Modern(?) Cities (without terrible traffic) With Nice Beaches Nearby

[sinsinbad]

I plan to return to the PI whenever travel resumes and looking for a modern city with nice beaches nearby to live in.  By modern, I mean somewhat clean with fairly fast internet, good places to eat, and not a lot of traffic.  Example:  Cebu would fit this description, but traffic is very bad there.

Back story, I lived in the PI for over 5 years, but left in 2011.  I lived in three different cities:  Dumaguete, SBMA (old Subic Navy base) outside of Olongapo, and Angeles.  The beaches near Dumaguete and Subic weren't very nice in my opinion.  I also visited Panglao Island and Tagbilarian City, but at that time, didn't seem like much was there.

I haven't visited Boracay, but I am sure that it is beautiful, but I think that it is too small an area for me.  I love to take motorcycle rides, and I would be very limited there.

Some cities I was wondering about are Davao, Cagayan De Oro, Iloilo City, and San Fernando.  If you have first hand knowledge of any of these, I would appreciate hearing it.

If you know of others that I might be interested in, please let me know.

Thanks and stay safe.

[Steve & Myrlita]

Feel free to check out Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.

[clarkee]

I would give Iloilo City some consideration.  A clean city with not a whole lot of traffic I suppose.  Not too far from Boracay. If you are a military retiree with tricare for life they also have Medical City Iloilo that accepts and files your tricare on your behalf with little out-of-cost on your part. 

[MotorSarge]

I plan to return to the PI whenever travel resumes and looking for a modern city with nice beaches nearby to live in.  By modern, I mean somewhat clean with fairly fast internet, good places to eat, and not a lot of traffic.  Example:  Cebu would fit this description, but traffic is very bad there.

Back story, I lived in the PI for over 5 years, but left in 2011.  I lived in three different cities:  Dumaguete, SBMA (old Subic Navy base) outside of Olongapo, and Angeles.  The beaches near Dumaguete and Subic weren't very nice in my opinion.  I also visited Panglao Island and Tagbilarian City, but at that time, didn't seem like much was there.

I haven't visited Boracay, but I am sure that it is beautiful, but I think that it is too small an area for me.  I love to take motorcycle rides, and I would be very limited there.

Some cities I was wondering about are Davao, Cagayan De Oro, Iloilo City, and San Fernando.  If you have first hand knowledge of any of these, I would appreciate hearing it.

If you know of others that I might be interested in, please let me know.

Thanks and stay safe.

What's wrong the Beach/Island that has been at least voted the number one in the world no less than 3 times.......Palawan.
PI.....Most beautiful beaches and people in the world!!

[sinsinbad]

Thanks for the comments/suggestions.

Interesting about Medical City Iloilo as I do have Tricare For Life.  Knock on wood, I am thankfully in good health and shape.  On another forum, someone didn't think that the beaches near Iloilo were that nice.

I haven't heard anything about nice beaches near Bacolod City.

I am sure that Palawan has great beaches, but does it have any modern cities?

[clarkee]

Yes, that's why I mentioned Boracay opposed to Iloilo for beaches.  Probably a 7 hour plus for bus and boat ride to Boracay I suppose.  I also heard Iloilo had a RAO (Retirees Activities Office) located there . I've text Medical City Iloilo personally about Tricare for Life.  Good results came from our conversation.

[MotorSarge]

Thanks for the comments/suggestions.

Interesting about Medical City Iloilo as I do have Tricare For Life.  Knock on wood, I am thankfully in good health and shape.  On another forum, someone didn't think that the beaches near Iloilo were that nice.

I haven't heard anything about nice beaches near Bacolod City.

I am sure that Palawan has great beaches, but does it have any modern cities?

Sorry I overlooked the Modern part of your question. I have not personally visited Palawan yet but we have close friends from there and they swear that is the best place to be for a laid back vacation or even life style. It is not as as modern as Manila they say but a new Hi Tech large hospital is suppose to open there soon. As for myself I don't need all the modern amenities, I'm too old for all the night life and spent a good part of 27 years all over this globe. Just give me good food, a competent medical facility, a safe place to sleep and I'll be as happy as Gilligan once I get to Palawan

[Hank]

Thanks .. I am sure that Palawan has great beaches, but does it have any modern cities?

My wife's family lives in Puerto Princesa City on Palawan island. And so did we for several years, and still now and again.

There are a number of good clean, tropical beaches if one explores north 7-20klm up along the coast by vehicle. Must say, there's also a few even cleaner resorts where a family can stay all day, for a few peso, and with food and drink beach waiter service. Nice places spending time.

A green city, it has grown modern quite quickly. It's been less than a decade since world-tourism really found the island and the airport grew huge. Though some big money has certainly arrived, your deeper olde-worlde island charm is still quite strongly alive.     

But a warning .. right now in Palawan .. today in fact .. Covid-19 is rampant.

All of my wife's family in Puerto Princesa City have Covid-19 right now.

And, our last to get it, the strongest teen, has a temperature today.

His school-teacher sister got it first but couldn't take time off work.

Everyone's doing ok so far, but grandfather has a very bad cough.

No vaccine has been made available there.

Anyway .. just so you know .. keep safe.
 
Kind regards, Hank

[Hank]

All of my wife's family in Puerto Princesa City have Covid-19 ..
our last to get it, the strongest teen, has a temperature today.
Everyone's doing ok so far but grandfather has a very bad cough.

Just so you know, today our last-to-get-it writes  ..

Today at 6:32 PM: "Hello uncle .... Thanks for checking in. All are ok. I and uncle G... still have fever and cough. Fever gets better as long as we take medicine. Now just having a hard time with the coughing.

Turns out, my bro-in-law had received the first dose of vaccine. He still got Covid, but not too badly

So no zombies, and everyone is very nearly good again :-)

Hank

[Gray Wolf]

Just so you know, today our last-to-get-it writes  ..

Today at 6:32 PM: "Hello uncle .... Thanks for checking in. All are ok. I and uncle G... still have fever and cough. Fever gets better as long as we take medicine. Now just having a hard time with the coughing.

Turns out, my bro-in-law had received the first dose of vaccine. He still got Covid, but not too badly

So no zombies, and everyone is very nearly good again :-)

Hank

Two of my pamangkin (a nephew and his wife) both got Covid a couple of months ago. They had fever, coughs, chills and body aches. The vaccine wasn't available yet so they had to deal with it in their own way. Fortunately they are both young and in great health otherwise and were able to finally shake it off. They are now living in their new house in Cavite along with their 11-month old and all are doing great