Fodor’s guide to Costa Rica cashes in on country’s current popularity
2theadvocate.com | Travel | Fodor’s guide to Costa Rica cashes in on country’s current popularity
Costa Rica’s popularity with the youthful (and not-so-young) eco-crowd continues to soar as a top environmental destination, with lots of collateral tourist attractions such as swimming, snorkeling, surfing, fishing, hiking, biking and observing the beautiful flora and fauna.
In addition to the pristine rain forests — its most celebrated natural asset — the tiny, politically stable Central American nation of 4 million also offers other geographical delights, including Atlantic and Pacific coastlines, cool mountain tops, hot beaches and fiery volcanoes, with their nearby hot springs to soothe aching muscles.
Before taking a trip, it’s always advisable to compare facts, figures and tips in the numerous travel guides that provide vital information on various aspects of the country.
Two such guides are Fodor’s Costa Rica 2006 and Costa Rica Pocket Adventures in the Hunter Travel Guide series by Bruce and June Conord.
At 309 pages, The Hunter publication is the smaller, less expensive of the two, designed for easy carrying, with blank pages at the back for note-taking. A neat feature are the little printed boxes throughout the book providing a quick rundown of hotel prices in a particular area. Each book is loaded with helpful information, but the pricier, and larger, Fodor’s publication (462 pages) has more detail about all sections of the country, a pull-out map of the country, many photographs and descriptions of the more inaccessible areas such as the remote Nicoya peninsula with its white beaches and funky tourist spots designed for the more adventurous traveler. One drawback to the Fodor’s guide is its use of pale red ink designed for emphasis in the text, which has the opposite effect, making it difficult to read. But both volumes are jammed full of interesting and helpful information.