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THE BEST GUIDEBOOKS TO COSTA RICA Publishers are flooding bookstores with new guides to Costa Rica. You can't tote them all. Which ones are best? By LAN SLUDER Copyright 1993 All Rights Reserved Just a few years ago, travelers to Costa Rica were starved for information about this wonderful country. Today, more than dozen travel guidebooks in English cover Costa Rica. The question now is: Which guides are best for you? Here are mini-reviews of the leading books, with an evaluation -- admittedly subjective -- of their strengths and weaknesses. No single guide covers every aspect of the country perfectly. For example, Ellen Searby's Costa Rica Traveler is strong on hotels but weak on restaurants, and it has weak maps. Ree Strange Sheck╒s Costa Rica, A Natural Destination is wonderful for eco-travelers but, despite expanded listings in a new edition, does not offer the comprehensive reviews of hotels and restaurants some other guides do. Each guidebook gets a capsule review. Then, it's rated on its maps, coverage of restaurants, hotels, sightseeing and eco-tourism sites, and also on how it presents travel practicalities -- for example, does it tell you what a cab from Juan SantamarÆa to downtown San JosÄ costs? -- on coverage of Costa Rica history and culture, and, since Costa Rica is a popular spot for retirement, on the realities of living in the country. A rating is given for the "readability" of the guide, taking into account its layout, photography, typography and writing style, considering that guidebooks are not read like novels but in short gulps. Each category is rated Poor, Fair, Average, Good or Excellent. Finally, an overall evaluation is made of the usefulness of the guide for the typical reader, with a rating of from 1 to 5 sta .... uh, bananas. Note that multi- country guides have the advantage of offering value for the reader going to several destinations in Central America, but they often offer less information than single- country guides, and thus may be rated lower. Adventure Guide to Costa Rica, by Harry S. Pariser, Hunter Publishing, Edison, NJ, 1992, $16.95. Part of the Adventure Guide series (there's one to Belize, too, among other places), Harry Pariser's new book may be the best-balanced, most comprehensive guide of the entire Tico bunch. It has 14 decent maps, 20 pages of color photographs and excellent sections on the national parks, flora and fauna, and Costa Rica's history. Hotel and restaurant coverage, while not in the depth of some of the other guides, is sufficient to help you make a decision. The Adventure Guide is somewhat oriented to the budget-conscious traveler, but it includes information on luxury hotels. This is one to take with you on your next trip around Costa Rica, although it is now in need of some updating. 5 BANANAS Costa Rica Traveler, by Ellen Searby, (3rd edition with update), Windham Bay Press, Occidental, CA, 1992, $14.95 Even with its weaknesses, this charming self-published guide remains my favorite guide to Costa Rica. And deficiencies it does have: Besides poor maps, Searby doubtless is one of those who eat to live, not live to eat, as the restaurant reviews are skimpy. But Costa Rica Traveler has the best hotel coverage of any guide, and Searby's "recommended" hotels have never failed me. First published in 1985, the completely revised 3rd edition already has been updated twice. 5 BANANAS The New Key to Costa Rica, by Beatrice Blake and Anne Becher, Ulysses Press, Berkeley, 11th edition, $13.95. Originally developed in 1978 by Jean Wallace -- the mother of the current author Beatrice Blake -- the best-selling New Key has been completely revamped and greatly expanded by Blake and co-author Anne Becher. It looks better than ever. I like this guide for its insightful coverage of restaurants and sites, especially in San JosÄ, and for its local, insider's perspective. The Ulysses edition has been meticulously researched, with more coverage of areas outside the capital city, and maps, art and photography are much improved over previous versions. The New Key also has solid information on living in Costa Rica. 5 BANANAS Frommer's Costa Rica, Guatemala & Belize on $35 a Day ╘93 - ╘94 by Karl Samson, Prentice Hall Travel, New York, 1993, $17.00 The strength of this guide is in its selectivity and clear presentation. Karl Sampson straight-forwardly gives his picks for the best hotels, restaurants and sites, and the best value in each. For readability, no guide is better. The layout and design are superb, and on a recent trip to Costa Rica and Belize I found I was referring to this guide more than to the others I carried, simply because it was the easiest to read. The latest edition is an improvement over the 1991-92 version, which was so sloppily edited that the reader may have been forgiven for a lack of confidence in the book's factual details. 