Not sure where the last person went in the city for him/her to say that there are zero expats. Throughout my years with Davao, I would bump into at least 20 expats in one night out in just a single area. Davao City is only boring if you don't know where to go, and as someone who lives outside of Davao, I find myself coming back more than five times a year for the people, the culture it has, and how conveniently close it is to beautiful vacation places. You'll love it when you know the gems that you can only find if you approach the right people. You attract the right people if you're a cool person yourself. 

Davao

Not sure where the last person went in the city for him/her to say that there are zero expats. Throughout my years with Davao, I would bump into at least 20 expats in one night out in just a single area. Davao City is only boring if you don't know where to go, and as someone who lives outside of Davao, I find myself coming back more than five times a year for the people, the culture it has, and how conveniently close it is to beautiful vacation places. You'll love it when you know the gems that you can only find if you approach the right people. You attract the right people if you're a cool person yourself.

Terrible internet even taxi drivers can't use maps and don't know where they are going. Super boring. Congested with traffic and horns. No infrastructure. Bums everywhere. Sketchy people. Davao city is a scary and weird place. There are zero foreigners here. Check the expat group on Facebook it's a handful of creepy old men. I guess Filipinos that live here that are pumping up the reviews for this place because they are proud of where they are from and love their president and his beloved city. Lots of fake crap about how amazing it is all over the internet. Really far from the truth. Police and military all over yeah maybe that makes some people feel safe but I'd rather deal with threats from pickpocketers than terrorists and kidnappers!

Very safe, very cheap city to live in. They have a couple decent gyms and coworking spaces. Overall, the city is quite boring with very little to do - unless you enjoy walking around the 2-3 big malls they have dotted around the city. They have liquor restrictions so clubs and bars stop serving alcohol after midnight. A great place to live if you want to get a lot of work don with no distractions and live cheaply - also close to other hot spots like Cebu, Manila and the rest of Asia.

I was reading previous reviews and there are digital nomads here calling locals idiots, i dont even know if i wanna be classified as a digital nomad because of these arrogant and privileged expats. better go back to your first world country and not travel.  anyway, Cebu is a good jump off point for other islands but good internet is not easy to find unless you just stay at the center.

Cebu

I was reading previous reviews and there are digital nomads here calling locals idiots, i dont even know if i wanna be classified as a digital nomad because of these arrogant and privileged expats. better go back to your first world country and not travel.anyway, Cebu is a good jump off point for other islands but good internet is not easy to find unless you just stay at the center.

I love Cebu so maybe I may seem biased but here's my perspective as an American who has spent many months, off and on, in Cebu. It is my other home. I have even owned a condo in Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu previously and a car there too.First, it's a big city and like any big city you need to be careful. I don't find Cebu to be unsafe. I've felt just as safe in Cebu as I do in my native Los Angeles (California, USA). Obviously don't do things like flash money or valuables, etc. Use common sense... but as my mom used to say "common sense isn't so common" at least not these days.Many people DO speak English but why would anyone go to a country where English isn't the first language and expect everyone to be fluent in English??? If you want to find people Fluent in English go to English speaking countries.I'm learning Bisaya as it's my wife's native language (Nagkaton ko ug Bisaya) and I think if you're going to spend a reasonable amount of time in a country you should at least make some effort to learn a little of the language, you don't need to be fluent but it will be helpful to both you and the locals.No place is perfect but I find Cebu to be very pleasant and I love it despite it's imperfections, I just feel at peace in Cebu.Cebu does have traffic problems but it seems they're trying to resolve some of the congestion such as adding a 3rd bridge between Cebu City and Cordova/Mactan.If you're curious about Cebu I recommend that you see it for yourself and check out other reviews for places to stay, sightseeing, etc.I'm not one who focuses on race but i'm a conservative black American and haven't had any issues regarding race but there are a few who will charge any foreigner higher prices for things. If you go elsewhere you can find many others who are honest and reasonable.

Cebu city isn't safe, and internet is really slow unless you have a fiber connection.Most of areas are unsafe at night, some are sort of dangerous at daylight too. Even in deep province of Cebu island (such as Carcar city) I've been feeling much safer than here.Also don't forget about terrible road traffic and the fact that most of locals here doesn't speak English.

Peacev = Bad, Racial Tolerance = Bad, LGBT Friendly = BadSorry but this is simply not true here in the Philipines. The Koreans and the Chinese are very rude, unsofisticated not to mention dominant. But that something you'll see all over Asia nowadays. I think revieuwers should at least try to notice the difference between Asians.Professional fulltime Traveler since 2007

Just don't. Want to get ANY work done? Don't come here. I'm here now, hey. I wanna die. If 50 Kbps is your thing, let's go. Just don't go to this country in general. Internet is so bad, even Laos and Cambodia were MUCH better when it comes to free internet in coffee shops and co-working spaces. Thinking about going to Manila or Cebu for travel + work? Don't.

