BEVS

She may care about that wallet receding out of reach but with distance there is little she can do about it.

Dorothy

Cambodia seems to be popular. It's very inexpensive and there are some nice beaches if that's what you're looking for.

Philosophical 11

La Union is uppermost in my mind and that is all I will say on that at the moment.

Yes, I am aware that Abandonment is prevalent here but it has a more serious impact on foreigners. I do not know how easy it would be for her to process a claim, but I am making sure I do not give her genuine cause to file a complaint. I believe she will throw everything at me when it becomes clear to her that she will be solely liable for debts.

Moving on....

Yes I have heard good reports concerning both Vietnam and Cambodia. Especially Cambodia. Comments on this would be helpful in case I have to make a sudden choice.

Regards

spouse of scouse

Some Cambodiab visa info to get you started
https://www.movetocambodia.com/plann...ambodia-visas/ Not the official site but when I tried to find this the info pages had 'coming soon' on them.
Vietnam, official website https://www.vietnamembassy-england.o...citizens-2019/

Bealinehx

P11
If this is your major concern just pop over to Cambodia and Vietnam. Both are cheaper than Phils.

WiredTight

I think you should be thinking semi-short term now. Do a bit of checking around.... Most of your countries in this part of the world have a 30 - 90 day tourist visa. Very little chance that you will be hit up as a" visa-runner" if you don't overly abuse the system.
Book your $100 flight, $30 - $50 a night hotel for a week, Walk around checking out expat areas or rental agents, and I am 100% positive you can easily find a $200 - $400 a month 1 - 2 bedroom furnished apartment.
Places I've visited over the last few years are relatively cheap (same a RP, or a bit higher).
VN: Less english, not as tourist friendly. Cheap, good food, a little bit rough around the edges (Hanoi, HCMC)
TH: A lot of info on Thailand already around. I do think long term might be a bit more difficult.
Laos: Cheap, a bit rough around the edges, less english, not sure visa requirements (Veintain).
Cambodia: Cheap, rough around the edges, less english, Big Chinese push (changes), (PP, Snookie-ville, SiemReap)
MY: Cheap, good english, good food, multi-year visa (MM2H Sawarak) (Penang, Langkawi, Kuching, KK).

I'd advise you to spend 2 week in La Union (do a bit of internet searching), then take a 1 week holiday to MY (Kota Kinabalu,Kuching, Langkawi, Penang). Cheap flights, Cheap rooms, Cheap food, good english, and...90 day tourist visa.

Thairetired2016

Thaivisa forum got info on Cambodia, Vietnam and of course Thailand.
Cambodia is not cheap. Think tourism. Poor infrastructure.
Nothing much changed in Thailand for retirement. But you need to show 800.000 THB in a Thai bank or 65.000 monthly pension transfer from UK in yr case. Cost of living is no longer low cost. Still ok if you move away from Bkk. But language may be an issue.

WiredTight

I visited PP last year, and happy hour beer was still 50 - 75 cents.....!!!!!! I stopped by housing agent and was told 1-2 bedroom outside the Tourist/Expat bubble was around $500 a month.
Sihanoukville around 4-5 years ago only had 2 very small casinos. It makes me sick hearing about the mass Chinese invasion (the cambodian gov't also need to be blamed).
Certainly a lot of changes around this part of the world. All the bitches and groans you here today.... are not much different than talking to expat 20 years ago (damn Brits, Aussies, Yanks, Euros are causing prices to go up !!!). Still a lot cheaper than back in the Real World.

Millhouse

PP isn't that nice. Siem Reap much nicer...I didn't find either that expensive though.

Dorothy

There is always Indonesia. Bali has a,retirement visa if you want to look at it.

Thairetired2016

Visiting and living in Siem Reap is very different. We spent a few years in S.R. as working expats.
You can eat local food from dirty markets or more civilized food. "Cheap" is in the eye of the beholder.
500$ for an apt. -- you may not want to board your dog there. Consider lights and water problems in areas outside the expat favored areas.