4 BANANAS Costa Rica, a Travel Survival Kit, by Rob Rachowiecki, Lonely Planet, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia, and Berkeley, CA 1991, $11.95 Lonely Planet is an Australian publisher known worldwide for its counter- culture and budget guides. With three new guides out on Central America -- this one, La Ruta Maya, and Central America on a Shoestring-- Lonely Planet now has good coverage of this region to go with its extensive book list on Asia, the South Pacific and elsewhere. Costa Rica has the strengths and weaknesses of many LP guides: The research is detailed and comprehensive, if somewhat skewed to the budget traveler. As in most LP guides, the index is poor. Maps are excellent. Its weak point is readability. The type is small, with two cramped columns per page, and the layout is uninspired. (When will LP hire first-rate book designers to complement its otherwise high-quality product?) There's a lot of information crammed in these 268 pages, and it's a good value at $11.95. 4 BANANAS Costa Rica, by Paul Glassman, Passport Press, Champlain, NY, 1991 (4th edition), $13.95 Paul Glassman is one of the pioneers of contemporary travel writing on Central America and is highly respected by his travel writing colleagues. His guides -- beside Costa Rica, he has done guides to Guatemala and Belize -- have been in the hands of travelers to the region since the mid-1970s. The Costa Rica guide, first released in 1984, has seen improvements in quality and usefulness with each subsequent edition. Glassman provides candid, balanced coverage of the country, with weaknesses being a comparative lack of photos, detailed maps and other graphics. 4 BANANAS Costa Rica, A Natural Destination, by Ree Strange Sheck, John Muir Publications, Santa Fe, NM, second edition, 1992, $16.95 Ree Strange Sheck has written the nearly perfect book for the ecologically oriented traveler to Costa Rica. Of all the guides, it has the best coverage of the reserves, parks, nature tours and eco sightseeing. The second edition has much- needed new reporting on hotels and restaurants. Well-written with interesting breakouts on subjects like coffee growing and the quetzal, its organization makes it a little difficult to use while traveling. 4 BANANAS Insight Guides Costa Rica, edited by Harvey Haber, APA Publications, Hong Kong and Singapore, 1992, $19.95. The first edition of APA╒s Costa Rica is everything you╒d expect in an Insight Guide: It╒s lushly illustrated with wonderful color photos by Henry Genthe and others. It covers the history of Costa Rica in more depth than other guides. With consultation from the editors of The Tico Times, the award- winning English-language weekly in San JosÄ, the guide provides a real sense of the color of daily life and the grand sights of little Costa Rica. Yet, like all APA books, this one is best read before, or after, the trip. As a daily companion, it leaves much to be desired. The ╥Travel Tips╙ section, running less than 40 pages, just isn╒t enough to get you around. 3 BANANAS Central America, by Nancy Keller, Tom Brosnahan, Rob Rachowiecki, Lonely Planet, (Costa Rica section by Rachowiecki) Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia, and Berkeley, CA, 1992, $16.95 LP's Central America is a fact-filled volume, extensively researched and excellent for the budget traveler visiting several of countries in the region. The amount of ground LP authors cover in researching a guide is amazing. The "On a Shoestring" series, however, is definitely not for the upmarket traveler. The most expensive hotel listed in San JosÄ is the Hotel Generaleûo, at $11.50 double. 3 BANANAS Mexico and Central American Handbook, Trade & Travel Publications, Bath, England, 1992, $20. Printed on see-through paper in tiny type and priced at the top end of the guidebook lists, but trusted by many experienced travelers, the South American Handbook finally got so bulky and pricey it was broken into three editions, including this one. The Handbook pulls no punches and its information tends to be highly reliable, if light on detail in some areas. 3 BANANAS Fodor's Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala, Carolyn Price, ed., (Philip Eade contributes the Costa Rica section) Fodor's Travel Publications, New York, 1993, $15.00 Fodor╒s Central America is a well-established, middle-of-the-road guide to the region. Now Fodor╒s has debuted a new edition focusing on the three most-visited countries. The writing is sprightlier than you╒d expect from Fodor╒s, and the recommendations are as solid as a 1949 Packard. Unfortunately, the muddy organization of this guide -- dining and lodging choices are lumped together in one confusing glob, for example -- diminutive type, and sparse illustrations add up only to another mediocre effort in a crowded field. 3 BANANAS A number of special-interest guides also cover Costa Rica. Backpacking in Mexico and Central America, by Bradt and Rob Rachowiecki, Bradt Publications, 1982, is still the best book on camping and hiking in the region. Latin America on Bicycle, by J.P. Panet, 1987, has a chapter on Costa Rica. The Rivers of Costa Rica, by Michael Mayfield and Rafael Gallo, Menasha Ridge Press, 1988, concentrates on canoeing, rafting and kayaking, hot new interests for Costa Rica visitors. A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica, by F. Gary Stiles and Alexander F. Skutch, with illustrations by Dana Gardner, Cornell University Press, 1989, is 656 pages of everything you ever wanted to know about the country's tweeters. For a literate British perspective on Costa Rica and the rest of Central America, try Travellers Central America Survival Kit, by Emily Hatchwell and Simon Calder, Vacation Work, Oxford, 1991. Hatchwell/Calder mince no words: On the Guayabo National Monument, they note ╥This is the country╒s most important archeological site, which isn╒t saying much.