Fodors Costa Rica 2010 FullColor Gold Guides

Posted In: Costa Rica

Ashely Bonucchi says...

General guide book that covers a just the right amount of detail.As Eco-Tourism is one of the main attractions for Costa Rica, there is a lot of information logistically for each part of the country in regards to different types of Eco-tourism.Expect a sampling of short eco-treks, zip-lining and village handicraft markets in each chapter per locale.Not a thorough guide by any means, but a very complete introduction to what Costa Rica has to offer both in its cities and outside.



Generously illustrated with beautiful photos, the guide tends to focus on the most well-known and popular attractions in a very positive and upbeat tone.Excellent for those on a group tour who would like to know more about their day's planned activities.There is a large reference section that enables readers to further research a new found favourite activity if desired.This is very much a group planning and information guide rather than a Rick Steves `backdoor" style guide, or lonely planet backpacking guide.



A recommended guide for middle-of-the-road travelers who are comfortable on group tours, or for Costa Rica first-timers who just want a sampling of a little of everything (with extra information if they so choose to read more) and not a trek by trek comparison guide.

Posted on October 11, 2010

Carmelita Frascella says...

I like it. 640 pages of up-to-date informantion. But the addition of so many full color pictures makes it heavy. It makes it niche somewhere between the normal Fodors and Frommers guides and the mainly photos- EyeWitness guides.

It is information PLUS photos.Not for pocket-carry but for your luggage.

Thank you.

Posted on October 11, 2010

Katherina Haverfield says...

I've noticed that travelers tend to be rather loyal to a certain brand of travel book publishers. I like Rough Guides and Lonely Planet and never thought highly of Fodor's. They just seemed rather stale to me.



So going in, I really didn't think I'd be in love with this book. Wrong. The color photos were like a slap in the face in a good way and makes you realize that if guide books added more photos, people would not only buy them because they're helpful, but they're for nostalgia. I was really impressed. It sort of made me want to start to plan a trip there and explore. The maps were really cool.



The book itself warrants 5 stars: It's crammed full of information and would make it the "go to" book for the trip, but the additional info on plants and wildlife makes me want to head into the national parks with my camera and look for beautiful creatures and plants I'd never see at home.



I'm impressed, Fodors. Good job!

Posted on October 12, 2010

Valene Veazie says...

This is one of the best travel guides I have seen.It is comprehensive and well-organized with many detailed maps and beautiful color photos.



I haven't been to Costa Rica but two friends have been there and raved about it.After receiving this book, I know why!



The first chapter, Experience Costa Rica, provides an excellent introduction to the country including when to go, an overview of transportation to and within the country (details are provided on this throughout the book), money/credit cards/ATM, government, agriculture (mainly coffee and fruit), weddings and honeymoons, travel with children, the people and two sample itineraries.



The second chapter, Understanding Biodiversity, includes concise and fascinating descriptions of the flora, fauna, top destinations and how to best experience each of Costa Rica's diverse regions: rainforests, volcanic regions, the cloud forest, tropical dry forest, wetlands & mangroves and the shoreline (beach). Small color photos accompany many of the highlighted flora and fauna.



The next seven chapters highlight specific regions including San Jose, the Central Valley, Northern Plains, North Pacific, Central Pacific, South Pacific, and Caribbean.Each chapter includes maps, how to get there, top attractions, where to eat, where to stay, eco-lodges in the area, nightlife and the arts, and more color photos.Each also includes a special focus on a specific topic such as souvenir shopping, the country's coffee production (including the history of coffee and plantations that give tours), canopy tours, choosing a beach, bird watching, surfing, scuba diving and snorkeling, and sportfishing.



The next chapter, Understanding Costa Rica, includes a brief history of the country, wildlife and plant glossary, menu guide, and a brief (five page) vocabulary (Spanish to English) and the final chapter, Travel Safe Costa Rica, covers the specifics of air, bus, car, cruise ship, taxi and train travel, communications (internet and phone), customs and duties, local do's and taboos, emergencies, health, mail, money, safety, packing, tipping tour and more.



There are 35 maps plus a large, pull-out map.The maps are listed with page numbers in the Contents pages and there is a comprehensive index to help you quickly find what you need.



This is well-worth the $19.99 (and is a true bargain at Amazon's price).There are 640 info-packed pages.I am excited to plan a trip to Costa Rica and believe me, I'll be bringing this guide! I feel like I have a great feel for the company and its residents after reading it.

Posted on October 12, 2010

Iola Howson says...

My wife and I have traveled all over the world and have used a ton of travel guides.Typically we are Frommers users and not Fodors.With one of my best friends getting married recently and traveling to Costa Rica for his honeymoon I thought this was a great opportunity to review this travel guide.



This new "Gold Guide" has many more full color pictures than the normal Fodor's or Frommer's guide.Not quite as many as eyewitness guides but sometimes those guides focus to much on pictures and not enough on the info.The guide is well laid out and provides excellent travel information.It's nice that even though there are now a ton more color pictures the actual information in the book is still very good and was not ignored.Overall I think this guide edges the Frommer's and the normal Fodor's guides.I think the information is very similar but the inclusion of so many color photo's really does make the guide more fun to use.



I lent this to my friend and his wife and they loved the guide while in Costa Rica.Their comments were that the guide seemed very up to date and was broken down into sections that made it easy to find what they were looking for while there.They did enjoy the color pictures but seemed to be more impressed with the actual information in the book and how helpful it was on their honeymoon.Overall they thought this was an excellent guide book as did I.Recommended.

Posted on October 12, 2010

Seth Ryherd says...

