Rating: 
Summary: Great Guide
Review: I went to Costa Rica last year(2000) during April. This book was perfect for our trip, and the maps were dead on! I looked through a ton of Costa Rica guides, and decided on this one. When we got there we got a map of the area we were going to that reflected the book perfectly.
Rating: 
Summary: really not very helpful!
Review: I'm not sure why this guidebook was rated so highly. I found it poorly organized, hard to use, and anti-helpful. The restaurants and hotels it raved about were mediocre or worse. We stayed in one of the hotels it recommended in Quepos, and ended up moving to one that was the same price and much better, yet didn't have much written about it in this book. The book was terrible about saying where things were--one restaurant was described as "300 meters south of Mas x Menos" (a grocery store). No street name given, even though the streets in that part of San Jose do have names. We searched fruitlessly for a long time.
Rating:
Summary: Great for the first time traveler
Review: I'm taking a class to Costa Rica and I am requiring them to read this book. The information on ecosystems and environmental ethics are excellent summaries of information that is necessary for travelers. I would say that I disagree with the comments on Costa Rican food which I enjoyed. Although a bit weighty, this was my book of choice.
Rating:
Summary: This new edition worth the price
Review: I've used a prior edition of this guide but this new edition is substantially changed including itineraries and sites rated must-see by the author. The book is packed with insight but this edition is LOTS easier to use. The author is really guiding travelers based on their interest, time, and travel experience.
Rating:
Summary: Returning travel guide
Review: If there was ever a travel guide that was boring, this has to be it. Most guides have some type of color in them as well as better maps. I could see the pages easily tearing or getting worn on a trip. Tons of reading, but unable to quickly find necessary information. We really need a DK Eyewitness Guide for Costa Rica, maybe the DK guides are not as comprehensive, but it sure is easy to find information quickly.
Rating:
Summary: Blows away other CR travel books for off the beaten path
Review: If you are planning to travel extensively in Costa Rica or concentrate on a particular region, this is your guide book.I recently got back from an off road trip of Guanacaste and Mr. Baker left no stone unturned. Couple this book with his National Geographic Costa Rica book, which highlights well the major Costa Rica attractions (and more higher end lodging and dining), and you will not be disappointed. If you are used to upper end accomodations, be aware that you will not generally find that for less than $75 per night, as listed in Mr. Baker's book. Concerning the organization, Costa Rica's sights are vast. So if you are hitting the highlights: get the National Geographic guide book. You can't help a little disoraganization, as there is no straight line path through the country. If you do travel off the path, be prepared to call Mr. Baker, "swash buckler", as we did...
Rating: 
Summary: Synopsis
Review: Journey with veteran travel writer Christopher P. Baker into a wonderland of rumbling volcanoes, dense tropical forests, and diverse wildlife. Have a whitewater rafting adventure down the Rio Reventazon, go horseback riding in Guanacaste, or enjoy scuba diving off of Playa El Ocotal. Award-winning Costa Rica Handbook introduces you to the history, people, and natural beauty of this peaceful nation
Rating:
Summary: LOVED IT
Review: Really enjoyed the personal comments on the travel hints and expieriences. We met a lot of the same people that he mentions in the book and followed many of the suggestions. Loved COSTA RICA
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely essential for a Costa Rica tour
Review: This book allowed us to prepare for and tour ten days in Costa Rica. We were able to book perfect hotels, find great restaurants, prepare adequately for the roads, and arrange for activities. The book is comprehensive and provides for a variety of budgets and interests. Baker is one of the finest travel writers I have had the pleasure to peruse.
Rating: 
Summary: A great complement to another guide
Review: This was 1 of 3 books I took on a recent trip to Costa Rica and we referred to it frequently. It is very well researched with interesting information on the flora and fauna that I didn't find in the other guides I had. It is a good book for nuture enthusiasts as well as beach combers.
The reason i say it makes a great complement to another guide is that for most regions, the book lists a myriad of hotel options with 1-2 sentences regarding what to expect. something like, "Hotel Smith, located on the beach is run by a Swiss German family. They have a pool as well as a restaurant that serves dinner only and they offer laundry service. $XX 123-4567." We had trouble with this sort of factual information because comparing 20 hotels all with that level of detail and enthusiasm often left us wondering where to go. For that reason we relied on Frommers, which was able to provide a great deal more information about 4-8 hotels in a given region with some qualitative information to help us know where to start looking for lodging.
As others have noted, there's too much information in here with small typeface and thin pages which kept it from being the book we turned to first, the information was relatively accurate and the first several chapters on flora, fauna and history made the book well worth its price. In all, this was a really good book that we were really happy to have with us.
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