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Lonely Planet Costa Rica
Lonely Planet: The world’s number one travel guide publisher*
Lonely Planet’s Costa Rica is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Pick a river for some heart-pounding white-water rafting; lounge in a hammock or snorkel off uncrowded beaches on the Southern Caribbean Coast; and spot monkeys, crocs, toucans and iguanas. All with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Costa Rica and begin your journey now!
Inside Lonely Planet’s Costa Rica:
Colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sightseeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights provide a richer, more rewarding travel experience - covering history, people, music, landscapes, wildlife, cuisine, politics Covers San Jose, Central Valley & Highlands, Caribbean Coast, Northwestern Costa Rica, Arenal & Northern Lowlands, Peninsula de Nicoya, Central Pacific Coast, Southern Costa Rica & Peninsula de OsaeBook Features: (Best viewed on tablet devices and smartphones)
Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience Seamlessly flip between pages Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash Embedded links to recommendations' websites Zoom-in maps and images Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencingThe Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet’s Costa Rica is our most comprehensive guide to the country, and is designed to immerse you in the culture and help you discover the best sights and get off the beaten track.
About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world’s number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we’ve printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You’ll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, video, 14 languages, nine international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more.
TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 winner in Favorite Travel Guide category
‘Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.’ – New York Times
‘Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.
1419 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 1997
About the author
Lonely Planet
4,794 books821 followersOUR STORY
A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies and Lonely Planet was born. One hundred million guidebooks later, Lonely Planet is the world’s leading travel guide publisher with content to almost every destination on the planet.
A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies and Lonely Planet was born. One hundred million guidebooks later, Lonely Planet is the world’s leading travel guide publisher with content to almost every destination on the planet.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
March 17, 2020
I used this during my travels in Costa Rica and while I appreciated it to get an overall idea of the places I wanted to visit + the history of the country I oftentimes didn't enjoy the recommended sites/restaurants/cities because they were overly touristic. I also missed free activities (like hikes or walks in the area), as most things listed in here cost 20$ and more. The fact that the included bus timetables oftentimes weren't accurate isn't really the book's fault (since they are frequently changed or official timetables exist only by word of mouth) but should still be mentioned. Despite all of this I was really glad to have it with me because it offers valuable basic informations to plan your travels and can be used as basis for further research on places/sites.
November 29, 2023
//read before and while on my trip to Costa Rica.
It was helpful to read it ahead about some places - it is a lot to try to have a feel about everything but helped to have it narrowed down to the areas I could go/ be sure I could get to in the amount of time I had.
And after that and almost there I had a good idea of what I could and wanted to visit - funny enough it matched one of their proposed itineraries and from there I just added stuff I read about or on the spot, I chose restaurants, paths, and what to eat.
I really like the guides, but indeed sometimes it might be overwhelming.
It was helpful to read it ahead about some places - it is a lot to try to have a feel about everything but helped to have it narrowed down to the areas I could go/ be sure I could get to in the amount of time I had.
And after that and almost there I had a good idea of what I could and wanted to visit - funny enough it matched one of their proposed itineraries and from there I just added stuff I read about or on the spot, I chose restaurants, paths, and what to eat.
I really like the guides, but indeed sometimes it might be overwhelming.
November 30, 2023
Great to get excited for spring break!
November 4, 2009
helpful, but really pretentious
March 18, 2021
Was a helpful book to have before I taught ESL in Costa Rica a few years ago. Told me all about the country, beautiful landscape, things about culture, important towns and the capitol, San Jose, about the vast biodiversity, and more. Def recommend!
April 20, 2023
A dated (2016) travel guide which gives some basic knowledge about Costa Rica, but was a disappointment overall. I’m definitely coming back to this place, but I’ll try a different guide book next time.
January 13, 2021
Read this book in advance of my trip to Costa Rica next month. This is not the typical Lonely Planet format I'm accustomed to (Discover Series), but it was easy to get through and to identify the places and sights I will be seeing while there. Wish they had the lodging section and the pull-out map that I am used to with LP.
December 8, 2023
I can’t read this like a book . Will refer to it the closer we get to traveling there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2020
Very handy. Full of detailed information that it would be hard to do without.
