Customer Reviews

Waterproof Costa Rica Map

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The ITP map is generally reliable in my experience, but the closer you look the less help it is. Don't count on it alone for back country travel or, for that matter, for suburban areas. It is not like an AAA map in the USA. It won't, for example, tell you if there's a bridge or a ford at remote stream crossings. That said, I have not found a better map of CR. The National Geographic map is good, too -- Better in some ways, especially topographic detail, but omits many tiny villages, etc found on the ITP. I now carry both.

Very nice map, but I got an equally detailed map for free from the tourist information office once I got into the country. The main difference between the two maps was that the free one wasn't waterproof.

There aren't any maps commercially available (that I've ever found) that have very much detail for the small villages and more remote areas of the country, but this map has the best detail for what is available. The print is large enough to read with out squinting too badly, the layout and extra information about the locations of parks, etc. is very helpful and easy to understand, and this map even has markings for gas stations near the major cities.

They only way to find your way around in the more remote areas of the country is to ask a local once you are there. Usually if you show them your map they are happy to point out where the smaller roads should be, where they might get washed out, etc.

My wife and I visited Costa Rica for 11 days. We had a hotel booked for the 1st. night only, after that we had highlighted several spots on the map that were interesting to us. In a country where roads are not well marked and we had not been to before we put about 600 miles on our rented Jeep and were only lost twice for a few minutes each time. I think my wife only asked me to stop and ask for directions once, and you know that real men just don't do that! The map was well used and it is still in very good condition. It will accompany us on our next trip to Costa Rica.

Have a great trip, it's a wonderful place.

Yes, it was the best map I could find, but still did not have every road in the country. Road conditions change daily. Allow extra travel time and opt for that all wheel drive vehicle even in the 'dry' season.

I have to second the two-star review by Amanda. While the cartography is good (easy to read, nice colors), the map itself is extremely fragile along its folds. Even when I first opened it there were perforations that were large enough for light to shine through. These, of course, turned into splits. Probably okay for a short trip, but don't expect this to last you a long time. Maybe try Waterproof Travel Map of Costa Ricaor National Geographic Costa Rica Adventure Map, both of which are waterproof as well.

These maps are highly prized in Costa Rica and not that easy to come by. I paid $11. US for one down there last summer - and was thrilled to find it. If you're going surfing, rafting or to the cloud forest - you'll be happy you aren't carrying the old paper kind.

As the author of a travel guide to Costa Rica (Explore Costa Rica, Fifth Edition), which covers the nation (in detail), I can attest that this is one of the best maps to take with you. ITMB is a family-run firm in Vancouver run by Jack Joyce. They have a wide variety of high quality maps. This map makes a superb companion to Explore Costa Rica (which will be a great help with the rest of your trip).

Explore Costa Rica, 5th Edition (Explore Costa Rica)

This map split at the seams within the first couple of times of laying it out.

This waterproof map is really excellent. I was able to navigate through Costa Rica with very little difficulty. One of the most helpful aspects of this map is identifying which towns had gas stations (as finding one can be quite difficult!)