╙ The volume╒s 57 pages on Costa Rica are oriented to the budget traveler. Choose Costa Rica, A Guide to Wintering or Retirement, by John Howells, Gateway Books, 1992, is the book for anyone thinking of retiring or relocating to Costa Rica. In the style of his successful Choose Mexico, Howells make a positive case for moving to Costa Rica where, he says, a nice place to live can be had for $200 a month, electricity runs $10 to $14 a month, a full-time housekeeper- cook is $7 to $8.50 a day, and comprehensive medical care costs $40 or $50 a month. Guatemala, where the cost of ex-pat living is even lower than in Costa Rica, is also covered in this volume. By contrast, The Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica, by Lambert James with Geraldo Garcia, C.R. Books, 1992, is an amateurishly produced little volume of only 76 pages. The Tico Times publishes a tourism guide in the fall of each year. Up-to-date and comprehensive, The Tico Times 1992-93 Visitor╒s Guide makes a useful companion to any of the regular guidebooks. The current edition, in a new magazine-style format, is $3, plus $1.95 postage. Even the ads are informative. Throughout the year, The Tico Times publishes articles on restaurants, tourism and other subjects of interest to travelers. Annual subscription rate, including the tourism issue, is $45 in the U.S. (mailed second class from California, with delivery usually one to two weeks after the cover date.) U.S. residents can subscribe by writing The Tico Times, P.O. Box 025216, Miami, FL 33102. A number of guides and books on Costa Rica are easily available only in- country. These include The Green Guide to Costa Rica (English and Spanish), covering wildlife zones; The Essential Road Guide for Costa Rica, by Bill Baker (English); The Red Guide to Costa Rica, maps of the country, and The Blue Guide to Costa Rica, on beaches, (English and Spanish); Introduccion a la Flora de Costa Rica, on the country╒s flowers (Spanish); and National Parks of Costa Rica by Mario Boza and Rolando Mendoza (English and Spanish.) Among the bookstores in San JosÄ carrying some or all of these titles are The Bookshop and Libreria Lehmann. # # # Lan Sluder, a former newspaper editor in New Orleans, has contributed travel articles to The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Toronto Globe and Mail, Miami Herald, Bangkok Post, The Tico Times, Newsday, Caribbean Travel and Life and other publications. He is Caribbean section leader on the Travel Forum on CompuServe and first visited Costa Rica in 1982. RATING CURRENT CROP OF COSTA RICA GUIDE BOOKS Maps Maps Food Hotels Sites Eco Practical History C.R. Life Readability RATING ____________________________________________________________________________________ Adventure Guide to Costa Rica, Pariser Good Good Avg. Exc. Exc. Exc. Exc. Fair Good 5 ____________________________________________________________________________________ Costa Rica Traveler, Poor Poor Exc. Exc. Good Exc. Avg. Good Good 5 Searby ____________________________________________________________________________________ New Key to Costa Rica, Good Good Good Good Avg. Exc. Avg. Exc. Good 5 Blake & Becher ____________________________________________________________________________________ Frommer's Costa Rica Poor Good Exc. Good Fair Good Fair Poor Exc. 4 Guatemala & Belize, 1993-94, Samson ____________________________________________________________________________________ Lonely Planet Costa Exc. Good Good Good Exc. Good Good Poor Fair 4 Rica, Rachowiecki ____________________________________________________________________________________ Costa Rica, Good Good Good Exc. Good Good Good Avg. Good 4 Glassman ____________________________________________________________________________________ Costa Rica A Natural Good Fair Avg. Good Exc. Avg. Good Fair Good 4 Destination, Sheck ____________________________________________________________________________________ Insight Guides: Costa Rica, Haber Good Poor Fair Exc. Exc. Poor Exc. Good Good 3 ____________________________________________________________________________________ LP Central America, Good Fair Avg. Good Good Exc. Good Poor Fair 3 Keller, Brosnahan, Rachowiecki ____________________________________________________________________________________ Mexico & Central Avg. Fair Good Good Good Exc. Good Poor Fair 3 America Handbook ____________________________________________________________________________________ Fodor's Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala Avg. Avg. Good Good Fair Good Fair Poor Avg. 3 Price (ed.) Each guide is rated Poor, Fair, Average, Good or Excellent on the following: Maps: Number and usefulness to the traveler. Restaurants: How valuable is information on cuisine, meal quality and price? Hotels: Number and variety of hotels visited and rated. Sightseeing: How much information is provided on sites the visitor may want to see? Eco-Tourism: Quality of coverage of this aspect of Costa Rica travel. Travel Practicalities: Nitty-gritty information on getting around the country. History: Perspectives on the history of Costa Rica. Readability: How well written is it, and how easy is it to read? Overall Evaluation: Subjective measure of the usefulness of the guide to the typical traveler , rated from 1 (worst) to 5 (best) bananas.