Moon Handbooks: Havana (1st Ed.) [Paperback]

Christopher P. Baker (Author)

Book Description

Series: Moon Handbooks Michigan's Upper Peninsula | Publication Date: May 2000

Havana Handbook covers all the sights from Old Havana's colonial plazas to the latter-day monuments of Plaza de la Revolucion. Whether travellers seek to visit the haunts of Hemingway, sample some world-class cuisine, or revel the night away in the spectacular Tropicana nightclub, award-winning author Christopher P. Baker demystifies common misperceptions and myths about the Cuban capital. From current guidelines for legal travel to every juicy bit of essential esoterica, Havana Handbook leaves no stone unturned and equips both independent and group travellers with all the knowledge they need for an unbeatable experience to this hot travel destination.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Although about half a dozen guidebooks have been written on Cuba, none is as comprehensive, informative, and readable as Baker's welcome addition." --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Christopher P. Baker is the author of Moon's Costa Rica Handbook and Cuba Handbook. He lives in Oakland, CA.

Product Details

• Paperback: 370 pages
• Publisher: Avalon Travel Pub (May 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566911826
• ISBN-13: 978-1566911825
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,590,980 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #31 in Books > Travel > Caribbean > Cuba > Havana

More About the Author

Christopher P. Baker (1955-) was born and educated in Yorkshire, England, studied at universities in London and Liverpool, and has lived in California since 1980. He has since established himself as one of the world's leading travel writers & photographers and is considered the world's foremost authority on travel and tourism to Cuba and Costa Rica. He has authored and illustrated more than 30 books for such publishers as Dorling Kindersly, Frommers, Lonely Planet, Moon, and National Geographic, etc., including guidebooks, literary books, and his acclaimed coffee-table book, "Cuba Classics: A Celebration of Vintage American Automobiles." His writing & photography have appeared in more than 200 international publications, from National Geographic to Newsweek. His literary travelog "Mi Moto Fidel: Motorcycling Through Castro's Cuba," won both the Lowell Thomas Award as 'Travel Book of the Year,' and the North American Travel Journalist Association Grand Prize. In 2006, he won the prestigious Lowell Thomas Award 'Travel Journalist of the Year,' and has also been named 'Travel Journalist of the Year' by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (2005) and Jamaica Tourist Board (1998). He posts twice-weekly blogs at www.moon.com/blogs/cuba-costa-rica and promotes himself through his website: www.christopherbaker.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars in depth guide to a wonderful place without many signs!, July 11, 2000

By 

Barnaby Dorfman (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Moon Handbooks: Havana (1st Ed.) (Paperback)

Havana is a fantastic city with wonderful people living through a very difficult economic period. Existing outside the world of international chains and franchises, travelers cannot rely on the normal signposts, advertisements, and guides to help them find even the most basic services. Christopher Baker's book is a great resrouce to anyone travelling to this incredible place. He packs in not only information on where to stay and eat, but also explains a myriad of subtleties that are not immedately apparant. As a bonus, his book also provides much in the way of background on the history and culture of Havana. If you are considering a trip to Cuba, don't go without this book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Travel with Chris, December 29, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Moon Handbooks: Havana (1st Ed.) (Paperback)

I spent a month in Cuba guided by this book. Not only does it have great information for the essential activities like eating and sleeping, but it has an incredible amount of information about the country. If you find yourself without a book to read while traveling, Chris' guide book is great for educational reading material - packed with historical and cultural reading. At first I scoffed at his tendency to flowery writing - "with water as warm as bedtime milk" but after growing accostomed to his style we began to think of Chris as our travel buddy and the other travel books brought by my travel partners were soon buried deep in backpacks - Chris' book was the only one we needed.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If you are going to visit JUST Havana, get this guide., July 31, 2001

By 

Allan M. Gathercoal "fdoamerica" (Norcross, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Moon Handbooks: Havana (1st Ed.) (Paperback)

When I was in Havana (3/2001) I brought a stack of guide books to help me navigate around Cuba (and especially Havana). The top award goes to the prolific author Christopher Baker, who wrote "Havana Handbook" and "Cuba" (both are published by Avalon Travel).

In Havana Handbook Christopher Baker gives you a solid introduction to Havana and Cuba, a good, but basic, general travel information section. His two books have the best accommodations, restaurants and sights-to-see reviews and recommendations available today. He also provides excellent tables & lists of pertinent subjects, good black & white photos, scores of side bar topics that are full of informative caveats, and the beginning of web site and Internet addresses.

The only improvement I can recommend to Avalon Travel and Christopher Baker (are you listening?) would be more, much more, email addresses (especially for the hotels) additional online sources and additional maps (i.e., Baker recommends three great walking tours through Havana and these need maps). However, I have reviewed other Moon Handbooks and the Havana Handbook's maps and scattered inclusions of online resources are a real improvement over other Moon Handbooks.

So, if you are going to visit JUST Havana, and you don't want to cart around Christopher Baker's definitive, 827 page "Cuba" (Highly Recommended - see review), then this 368-page guidebook is very good and reliable choice. BUT, for three dollars more I would buy Christopher Baker's "Cuba". Regardless Christopher Baker has written a tour guide unmatched by any other Cuba guide book. Recommended