Customer Reviews

Puerto Rico (Insight Pocket Guide Puerto Rico)

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

 

 

As a Puerto Rican that has literally been there and done that, I believe that this book is the best illustrated guide to the Island I have seen so far. Some descriptions, nonetheless, seem to under-rate some of the attractions, while others seem to over-simplify the process of getting there or the risks involved. In some cases I thought it was being too poetic and less realistic, and even though this is a refreshing approach to a tourist guide, more facts or useful tips would have been welcome. On a positive note, the illustrations are very beautiful and it portrays the people with respect. If I had to buy a book for a colleague or friend in the States about my country, this book would be one of my first options.

I was a professor at the Univ. of Puerto Rico during the 1980s, and return occasionally for scientific work. I also teach a Tropical Biology course every other year that includes spring break in Puerto Rico. I've read about eight guides to Puerto Rico and nearby islands, and I think this is the best in terms of accurately reviewing history, culture, and some of the biology and geology. The photographs are extraordinary, and really capture the island in all its facets. This Guide also gives the best information about each town's history and points of interest. It probably devotes the least space to casinos and cruise ship information, but I see that as a strength. I want my students to develop some understanding of the history and culture of Puerto Rico, even though it's a biology class, and I have found the first couple chapters of the Insight Guide do a better job than any of the drier academic sources out there. If you want to buy a guide to Puerto Rico for your own enrichment, this is the one to get.

We bought the Insight Guide and were pleased by the wonderful photos and the descriptive sections that cover culture, food, activities, and regions. However, if you are looking for hard details essential to making travel plans before and during a trip, this book is totally useless. Even if other books fail to capture the flavor of Puerto Rico, they can be relied upon to locate hotels, restaurants, museums and hours etc. This is a decorative book, worth reading, but not a travel guide in the usual sense of the word. All these impressions are fresh, since we arrived home just last night. As Northern Californians who look to Hawaii and Mexico for tropical vacations, we found PR, especially the time we spent on Vieques, to be at least the equal of our usual locales, and the time on Vieques to be unmatched in terms of mile-long beaches that you have to yourself.

Known for their numerous photographs, researched facts, and great coverage of historical and cultural items, the "Insight Guides" series has covered almost every nation on earth with wonderfully. Their "Insight Guide to Puerto Rico" was especially much more fascinating to me since they covered a lot of things and places I did not know about my homeland.

Beautifully binded, full of colorful photographs and drawings, and informative, this guide allowed me to explore more towns, sites, and places that are usually off the beaten track for a normal tourist. Their coverage of Puerto Rico's satellite islands: Vieques, Culebra, and Mona, was very interesting, and I was happy to see Mona in photographs, because it is rarely captured in photographs.

The chapters on Old San Juan, Ponce, and the Karst Country were also all informative and refreshing, making my trip much more entertaining. From the island's plethora of important rum distilleries (world's biggest producer of rum) to a brief discussion on local dialect, the editorial staff at "Insight Guides" did an excellent job of representing this beautiful Caribbean island in all its' splendor.

If you are looking for the best travel guides to Puerto Rico, this book and "Lonely Planet's Guide to Puerto Rico" are the two best travel books to this island. Don't forget to pick them up before your next visit to the island.

We just returned (9/8/99) from our first trip to Puerto Rico and enjoyed using this tour book. We are especially pleased to have read their section on Karst County (page 181) and made it a point to travel in that area. Their section on Old San Juan was especially informative.

As a Puerto Rican that has literally been there and done that, I believe that this book is the best illustrated guide to the Island I have seen so far. Some descriptions, nonetheless, seem to under-rate some of the attractions, while others seem to over-simplify the process of getting there or the risks involved. In some cases I thought it was being too poetic and less realistic, and even though this is a refreshing approach to a tourist guide, more facts or useful tips would have been welcome. On a positive note, the illustrations are very beautiful and it portrays the people with respect. If I had to buy a book for a colleague or friend in the States about my country, this book would be one of my first options.

Having looked at several guidebooks to Puerto Rico, this one is superior. Up-to-date information and nice photos.

Finished reading my PR guide last night. I truly enjoyed learning more about PR's history and culture. One thing I particularly loved about this 'guide' were the beautiful color photos that you won't find in most other books on PR. This guide is not something that can help you plan out the details of your trip, but it is a nice base to determine specific areas you'd like to see during your visit. We'll be using our Fodor's guide to pick out restaurants and other activities. 16 more days to go...

I agree with another reviewer who called it "Coffee Table Travel Guide" (read that).
It has a lot of good pictures and articles in discovery channel style about PR. But finding information in it about restaurants, hotels etc was not easy. They don't cover Vieques and Culebra in detail. I found Fodor's PR book more useful for practical information .

When I bought this book, I also bought a couple of other travel books on Puerto Rico. This book was our favorite. It was very different than the others...different types of details and information on the area. Good pictures too.