Two Words, One Answer.
Costa Rica
 National Geographic Traveler: Costa Rica, 3rd Edition $22.95 While this book has interesting descriptions of things to do in Costa Rica, it fails to suggest reputable vendors and ways to actually do many of the activities. I tried to use this book to plan a trip to Costa Rica and was disappointed in the format. We wanted to plan an active vacation (rafting, canyoning, surfing, etc.) and found it difficult to use this book to find reputable vendors and the best places for these activities. If you are looking for clear recommendations of places to stay at different price points and specific hikes, rafting outfits, and things to see in helping you plan your trip this is not the book for you. If you prefer to read about Costa Rica or have a companion on a guided trip, this would be a good fit.  Fodor's Costa Rica 2010 (Full-Color Gold Guides) $19.99 The whole family is excited about taking a trip to Costa Rica after reading this book. The beautiful full-color photos and detailed descriptions of the various destinations within Costa Rica that are listed in this book make it a very good guide for planning your trip to Costa Rica. My 3 year old daughter loves flipping through the book looking at the pictures and talking about going to Costa Rica and doing some of the activities and seeing some of the sights and animals that are depicted in the pictures. While I have found much of the same information on the internet, this guide puts it all in one place and comes from a reputable source. The guide begins with descriptions of the geographic areas of Costa Rica and popular activities in each area. Other sections of the book that I found useful are the section on ecotourism, traveling with kids, and sample itineraries. All three of these sections are fairly small, but give you a good start in considering these factors in your plans. Having never been to Costa Rica, the sample itineraries gave us a good idea as to what we should see as well as ideas for traveling between the sights. The book is then divided into separate chapters for each area of the country. These sections go into greater detail with a background of the area as well as suggested places to travel within each area. This would be very useful if you are looking to travel to more than just the popular Costa Rican destinations such as the cloud forest, volcanoes, and beaches. The last section of the book is a must read for new travelers to Costa Rica which they call "Travel Smart Costa Rica". This section includes everything that you absolutely need to know before going on your trip. These tips include hints for planning your transportation and cultural "do's and dont's" for interacting with the Costa Rican people. Finally, this guide includes a terrific pull-out map that would be very useful for traveling within Costa Rica. Overall this guide is well worth the price listed on Amazon and I would highly recommend it especially for any first time traveler to Costa Rica.  Frommer's Costa Rica 2009 (Frommer's Complete) $19.99 Best guide book I have ever used. I used this book on both my visits to Costa Rica and found it to be very informative and helpful. This book made the ride from San Jose to Manuel Antonio an adventure rather than a drag. Also very helpful on choosing a river rafting trip and other adventures around the Park. |
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