I've never been there, so take this with a grain of salt, but I believe the SAS trains in that area for jungle survival. As such, I'd think their manual would be well geared for it.

There's also a book by McNabb (he wrote Bravo Two Zero - it's either that one or his second book) about his career in the SAS. Anyway, there's quite a good chapter on his training in that area of the world. Probably worth renting from the library if possible.

Yeah, machete is so important the SAS ties them to their belts with a dummy cord.