Hi everyone,
Where to start.. So, I have been working in hotels for over 10 years now. I am currently working at a resort in Phuket, Thailand and have been living here for 1 and a half years. Although there are frustrations as with any country, generally speaking I feel Thailand is a great country.. I love the craziness of Bangkok to the laid back vibe of Chiang Mai however I have come to really dislike living in Phuket over these past few months... for lots of reasons which I am sure many of you may already be aware of if you have visited this rather expensive and over-commercialized destination.
Another point is that it is becoming increasingly difficult and frustrating for foreigners to find work here (especially in my field of work) as visa/work permits are becoming harder to obtain due to the strict work/visa regulations enforced by the government.
So back to my main point.. I have no intentions to return home to the UK just yet as I love SE Asia, so I am considering moving to moving to either Vietnam or the Philippines.. in particular Makati, Cebu or Boracay. In order to get an unbiased view I have posted a similar question over in the Vietnam forum
-Generally speaking is it difficult to find work (in particular hotel work) as an expat in the Philippines?
-Are work permits difficult to obtain?
-The biggest bonus of the Philippines seems to be the fact the tourist visa can be extended for 16 months at a time without having to the leave the country (unlike Thailand!)
My apologies for the long post, but I am really interested in hearing from fellow expats who may give me a better insight into work/life in the Philippines! And if it is a destination I should realistically be considering..
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!