By instant rock star status you mean the local idiots who point, laugh and stare and gossip in Bisaya? People are not friendly and should be kept at arm's length. Cebu is probably the best city in the Philippines though so all is not lost.

Lived in Cebu City for 15 years and as you can understand I liked it coz else I would have left. Started a business with 7 employees. As a white foreigner you get instant rock star status. The people are outstandingly friendly.The air, traffic and humidity is terrible. It's a safe and fun city. Best public WiFi is in Starbucks. Lots of retired American Expats. Left when my two children entered middle school, no good affordable schools.

Stay near Cebu IT Park or Cebu Business Park. Hot and humid city, so use the Grab app, turn the AC on always, and shower daily. Must get a decent Cable ISP with Sky Cable or DSL line with PLDT, the LTE with Smart and Globe Data are lousy. You will not get any decent work done when you're in Bantayan / Camotes / Kawasan / Badian because you can only use LTE in these areas, and the signal is spotty. Airbnb condos in the city offer WiFi, join Facebook groups in Cebu, I noticed that they would usually advertise there. Good luck!

So so. Better than Manila as long you stick to Central Cebu. Terrible city to visit. Surprisingly decent and charming to live in. over time.

General Santos

La Union

Coming here from Bangkok was kind of a shock. Most areas are slum, except for a few developed enclaves mainly around BGC. Due to the limited developed land area equivalent housing options are more expensive and less flexible than say Bangkok. Internet is horrible (walk around with phone in the air for signal bad), public transport hugely lacking, Grab rides sometimes take over an hour to book due to driver supply caps after reopening from COVID lockdowns, food options are limited and often unhealthy. Looking forward to going back to Bangkok and the more developed cities here in Asia. Maybe if you're into crazy adventures with third world style karaoke and other sketchy nightlife this is your place. Beaches could be nice for a few days -- I'm more into cities though. Not to completely trash this place, maybe with more research and local connections you're able to make your stay more enjoyable, but you shouldn't expect the convenience you'll get used to elsewhere.

Manila

The worst. Everyone in Manila is controlled like Rats in a cage. I rented an Airbnb and a girl I met couldn't go swimming in the pool because she wasn't a "registered guest." The entire city stinks, the bathrooms in the nicest buildings in Makati stink, and it's awful. The rich treat the poor like dirt and take advantage of them on every opportunity. I will never visit it again. Horrible place. If you like a place where the rich treat the poor like dirt and keep them separated from them with big gates and security guards, then you will love this place.

Manila and the Philippines in general are an absolute horrible place to stay or live. The whole country looks like a slum. The food is horrible (mainly rice and burgers). Completely unhealthy. The air pollution is high. Fun level is absolute zero. Internet is bad. Accommodation is pricey for very low quality. Would never recommend this place to anyone. Go to Bali instead much better.

I find the score of LGBTQ and racial tolerance for this city to be highly inaccurate. Is this score more about perception? I find LGBTQ-friendliness in Manila to be higher than Bangkok or Taipei, maybe even friendlier than other known cities such as London, Stockholm, Mexico City or Los Angeles. The hospitality culture makes it really friendly towards people of different race, too accomodating to a fault sometimes. Makati, BGC, Eastwood I've stayed in these areas for years and this is completely a first world bubble, so it is highly safe, walkable, livable and everything is just a walk's reach away as traffic can get extreme in Manila. Internet speed in cafes or public areas are quite slow or absent but the ones in your accomodation or hotel is fast. What I like about this city is like your living in 2 worlds, you can go to an area where it is 3rd world (you can find really budget items there), but at the same time you can go back to your first world gentrified bubble in Township areas such as McKinley Hills, BGC, Ortigas or Eastwood City. During weekends you can rent a car and go to mountains and beaches around Manila.

Manila is an incredibly welcoming city and cheap to live. Accommodation in ultra luxurious condos is reasonable, foot massage whilst tapping out emails (£7 per hour) makes working from here a no brainer. Agree living in the Greenbelt area is a no brainer. Vegetarian choices can be limited in some places but excellent (and so cheap!) Delivery services are available, including diet chef stuff which is unaffordable anywhere else. The streets feel safe inside Makati and the areas around greenbelt and I have never felt uneasy in good areas, which is not the same as London where you are constantly feeling at risk. Bureaucracy is tough in Manila though. Just chill, queue, take your laptop to keep you busy, and remember to be unstintingly polite - locals do not deal well with confrontation and you do well to empathise with them rather than get off by being "right" .

