Fodor's Costa Rica 2004 (Fodor's Gold Guides) [Paperback]

Fodor's (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2, 2003 | Series: Fodor's Gold Guides

Volcanoes, rivers prime for white-water adventures, unspoiled beaches, world-class surfing, abundant wildlife, and virgin rain forests – Costa Rica caters to all types of travelers. Whether you are seeking an adventure or a relaxing vacation you will soon discover why Costa Rica is one of the hottest destinations in the Western hemisphere. Be sure to pack your Fodor's guide before leaving on your journey to Costa Rica to ensure you don't miss a thing!

The San Francisco Chronicle sums it up best: "Fodor's Gold Guides are saturated with information."

- New two-color interiors make it easier to find the information you need.
- Fodor's Choice ratings tell what not to miss.
- Hotel and restaurant reviews cover all budgets.
- New ¢ sign category flags the best budget options.
- Multi-day itineraries help readers build the right trip for them.
- Smart Travel Tips, a complete chapter packed with contacts and great advice.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Volcanoes, rivers prime for white-water adventures, unspoiled beaches, world-class surfing, abundant wildlife, and virgin rain forests – Costa Rica caters to all types of travelers. Whether you are seeking an adventure or a relaxing vacation you will soon discover why Costa Rica is one of the hottest destinations in the Western hemisphere. Be sure to pack your Fodor's guide before leaving on your journey to Costa Rica to ensure you don't miss a thing!

The San Francisco Chronicle sums it up best: "Fodor's Gold Guides are saturated with information."

- New two-color interiors make it easier to find the information you need.
- Fodor's Choice ratings tell what not to miss.
- Hotel and restaurant reviews cover all budgets.
- New ¢ sign category flags the best budget options.
- Multi-day itineraries help readers build the right trip for them.
- Smart Travel Tips, a complete chapter packed with contacts and great advice.

About the Author

Each Fodor's Travel Guide is researched and written by resident writers and experts.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Fodor's; Revised edition (September 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400012554
• ISBN-13: 978-1400012558
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,936,567 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Costa Rica was excellent, but Fodor's04 needs to be updated, April 18, 2004

By 

Kelly Tooker (Hobbs, NM United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fodor's Costa Rica 2004 (Fodor's Gold Guides) (Paperback)

My wife and I just returned from the Guanacaste Province, staying at NW Pacific resort. The vacation was great, but "Fodor's 04" was of little or no help. I thoroughly enjoy planning my vacation and activities well in advance of the actual trip, but was very much unable to do so with this book.

My impression of the book is that it has been slow to be updated, with the 04 version containing little beyond 2000. At the same time it seems to focus on travelers planning to tour Costa Rica staying at a different hotel/lodge/resort/camp each night. I realize that many of the natural attractions of this beautiful country are unchanged over the years, but a significant portion of a vacation includes items that do change, especially in a country such as Costa Rica where tourism is the leading industry, and is rapidly growing.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just got back from Guanacaste..., October 20, 2003

By 

Michael S. (Atlanta, GA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fodor's Costa Rica 2004 (Fodor's Gold Guides) (Paperback)

...and found the Fodors guide indispensible. Costa Rica is an amazing place, but a guidebook is definitely necessary. We stayed mostly in the Tamarindo area. Fodors writers really know their stuff as their recommendations were right on. We booked our activities (like sport fishing) with the recommended guides/programs were clearly the best. The restaurant reviews were also accurate. Probably the best advice comes in driving. Fodors recommends a 4WD auto if you rent - a great call! There are some exceptionally bad roads in CR! Enjoy your trip!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Inaccurate and not enough details, August 28, 2004

By 

K. Bent (Orange County, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fodor's Costa Rica 2004 (Fodor's Gold Guides) (Paperback)

We just got back from the Manuel Antonio area of Costa Rica. We found the Fodor's book to be cumbersome and unhelpful most of the time. The map of the Manuel Antonio area was incorrect, with most of the hotel and restaurant placements wrong. One of the reasons we selected our (very expensive) hotel was because it looked as if it was near a path to the beach, when it wasn't even close to it. If you were to rely on the map, you'd never find your way to the correct place.

The map of San Jose was equally as difficult to read, and the crafts store that was listed in the book was no longer there. We wandered the streets aimlessly asking for directions, until we were finally told that it was out of business.

Other problems with the book: extremely poor index, dining and hotels listed together, and not enough details on activities, beaches, different tour providers, off-the-beaten path sites, and finding buses within San Jose. There should also have been a warning about what is considered a "casino" in Costa Rica.

We did find the restaurant reviews to be accurate, but there were several places that we and other travelers enjoyed that weren't even listed in the book.