Lonely Planet Philippines

by Joe Bindloss, Lonely Planet, Virginia Jealous, et al.

The Philippines' extraordinary diversity and beauty in one comprehensive guidebook: kaleidoscopic local festivals, bustling cities, deserted islands, awe-inspiring rice terraces, erupting volcanoes,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0864427115
• ISBN13: 9780864427113
• Release Date: January 2000
• Publisher: Lonely Planet
• Length: 568 Pages
• Weight: 0.84 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.0" x 7.2"

Customer Reviews

The best option for those planning a first trip to the Philippines

I have read lots of criticism of the Lonely Planet Philippines guidebook but I feel much of it should be disregarded by the first-time visitor to the Philippines. When one is planning a trip to the Philippines, especially if the traveler has not been there before, what one needs is qualitative advice, help in figuring out where it's worth going and where not to bother with. In this, Lonely Planet is excellent, perhaps the best of all the guidebooks. It will give you good advice about which places are worth visiting and which are not of much interest. If you've never been to the Philippines, you need frank advice about these things. As you spend time in the Philippines (I live there full-time) you may make your own judgments, but I have found Lonely Planet's advice to be quite good. There is no question that Jens Peters' Philippines Travel Guide offers far, far more detail than does Lonely Planet; many more detailed maps, more complete listings of accommodations, transportation details and so forth. No other guidebook comes close. I live in Iloilo City. I believe Lonely Planet's well-written Iloilo City narrative conveys the spirit, paints a true picture of the place in a way that allows the trip planner to decide if he or she should even include a visit to Iloilo City. For the trip planner this is more important content than extensive details about bus terminals, ferry links and so forth. Once you're here you may wish for the detailed information that Jens Peters' book gives. That's why, in my opinion, there really is no single best Philippine guidebook. For the person on their first trip, Lonely Planet offers plenty of information and advice in a compact format. It is in need of an update. I'm an American and have read complaints of my fellow citizens that the Lonely Planet guide is "anti-American". I suspect it may seem so only to those who are not familiar with some of the sadder episodes in the history of American involvement in the Philippines; the brutal crushing of Philippine independence, imposition of decades of unfair trade rules, our unwavering support for the Marcos regime so we could keep our Philippine bases and so forth. It would be better if the Lonely Planet's jabs should inspire some reading and soul searching rather than flag-waving. Stanley Karnow's "In our Image: America's Empire in the Philippines" would be a good start.

The usual good book

Lonely Planet is a known quantity but I am impressed with the information on so many of the 1107 islands of The Philippines. Truly a good guide.

Lonely Planet Philippines

For the limited area of the Philippines that I visited, the book was right on target. I was in the Anilao/Sabang area. Good background info, good maps. Typical Lonely Planet.

Review of the Lonely Planet book on the Philippines

This was an excellent book. I would take it with me and read it when I had the chance. I am not much of a book reader but this book really kept my attention. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in visiting the Philippines.

John Coughlin

I found the book very easy to follow & it gave a very good discription of what a new traveller to the Philippines would encounter. Very helpful from arriving to departing. I got this book on a recommendation from a friend, like him I would recommend to any prospective traveller to the Philippines.