February 9, 2023
Less helpful than I had expected from Lonely Planet.
December 22, 2018
Lonely Planet Costa Rica by Ashley Harrell, Jade Bremmer and Brian Kluepfel is a wonderful guide. I started it before my own trip to Costa Rica, which took me to a few sections, but also our guide took us through towns in the Central Valley. I was in San Jose, but also the Monteverde Cloud Forest and Arenel regions, so I read that material carefully. Once I finished my other reading material on the trip, I did not have any other English books, so I read this book cover to cover. I did not read about every restaurant and hostel, but the details on the regions, their histories, and unique situations. This reading helped provide details on some of the information from the excellent tour guide. This adventure in 2018 was my third trip to Costa Rica, which is becoming more and more eco-friendly and listening to how the laws have shaped this culture was interesting. Costa Rica own history is part of the equation, as while there was exploitation, it was not on the level of other “colonies” and independent nations caught in global politics.
This tiny nation is very complex. It is agricultural: coffee, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, and others along with the more technological and medical innovations. Costa Rica had no standing army, a decision made in 1948, so there are more state resources to address social inequality. Kindergarten is mandatory and they want to make early childhood education beginning with four years olds. There are various ways to secure health insurance. Yet, there is still some poverty, not as much as our nation and now everyone can vote. There is a legacy of mistreatment of the people from Jamaica who came to work. Reading the guide book, helped me put into context so of the decisions the guide made, not just the cloud canopy and rainforest walk—must do events, but some of the towns, churches and squares. I also understand more about my two previous trips, one a tour and the other to visit friends in the region. I also have many ideas for future trips.
This tiny nation is very complex. It is agricultural: coffee, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, and others along with the more technological and medical innovations. Costa Rica had no standing army, a decision made in 1948, so there are more state resources to address social inequality. Kindergarten is mandatory and they want to make early childhood education beginning with four years olds. There are various ways to secure health insurance. Yet, there is still some poverty, not as much as our nation and now everyone can vote. There is a legacy of mistreatment of the people from Jamaica who came to work. Reading the guide book, helped me put into context so of the decisions the guide made, not just the cloud canopy and rainforest walk—must do events, but some of the towns, churches and squares. I also understand more about my two previous trips, one a tour and the other to visit friends in the region. I also have many ideas for future trips.
August 14, 2013
I don't usually review these types of things, but I thought this was worthwhile to mention. I actually wasn't that impressed with the quality of this guide compared to other LP books I've used for Europe. There wasn't a ton of guidance on how to get off the beaten guided tours trail and do some hiking and other adventuring on your own. I found Tripadvisor and most of all speaking to locals the most helpful while I was there, but without being able to speak Spanish I think I would have been frustrated. They just seem to assume that you're going to pay a tour company to take you around, which isn't really my style. They should have listed a lot more outdoorsy stuff for one of the premier outdoorsy destinations in the world.
On another note, I dropped this book in hot springs, waterfalls, and used it to kill several large bugs en route. I've returned library books with a few dings and scratches before, but I'm curious how this return process is going to go down.
On another note, I dropped this book in hot springs, waterfalls, and used it to kill several large bugs en route. I've returned library books with a few dings and scratches before, but I'm curious how this return process is going to go down.
January 30, 2015
I travelled around CR with a tour group, and every single person had a copy of this. I think it is safe to say that this is THE guidebook for the non-package tour traveller in Costa Rica. All the areas I went to were covered well in here, and most of their advice was on target. The places they pick as the most scenic and interesting turned out to be just that. The may have come up a little short with the restaurants - the best one I went to wasn't in the book, and some of the ones they thought were great I had a different opinion of - but this is forgivable because there are a lot of good eating spots in CR that serve the same kinds of dishes within the same price range. LP still makes the most complete and interesting guides for the traveller who enjoys exploring the world, and not just lying around on a beach (altho you can do some of that in Costa Rica if that is your pleasure).
