The New Key to Costa Rica: Your Guide to the Land and Culture

The latest edition of The New Key to Costa Rica describes the ecolodges that have made Costa Rica famous, along with 500 pages of practical travel information, chapters on history and ecology, and over 20 maps. The new, 17th edition focuses on destinations owned and operated by grassroots community conservation groups.

The guidebook highlights the adventures you can have at these rustic country lodges: riding horses to a valley hidden in the mountains of the Karen Mogensen Reserve in the Nicoya Peninsula; watching sea turtles lay their eggs on the beach at Ostional Wildlife Refuge in Guanacaste; setting out across a hanging bridge to get close to a 175-foot waterfall at Los Campesinos Reserve near Quepos; and traveling down jungle rivers in a dugout canoe to Yorkin village in the Bribri Indigenous Territories on the Panama border, where women raise organic cacao. These destinations have the added advantage of being easier on the pocketbook than many other forms of ecotourism. Most community-based lodges cost $25 to $35 per person including three hearty meals.

Costa Rica is recognized as a leader in ecotourism, and The New Key to Costa Rica has been instrumental in fostering responsible tourism since its inception in 1978. Author Beatrice Blake has traveled there for over 30 years and knows the country well. Take advantage of her expertise to help you plan a vacation that will also benefit Costa Rica's rich biodiversity and its vital democracy.

Including 20 maps and features a full-color, fold-out map of Costa Rica.

Costa Rica's oldest guidebook remains the best, with information on ecotourism and local communities, cultural traditions and adventures. -- Martha Honey, Ph.D., Executive Director of The International Ecotourism Society (TIES)

The latest edition of The New Key to Costa Rica sets the standard for environmentally and socially responsible tourism guides. -- Andy Drumm, Director, Ecotourism Program, The Nature Conservancy

This guide places envirnomental conservation, biodiversity and responsible tourism in the spotlight with practical tips for the travler. Highly recommended. -- Ron Mader, host of planeta.com