have been unimpressed by all of the cities that I have visited in The Philippines from when I first arrived in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Puerto Princesa is meant to be the ‘cleanest’ city in The Philippines. I have come to the […]

Dumaguete – Philippines – To Siquijor

  APRIL 2016:   Click here to read our Philippines Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I had spent 3 nights in the SUITES AT CALLE NUEVA in Bacolod, Western Visayas. I was slowly making my way south from the famous Boracay Island to Siquijor Island. Dumaguete was my next stop on the way. My trip had taken me via Roxas (Panay), Iloilo (Panay) and Bacolod (Negros); I was unimpressed by all of these cities so far … in fact, I have been unimpressed by all of the cities that I have visited in The Philippines. Dumaguete is a University City with lots of students around … I am hoping that their […]

Bacolod – Philippines – To Dumaguete

  APRIL 2016:   Click here to read our Philippines Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I had spent 3 nights in the RIVERSIDE INN in Iloilo City, Western Visayas. I was slowly making my way south from the famous Boracay Island to Siquijor Island. Bacolod was my next stop on the way. I was glad to say ‘goodbye’ to Iloilo City; I didn’t like it. HOTEL TO ILOILO RIVER WHARF: The fast boats to Bacolod leave from Iloilo River Wharf which has recently moved from the south side of Iloilo River (Ortiz) to the north side of the river (Lapuz). The Riverside Inn was on a main road; Tribikes are (apparently) […]

Iloilo – Philippines – To Bacolod

  APRIL 2016:   Click here to read our Philippines Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I had spent 3 nights in the WALLABIES HOTEL in Roxas City, Capiz, Western Visayas. I was slowly making my way south from the famous Boracay Island to Guimaras Island. Iloilo City was my next and last stop on the way. HOTEL TO ROXAS BUS TERMINAL: As with almost all Philippines cities, the bus terminal is on the outskirts of town. The Iloilo City Bus Terminal is about 5 kms from city centre. I already knew from my trip from Boracay to Roxas City that the Tribike fare from the Bus Terminal to my […]

Roxas – Philippines – To Iloilo City

  APRIL 2016:   Click here to read our Philippines Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: Roxas City is on Panay Island in the Western Visayas. Roxas City is known as the Seafood Capital of The Philippines. That is why I stopped there. GETTING THERE: I made my own way from Boracay to Roxas. I caught a ferry from Boracay to Caticlan, a minivan from there to Kalibo, and a connecting minivan from there to Roxas City. The door-to-door journey took 5.5 hours and cost me (as a solo traveller) PHP445. COMMUNICATIONS: I still had my Globe SIM card that I purchased at Manila Airport when I flew in from […]

Roxas – Philippines – Information

  APRIL 2016:   Click here to read our Philippines Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I had been on Boracay Island living the ‘beach life’ for 5 weeks. It was time to move on in search of some action. I chose Roxas City as my next stop: Roxas is known as the ‘Seafood Capital of The Philippines’. I wanted to go there and find out what this was all about… I said goodbye to by last Boracay sunset … and set off at 9:30am the following morning. THE TRIBIKE TO THE BORACAY FERRY PORT: My hotel offered to book me a Tribike but I find that these […]

Boracay – Philippines – To Roxas City

MARCH 2016: Why not read our Philippines Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I was, primarily, in Boracay to extend my Tourist Visa. I was given a free 1 month Tourist Visa in Manila on entry to The Philippines (this is standard for most people) whilst in transit to Puerto Princesa. You can only get the 6 month LSVVE (Long Stay Visitor Visa Extension) in Manila. I was only in transit in Manila – so I could not get one. So, I extended my free Visa in Puerto Princesa. For this first extension, I was only allowed to extend for 29 days. The cost was PHP3130. […]

Boracay – Philippines – Visa Extensions

MARCH 2016: OVERVIEW: I have already posted the GRANDPAcking Costs for Boracay. These demonstrate that GRANDPAckers cannot afford to LIVE on Boracay Island using our standard approach. However, it is such a beautiful world-top-ten beach destination that it is worth showing how GRANDPAckers CAN LIVE on Boracay in High Season on a GRANDPAcking budget with only a few ‘minor’ adjustments to lifestyle. In this post, I explain how… CROSS REFERENCES: Read Boracay – Philippines – Information for more detail. Read about Philippines Retirement Locations. Read about other Philippines Destinations and Travel Budgets. Read about GRANDPAcking Costs if you don’t know how to interpret my figures. SPREADSHEET SUMMARY: WHAT IT SHOULD COST […]

Boracay – Philippines – LIVING on a ...

MARCH 2016: OVERVIEW: My costs start in Station 1, Boracay. I DID NOT live to GRANDPAcking Standard; I was Backpacking in Boracay. I was only in Boracay to renew my Visa. CROSS REFERENCES: Read Boracay – Philippines – Information for more detail. Read about Boracay on a GRANDPAcking Budget to discover how to LIVE in Boracay longer-term. Read about Philippines Retirement Locations. Read about other Philippines Destinations and Travel Budgets. Read about GRANDPAcking Costs if you don’t know how to interpret my figures. SPREADSHEET SUMMARY: MY ACTUAL 1 PERSON GRANDPAcking COSTS: Cost Of Existence (COE): Accommodation: My accommodation was 6 nights in a BELOW ‘GRANDPAcking Standard’ Double Fan Room with Shared Cold Water Bathroom (breakfast excluded) in a Hostel […]

Boracay – Philippines – GRANDPAcking Costs

  MARCH 2016:   Why not read our Philippines Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: Boracay Island is only 10 km² and is located 300 km south of Manila and just north of Panay Island, Visayas. For GRANDPAckers, Boracay is expensive but (unlike El Nido, Palawan) Boracay DOES live up to its ‘hype’; this really is paradise on earth. At a price. Boracay has almost perfect coconut-tree-lined, white-sand beaches and turquoise-blue waters. Boracay is one of the top beach destinations in the world. But… read on. GETTING THERE: I made my own way from Carabao To Boracay by pump boat. The pump boat leaves from […]

Boracay – Philippines – Information

MARCH 2016: Why not read our Philippines Retirement Reviews. INTRODUCTION: I was staying on White Beach Station 3 in Boracay Island for 5 weeks. I wanted to see the rest of the island to see what else it had to offer… BY FOOT: The cost of a scooter in Boracay is a ridiculous PHP2000 / day. You can take Tribikes to different places at PHP10 / kilometre (shared) or look to charter a Tribike for a day (which wouldn’t be cheap). Boracay Island is only 10 square kilometres. So, I decided to walk it over 3 days: The South, The East, and The North. […]

Boracay – Philippines – Around The Island ...

MARCH 2016: Click here to read our Philippines Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: As with Sabang, Port Barton, El Nido, Coron, Tablas, and Carabao the costs of pre-booking accommodation online where too high for my GRANDPAcking Budget. I knew that Boracay was popular, and one of the most expensive places in The Philippines, so I did not want to take a chance… This time, I definitely needed to book something online in advance. PHP2400 / day is my total GRANDPAcking Daily Budget! As a rule, I try and keep accommodation costs to no more than 50% of my Daily Budget; in The Philippines, my target price is, […]

Boracay – Philippines – Where To Stay