Insight Guide Costa Rica (Insight Guides Costa Rica) (Paperback)

~ Paul Murphy (Author) "On September 8, 1502, Christopher Columbus arrived on the Atlantic Coast of Costa Rica and took refuge in the calm waters just off the coast,..." (more)
Key Phrases: Costa Rica, Central America, Puerto Viejo (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

One of over 400 titles in the Insight series,

Insight Guide Costa Rica. This 298-page book includes a section detailing Costa Rica's history, 8 features covering the country's life and culture, ranging from the spectacular plant life to the best coffee in the worldallegedly, a region by region visitor's guide to the sights, and a comprehensive Travel Tips section packed with essential contact addresses and numbers. Plus 283 impressive photographs and 7 maps, including a National Parks and Reserves map.

About the Author

Since 2000. Hammond, American Map, Langenscheidt Dictionaries, Insight Travel Guides, Delorme – the famous names in the Langenscheidt family. These represent the most authoritative, up-to-date, and extensive travel and reference products available. In January 2003, the renowned Berlitz Publishing became part of the Langenscheidt Group. The Langenscheidt Publishing Group, the premier group of map and travel companies, offers over 4,000 North American and international street maps, road maps, atlases, language-learning, bilingual dictionaries, and travel-related products covering countries, cities, and languages in every continent.

Product Details

• Paperback: 302 pages
• Publisher: Insight Guides (January 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0887291376
• ISBN-13: 978-0887291371
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,096,767 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive and thorough with great photos, September 27, 2000

By	"kevinsha" (Bellevue, WA USA) - See all my reviews

Vacation photos are the ubiquitous, clichéd chronicle of the average person's travels. Yet few travel books include more than a small smattering of so-so photos, offering only a peek at a destination's sights and environs; even though a great deal of our travel memories and experiences are through images. This book, along with the Insight Guides series in general, is different, offering a comprehensive set of fantastic photos that not only showcase the sights, but bring the details, richness, and life (some gorgeous, some gritty) of Costa Rica closer.

The accompanying text, while a bit uncharacteristic (likely due to editorial consistency), is informative and comprehensive, giving you a great overview of Costa Rica, its history, its people, and places of interest. Its travel information, such as lodgings, appears targeted towards middle-class travelers, although it touches on a wide range of styles and budgets. And when you're ready to plan your itinerary the maps outshine those of any other guide book, and are good enough to use on your trip, even for 90% of the driving most folks are likely to do.

Other guidebooks might offer more in-depth and "insider" information with a particular slant (e.g. the excellent, down-to-earth, and environmentally conscious book by Harry S. Pariser, "Explore Costa Rica") but the Insight Guide should be the first one you buy to "see" where your travels might take you.

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars disappointing and unhelpful..., April 13, 2001

By A Customer

...i lugged this around and liked, at first, looking at the pics -- however this book is not comprehensive in the least to the even slightly curious and adventuresome traveler. this is a tourist guide, not a travelling guide. fyi!

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful & Informative, August 16, 1999

By A Customer

Features: the People, National Parks, Places to go, Travel tips, Tropical Forest, Ecosystems. Wonderful pictures. A must, if going to or studying Costa Rica. Worth every cent.