Moon Handbooks Costa Rica (Paperback)

~ Christopher P. Baker (Author) "Travelers moving south overland through Central America gradually have their choice of routes whittled away until they finally reach the end of the road in..." (more)
Key Phrases: tour operators appendix, private baths with hot water, private bathrooms with cold water, San Jose, Puerto Viejo, Avenida Central (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

From exploring mist-shrouded Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve marveling at Arenal Volcano's spectacular eruptions to visiting artisan cooperatives and Indian reserves, Moon Handbooks Costa Rica is the guide to the best this country has to offer, both on and off the beaten path. Suggested travel strategies and lists of must-see sights provide you with real judgments so you can decide where you should go, stay, and eat—without hassles or regrets. Practical information includes maps, photographs, illustrations, and suggested travel strategies and lists of must-see sights, plus essentials on dining, transportation, and accommodations for a range of budgets. Complete with details for enjoying an array of outdoor adventures, such as bicycling, bungee jumping, surfing, sport fishing, wildlife viewing, and off-road driving, Moon Handbooks Costa Rica gives you the tools you need to create a personal and memorable experience.

Product Details

• Paperback: 792 pages
• Publisher: Avalon Travel Publishing; 5th edition (August 31, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566916089
• ISBN-13: 978-1566916080
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #527,760 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

77 of 79 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If You Can Only Afford One Book This Is The One To Buy !, January 18, 2000

By	KWaller (Holland, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Moon Handbooks: Costa Rica (3rd Ed.) (Paperback)

We purchased the 1999 edition directly from Moon (it was so new Amazon had not received it yet) hot off the press ! We also purchased several other competitors guidebooks to take with us. The Costa Rica Handbook came back from the trip very worn! Of all the books, this one has the most travel information, the best maps, most useful suggestions and funny traveler's stories that were relevant to our trip. We tried using and referring to the other books many times while in Costa Rica, but we found ourselves reaching for the Costa Rica Handbook by Moon time and time again! If you can only afford to buy one book with information on travel to this country buy this one! One shortcoming you should conisder before buying this book - it contains little about wildlife...you will need to purchase another book that contains pictures and identification information about animals, plants, insects, birds, etc. of this country if your primary purpose for going is to sight animals and birds native to Costa Rica ! Another note: If you are planning on driving outside of tourist areas you might want to learn a little Spanish...we speak intermediate Spanish and while I was in the country, I couldn't help thinking that someone who had no knowledge of the Spanish language would find traveling by car and stopping outside of tourist areas (lodges, restaurants and gas stations) a bit confusing (they speak almost no english outside of tourist areas)...Know your road signs in Spanish! it helps a lot - buy a beginner's guide to Latin American Spanish with a tape so you can hear pronounciation.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Moon Handbooks: Costa Rica (3rd Ed.), March 28, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Moon Handbooks: Costa Rica (3rd Ed.) (Paperback)

Having lived in Costa Rica and traveled there many times and, having purchased copies of most of the Travel Guides written about Costa Rica during the past ten years, I consider this by far the best, most comprehensive travel guide I have ever read. Many travel writers give you bits and pieces of information based on their preferences ... preferences which may/may not be yours. This writer provides a vast array of information about an exceptionally beautiful country so that you can make your own choices.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Travel Guide, March 1, 2004

By	Stuart Davis (Arlington, Va. United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Moon Handbooks: Costa Rica 4 Ed (Paperback)

We have just returned from a four-week trip to Costa Rica. We bought three guides to plan the trip: the Moon Handbook, Lonely Planet, and Footprint. Of these the Moon Guide was by far the best. Author Christopher Baker has a great way of identifying interesting places to stay, eat, and visit and helping the reader visualize what they are like. As a result we discovered mnay exceptional places to stay and found that his desciptions were right on target. If you are planning more than a one-week quicky to Costa Rica this is the guide to plan your trip.