The Rough Guide to Costa Rica

by Jean McNeil

Book Overview

This guide to Costa Rica explores all corners of this destination, from its idyllic white-sand beaches and picturesque pueblos to verdant rainforests and steaming volcanoes. Outdoor activities are... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1843534290
• ISBN13: 9781843534297
• Release Date: May 2005
• Publisher: Rough Guides
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 1.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.1" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

Excellent practical advice but combine with second guide

What I like best about the Rough Guides is that they give critical reviews. They will point out the tourist traps and will give negative reviews. I find that Frommer's and Fodor's rarely point out the negatives to a particular hotel or site. The rough guide is very critical and is a great balance to these other guides. I would balance your trip to Costa Rica with a Fodors (or Frommers) book because the maps and illustrations are often better and there are more higher-end hotels listed. This book will help you decide where is best to spend your vacation in Costa Rica. There are clear critical descriptions of all the regions and great general info on getting around in Costa Rica. If you aren't interested in "roughing" it and staying in lower priced hotels. The guides are still very useful in rating attractions, and areas in which to stay... but you will need another book to look at more moderate and luxury hotels (there aren't that many in Costa Rica). I would definitely read this book before going to Costa Rica.

My "bible" in Costa Rica

When I travelled there, my travel partner dubbed this book "the bible" as we took what it had to say as gospel. And it was right! What I love about these guides are that they are written for people who don't need to stay in super-cheap flea bag hotels, but don't want to stay in the sanitized American chains. The points of interest are interesting, and well represented. I am brand loyal to few things in this world, but Rough Guides are one. This is the one that got me started on them!

Awesome Guide

The Rough Guide was an invaluable resource on my recent trip. It's by far the most useful guidebook I've ever seen.

Insightful Information

Out of the 3 different guide books that we brought along on our Costa Rica trip recently, the Rough Guide proved to be the most useful, as evident by the tethered condition of the book at the end of the trip. The Rough Guide provided accurate and pertinent information. The bus schedules are a plus since we didn't have a car and relied on public transportation to get around. The information in the guide is fairly well organized. However, a full size fold out map would complete this guide. Hopefully that will be included in the next edition.