Insight Guide Costa Ricais a full-color, comprehensive travel guide to Central America's most popular destination, a country famous for its natural environment. Each chapter is illustrated by stunning travel photography that gives a vivid portrait of contemporary life in Costa Rica. Be inspired by our Best of Costa Ricasection highlighting unmissable sights and experiences and lavish Photo Featureson what makes Costa Rica unique: its indigenous plants and birds, volcanoes, extreme sports, and art and crafts. With a longer and more in-depth history and culturesection than its competitors, this travel guide provides an essential introduction to Costa Rica's history, from the early Amerindians through the arrival Columbus and colonialism, up to more peaceful modern times. The informative text, written by regional experts, is a pleasure to read. A detailed Placessection, with full-color maps, guides you around the regions which make up this small but varied country, from the bustling capital of San José to the exquisite beaches of its Pacific and Caribbean coastlines to the vast grasslands and volcanoes of the north. A comprehensive Travel Tipssection gives you all the travel advice you need to plan your trip. The selective listings for hotels, eco-lodges, and restaurants are the personal recommendations of a regional specialist.