Product Description

The Rough Guide to The Philippines is the ultimate companion for exploring this stunning Southeast Asian archipelago. From the sun-kissed islands of the Visaya to the lagoons of Palawan and the tribal villages of the northern Cordilleras, the full- colour section introduces the best the Phillippines has to offer. This revised 2nd edition includes detailed and opinionated listings and essential information on where to stay, eat, drink, dance, surf, trek, kayak and sail plus a brand-new diving section packed with practical advice on world-class dive sites and operators. You’ll find improved in-depth coverage of major destinations such as Boracay and emerging destinations such as Palawan. The guide features informative background on Filipino history, culture, society, music and politics, and comes complete with new maps and plans for every area. The Rough Guide to The Philippines is like having a local friend plan your trip.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #261358 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 544 pages

About the Author
David Dalton works as a freelance writer based in Manila.

Customer Reviews

Very poor
I have to agree with the two previous reviewers: this is one of the worst guidebooks I've ever used, and certainly well below the usual standards of the Rough Guides.

So much of the information on hotels and restaurants was just plain wrong. Obviously, I know that things change - businesses decline and close, cooks move, management changes, places renovate - but I have never come across so many evident mistakes in one book. It wasn't just that recommended restaurants no longer existed, but hotels listed in the budget category in tbe guide turned out to be the swankiest places in town, streets described as being "lined with bars" were residential and deserted, the centuries old cathedral bell tower in Dumaguete appears to have moved from one side of town to the other...

Given the level of errors, I'd have said that the author couldn't have visited the country, except for his wide-ranging knowledge of offal (a tip for breakfast at the abattoir in Merida, anyone?). And of course, if he'd done his research on the internet, at least there'd have been the chance of getting hotel prices roughly accurate...

Worst guide book Ive ever used
Ive been using Rough Guides since the beginning, back in the 80s and this is by far the worst Ive ever used. We bought it because it was the newest available, but the Jens Peters book was far more accurate. Prices are out by over 100% in some cases, proofreading is dreadful and places are often in the wrong position on maps. We booked a hotel in Dumaguete on the basis of it being an 'author's pick', having been described as 'hacienda style with a swimming pool'. Our room turned out to be a windowless box, and the only place where there could have been a swimming pool(which obviously never existed) was a defunct conference centre. The Philippines is a wonderful country and deserves a good guidebook. This , most certainly is not it.

No good
I just got back from 2 weeks backpacking my way around North Luzon and Palawan. The book had nothing good to say about the town of Subic, so I skipped it, but everyone we met afterwards was amazed that we didn't stop to see the place. It failed to mention the best/only place to stay in Tabuk - the Davidson Hotel, a surprising omission.

The cultural information/background was good, but this book put me off the Rough Guides and in future I will stick with "the other" famous brand of guide books.

It may be printed in 2007, but seemed a bit out of date for me.