Not great, not terrible. Lots of scammers and dirty streets, but also great and cheap food. Mobility isn't a highlight, but condos have a huge infraestructure and you can easily do everything you need (working, groceries, gym etc) without even put your feet outside. Never felt 100% safe, as some streets are really dark at night. Anyway it's a good choice considering value for money if you find a nice place, otherwise Bangkok is way better.

Eastwood City hands down best places for nomads in Manila. Why? 50-100 mbps from Sky or PLDT. Closely guarded community where you can feel safe. Everything you could want is inside the community- condos for rent short or long term fully furnished, over 100 restaurants (both fast food and fine dining and some american franchises too), 7 screen movie theater, bowling alley, billiards. Many unique shops that are centered around activities. Pet friendly. Also, has 2 grocery stores, at least a dozen convenience stores, barber shops, massage and day spas (you can even get a professional massage right in your room), laundromat. The mall has anything you might need to buy for your condo.

If you stay in the area immediately around Greenbelt then it's great. There's a cafe called Antipodean that serves all day breakfasts, with excellent bacon and eggs, I stay 2 mins walk from there. I've stayed at Gramercy Apartments in Poblacion in the past and that wasn't good. That area is not very walkable and not much nearby except for some trendy bars.Being close to Greenbelt means you have everything you need in the malls. Also, if you're a single guy, then it's a wonderful place for dating, especially if you have the courage to talk to locals that you see in day to day life.Greater challenges are around eating nutritiously. I think Filipino food is underrated for its deliciousness but it's definitely not healthy. To better understand the Greenbelt area, it's a series of Malls (Greenbelt, Ayala, Glorietta, and some other mall). Collectively there would have to be upwards of 200 restaurants, so I'm sure there's a healthy option in there somewhere, just need to find it.It's true that there's not a lot to do in the city outside of nightlife. And the infrastructure makes it a headache to get around. That's why I recommend staying in this part of town. In this part of Makati you can just walk everywhere. I've heard good things about BGC but have never visited.

Really bad city to live and to visit unless you have money to live in BGC.

Been there for a week, in March 2022, and If you happen to stay in El nido, you should definitely go to FRENDZ, where they have a nice open space where you can work, and the connection speed was like 300down/100up!!

Palawan

Palawan, officially the Province of Palawan, is a province of the Philippines that is located in the MIMAROPA region. Its capital is the city of Puerto Princesa, but it is governed independently from the province as an urbanized city. The islands of Palawan stretch from Mindoro in the northeast to Borneo in the southwest and it lies between the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea. The province is named after its largest island, Palawan Island, measuring 450 kilometres long, the province is composed of the long and narrow Palawan Island, plus a number of other smaller islands surrounding it, totalling roughly 1,780 islands and islets.

My husband and I want to move to Makati but our decision really depends on how good the internet services are when working from home in a condo either in Makati or BGC. He will be on zoom meeting and calls pretty much all day. Would the internet be good enough without too much interruptions? What would be the best internet service provider? Thank 

Makati

My husband and I want to move to Makati but our decision really depends on how good the internet services are when working from home in a condo either in Makati or BGC. He will be on zoom meeting and calls pretty much all day. Would the internet be good enough without too much interruptions? What would be the best internet service provider? Thank

Good surfing on this island. More experienced surfers head to Cloud 9.

Siargao

The air quality in Baguio is awful. I left with a cough and sore throat. Streets are crowded. Lots of traffic. Internet is not very stable. Head north to Sagada for a much more beautiful place in the mountains—equally unstable internet but at least the food and air quality are better in Sagada!

Baguio

If this place is Hostile towards LGBT,  then non of the rich movie stars in Hollywood would even think of visiting this place. When I say rich, I mean Billionaires and Millionaires, that even a fraction of their money can probably buy the whole island itself.  Now, they say that this beach is world famous?  World famous for what!  for bashing LGBTs?  This narrow mindedness that's going on around this island is nothing but hypocrisy.  Women are allowed to wear pasties and dental floss on the beach, while men has to wear a skirt?  What kind of a screwed up society do they have there.  If for anything, they should turn this island, that is a size of a "Booger", into an all adult nudist island, where everybody is welcome - straight or LGBT alike.

Boracay

If this place is Hostile towards LGBT, then non of the rich movie stars in Hollywood would even think of visiting this place. When I say rich,I mean Billionaires and Millionaires, that even a fraction of their money can probably buy the whole island itself. Now, they say that this beach is world famous? World famous for what! for bashing LGBTs? This narrow mindedness that's going on around this island is nothing but hypocrisy. Women are allowed to wear pasties and dental floss on the beach, while men has to wear a skirt? What kind of a screwed up society do they have there. If for anything, they should turn this island, that is a size of a "Booger", into an all adult nudist island, where everybody is welcome - straight or LGBT alike.

Best Cities To Remote Work In Philippines