whyretiretothephilippines.com
Why Retire to the Philippines
Why, you say?
Because everything we need for our retirement is over there!
• the cost of living is amazingly affordable
• the climate is mild (not too hot/not too cold)
• living is “safe and secure” (like anywhere in the world)
• the people speak English, no need to learn a new language
• people are friendly, hospitable, warm and somewhat “Westernized”
• majority of the people are Christian, so there are no dietary laws to observe
• the country is lovely and the night life in the city is alive
• so many more other reasons!This little country seems to be the best place for retirement!
ILOILO BEACHES AND DIVE SITES
Iloilo is a province of the Philippines, located in the Western Visayas region. The province comprises the southeastern part of Panay Island with island-province of Guimaras just across its coast.
Iloilo is the gateway to Western Visayas and a favored stopover for tourists heading to Guimaras, Boracay Island, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Aklan, Capiz, and Antique.
The capital city of the province of Iloilo is the City of Iloilo, which is also one of the major urban centers in the Philippines. Iloilo is a fast-growing modern city but has kept its old charm and unspoiled environment. Today, it is a popular convention and meeting destination, with its many first class accommodations and an airport of international standards. Iloilo also serves as the gateway to the region and a favorite stopover for tourists heading to the beaches of Boracay, Palawan and the nearby provinces of Guimaras, Antique, Capiz, and Aklan.
Experience the value of a real vacation. Discover Iloilo, a province rich in historical and cultural attractions, home of the famous Dinagyang Festival, stately mansions, majestic century-old churches, unspoiled countryside and exotic delicacies.
“Panay is endowed with beautiful coasts and islets teeming with beautiful seascapes and diverse marine life just like any other island in the Pacific. Iloilo Province in Panay is definitely no exception and even has several exceptional beaches that can potentially be Philippine’s next top tourist destination. From Iloilo’s southern to northern tips, here’s a lineup of beaches where you could go and be hot or get wet anytime of the year.” – exploreiloilo.com
Tobog Beach
choosephils.com
Tobog Beach Resort is 7 kilometers away from the town of San Joaquin, Iloilo. It is just along the road and easy to locate. There are cottages which can be rented for an overnight stay.
The shoreline is covered with smooth pebbles and different kinds of shells. This makes the place a come-on for local and foreign tourists. The pristine water is also captivating and is one of the best diving sites in the province. Tobog Beach Resort is a good place to stay in San Joaquin.
Tobog is one of the small resorts that is swarmed with beach-goers especially during weekends. Tobog is in Cataan Cove which is slowly becoming a tourist destination among locals especially among divers for its beautiful marine garden.
Basang-Basa Beach
localphilippines.com
San Joaquin is a coastal town in southern Iloilo. The trip to San Joaquin is definitely scenic with views of the green mountains and blue sea lining both sides of the road. Upon reaching the town of Miag-ao the sights tend to get better with more greenery, jagged cliffs, and deep blue sea.
In San Joaquin, it’s back to basics. Nothing complicated, just you and the sea.
Bogtong Bato Beach
thenewstoday.info
Tobog, Basang Basa, and Bogtong Bato Beaches (San Joaquin) – San Joaquin is Iloilo’s southernmost town and is known for its pebbled shore, which gives its waters its crystalline appearance and is unlike the usual gray or white sand beaches in Panay. Visitors also go to San Joaquin for its excellent diving and snorkeling sites such as Cata-an Cove, where they could swim among many kinds of sea creatures amidst a beautiful coral garden.
Oton Beach
iloiloilove.com
Oton is a municipality in the province of Iloilo, Philippines. It lies between Jaro and Tigbauan cities.
