Book Review: An Honest Guide to Traveling the Philippines by Toomas Kask

“This ebook is a practical guide to traveling the Philippines, written by someone who has lived there, not just passed through. It focuses on what travelers actually need to know: how to move between islands, where to stay, what to expect from daily life, and how to avoid common mistakes.”

Toomas Kask, An Honest Guide to Traveling the Philippines

Review:

Realistically, there are so many places in the world that I’m not going to be able to visit in my lifetime. That’s why I love reading travel guides. Not only do they allow me the opportunity to live vicariously through the pages, but it also helps me prioritize the places I want to visit in person. After reading this guide to visiting the Philippines, Manila has moved way up on my list. 

Whether you have upcoming plans to visit the Philippines or have been thinking about planning a trip, this guide will answer most (if not all) of your questions. The author provides general travel information, such as currency and pricing, recommendations on where to stay, tours and destinations, food and water information for travelers, etiquette, transportation, safety, phone and internet access, etc. What I found to be the most helpful was the section discussing entry requirements. This is something I personally would find myself overlooking and realizing at the last minute, despite it being the most important bit of information to have when traveling. 

Even if you’re someone like me who is simply curious about learning about a country, this serves as a nice introduction. While not rich with background and history, there is a brief summary toward the beginning with some tidbits that can inspire further research. Photos are also a wonderful addition and allow the reader to get a taste of the country. 

I liked that there were a couple of charts provided with some key differences in terminology (such as how to address people, what the restroom is called, etc.), as well as an overview of the climate in correlation to different regions during certain times of the year. Set up like this, it’s super easy to read.

Lastly, a suggested two week itinerary is included, which might be especially appealing and helpful to people new to international travel. With so much to do and see, it might be hard to know where to start. This book provides the highlights and then some!

Thanks to Reedsy Discovery for providing a free digital copy of the book to read.

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• Easy to follow.
• Includes essentially every bit of information you might need while traveling.

What I didn’t like:

• Given how short it is, I do wish there was a bit more of the country’s history provided.

Afterthoughts:

I’m hoping I have the page number correct. Goodreads says 109, but Books had it at 45 pages. Regardless, it’s a full read.

Where to buy the book: