Customer Reviews

The New Key to Costa Rica

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

 

 

This book is clearly up-to-date and very comprehensive in its coverage of the dining, lodging, and daily life details for a traveler who wants to venture into the smaller towns and villages of Costa Rica. Do not expect it to provide information on the flora and fauna, other than very brief descriptions. And given Costa Rica's complex history, covering the period from pre-Columbus to today in 17 pages leaves a lot out.

My fiance and I got the New Key to Costa Rica two months before our two week vacation in Costa Rica. It became an integral part of our experience. The focus of the guide is to direct tourists to tour operations and places to stay that have more soul, better community ethics, and more culturally expressive interactions than the vast majority of businesses in Costa Rica. Costa Rica has been in crisis with its tourism impact on wildlife and local culture for the past twenty years but Beatrice Blake steers eco-wanna-be travelers toward experiences that actually benefit local communities while helping to conserve and even renew natural habitats.

This book is a general guide to visiting Costa Rica, but much more than that it offers many alternatives to the stampede of airport to volcano to beach for both the short vacation and extended immersive discovery. Some of the tourism projects that are highlighted were inspiring just to read about and we are already planning to return with more time to volunteer and improve our Spanish while helping local communities conserve their rich natural resources.

I usually go for Moon, Footprint and I thought this one would be in line with those.This book is really wordy and is not an easy read...I kept putting it down in favor of on-line research. I ended up getting way better information on Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree forum, and finally just ordered the new Frommers guide. It's cleaner, clearer, easier to read, with better editorial and a way better map. I personally don't mind having two books for pre-trip planning, but it's the Frommer's I'm bringing on the trip.

If you lack all common sense and require assistance packing your bag, (don't forget sunscreen and socks) but have no need for useful information, for instance regarding accomodation, (hotel names and addresses) then this book is for you. Otherwise please purchase a Rough Guide, Lonely Planet, or anything else. I wish that I did.

If you plan on visiting Costa Rica you need to read this book. Its very informative and will help you to decide where to stay in Costa Rica, depending on your interests.
You can stay in the forest or see the beaches, If you dont know where you want to stay prior to visiting, you will after reading this book.
Very informative.

I purchased this book several months prior to my trip and it has great information in planning my trip. Very detailed info and very easy to use.

Be forewarned: this author - a seriously left-wing Socialist Greenie treehugger - has an agenda. If you want to go to Central America and volunteer to dig ditches for the poor, this book is right up your alley. However, if you're looking to go on vacation and relax or see the country instead of seeking some kind of redemption, well you've got your nerve! (LOL). And the author has the gall (in this newest version) to eliminate EVERY hotel (green or not) in the ENTIRE province of Guanacaste because the infrastructure doesn't satisfy her eco requirements. Wow. I guess we won't be helping any poor folks in that area. So... if you looking for info on Flamingo Beach, Playa Hermosa, Coco, or Tamarindo, you're out of luck there. Check out Tripadvisor on the web.

That said, there really is some great info in here - mainly cheap hotels and alternatives you won't find on the web. I found the section on Arenal valuable indeed. BUT... Half the hotels listed have a wrong web address, and you'll have to google them. Maps are sparse and not detailed. Entertainment is glossed over, except (of course) if it's eco-correct.

The author does know Costa Rica well, but It's too bad she couldn't be more objective. Yes, I'm environmentally minded and surely do want to go to eco places, but pretending other places don't exist is just silly. I'd recommend going to your library for this book instead of paying for it. After all, if you buy it new you'll be killing trees for this author's book - the HORROR!

We have traveled all over the world and with each new country we see I purchase a travel guide to take along with us. Even though this book is full of information its a boring read. It could use more pictures, maps, and an easier pricing guide for the hotels and resturants. I much rather prefer the writing style of Rick Steve's then I do Beatrice Blake. At this point I'm ready to put this thing on ebay and purchase another travel guide. Which is surprising considering the good reviews its received.