Rating: 
Summary: The best guide I used in Costa Rica (among 3)!
Review: - Advice 1 (most important) Go there , it is great
- Advice 2: with this guide
Rating: 
Summary: Comprehensive, but badly organized
Review: Can a travel book be too comprehensive? After reading this one, my answer is yes. You have to give the author credit for his exhaustive work. Every park (private and public), seemingly every possible accommodation at all possible budget levels, every restaurant no matter how small, all attractions (no matter how trivial) appears to be covered here. But it is such a massive tome and so unwieldy that it dares you to try and put together an itinerary after you have read the book (and that could take months). What's really lacking here are some suggested itineraries, or some form of order amid this gigantic chaos of a book. Adding to the overall confusion are the maps, which are truly an eye-strain, listing every possible town, village and city in nearly the same point size. It took me I think ten to fifteen minutes to find a town he was describing because the maps are so hard to read. On some towns, I just gave up trying to look them up in the map. Those Access guides might not be a tenth as comprehensive as this book, but at least you can find the information that you are looking for, not to mention that the maps are readable. (Note: Access doesn't make one yet for Costa Rica.) Nonetheless, the book is good purchase to reference a particular part of Costa Rica one wants to travel to. Just do not try this book as your first read in trying to get a handle on where exactly you want to go in Costa Rica for a one- or a two-week vacation.
Rating:
Summary: Moon Handbooks: Costa Rica (3rd Ed.)
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best guide books I've used
Review: Having traveled extensively on five continents, I know a good guide book when I see one. On two five week adventures traveling through Costa Rica by bicycle, backpacking, bus, car and boat my wife and I found Baker's book invaluable for locating food and lodging to suit our moods from adventurous and a little crazy to predictable and comfortable. This book is very practical, containing all the information you need to see the 'attractions' of Costa Rica but also includes descriptions of out of the way places and back-doors into some of the National Parks if you want some solitude or a unique experience. I'm anxiously awaiting the new edition slated for December of 1998 release.
Rating:
Summary: THE most useful guidebook
Review: I bought 4 guidebooks before our trip to Costa Rica, and left "Explore Costa Rica" at home because the middle section of the book had already fallen out after a few looks. "Lonely Planet" was also left at home because the reviewer didn't seem to go inside most of the restaurants and lodgings he reviewed. I took "New Key Guide" and "Moon Handbook" and rarely opened the "New Key Guide". The writers of "New Key Guide" don't seem to like Costa Rica very much, making unnecessary and inaccurate comments like "Costa Ricans don't trust each other, and neither should you". This left me relying on the Moon Handbook, which more than made up for the inadequacies of the others. It has everything you need: first you need to find a place to stay. They're grouped by price and described accurately as to amenities and type of clientele. Then you want to eat. Same orderly presentation. Some of the other guides group the hotels and eateries all together, without sorting into price and type. What a hassle to do the sorting yourself when you're tired and it's late. Moon Handbooks also give lots of descriptions of things to do. But the best and most indispensible part was the town maps. I don't know how we would have figured out where we were going without them. This is the only one you need. And it is still intact after a month of daily use and abuse.
Rating:
Summary: THE most useful guidebook
Review: I bought 4 guidebooks before our trip to Costa Rica, and left "Explore Costa Rica" at home because the middle section of the book had already fallen out after a few looks. "Lonely Planet" was also left at home because the reviewer didn't seem to go inside most of the restaurants and lodgings he reviewed. I took "New Key Guide" and "Moon Handbook" and rarely opened the "New Key Guide". The writers of "New Key Guide" don't seem to like Costa Rica very much, making unnecessary and inaccurate comments like "Costa Ricans don't trust each other, and neither should you". This left me relying on the Moon Handbook, which more than made up for the inadequacies of the others. It has everything you need: first you need to find a place to stay. They're grouped by price and described accurately as to amenities and type of clientele. Then you want to eat. Same orderly presentation. Some of the other guides group the hotels and eateries all together, without sorting into price and type. What a hassle to do the sorting yourself when you're tired and it's late. Moon Handbooks also give lots of descriptions of things to do. But the best and most indispensible part was the town maps. I don't know how we would have figured out where we were going without them. This is the only one you need. And it is still intact after a month of daily use and abuse.
Rating:
Summary: THE most useful guidebook
Review: I bought 4 guidebooks before our trip to Costa Rica, and left "Explore Costa Rica" at home because the middle section of the book had already fallen out after a few looks. "Lonely Planet" was also left at home because the reviewer didn't seem to go inside most of the restaurants and lodgings he reviewed. I took "New Key Guide" and "Moon Handbook" and rarely opened the "New Key Guide". The writers of "New Key Guide" don't seem to like Costa Rica very much, making unnecessary and inaccurate comments like "Costa Ricans don't trust each other, and neither should you". This left me relying on the Moon Handbook, which more than made up for the inadequacies of the others. It has everything you need: first you need to find a place to stay. They're grouped by price and described accurately as to amenities and type of clientele. Then you want to eat. Same orderly presentation. Some of the other guides group the hotels and eateries all together, without sorting into price and type. What a hassle to do the sorting yourself when you're tired and it's late. Moon Handbooks also give lots of descriptions of things to do. But the best and most indispensible part was the town maps. I don't know how we would have figured out where we were going without them. This is the only one you need. And it is still intact after a month of daily use and abuse.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Source of Information
Review: I bought this book in 1996 and went to Costa Rica for three months on a shoestring budget. I carried this book everywhere with me and it was invaluable. Barker's descriptions are right on and the book is set up in an easy to read manner. I took another 'guidebook' down with me as well, but it came back looking like new while Barker's book is well worn. I am going back this year and plan to buy his latest edition.
Rating:
Summary: Readable, comprehensive, and correct in its information.
Review: I generally read a variety and a good number of travel guides before I visit someplace new. This book was one of the most insightful and informative that I have encountered on any place I've visited.
Rating: 
Summary: Take it
Review: I used 4 books on my 2-week trip (Fodor's, Rough Guide, Lonely Planet, and Moon). Moon was the most comprehensive (it should be, at twice the size of the other books!) and down-to-earth, and had good maps. Fodor's was the best for practical information and has the next-most-extensive hotel and restaurant reviews (after Moon), but not as many choices. Lonely Planet had decent maps and wildlife info, but I found it hard to navigate. RG was pretty useless and out of date and difficult to navigate---used it only as a backup to double-check maps and other information from the other books. The worst thing about Moon was its lack of practical information and the fact that lots of stuff was outdated. Some of the advice was sketchy---like how to look for "love beneath the palms."
| 
