Philippines is a land of tropical islands--7,107 to be exact. As well as being beautiful, the Philippines is cheap, cheap, cheap. You could enjoy a great life for very little outlay.
In some expat areas, 2-bedroom apartments rent for 14,000 pesos ($300) per month. Renting may be the way to go if you dream of beach life instead of big city buzz. (But beaches are never far from anywhere.) Although there are ways around the law, foreigners can only own condos--and these are mostly found in big cities.
Fast Facts
Population: 99,900,177 (July 2010 est.)
Capital City: Manila
Climate: Tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)
Time Zone: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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Philippines Articles
Why This “Little China” Is the Best Value in AsiaPosted on December 2, 2010 by Chris Hunter
Investors who bought into the Chinese growth story early have done spectacularly well. Over the past five years the iShares FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index (NYSE:FXI), an index that tracks China’s 25 largest companies available to international investors, is up almost 110%. Today, a “little China” has emerged. And it promises to make investors equally dazzling returns.
Island Extravaganza: Retire to the Philippines on $800 a MonthPosted on July 29, 2010 by Steenie Harvey
It’s a sight to swoon over. As the plane dips down, there they are—strewn across the South China Sea like glittering emerald necklets. Glimpsing even a fraction of the Philippine’s 7,107 islands gives most visitors a visual knock-out
Start a New Life in the Philippines on $800 a MonthPosted on July 13, 2010 by Steenie Harvey
I’m exploring Zambales province on the west coast of Luzon, the Philippines largest island. I’m staying in the Subic Bay area…but there’s more to it than the 262-square-mile Freeport Zone (SBFZ)—a U.S. Naval base until 1992.
Globetrotter: News From Around the WorldPosted on October 27, 2009 by Paola Fornari
This month’s Globetrotting tales…
Boracay: A Slice of Paradise in the PhilippinesPosted on April 24, 2009 by Steenie Harvey
I’m spellbound. Tiny Boracay truly is one of the world’s most magical islands. So magical that even confirmed beach skeptics like me can’t help but fall in love with its laidback lifestyle.
From the Caribbean to the Greek Isles: Your dream beach hideaway awaitsPosted on September 25, 2008 by International Living
Discover your dream beach hideaway with International Living…
Where I’m Looking to Buy Right NowPosted on January 4, 2008 by International Living
Saturday, Jan. 5, 2008 Read more about international real estate in International Living Postcards–Saturday …
Spear fishing, pristine white beaches, exploration, and storms—a life at seaPosted on May 22, 2007 by David Rich
Every few months I log onto www.7knots.com to sample who, in the wide wonderful world of warm waters, needs yacht crew. This year my ad of choice read: “Crew Wanted: 47-foot sloop Karni in the Philippines.” Seeing as I was flying to the Philippines in a month, I e-mailed the contact, fishing for the exotic in a distinctly different flavor of international travel.
The primeval island of Coron—inhabited by the indigenous Tagbanua peoples and haunted by powerful spiritsPosted on May 22, 2007 by Victor Paul Borg
“I think the engine is shy of the foreigner,” Renejal muttered as he fiddled with the engine of the outrigger. We were in the middle of the gulf, halfway between Coron Town and Coron Island, in a flimsy wooden boat being tossed by the waves. It was the second time the engine had died, and the waves were pushing us toward the open sea. It was also the second time, in less than 20 minutes, in the company of the Tagbanua, that my presence had caused shyness and breakdown. The first time—at the pier—Rogelio Aguilar, the chief of Cabugao village and Renejal’s father, had acted in a tetchy and furtive manner when he met us. Averting his gaze, he sheepishly explained to Rose, my girlfriend, in Tagalog: “I am shy of this foreigner, and I have prepared the best bed for you.”
- The Philippines’ Last Frontier
Posted on April 27, 2007 by International Living
International Living Postcards– your daily escape Tuesday, March 28, 2006 Palawan, The Philippines Dear …
Paradise for a pittance in the PhilippinesPosted on January 3, 2007 by International Living
When the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago wanted a model for its $40 million “Wild Reef” exhibit, they used Apo Island in the central Philippines as a model.
But the ersatz exhibition can’t match the variety of the real Apo, which hosts more than 1,000 species of fish and wildlife and more than 400 types of coral. Multiple world conservation groups have deemed Apo Island one of the finest coral-reef sanctuaries in existence.