January 8, 2018
Planning a trip to Costa Rica? This book from my local library provides the most comprehensive resources to actually plan my itinerary. It provided food, lodging and activities. Other guide books provided food and activities but not lodging (Lonely Planet’s Discover Costa Rica 2016) or they only provided insights to the publisher’s favorite, boutique spots and missed the spots we were likely to visit (“Spotlight Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula” by Christopher Baker and Moon Publishing).
We used this book two years in a row (and the updated version with a scarlet macaw on the cover in lieu of the sloth) to plan two separate trips to CR. It served as our go to resource, overshadowing all other guidebooks.
We used this book two years in a row (and the updated version with a scarlet macaw on the cover in lieu of the sloth) to plan two separate trips to CR. It served as our go to resource, overshadowing all other guidebooks.
July 16, 2010
This was the first time I have used one of these books. I had an older edition (2002) and my travel companion had the most recent edition. I found that it is quite helpful to have the most current information in this kind of book especially since the world is a changing place and the prices become obsolete pretty quickly. It was helpful for some background and cultural information as well as an overview of places to visit, but the lodging and eating information wasn't too helpful in the older book.
February 19, 2008
I read this guide book from cover to cover. At first, I was trying to learn more about the country where I was living, but then it just became an obession -- a need for entertainment. This book is wonderfully written, at times poignant, at others hilarious.
Informative, accurate, and a pleasure to read!
Informative, accurate, and a pleasure to read!
November 12, 2012
I didn't really get to finish it because I had to return it to the library but it was a good overview of Costa Rica for the budget traveler. I wish that I had more time to follow up on some of the suggestions in the book but I have not yet purchased my ticket so some of the stuff will come later. I would recommend it if you are thinking about traveling to Costa Rica.
January 13, 2020
Explore a land with a tropical climate teeming with bright flora and fauna, where monkeys scurry about and I can hike or zip-line above the clouds, where my U.S. dollar is accepted and goes farther than it does in the U.S., where my English is responded to and yet I can still try out my pathetic Spanish? Yes please.
February 11, 2023
Useful info and tips on places to visit; although I do tend to skip over any advice about accommodations.
Although I had scoured the internet, I hadn't come across a mention that SIM cards weren't available in the San Jose airport and also to be on the lookout for a car rental scam that involved the sudden onset of flat tires.
Print is not dead!
Although I had scoured the internet, I hadn't come across a mention that SIM cards weren't available in the San Jose airport and also to be on the lookout for a car rental scam that involved the sudden onset of flat tires.
Print is not dead!
October 23, 2008
Pretty good, some of the reviews are out of date but that's to be expected for a guidebook. We had about a 70% success rate which is good, culture/health/language sections are fantastic & it's a good source of ideas.
August 5, 2009
Not the best LP book. Compared to the one I used for Thailand in 2002, it really was lacking information. Costa Rica is a very popular destination for the LP travel set, so I guess I just expected more. I'll have to send some notes to them for the next edition!
April 9, 2012
Lonely Planet is my go-to guide book and had been for 20 years. I felt like I was reading the abridged version. It was more like a highlights of Costa Rica book. Maps were particularly hard to read in the e-reader format. I found Frommer's to be more helpful for this trip.
August 7, 2019
I’ve never read such an accessible travel guide. I enjoyed reading this so much while planning my trip and found it the perfect guide, with beautiful pictures, helpful advice and nice descriptions. I relied heavily on this and was glad I did.
February 16, 2021
Hoping to go to Costa Rica after the pandemic, I am reading up. So I did not read the details of this travel guide, but I did read the sections of history, geography, natural features and so on. I will keep track of the title so I could go back to it. And I think I need to brush up on kayaking.
January 9, 2008
Lived off this book; excellent guide!
January 29, 2010
best guide book that i found on costa rica, it provides a lot of helpful budget options (but also includes mid-range and luxury options), helpful tips, all around good guide...
Currently reading
February 20, 2008trying to schedule a trip, but i trust lonely planet =)
February 29, 2008
Haven't gone yet.. but hope to real soon.
March 16, 2008
Good organization and insights mixed with some full color photos. As usual, tedious detail at times with a young adventurer's perspective.
July 23, 2008
Like all Lonely Planet books, this one has great information and specifics to get you around the country. Thanks, LP!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews