Lonely Planet Costa Rica [Paperback]

Carolina A. Miranda (Author), Paige Penland (Author)

Book Description

Series: Lonely Planet Costa Rica | Publication Date: November 2004

Lonely Planet country guides feature unmatched history, culture, and background information, with expert author contributions. "Down-to-earth, accurate information for every budget, enthusiastically written."--"Travel & Leisure." Full color. Maps.

Editorial Reviews

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Destination: Costa Rica

Surfer dudes, bird nerds, hiking fiends, mountain trekkers, back-to-the-land fans, beach bums and party animals have all found something in common in Costa Rica. The waves are prime, the natural beauty staggering, the pace of life slow, the beer plentiful and the locals friendly. A stronghold of peace in a region torn by strife, this tiny nation attracts a stream of more than a million eager visitors annually.

The country stands apart from its Central American neighbors on various points. The first is that it has no army. Armed forces were abolished after the 1948 civil war, and Costa Rica has avoided the despotic dictatorships, military coups and internal turmoil that have plagued other countries in the region.

The country is also unique globally for its enlightened approach to conservation. More than 27% of the country is protected in one form or another, and more than 14% is within its national park system. Lush jungles are home to playful monkeys, languid sloths, crocodiles, countless lizards, poison-dart frogs and a mind-boggling assortment of exotic birds, insects and butterflies. Endangered sea turtles nest on both coasts and cloud forests protect elusive birds and jungle cats.

Thrill seekers can fly through the forests on zip lines, peer into boiling volcanoes, surf oversized waves, scuba dive with dolphins and whales and come face-to-face with poisonous snakes - all in the course of a normal day. Then again, if you have some serious chilling to do, you can always lounge in a hammock and enjoy the pure life, or pura vida - a national expression that sums up the desire to live the best, most hassle-free existence.

Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet Publications; 6th edition (November 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1740597753
• ISBN-13: 978-1740597753
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #407,839 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #54 in Books > Travel > Latin America > Central America > Costa Rica

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Least helpful travel book I've ever used, January 18, 2006

By 

E. Moore "T. Nuhole" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lonely Planet Costa Rica (Paperback)

I bought this book before a trip to Costa Rica, based on the "Lonely Planet" name alone. Lonely Planet usually publishes the best travel books, but not in this case. We found that the directions to many of the establishments were incorrect, as were the descriptions. Some of the locals even pointed out parts of the book that were blatantly incorrect, such as certain restaurants or bars that were in a different part of town than stated in the book. This particular book could have used a better fact-checker. I will not be taking it with me on my next trip to Costa Rica.

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Outdated, sorely lacking, get Tico Times in-country, June 1, 2006

By 

D. Bedoll "Zeut" (still in Costa Rica) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lonely Planet Costa Rica (Paperback)

I bought this book for my Costa Rica trip (8 weeks w/ a class, 3 weeks w/o), and replaced it within the first week. Most of the hotels are priced above what is listed, if they even exist anymore. Same with the restaurants. Also, LP over-emphasized many extreme tourist hotspots without giving enough info about smaller towns (don't miss Cauhita!), lesser-known forests (check out the Children's Eternal Rainforest), getting around by bus, super-budget hotels or border crossings. My advice: wait until you get into Costa Rica, then get the Tico Times guidebook, updated EVERY YEAR, written by the local english newspaper. It's easy to find and so much more relevant, with maps of every town, bus schedules, local festivals (where and when), border information, updated hotel + restaurant info, and how to find the information you can't find anywhere else.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars O.K., but runs second to Fodor's Costa Rica Guide, September 25, 2005

By 

Joseph O. Barda (Eureka Springs, AR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lonely Planet Costa Rica (Paperback)

We purchased Fodor's Guide at the same time we purchased Lonely Planet Costa Rica. Both my wife and I agree that Fodor's is the book we'll take with us to Costa Rica. This book is a bit more tedious to read. Needs layout work.