Safe In Baguio??

[vfr]

Im planning to retire in Phils shortly and am looking for a safe place with low crime.

I had alway liked the idea of Cebu but it seems like crime is increasing there.

Baguio seems like a good option. Any opinions as to the safety in Baguio?

[OnMyWay]

I was considering Baguio but have decided against it due to the weather. The cool climate sounds nice but too much rain and fog can get depressing. My girlfriend has family there and that is one reason we were considering it. However, she recently spent a week there and subsequently said she would not like to live there because it rained and was cloudy the entire week.

Sorry, I can't tell you if crime is better or worse there.

[earthdome]

I was considering Baguio but have decided against it due to the weather. The cool climate sounds nice but too much rain and fog can get depressing. My girlfriend has family there and that is one reason we were considering it. However, she recently spent a week there and subsequently said she would not like to live there because it rained and was cloudy the entire week.

I was in Baguio in April... the weather was just perfect. It depends on the time of the year. July and August are the months with the heaviest amount of rain.

I have plans to move to Baguio next year... but plan on spending much of July & August traveling outside of Baguio due to the heavy rains.

[earthdome]

Im planning to retire in Phils shortly and am looking for a safe place with low crime.

I had alway liked the idea of Cebu but it seems like crime is increasing there.

Baguio seems like a good option. Any opinions as to the safety in Baguio?

I have heard that crime is much lower in Baguio than in similar size or larger cities in the Philippines.

Here is a link to crime statistics for Baguio population 300k+... I compared the crime rates for Baguio to the US midwest city where I live with population of 100k...

the crimes rates are about the same... and Baguio has 3X the population of where I live.

http://www.baguiocity.com/news_article/crime-statistics-january-june-2011

Thank you for asking that question which got me to do a quick bit of research.

Based on my research Baguio looks very safe... even when compared to a small US midwest university city.

One thing to keep in mind... is that as a foreigner you may be more of a target for crime... so it helps to keep a low profile and not flash expensive items.

Although I didn't conduct a census... there seemed to be quite a few expats in Baguio.

I will be returning to Baguio late Sept for a visit then if all goes well will move their March of next year.

[TheMason]

I lived in Baguio for 2 years and had only minor issues with crime, someone stole my slippers off our porch. My landlord ran a sari-sari store so there were always people around the place. Other than that, we never had any issues at all. I lived in Camp 7 and was comfortable walking around in the day and early evening. I never felt threatened there. I did avoid Session Road and the other night life districts at night. There's a lot of young college kids out drinking and I think its best to avoid that type of environment. All in all, I felt much safer in Baguio than I did in Manila.

IMHO, the weather there is the best to be found in the Philippines. It does get foggy and rainy at times, but I never considered it excessive or a problem. Our electric bill was under 500 pesos per month for normal household usage. Your budget goes a lot further when you aren't paying obscene electric bills.

Aside from Camp 7 where I lived, I also liked the Loakan area by the airport and the places out near The Mansion. All those areas seemed safe to me.

When I move back to the Philippines, Baguio will be on the top of the list.

[vfr]

Brilliant. Thank-you guys.

I'd love to live in the Phils provided I could find a safe place.

Ive travelled to Manila and Cebu a few times for vacation.

I'm now considering taking a vacation to Baguio next month to check it out (I guess August will be the rainy season?).

TheMason, if you dont mind I have a few questions:

- Can you fly to Baguio from Manila or do you take the 6 hour bus trip? I read different opinions as to whether there is a flight from manila airport.

- Any suggestions for a nice hotel to stay at for a week? Somewhere in the center of town.

In terms of retirement:

- Would you feel safe about renting/buying a condo and leaving all your stuff there when out of the country?

- Can you give me an idea on monthly cost of living? How would it compare to other parts of Phils and say Chang Mai Thailand?

- Is there plenty to do in Baguio? Could you see yourself living there for a 10 year stint?

- How's the expat community?

- For looking at long-term accomodation your recommendations would be the Loakan area by the airport and the places out near The Mansion?

- You mentioned that when you move back Baguio will be the top of your list. Where else is on the list?

Appreciate there are lots of questions so answer what u can :))

Much appreciated

[earthdome]

- Can you fly to Baguio from Manila or do you take the 6 hour bus trip? I read different opinions as to whether there is a flight from manila airport.

