Question: Who is the intended audience?
Answer: Explore Costa Rica is tailored for any visitor to the country who wants to learn about Costa Rica’s ecology, government, culture, restaurants, as well as where to stay and what to eat. Even people who are staying in package hotels will find the book most useful and informative.

Q: What is the book about?
A: Explore Costa Rica is designed expressly to help you better understand and appreciate the country. The book also tells you how to help avoid theft, how to get around and what to prepare for. So you’ll learn about the lifestyles of the monkeys you’ll be seeing, what to expect to find when dining at a Costa Rican restaurant, the environmental problems facing a park or reserve you’re visiting, and where to avoid the tourist traps and explore the real Costa Rica.

Q: Why are you the best person to write this book?
A: I’ve been writing travel guidebooks to Costa Rica more than 15 years, so I have a lot of contacts and a lot of familiarity with the country. I’ve also traveled extensively, both in Central America and elsewhere in the tropics, so I have a wide range of experiences with which to both evaluate and compare Costa Rica.

Q: How is this book different from other books on this topic?
A: Most of the guidebooks to Costa Rica are written for series titles owned by large corporations such as Pearson, Wiley, and Viacom, and you’ll often find them dry to read. Mine is more individual, has a good sense of humor and contains insights you will not find elsewhere. I have sidebars on some special topics (such as coral reefs, permaculture, rainforests, and environmental issues) that you will not find in other guides.

Q: Is there anything else we should know about this book?
A: The guide includes numerous color and black-and-white photos and illustrations, 36 maps, and thousands of fax numbers, web sites, and e-mail addresses. Explore Costa Rica is distributed in the US and Canada by SCB Distributors (www.scbdistributors.com). Gazelle distributes Manatee Press titles in Europe and the UK. If your bookstore does not have Explore Costa Rica, ask them to order a copy. Purchase it on the internet at http://www.EcoCostaRica.com where you will also find valuable information that will help you plan your trip.