Writing
John Oates: Freelance travel writer and photographer
I currently specialise in Southeast Asian destinations, particularly the Philippines, Malaysia (including Borneo), Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau. I also write on European destinations including the UK. My areas of expertise include disabled accessible travel, and I am particularly drawn to topics which are adventurous or offbeat.
I also have high resolution images of many of these countries, available to be licensed alongside my text or on their own.
Books
East Coast, Southern Peninsula and Sabah chapters, Rough Guide to Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei (Penguin, Jul 2012)Northern and Southern Luzon chapters, Rough Guide to the Philippines (Penguin, Nov 2011)
Riga vs Prague, The Road Less Travelled (Dorling Kindersley, Sep 2009)
Latvia and cross-Baltic material, Eyewitness Guide to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (Dorling Kindersley, Feb 2009)
Riga and Bratislava, European City Breaks, 2nd edition (Footprint, Sep 2007)
Riga, European City Breaks, 1st edition (Footprint, Jan 2006)
Online/mobile guides
Updates to various guides including the Philippines, Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore (World Travel Guide, March 2011 onwards)Manila luxury mobile guide (Vertu, Jan 2011)
Manila mobile guide (Ten, Jan 2011)
Manila mini-guide (Frommer’s, Sep 2010)
Short guides to various Asian cities (Etihad, late 2009)
Selected articles
Note that reprint and foreign rights are available for many of these pieces. Contact me for details.Hong Kong and Macau: A double act (Selling Long Haul, March 2013)
Exploring the bewitching island of Siquijor – Philippines (roughguides.com, February 2013)
Indonesia: Totally tropical (Selling Long Haul, January 2013)
Several articles on the Philippines – Northern Luzon, the Visayas, scuba diving and Filipino food (ABTA Magazine supplement, December 2012)
Singapore for foodies (Depart Plus by Manchester Airport, November 2012)
Accessible days out: Peterborough (Access, November 2012)
How to save a bleeding heart – Bacolod Biodiversity Conservation Centre, Philippines (7107 Magazine, October 2012)
Great expeditions: Dickens in Kent (Access, October 2012)
Summer ales with sparkle (Foodepedia, June 2012)
Going on staycation (Liquid, Spring/Summer 2011)
Make yourself at home in India – homestays in Kerala (Sublime, Nov/Dec 2010)
No barriers on the high seas – tall ship voyage for disabled and able-bodied participants (Real Travel, Jul 2010)
Rice dreams – Southeast Asia’s stunning terraces (southeastasia.org, Feb 2010)
Chinatown (southeastasia.org, Feb 2010)
Patron Santos – collector of Filipino santos (saint) figures (Islands, Jan/Feb 2010)
Solo in Java – motorcycle tour (Mabuhay, Nov 2009)
Cameron’s lure – Cameron Highlands, Malaysia (Mabuhay, Nov 2009)
One step at a time – a walking tour of Manila (Mabuhay, Oct 2009)
In too deep? – caving in Mulu, Malaysia (Mabuhay, Oct 2009)