Can you spend a month in AC?
[QUOTE=FurryFriend; 1209714]Have you ever been to AC? If you've never been here, you might be in for a shock and want to leave after 1-2 weeks. So there's no point in commiting for a month.
I don't see how anyone can be here for a month.[/QUOTE]I can. I was there earlier in the year for a week and now going again for 2 weeks in early Nov. I have been to Bangkok 3 times. So I can sure compare. I think it depends on individual taste. However, I have to say that I really liked Rio. I was there for a week about a month ago and plan to have 2 trips to Rio next year. For now, I plan to alternate between AC and Rio.
Apartments around $350 US per month.
[QUOTE=Satyr23;1209704]I found a site that has apartments posted in Angeles city and I found some OK looking apartments for around $350 US per month. I'm considering renting an apartment for one month in Angeles sometime next year. Does this seem too good to be true or about right. Would it usually be a shithole for that price or so so. I don't need luxury, just a place that girls wouldn't mind going back to. Also I've read conflicting reports about how well one can communicate with the filipinas using American english. I'm in Brazil now and my lack of Portuguese is a really annoying issue at times. If I can get by pretty well not learning the language, I'd rather not spend too much time learning it. Thanks in advance![/QUOTE]Satyr. I was sort of hoping that you had posted a link (I wanted to see if those apartments were something I might be interested in.). It might have helped to give you a better answer.
First. I don't think you will have any problem with the English that is used in Philippines, at least in the major destinations. In the provinces, you will definitely find less.
I am no expert on all the neighborhoods. But there are better / more ex-pat friendly neighborhoods and of course the opposite. I have a couple of friends that have lived there in Angeles for a number of years. One probably is paying in that neighborhood (approx. $350 to $ 400 per month) for a pretty new unfurnished apartment. 2 bdrms 2 baths with a secure driveway. This is in Villa Sol past the Clarkton towards the Friendship Gate. The others live in the area around the VFW and actually pay less, again unfurnished. Even some of the "Gated" neighborhood have had their problems. So no place is perfect in Angeles but with more money involved, the better the results. You would have to see the conditions that the average Philipino (some of the girls and their families live in. At $ 50 or so a month) to appreciate some of the neighborhoods.
There are a number of apartments listed as furnished / unfurnished in the Blue Book. (
[url]http://blue-bookph.com[/url]
) This local ad digest is available free every month around Angeles.
You could do what everybody is suggesting and only stay a few nights. I think Agoda had the Lewis Grand at $ 240 a night for a short stay. That seemed to be the high side with everything else coming in less. Prices are probably better if you deal directly with the hotel. The other hotels recommended here did not appear to be on Agoda. You will notice that most of the hotels offer a "discount", a littele when booked for a week or more for a month.
I am usually there for over a month (7 or 8 weeks) at a time and have stayed in a moderately priced hotel at $ 700 per month. It is NOT the Pacific Breeze / ABC / Lewis Grand / Savannah as are usually mentioned here. Those are considerably more.
But I seem to like the "shithole" and find that I enjoy many aspects of being in Angeles. I have friends there, play some golf and occasionally leave Angeles. This next trip I might go a little farther astray and see Cebu.
Without cute Filipinas for entertainment, it wouldn't be quite as fun. LOL.
Munch