National Geographic Traveler: Costa Rica, 2d Ed. [Paperback]

Christopher Baker (Author)

Book Description

Series: National Geographic Traveler | Publication Date: March 21, 2006

National Geographic brings 112 years of incomparable travel expertise to today's sophisticated globetrotters in this internationally acclaimed, award-winning series of comprehensive global guidebooks. Now revised and updated, these superbly practical and portable guides are a must-have.


"A winning formula of in-depth reporting and breathtaking photography." —Atlanta Journal-Constitution


"High production quality…detailed information… can be read as much for pleasure as practicality." —Library Journal


"Succinctly written text and marvelous photography." —Chicago Tribune


"Rich with photography, maps, and historical context." —Los Angeles Times


"Sure to push some competing titles off book counters." —The Oregonian


"A thorough, intelligently presented, well-illustrated guide, it will probably give you the basics of what you need more clearly and compactly than any other book." —The Independent (London)

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic; 2 edition (March 21, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 079225368X
• ISBN-13: 978-0792253686
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,082,998 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Whet your Appetite!!!, June 6, 2006

By 

Merelywendy (Eagles Mere, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: National Geographic Traveler: Costa Rica, 2d Ed. (Paperback)

I read this book cover to cover before my first trip to Costa Rica and had highlighted a number of places I intended to visit. This book was EXTREMELY helpful in giving an accurate description of geographic regions, landmarks, customs, and general travel information. It made my trip much easier knowing what to expect. In addition, after returning, it was fun to compare the photos in the book to the ones I had taken. The beautiful photos in the book were not just "travel" photos to entice you to visit, but accurate photos of how beautiful and incredible Costa Rica is!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Pictures, February 23, 2007

By 

Kenneth H. Fisher "bigperm" (san francisco, ca) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: National Geographic Traveler: Costa Rica, 2d Ed. (Paperback)

I'm traveling to Costa Rica and I'm interested in well-rounded traveling advice; this book had some pretty pictures but fell short of the necessities for planning a trip. It explored cultural, political and economical conditions of Costa Rica but didn't provide the details pertaining to areas of interest, hotels, restaurants or local perspectives - all things I find valuable before and while traveling. For instance, I'm flying into Liberia and need to book a hotel. Chris' book had less than 2 pages ( factual revealing, but not practical) on the city, didn't provide maps, hotel reviews or relevant information for getting down and dirty or just around town. Sorry for the slam brother - stick to the shutter.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hard to navigate, December 3, 2006

By 

Stephen Myslik (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: National Geographic Traveler: Costa Rica, 2d Ed. (Paperback)

This book is very beautiful, the pictures are all in color and amazing. But, if you want to truly use this book as a travel reference while on the road you're going to have a hard time. There is no index in this book...I just can't understand why. I was so frustrated when trying to find information that I bought a far superior Frommer's and I no longer reference the N.G. book. But again, the pictures sure are pretty.