Jingsamichty

Best of luck, P11, you've done the right thing. Don't contact her again.

On, On!!

Elgin1983

What's the deal in Burma/Myanmar these days? Seems to be opening up: get in before the gold rush. A trip there would certainly keep the thread interesting. Former British colony so I imagine English is more widely spoken there than elsewhere in Indochina.

scrubbedexpat019

Bali is now almost as expensive as Thailand and the Indonesian visa system is idiotic.

This from someone now in Sanur, waiting for the end of a two-year sublet from an expat who had to leave quickly (he had visa problems with a corrupt immi official). If it weren't for our house and six rescue cats, we would be out of here in a flash. to Malaysia.

I've just now posted to this thread as a new member, first post. Mentioned Malaysia and Bali. The post seems to have disappeared. I'll repost if I can. So if it ends up a double post, apologices to all.

Briefly told, I believe Penang would be an ideal bolt-hole for P11 at this immensely stressful time in his life.

scrubbedexpat019

I posted this but the first hit vanished. So this may end up as a double post. If so, can one of the mods remove the 'duplicate'? If not, apologies.

Fortunately I saved a copy. Now reposting...

A new member here. First post. Huzzah! P11's sad saga has had me hooked for ages. I recently read the entire thread from page 1, which took an entire day. A bit like Gone With The Wind. It has its own civil war and a smaller cast of players, but I rather fancy P11 as Rhett Butler and definitely his LL as a New Age Scarlet O'Hara... Okay, bad joke finished.

P11, consider Malaysia as a temporary bolt-hole. It's a civilised country with friendly and polite people with middle-class aspirations and not money-grabby, English is widely spoken, with a trio (Malay, Indian, Chinese) of cultures, a fascinating colonial history, excellent food, and all the mod cons and life amenities and services you will ever need or want. A Muslim culture,but beer, wine and spirits are readily available. Living costs are generally reasonable. Many expats prefer living in Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Melaka but there are more quiet cities (Ipoh or Kuching) if a more laid back (and cheaper) lifestyle is what you want. The east coast is not renowned for its beaches, but it offers you everything else.

Naughty ladies are everywhere, as are many more serious types looking for a serious and lasting relationship. I met my life partner (Chinese-Malay) in Melaka 15 years ago. After two years of endless (and expensive) commuting we decided to live in Australia. Now in Bali for the duration of a sublet house I took over from an expat who left after having visa problems with corrupt Indonesian immigration officials, and if it wasn't for the house and our six rescue cats, we would be on the first Air Asia flight to - Penang.

An earlier post mentioned Bali, a lovely place but as expensive as Thailand now, and the idiotic Indonesian visa system makes long-term planning almost impossible if one isn't wealthy or well connected (or willing to play the corruption game).

Look at Malaysia as a short-term escape plan and not the Third World (which Malaysia isn't) havens of Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam or Indonesia. Stay three months (or longer if it pleases you) and if you want to, make a new plan and move on. Or stay.

A 90 day tourist visa is free on arrival, and can be renewed for a sensible number of times by leaving the country for at least 72 hours (three days) and then returning. After four visas (or a year) a longer absence is advised - maybe a month in Bali or Vietnam- and you can then go back and start again.

Penang may be your best option as it offers a laid back lifestyle, many fellow expats and sensible costs if you avoid the western high life and the ourist traps of Georgetown. For a more quiet life, try Ipoh (between Penang and KL but inland) or Melaka (a World Heritage old city with many interesting aspects). Kuala Lumpur is a maybe if you like large cities. At my age (69) I avoid it, for me it's too busy and impersonal so a no-go.

Three months (or longer if it suits you) somewhere in Malaysia will give you time to recover from the shock of your break-up, regain some of your old self-confidence and joie-de-vivre, rebuild your finances, and make plans for your new life - without the stress of possible legal action by or even violent revenge from your LLLL

Can you work out the meaning of the two additional LLs?

P11, I (and I'm sure everyone else on BE) wish you the very best in making your successful escape plans and building your new life away from the Philippines.