Rough Guides - The Rough Guide to the Philippines

This Rough Guide is one of a new generation of informative and easy-to-use travel-guide ebooks that guarantees you make the most of your trip. An essential tool for pre-trip planning, it also makes a great travel companion when youre on the road.

From the section.

Detailed area maps feature in the guide chapters and are also listed in the , accessible from the table of contents. Depending on your hardware, you can double-tap on the maps to see larger-scale versions, or select different scales. There are also thumbnails below more detailed maps in these cases, you can opt to zoom left/top or zoom right/bottom or view the full map. The screen-lock function on your device is recommended when viewing enlarged maps. Make sure you have the latest software updates, too.

Throughout the guide, weve flagged up our favourite places a perfectly sited hotel, an atmospheric caf, a special restaurant with the author pick icon . You can select your own favourites and create a personalized itinerary by bookmarking the sights, venues and activities that are of interest, giving you the quickest possible access to everything youll need for your time away.

Separated from its Southeast Asian neighbours by the South China Sea, the Philippines has always been a little different. As the only Asian nation colonized by the Spanish, this lush archipelago of dazzling beaches, year-round sun and warm, turquoise waters remains predominantly Roman Catholic, and culturally a blend of Islamic, Malay, Spanish and American influences it often feels light years away from its neighbours, with a string of elegant colonial towns that have more in common with Latin America than the rest of Asia. Its an enticing mix: all over the archipelago youll discover tantalizing food, friendly people and exuberant festivals. And the variety is astonishing: you can surf, island-hop or dive pristine coral reefs in the morning, and in the same day visit mystical tribal villages, ancient rice terraces and jungle-smothered peaks.

Indeed, the Philippines is often underrated and misunderstood by travellers and its Asian neighbours, casually dismissed as a supplier of maids, tribute bands, mail-order brides and corrupt politicians, epitomized by the gaudy excesses of Imelda Marcos. Dont be put off: while poverty and corruption remain serious problems, the Philippines is far more complex and culturally rich than the stereotypes suggest.

The Filipino people are variously descended from early Malay settlers, Muslim Sufis from the Middle East, Spanish conquistadors and friars, and later, from Chinese traders. Its an old clich, but largely true: Filipinos take pride in making visitors welcome, even in the most rustic barangay home. Equally important is the culture of entertaining, evident in the hundreds of colourful fiestas that are held throughout the country, many tied to the Roman Catholic calendar. Never far behind partying is eating: Filipino food is heavily influenced by Spanish and native traditions expect plenty of fresh fish, roasted meats (pork and chicken) and, unlike in the rest of Asia, a plethora of addictive desserts, many utilizing the vast array of tropical fruits on offer.

Even the politics in Asias first democracy is rich in showmanship and pizzazz. From Ferdinand Marcos to the housewife President Cory Aquino to current controversial President Duterte, the countrys leaders have never been short on charisma. But despite impressive economic gains in the last twenty years, all have conspicuously failed to rid the country of its grinding poverty , visible everywhere you go in shanty towns and rickety barangay, and brutally exposed by Typhoon Yolanda in 2013. Ordinary people somehow remain stoical in the face of these problems, infectiously optimistic and upbeat. This determination to enjoy life is a national characteristic, encapsulated in the common Tagalog phrase bahala na what will be will be.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP CORDILLERA MOUNTAINS, KALINGA PROVINCE; CHINATOWN, MANILA; BAGUIO