There used to be regular flights from Manila to Baguio... but no longer... weather in the mountains caused to many flight delays.

There are buses that run every hour, 24 hours a day from Manila to Baguio. I used the Victory Liner http://www.victoryliner.com/ . A bus with AC but no CR (toilet) cost 450 pesos one way. Their deluxe bus runs a few times a day. It has a CR and wi-fi. But you have to reserve your seats at least one week in advance online and it costs 750 pesos. The bus will stop twice on the way so you can use the CR or buy refreshments. Make sure you have some 1, 5 and 10 peso coins for the pay toilets at the bus stops. When the bus goes through Tarlac vendors will get on selling Chicharon and hot vinegar sauce. Chicharon is fried pork fat that is very fluffy. I found it to be a nice snack and Tarlac is supposed to make the best Chicharon.

[TheMason]

Brilliant. Thank-you guys.

I'd love to live in the Phils provided I could find a safe place.

Ive travelled to Manila and Cebu a few times for vacation.

I'm now considering taking a vacation to Baguio next month to check it out (I guess August will be the rainy season?).

TheMason, if you dont mind I have a few questions:

- Can you fly to Baguio from Manila or do you take the 6 hour bus trip? I read different opinions as to whether there is a flight from manila airport.

- Any suggestions for a nice hotel to stay at for a week? Somewhere in the center of town.

In terms of retirement:

- Would you feel safe about renting/buying a condo and leaving all your stuff there when out of the country?

- Can you give me an idea on monthly cost of living? How would it compare to other parts of Phils and say Chang Mai Thailand?

- Is there plenty to do in Baguio? Could you see yourself living there for a 10 year stint?

- How's the expat community?

- For looking at long-term accomodation your recommendations would be the Loakan area by the airport and the places out near The Mansion?

- You mentioned that when you move back Baguio will be the top of your list. Where else is on the list?

Appreciate there are lots of questions so answer what u can :))

Much appreciated

For hotels in Baguio I'd stay at the Microtel. Its connected to the Victory Liner bus terminal and very close to SM and Session Road. Its also within easy walking distance of Red Lion, one of the main ex-pat hangouts. There's also Hotel Veniz which is at the base of Session Road near the local market. Session Road is full of shops, restaurants, etc. and is the main drag in town. The local market is at the bottom of the hill and SM Mall is at the top of the hill.

As earthdome said, take the Victory Liner. You can pick it on Pasay near Taft and EDSA or in Cubao. If you're flying in, pick it up from Pasay. I'd go with the regular bus as well, its worth the extra time to see the sites on the way to Baguio.

Cost of living is cheaper because electricity is so low. Rents are surprisingly cheap as well. You can find a very nice place on the outskirts of town for around 10k per month. Like anywhere else, you're best bet is to get a hotel for a few days while you look around. You'll pay a lot for short-term vacation type rentals but you can find lots of good deals on long term housing. If you decide to move there long term, PM me and I'll get you in touch with some people I know that rent apartments. One of the people is my cousin-in-law and the other is my old neighbor. Both of them have rentals available. You'd have to talk to them about the price.

As for things to do, Baguio is a provincial city, not a metropolis. There is SM Mall, the local market, and a few Chinese discount stores. Shopping is limited. Restaraunt choices are limited. Night life is limited. Infratructure for cable, internet, electricity, etc is not as good as Cebu or Manila If you want a quiet, peaceful place to go about your business undisturbed, Baguio is the place. If you want a more modern, fast-paced life, stick with the big cities.

[OnMyWay]

After reading all of the good information here about Baguio I am tempted to change my mind (again!) about living there but I think I need to be closer to the ocean in order enjoy SCUBA often. I will make a visit before we make a final decision on where to live permanently and regardless, I will visit quite often because my girlfriend's sister and brother live there.

Good luck with your visit and keep us updated! :cheers:

[Classic Dry]

Next time I visit the Phils, I'll fly to Cebu, then visit a friend in Bohol. While I'm over there I'd love to check out Baguio. Anyone know if there's a flight to Bagio

from Tagbilaran, or, failing that, from Cebu ?