Customer Reviews

Explore Costa Rica

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Having lived in Costa Rica for nearly two years and traveled extensively throughout the country, Explore Costa Rica is the ultimate travel guide to have on hand. The book has excellent maps and time saving tips that I wish I had known about prior to my travels. I have used Pariser's books on many occasions and believe they are the best resource on the market. Most importantly, Explore Costa Rica provides the traveler with information that goes well beyond which hotels to avoid and which bus to catch. It provides a fresh perspective that many travellers seek: an historical, social, cultural, and environmental understanding of the places they visit and grow to love.

The focus of this book underlines Costa Rica's status as the ecotourism capital of Latin America, and almost a quarter of the main introduction is devoted to the country's flora and fauna. Pariser is of the school that believes that selling the environment as a tourist attraction will contribute to its preservation in a commercial world. Minimum impact is an obvious consideration as he guides visitors gently through the rainforests or along the coral reefs. However, conventional city trippers won't be disappointed by Harry's 21 pages of detailed accommodations listings for San Jose, and it's significant that pricewise he starts at the top and works down. Smaller numbers of upscale visitors will leave fewer footprints than backpacking masses from Lonely Planet. Harry's eco-friendly values are also reflected in his detailed six-page chart of public bus services. Sightseeing from behind the wheel of a polluting vehicle is not his way. The food, festivals, and sports and recreation sections of this book are also very good, and you'll even find a precise guide to the local radio stations and detailed tips on volunteering. This book has an individual flair but it's as professional as they come. It's a welcome change from the stale consumerism of Frommer and Fodor. END

I recently obtained a copy of Harry Pariser's guide to Costa Rica. I was very excited about reading his book. A couple of years ago I spent over six months travelling through Costa Rica and had happened upon an earlier guidebook by Mr. Pariser at a hotel I stayed at in the Osa Peninsula. I enjoyed it immensely. So, as I opened my copy of 'Costa Rica Complete', I anticipated thorough research and genuine enthusiasm to be displayed in the book. I was not in the least disappointed. It is refreshing to feel the writer's personality shine through the text and he does a thorough job of detailing the information a fellow traveller needs to make his or her trip a fantastic one. I highly recommend this book!

In "Explore Costa Rica", Harry Pariser draws upon his considerable experience and expertise as a travel guide writer to compile one of the best and most 'user friendly' guides to what Costa Rica has to offer the business traveler and vacationer. Now in a newly expanded and updated fifth edition, "Explore Costa Rica" is a 668 information packed compendium that is enhanced with the inclusion of 38 maps, 30 color photos, and 80 black-and-white images. All types and price ranges of accommodations also include some of the best nature lodges to be found anywhere in Central America. Recreational resources and recommendations ranges from whitewater rafting, surfing, horseback riding, snorkeling, and scuba diving, to birdwatching, hiking, whale watching, canopy climbing, and ballooning. Complete and 'visitor friendly' background information is provided for Costa Rican animals, rainforests, history, and culture. In addition to travel basics for neighboring nations, "Explore Costa Rica" also features volunteer opportunities, language schools, environmental organizations, and covers transportation by car, bus, plane, and ferry. Enhanced with the addition of thousands of thematically appropriate websites, phone and fax numbers, and access to internet updates, "Explore Costa Rica" is an invaluable and superbly organized resource for planning any sort of trip to or within one of the true gems of Central America.

I found the organization of this book rather good. Particularly useful is the itinerary list on the publisher's website which helps you to select among the many options available, and there are updates available there as well. There are many good suggestions for choosing a nature tour, and the coverage of national parks is outstanding.I went on a great hike which I found detailed in this guide book. The background information on society, culture, as well as other information on the country of Costa Rica, I found very valuable. It put the country in perspective for me. He obviously cares about environmental issues and this is different from other guide books I have read.

I found the photos top notch, and was drawn to the book first by the cover photo of the volcano. In all, I had a great trip, helped by following the author's suggestions for things to do, and places to stay.

I just went to Costa Rica a few months ago and found this guide above the rest in depth and eco-friendly suggestions. Mr. Praiser is a great travel writer and it is little surprise that he won the "Lowell Thomas" award for best travel book.

As the President and Founder of the B & B association, I have visited more than 300 of our B & B's . I highly recommend Harry S. Pariser's "Explore Costa Rica". Mr. Pariser travels frequently to Costa Rica and his book is attractively designed and well written and updated. He also supplies information on more of the out-of-the-way places wich other guides fail to mention.

Harry Pariser's "Explore Costa Rica" is the best coverage of Costa Rica that I've seen--with much detail on rainforest tours, kayaking, biking and diving excursions, remote lodges, large and small hotels inland and on the Caribbean and Pacific Coasts. Whether you want to trek through the jungle, watch thousands of wading birds, frolic with the monkeys or relax on a gorgeous beach, this book is a valuable planning tool.

I was deeply disappointed with this travel book. It is merely a list of hotel and restaurant options (with a few activities thrown in) that does little to help you separate and decide what is worthwhile. The overall organization is terrible as is the index.
In the section on sports there is nothing on hiking tours and hiking is not in the index.
You will do much better with Lonely Planet!

I found "Explore Costa Rica" incredibly user friendly in terms of easy to read text, wonderful descriptions of resorts, inns and jungle haunts to stay, maps, color and black and white photos. It covers absolutely everything one needs to navigate the rainforests, beaches, rivers--including the guided tours, wildlife tips, safety, history and complete travel details. It's a gem.