Tigbauan, on the west of Oton, was the site where American forces code-named Victor I, landed on March 18, 1945, together with the Philippine Commonwealth troops to begin the Liberation of Panay. The troops set out from Lingayen Gulf, Luzon on March 14th. The 185th Infantry, 40th Division, splashed ashore at Tigbauan, several miles west of Iloilo. There they were greeted by Army Col. Macario L. Peralta’s Filipino guerrillas by continued from the Philippine Commonwealth troops drawn up in parade formation, and General Eichelberger recalled in his memoirs how the guerrillas stood “stiff starched khaki and resplendent with ornaments.” The strong guerrilla force of 23,000 had secured most of the island’ except the area immediately around Jaro where 2,750 Japanese were ensconced. The 40th Division quickly swept through the Japanese outposts and then drove the Japanese from the city in two days.
Tigbauan Beach
deuts.net
The view of Guimaras Island is stunning during sunsets. You also get to check out the Antique mountain range on the right side. The beach may not be white-sand but it certainly is refreshing. This place is perfect for people who don’t want to go that far but wants to enjoy a quiet day at the beach.
Guimbal Beach
myspace.com
Grey sand beaches nearby Iloilo City(Oton, Tigbauan, and Guimbal) – The beaches of Oton, Tigbauan, and Guimbal are popular beach destinations because they are just within 30 minutes from Iloilo City. These gray sand beaches are a great place where families and groups of friends can hang around under the shade of coconut trees, enjoy eating seafood in restaurants, or swim in the cool inviting waters.
Villa Beach
crystalsandsvilla.com
Villa Beach (Iloilo City) – The whole stretch of Villa Beach is lined with restaurants that serve fresh seafood, sumptuous lechon, and flavorful native chicken. Tatoy’s and Breakthrough are the most popular restaurants in Villa, both are favorite destinations of tourists looking forwards to filling their stomach with delicious Ilonggo style cooking while enjoying the refreshing sea breeze. There are also several resorts and inns that provide tourists a relaxing place to stay in the city like Punta Villa Resort and Villa Rosa by the Sea.
Balaring Beach
panoramio.com
Seek refuge from the summer heat at Balaring Beach. A unique feature of the beach is its carpet of multi-colored stones. Locals frequent Balaring Beach for its cool crystal clear waters. Dive in the waters of Balaring and see its exquisite corals and tropical fishes.
Balaring Beach is similar to San Joaquin’s beaches but its shore is laid out with interesting multi-colored stones. RJ Beach Resort is an option for an overnight stay in Balaring.
Ajuy Beach
pbase.com
White Sand Beaches in Northern Iloilo- Now we come to the best beaches in Iloilo! Most people don’t even know that Iloilo has offshore islets let alone white sand beaches and breathtaking tropical seascapes. The coastal towns in the northernmost part of Iloilo include Ajuy, Concepcion, and Carles. All of these towns have several spots akin to a tropical paradise you see in magazines. There are no 5-star resorts in these parts, just quaint accommodations where you could really commune with nature at its finest.
Marbuena Beach
pbase.com
Ajuy – Marbuena Island Resort. This privately owned island resort offers adequate accommodation facilities. Marbuena is perfect for taking a relaxing day and indulging yourself in the island’s white sand beach and azure waters. Nearby are a few attractions such as an 18th-century Spanish era lighthouse in Calabasa Island.
Sandbar Beach
exploreiloilo.com
Summer is not complete if you can’t go to the beach. Here in Iloilo, there are a lot of options on where to go. While the usual suspects include Villa, Guimbal or Oton, there are still a lot of undiscovered beaches here. One such place is the Sandbar Island Beach Resort in Bolobadiangan, Concepcion.
Upon arriving, you can see a white sandbar about half a kilometer long, framed in the horizon by the Pan de Azucar mountain and other islets. The water is clear as glass and very inviting. One word to describe it would be “breathtaking”.
Bolobadiangan Beach
iloveiloilo.freehostia.com
Concepcion – Sandbar Beach Resort in Bulubadiangan Island. It is Ideal for swimming, snorkeling, fishing, and just about any water recreation activity. Bulubadiangan is one of 16 islands in Concepcion, this part of Iloilo is definitely a must visit. A unique feature of the island is the shifting white sandbar, which would shift from left to right depending on the direction of the wind. There are only a few nipa huts where visitors could stay in Sandbar Island Beach Resort. and the electricity only lasts until 8 pm.
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