Moon Handbooks Nicaragua [Paperback]

Randall Wood (Author), Joshua Berman (Author)

Book Description

Series: Moon Handbooks | Publication Date: September 27, 2005

From hanging out on the Pacific beaches of San Juan del Sur and Las Peñitas and shopping for crafts in Masaya to catching up on the ever-evolving nightlife of Managua, Moon Handbooks Nicaragua is the guide to the best the country has to offer, both on and off the beaten path. Practical information includes suggested travel strategies and lists of must-see sights, plus essentials on dining, transportation, and accommodations for a range of budgets. Complete with details for volunteering and studying Spanish, hiking more than a dozen volcanoes, or strolling down the old colonial streets of Granada and Leòn, Moon Handbooks Nicaragua gives travelers the tools they need to create a more personal and memorable experience.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Moon Handbooks exude a road-wise, close-to-the-ground authority. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Avalon Travel Publishing; 2nd edition (September 27, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566917565
• ISBN-13: 978-1566917568
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #809,459 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #35 in Books > Travel > Latin America > Central America > Nicaragua

More About the Author

Joshua Berman is an award-winning guidebook author whose travel writing and photography have appeared in The New York Times, National Geographic Traveler, The Boston Globe, Yoga Journal, Outside Traveler, 5280, Transitions Abroad, Worldview, and Hooked on the Outdoors. Joshua is a freelance writer specializing in Travel/Adventure, Wilderness Education, and Spanish language education, especially in Belize, Nicaragua, and Colorado.

Joshua's website is: http://joshuaberman.net

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Impressively thorough., March 31, 2003

By 

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

This review is from: Moon Handbooks Nicaragua (Paperback)

Joshua Berman & Randy Wood have not left a pueblo unexplored nor a beach missed. IF you are going visit only Nicaragua, this is the guide to take with you. If, perchance, you will visit other countries as well, then my first choice is "Footprint's Cental America Handbook"

Every city, town and beach I visited in Nicaragua was covered. I found their recommendations for accommodations, food and other service in the guide to be "right on". In our technology connected world the authors have the web addresses and/or email addresses for most hotels (not the hostels). Great.

Very important for those planning to study Spanish in Nicaragua, this guide has a great rundown of most of the schools in various cities. This section is a must read before selecting a school (I speak from experience).

I do need to point out the poetic license that is taken by the authors. The authors describing place with magniloquent words, that when the guide is held up to the reality of the place it is not half as wonderful as they say. Their writing on Leon is a great example. They write that being in Leon can give you an "exotic feeling" like the "one gets by walking down the cobble stone streets by colonial buildings". If and when you visit Leon you will be there a long, long time looking for that feeling and that street of cobbled stones. Maybe they meant "asphalt streets with pot holes".

Although the guide is copyrighted 2003 I found that information regarding new hotels, restaurants and bars stopped at or around 2000. However, the authors introduction section (economy, government etc.) is through 2001. Do note, the upper priced hotels (over $100) only get the mention of their name

And how do you make a very good guide - GREAT!? Well, more maps and better maps, especially of Managua, would be a great place to start. The guide has information about many sites of interest with corresponding maps to help you navigate. Also, there is NO section that recommends books or videos. There is no list of foreign embassies to help a traveler locate their embassy in Managua. Finally, the crime is rising in Managua, but only in Managua, and the guide does not address this.

These things said, I still strongly recommend this book. This guide and the excellent 'In Focus - Nicaragua' (see my review) should be in your hand before you go.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you really want to see Nicaragua, this is your book, January 30, 2004

By 

Aaron Pick (Arcata, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Moon Handbooks Nicaragua (Paperback)

Until this book came along, solid guidebook options on Nicaragua were limited at best. You've basically got three choices: Lonely Planet Central America, Moon Handbooks Nicaragua, and the Footprints guide. For anyone planning on staying more than a few days in Nicaragua, there is no question that this book will enhance your trip significantly. I recently spent three months travelling through Nicaragua and ended up ditching the other two guides b/c they lacked up to date material and were severely limited and outdated in their descriptions of where to stay, eat, and visit (basically the things that you really need to know). For those of you looking for a more local experience, or at least a way to get off the beaten path, this book will be a lifesaver. It is clear that these guys have lived in Nicaragua for a decent chunk of time. I'm tired of bashing on the other guidebooks, but there are many parts of the country that the other books fail to cover in any relevant detail or even mention at times.

As far as writing style goes, these guys are actually hilarious. I'm not looking for comedy in a guidebook (just solid info which they've provided in full), but it's a bonus to find a book which provides what you need and presents it in a way that's intelligent and amusing. Their list of fiestas patronales is a must have for those who have the time to stick around the country and check them out. I would also suggest picking up a copy of Waves (a free magazine published in Nicaragua for tourists) for more on what is going on in Nicaragua during a specific month. There's no question that Nicaragua has some amazing sites and incredibly friendly people, so it's nice to finally have a guidebook that allows people to enjoy the experience more fully. If you're heading to Nicaragua, this is your book.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars No contest: the best Nicaraguan guide, January 10, 2003

By 

Jeff Cassel (Managua, Nicaragua) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Moon Handbooks Nicaragua (Paperback)

It has been a source of constant frustration and for me over the years when browsing throught the Nicaraguan guidebooks available to note how innacurate and misleading they have been..... until now. I have been living in Nicaragua for 15 yrs and reveiewing the guidebooks all this time I had pretty much and despaired that I would see in print a fully fledged top notch guidebook. Sure I could nitpick about one ot two minor issues but this book is light years ahead of the other so called guides. It is the only one worth considering