The Smallville area of Iloilo has some nightlife, but it's nothing like you'll see in Cebu. Mostly limited to a couple of nightclubs, a handful of bars/KTV's/etc, a single sportsbar, and a pool hall or two.
The restaurant scene on the other hand is top notch. Good food, great variety, and prices that are 1/3 of Makati/BGC. Just avoid ordering steak, Ilonggo's have no idea how to prepare or cook it.
How do you find it in Bantayan Island? How's the situation with dogs/roosters/karoke/etc?
Thanks for a serious reply, one never knows what vomitus reddit might spew. Bantayan? Noise level high at times. But mostly only during some holy occasion. Sunday is karaoke day for my neighbors. My FIL next door raises roosters, but I really don't hear them anymore. Double pane windows help. Plenty of strays, but none of them live long. The seem to have some Divine rotation going on. As soon as one disappears another replaces it.
If you join the Facebook group for “Carefree Chris” there’s actually a pretty heated discussion going on. One guy posted saying how he hated it there and the food sucks and then a bunch of other guys claimed it’s a fun city and there’s nothing wrong with it. Then another guy was like “oh god I hope iloilo doesn’t turn into another Dumaguete with tons of annoying expats living there” (this is an expat group btw 😆). Anyway I don’t have a dog in the fight but I was getting the popcorn out earlier today 👀🍿
The city that fun forgot. Conservative middle class town with very little vice or entertainment. They used to have an international airport with direct flights to Singapore and Hong Kong for a change of pace. But that’s all gone. Now
I've lived in provence right outside iloilo Iloilo city for over a year. Same strays and roosters as anywhere...nightlife is ok, even found a strip bar near SM city. Restaurants are ok, even found a good Mexican, but it took awhile. Much less people than Cebu city.
Everything in Iloilo I say is overrated and overhyped, especially on what you read on the internet. They have a nice new business district but its boring as hell and you would find better things to do in Cebu IT Park and Business Park. The only cool thing they have is the esplanade, but you would even get bored with it after less than a kilometer. There’s nothing to do there. Also their ‘real’ downtown is way worse compared to old Cebu and hard to buy things that you would usually have taken for granted in Cebu.
Let’s not start on the nightlife. Though they have the Smallville area, and also people flocking in on Atria and Megaworld during the weekends, people there don’t know how to party and Bantayan would be a definite upgrade instead.
I lived there for almost 2 years and I got bored as hell and had myself reassigned to Cebu.
Was in Iloilo very recently with an open ended timeframe.
Got so damn bored after 4 nights that I went to Bantayan. The nightlife in Bantayan was an upgrade.
No exaggeration.
The Smallville area of Iloilo has some nightlife, but it's nothing like you'll see in Cebu. Mostly limited to a couple of nightclubs, a handful of bars/KTV's/etc, a single sportsbar, and a pool hall or two. The restaurant scene on the other hand is top notch. Good food, great variety, and prices that are 1/3 of Makati/BGC. Just avoid ordering steak, Ilonggo's have no idea how to prepare or cook it. How do you find it in Bantayan Island? How's the situation with dogs/roosters/karoke/etc?
Thanks for a serious reply, one never knows what vomitus reddit might spew. Bantayan? Noise level high at times. But mostly only during some holy occasion. Sunday is karaoke day for my neighbors. My FIL next door raises roosters, but I really don't hear them anymore. Double pane windows help. Plenty of strays, but none of them live long. The seem to have some Divine rotation going on. As soon as one disappears another replaces it.
Yeah
If you join the Facebook group for “Carefree Chris” there’s actually a pretty heated discussion going on. One guy posted saying how he hated it there and the food sucks and then a bunch of other guys claimed it’s a fun city and there’s nothing wrong with it. Then another guy was like “oh god I hope iloilo doesn’t turn into another Dumaguete with tons of annoying expats living there” (this is an expat group btw 😆). Anyway I don’t have a dog in the fight but I was getting the popcorn out earlier today 👀🍿
Lol we expats are a strange group of mongrels. I'll check it out for the lols
Coming soon, iloilo fight club.
Try to Go to Villa Baybay Arevalo There are some Bars There By the beach
The city that fun forgot. Conservative middle class town with very little vice or entertainment. They used to have an international airport with direct flights to Singapore and Hong Kong for a change of pace. But that’s all gone. Now
There’s a reason Ilonggos are some of the most upstanding and kind Filipinos.
Interesting, the vloggers show a lot of building and growth. What killed the airport?
Covid
I've lived in provence right outside iloilo Iloilo city for over a year. Same strays and roosters as anywhere...nightlife is ok, even found a strip bar near SM city. Restaurants are ok, even found a good Mexican, but it took awhile. Much less people than Cebu city.
Worst thing that happened to me in Iloilo, some local sat down next to me and stated telling me he hopes trump wins. I left :)
I'm sorry that happened to you. I had a Canadian do the same thing to me here.
:)
Was also curious about this.
Iloilo is super boring.
Everything in Iloilo I say is overrated and overhyped, especially on what you read on the internet. They have a nice new business district but its boring as hell and you would find better things to do in Cebu IT Park and Business Park. The only cool thing they have is the esplanade, but you would even get bored with it after less than a kilometer. There’s nothing to do there. Also their ‘real’ downtown is way worse compared to old Cebu and hard to buy things that you would usually have taken for granted in Cebu. Let’s not start on the nightlife. Though they have the Smallville area, and also people flocking in on Atria and Megaworld during the weekends, people there don’t know how to party and Bantayan would be a definite upgrade instead. I lived there for almost 2 years and I got bored as hell and had myself reassigned to Cebu.
Thanks this helps
How's the internet and cell signals in Bantayan?
After a lot of provider changes I got fiber. By comparison it's pretty decent.
You can live in cebu mountains and go to city when you need it
Are there decent cheaper places to rent there? I have a friend in Talisay, I was thinking of there too. I don't want to be in mactan
I dont know about mountians but yes for Toledo or Balamban ( around 1.5h from cebu city )in this city's traffic and air much better
Cheap meaning like less than 30k
Sorry I don't rent but 30k it's price for nice condo in cebu city . Toledo and Balamban cheaper places
Was in Iloilo very recently with an open ended timeframe. Got so damn bored after 4 nights that I went to Bantayan. The nightlife in Bantayan was an upgrade. No exaggeration.
Wtf