Costa Rica

Moon Handbooks

by Christopher P. Baker

Christopher P. Baker's award-winning handbook equips independent-minded travelers with the information they need to discover the breathtaking coasts and countryside of Costa Rica on their own. It's packed with cultural, historical, and political insight, activities -- from mountain biking to volcano trekking -- and details on restaurants, car rentals, boat charters, rain forest cabins, and beach resorts. "The most comprehensive, informative, well-organized, information-packed guidebook on the market." -- South American Explorers Club

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Reference

800 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1994

About the author

Christopher Paul Baker (born in Yorkshire, England, on 15 June 1955) is a travel writer and photographer currently specializing in the Caribbean and Central America. He is a contributor to magazines and other publications worldwide, and is the author of travel guidebooks (for publishers such as Lonely Planet and Moon Publications) and a literary travelog.

Baker was educated at Rastrick Grammar School, in Brighouse, Yorkshire. In 1976 he received a BA (Honours) in Geography from University College London, during which time he participated in a university exchange program at Krakow, Poland; and in two Sahara research expeditions. The following year he attended the graduate Centre for Latin American Studies, at the University of Liverpool, where he received a Masters. He returned to the University of London, received a teaching diploma from the Institute of Education in 1978, and spent brief periods teaching at schools in London between periods of travel in Europe and North America. His first travel article appeared in the Brighouse Echo as dispatches from the United States.

The Lowell Thomas Award 2008 ‘Travel Journalist of the Year,' Christopher P. Baker is one of the world's foremost authorities on Costa Rica and Cuba. He has authored and photographed guidebooks to Costa Rica, Cuba, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Panama in the National Geographic Traveler series, as well as five other guidebooks on Costa Rica and Panama, plus the Costa Rica Pura Vida! travel app. He is also the author of the award-winning Mi Moto Fidel: Motorcycling Through Castro's Cuba, published by National Geographic Adventure Press. His more than 20 other books include the coffee-table book Cuba Classics: A Celebration of Vintage American Automobiles. He has also written and photographed for more than 200 publications, from National Geographic Traveler to Newsweek, and has given talks about Cuba at National Geographic headquarters, the National Press Club, and the World Affairs Council, among other prestigious organizations. Christopher has been profiled in USA Today and featured on the National Geographic Channel, NPR, and dozens of other radio and TV outlets.

Reviews

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wrote this when I first bought it: "I'm reading it for Peace Corps, but so far it seems Costa Rica has little to offer except toucans, monkeys, a lot of pretty trees, and decades of uninterrupted democracy. Boring."

"Written by the guy who wrote the Moon Cuba book and that was really great, so the book has a good pedigree at least."

Well, two years later and yeah...what I wrote above was sort of true. But obviously not entirely. It is just that to see "real" Costa Rica is pretty impossible as a tourist since what is easy to get to (beaches, nature) is not really that unique or interesting, to me.

But the book was kind of useful for reading up on places and regions, not so much for actual travel information. I thought I saw the author at a fair in my town but I did not approach him, though I now wish that I had.

Also, I thought his Cuba book was a much more candid "warts and all" review of a country.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the major differences in this guidebook is that on the maps inside, not only are all the spots identified, but they're identified in English. Plus, you don't have to look at one map for hotels, a second map for places to eat, and a third map for anything else (hospitals, museums, etc.), though separate maps are available also.

[CJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

while the dk book gave a nice overview of the regions, this guide gives a lot more detail, including for smaller towns barely mentioned in other books. the practical info re: getting around in the country seems very helpful.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was very useful for our trip this past year

[Jordan Funke · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is an awesome series of travel guides. let's hope it serves me well on my trip to costa rica in two days.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the format and info in these Moon guidebooks!

[Joann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of info packed in here. Still, at a hand sized 850 pages it's a tote. It was arguably the best book I took and I took too many.