Lonely Planet Costa Rica (Country Guide) by Matt Firestone, Wendy Yanagihara, Guyan Mitra
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Book Reviews of Lonely Planet Costa Rica (Country Guide)
Book Review: Pretty good basic guide
Summary: 3 Stars
Costa Rica is changing very rapidly, so it is very difficult for any guidebook to be up to date, and I am not a huge fan of travel guidebooks. But I usually carry one, and I found the maps, hotel recommendations, and how to get there and away very helpful.
I have met a few guidebook authors during my travels, and their budgets and time allotments do not allow them to check all of the hotels and restaurants. The other problem with Lonely Planet and other popular guidebooks is that many people read them, and the recommended hotels are often full.
The information on Cerro Chirripo was not very accurate, but we managed to find an incredible hostel right next to the trail that the Lonely Planet author hadn't mentioned. The Casa Mariposa offers tranquil gardens and a very homey atmosphere. It was our favorite place in Costa Rica and we spent a whole week there.
The author was also quite negative about the huge amount of tourism and sudden change, but I attend to agree with him, so it didn't really bother me.
My wife and I usually purchase a guidebook when we travel, but we are always alert for other options. Many of the best places that we have found have been by word of mouth from other travelers, or just exploring on our own. But, if you are entering a strange city late at night, or looking for interesting places to visit, this guidebook can be very helpful.Dancing on the Edge of an Endangered Planet
Book Review: pretentious and insulting
Summary: 2 Stars
By the end of my wonderful trip, I was ready to toss this garbage in the fire...What reader enjoys being lambasted for wanting to *horror of horrors* travel? Every other entry was a diatribe on how tourists are ruining the Costa Rican landscapes. Well guess what, Dear Authors, without us pasty and slobbish turistas, you wouldn't have a job! Being in my mid-20s with decent experience in eco-friendly, leave-no-trace travel, I am well in the targeted demographic, but that fact certainly didn't endear me to these authors and their high horses. Tell me where to go and how to get there, but check your snobbish attitude at the door. Alienating your audience is never, ever the right path.
The only reason I gave it two stars instead of one is because it was the only guide I brought, so by default, I was forced to rely on it.
Book Review: INCORRECT INFORMATION!
Summary: 2 Stars
this book was only okay. We found several errors, ranging from an incorrectly placed restaurant address (we drove around and around until we asked someone) and, less importantly, old information about a B&B that had changed owners at least five years ago, but the description still contained the previous owners... did the author even bother to check? I have always taken Lonely Planet with a grain of salt, so I would take an extra guide with you. Frommers did a better job on this.Book Review: inaccurate and seems that they phoned it in
Summary: 1 Stars
I have used many LP books for different locations and they were great. This one however left me totally disappointed. The best example was that they failed to mention that to get to the most beautiful beach (playa conchal) from Brasilito you have to ford a river. Not a big deal if you are expecting it and know when the tides are. The authors failed to give any relevant information about any of these. Crossing the river during the rainy season is often impossible.
Most of the hotels did not live up to the descriptions- either they were not right on the beach, not right downtown, or not so clean.
These are just a few examples of many, and I was left with the feeling that the authors just phoned this lonely planet guide in.
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