Fodor's Costa Rica 2010 is a really nice book. I previously bought this very same guide book when the 2008 edition came out, and the 2010 version far surpasses it in many ways.With the full color 2010 edition there are so many more pictures that help you get a better idea of the cultural aspects of Costa Rica's tradition and the people of this picturesque country.The thicker, glossy paper used in this edition helps to bring out the detail of the numerous photos. The 2008 edition did not have nearly as many photos, with only a small section in the front of the book that had just a few color pictures.

The Contents in the front of the book are very helpful, very extensive, and makes it easier to find the area you are looking for without having to thumb through the pages. The breakdown of the book by geographical location is very helpful to concentrate on specific areas within Costa Rica, and at the top of almost every page shows the general location in bold orange with a more specific location in a regular font. Each area also separates out such things as "where to eat", "where to stay", "nightlife", etc. In the 2008 version where to eat and stay were combined, which was far less useful especially for those on the go. I like that they isolated in this edition.There also seems to be a more reviews of places to eat and stay and have been updated with additions and deletions from the previous addition. This shows that Fodor's has gone back to Costa Rica and is doing its job. I also really liked the addition of "pros" and "cons" in the reviews of places to stay.

The multipage color "In Focus" features on shopping, coffee, canopy tours, choosing a beach, bird watching, surfing, scuba diving and snorkeling, sport fishing, understanding Costa Rica and the travelling smart are very informative and a great addition to the 2010 book that was not available in the 2008 edition.

The Costa Rica Planner and Top Attractions, FAQ's and the "Experience Costa Rica" section in the front of the bookwas very helpful, as was the extensive section on "Understanding Biodiversity" in the different Eco-Zones of the country. There is also an substantial section on the city of San Jose, including a San Jose planner for those in visiting the capital city.

Like the 2008 edition the 2010 edition has a pullout map, the full color map has elevations and shows the terrain quite well. Throughout the book there are also several maps with elevations (where appropriate) that concentrate on the specific geographical area of the book that was in context. The maps also show the roads and highways for those who rent a car it makes it easier to show how to get to a specific location. The edition of car rental agencies in some areas are a great help in the 2010 edition that was lacking in 2008.

Overall this is a great guide book. The only thing that I think that needs improvement is the index in the back of the book. Some towns or beaches are not listed in the index, while they are included in the book such as Panama Beach (Playa), while others that were in the 2008 edition have been dropped in the 2010 edition like Brasilito. I would not let this stop you from buying the book though.

Posted on October 14, 2010

Jung Bahri says...

I received this book through the Vines Program and rated it against my recent visit to Costa Rica.I found the material in the book to be very accurate and really did wish that I had this book with me when I visited Costa Rica as it would have saved me a lot of time and eliminated the trial and error method that I employed while there!



The book does an excellent job of providing you with a comprehensive geographical view of the country.If you have ever visited here via cruise ship and thought you had seen the country, this book will help you to see that you only saw a very small part of the country!



If you are considering Costa Rica as a retirement location, this book would be indespensible to you as it covers all of the regions of the country, the culture, the history, the attractions, and the cities.The included Map of the country (large fold out that is detachable from the book)is excellent!



The pictures in the book alone are worth the cost of the guide.The book is well written and a pleasure to read.

Posted on October 15, 2010

Erna Colasacco says...

After an extensive introduction that includes the primary focus of most travel to Costa Rica, Fodor's provides detailed information on each of the most likely vacation location.Tropical Rainforest, Volcanoes (Arenal, Rincon de la Vieja, Poas), canopy tours and zip line tours, even the wetlands and mangroves are covered thoroughly, with Adventure Highlights with vivid orange borders for those interested in skimming.For each location there are highlighted flora and fauna - I'll be on the lookout for the strangler fig and the three-toed-sloth because I'm not that great of a photographer - but the colorful highlights of the various birds and frogs are the most eye-catching.



The following nine chapters explore nearly every facet of Costa Rica, and provide the necessary details about lodging, finances, tourism, local flair, plenty of maps and comprehensive geographical data, tons of beautifully enticing photos, and various tidbits for travelers wishing not to miss a thing.



I was particularly pleased to see a multiple-page section devoted to scuba diving and the wildlife indigenous to the area, as well as several pages of surfing information.Both sections, while not quite the typical forest and/or beach, are invaluable for "off the beaten path"-travelers.



Overall, the guide is well laid-out and has more information than can be digested or accomplished in one visit to this beautiful country.Add in a large, detachable map and a couple pages of introductory yet useful Spanish phrases, and there is not a stone unturned.



Jason Elin

Posted on October 17, 2010

Dolly Remos says...

A well organized and comprehensive guide to Costa Rica. The overview chapter and the chapter on biodiversity are excellent. San Jose is well covered. The rest of the country is not covered in much depth, a sacrifice made in order to try to cover as much of the country as possible. This is pretty typical of whole country guides. The photos are excellent.



My only complaint about the guide is that it is relatively heavy. Costa Rica is a place where you will likely be walking and hiking. The book is printed on high quality glossy paper, which is great for durability, but makes for a heavy book. When hiking, every ounce matters.

Posted on October 18, 2010

Phillis Gittings says...

If you want one Costa Rica guide book that has it all, look no further.I have lived in Costa Rica and know my way around - this book leaves nothing out.It is well-planned, easy to use, full of travel tips and important cultural information, and will suit just about any sort of travel you want to do, from family-friendly eco-touring to lounging by the pool.There are many, many fine regional maps as well as a large pull-out map in the back.



If you are looking for a little pocket guide you will be disappointed by the heft of this book - it weighs over a pound.If you need a thorough resource for planning your trip, you will not be disappointed.



I highly recommend Fodor's COSTA RICA 2010.Pura vida!

Posted on October 20, 2010