Lonely Planet Costa Rica (Costa Rica, 5th Ed)

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Summary: This book was named the "bible" by us and agreed by all.
Review: This book gave you the general knowledge of a village or town before you even entered the country. WE were able to plot out our course for the Paciffic side while on the beach of the caribean. It lists great places to visit, and a very comprehensive list for each area on where to stay. Every tourist from countries all over the world had this book, and loved it. It has maps of all the different places, so if you travel by bus, you have an idea of where in the village you're are getting off at. Even more omportantly where to go for a good nights rest, where to eat, and even if there are banks or grocery stores around. All the necessities of travel.

Rating:
Summary: Not for everyone
Review: This book is aimed towards college age types with a low budget. This may be the goal of Lonely Planet publishers. It lacks completely in coverage of activities in the area I planned to visit. I am going to the Manuel Antonio area which Mr. Rachowiecki says is an expensive popular area with more than 20 hotels, beautiful beaches, and a National Park. He has two pages on the area and most of that is information on the hotels. His section on the wildlife is textbook stuff without any interesting ideas on how or where to see them. I am very disappointed in the guide.

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Summary: This was the bible of Costa Rica guide books
Review: This book of course cannot cover everything but it was as good as it can get for what I had expected. I travel often and have used many types of guides. For this particular trip I had resources of 3 guidebooks total, this one by far was the favorite. While traveling I ran into various other people with the same book and the same opinion that the book was so useful, informative and very objective. I highly recommend it, and highly recommend when you return from the trip, take the time out to give feedback to the authors to help improve and broaden the perspectives of what can be seen in Costa Rica. Your experiences matter, so share them.

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Summary: One of the Better Guides.......but
Review: This is one of the better guides my wife and I have seen, however I feel it is aimed at the one to two week traveler who is on a budget. I was disappointed to read in this edition and the previous one that there is a casino in the San Jose Marriott, when in fact there has never been one. That left us to wonder what else was inaccurate in the guide and that the authors are not writing from personal experience. I think the only changes in this edition from the last one are the pictures! There are a ton of great changes going on in Costa Rica recently not mentioned in this book.

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Summary: Great book for descriptive travel if driving
Review: Used this book in Costa Rica 11/98. Pretty accurate description of hotels and great description of travel if going to do it yourself by car. Not as user friendly in ways hotels are listed in book inside of paragraphs you have to work harder. Best of the travel guides we used.

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Summary: Lonely Planet Costa Rica review
Review: We used this book when traveling through Costa Rica as well as the Explore Costa Rica by Harry Pariser. The Lonely Planet Guide was a little out of date. It seems like many places and events have changed in Costa Rica since the book was written. We found that Pariser's book was much more complete, fun to read, and accurate. The in-depth ecological commentary was greatly appreciated. Lonely Planet can sometimes be overrated.

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Summary: By far the BEST costa rica handbook.
Review: Went to costa rica for the first time last summer (Im going again this summer :) I had this book, the Costa Rica handbook by Moon publ, and The fodors handbook. After the first day I never looked at the others. This book has everything you need to know and it is all accurate and up to date.