Customer Reviews

The New Key to Costa Rica, 17th Edition

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is amazing! I am from San Diego and we flew into San Jose for a two-week vacation. We had very little planned. We knew we were going to rent a car and drive the entire west coast. I read parts of this book prior to our travel and I was by far the most prepared. I brought most of what she recommended and was very happy I did. Honestly, this book made my trip memorable. A lot of this information is hard to find once you are there. It has detailed descriptions of every place (big, small, popular, hidden, etc). Costa Rica holds a special place in my heart because of this book. I learned so much from it! I learned about the culture, environment, and people. My travel buddies were a little apprehensive about relying on a book. But soon, they were demanding to know what it said! Blake includes information about restaurants, hotels, cabinas, etc. Most of the time she even includes information about the owners of such places! Furthermore, her information about safety is impeccable. Pay attention to her view of a town and the beaches. If she says it has a lot of crime, you can bet it does. If she says it gets rowdy at night (Pavones), it does. If she says don't miss this, don't miss it. Her information was always right on. It is incredible! Please do yourself a favor and take this book with you to Costa Rica, your trip will be the BEST because of it!

We compared this book to Moon, Fodors and Frommers and it was by far the most useful and up-to-date. The New Key steered us away from the touristy places and hotels and towards tasteful family-run lodgings. It is more in-depth with descriptions than the others and is not just a categorized listing of businesses. We relied on it for majors decisions every day we were in Costa Rica and it rarely led us astray. So glad we had it. Thanks Beatrice!

Hands down, this is the best travel guide I have ever used! Whether traveling to Europe or South Africa, I have not had the pleasure of using a guide book that is SO easy to read and follow. Whenever a question pops into my mind...I can easily find an answer in The New Key. It's written in a style that feels more like having a conversation with a travel guide, rather than pouring through a research book.

PLUS I learned that The New Key has a website - and that if a traveler desires, the author of The New Key will consult with you for more indepth, individualized guidance as you plan your trip to Costa Rica!

I can't emphasize enough how helpful this book has been. Often times with guidebooks I find myself photocopying a few pages and putting them in my luggage - for reference when I'm abroad. With The New Key, I'll bring the whole book - as it's ALL applicable and helpful!

SO glad I found this one, rather than using the basic "chain books"!

Before my first trip to the beautiful country of Costa Rica, I bought this book. Little did I know that it would be my "bible" once I moved to Costa Rica. After 4 years of living and working in Costa Rica, I still turn to New Key for ideas on places to stay and places to eat. I own and operate an internet cafe and travel business in Playa Jaco and when people enter my business and have questions about where to go, what to do, what to see in Costa Rica, I just pull out New Key and help them search for something that suites their needs.

Of special interest, this book is dedicated to eco-tourism. Most other guide books will tell places that are off-the-beaten track, but New Key goes even deeper. The authors have spent tireless hours in search of small communinties that have decided to protect their property, their country, and allow visitors to see what a unique place Costa Rica really is. This in turn allows these communities to provide a sustainable form of tourism which has otherwise been lost in several of the top destinations.

This book describes in detail all the major spots in Costa Rica. From San Jose to Playa Jaco, or Arenal to Monteverde, Tamarindo to Puerto Viejo, or the Nicoya Pennisula to the Osa Pennisula, this book is in depth, up to date, and must have on any trip to Costa Rica. Pura Vida

jacocafe.com

Absolutely the best of the four (you can guess the other three) books we took, because this on focuses on the off-beat and the green. Use it to locate the indepth Costa Rica, the one that gets you away from everyone else and makes you feel happy about it.