Product Description

Dig into history along the Ruta Maya, zip through the rain forest canopy or spend the day searching out that perfect hammock spot by the beach. Adventures are born every day in Central America. And this comprehensive guide - with expanded Yucatan and Chiapas coverage - gives you the tools to avoid spending an arm and a leg on the journey of a lifetime.

Explore More - expanded do-it-yourself features help you create your own adventure beyond the 'Gringo Trail.'

Get Lost - detailed language and cultural coverage and more than 120 maps means you'll never get lost...unless you want to.

Immerse Yourself - volunteer as a game warden, study Spanish, or simply learn how to extend your stay.

Culture Club - candid local interviews reveal the true nature and spirit of the isthmus' No. 1 natural resource - its people.

ALL NEW
Highlights & Planning Sections
Cutomized Itineraries
Snapshot Coverage
Responsible Travel Tips
Cross-referenced Maps

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21670 in Books
• Published on: 2007-11-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 788 pages

Review
For sheer global reach and dogged research, attention must be paid to Lonely Planet…' --Los Angeles Times, February 2, 2003

From the Publisher
Who We Are
At Lonely Planet, we see our job as inspiring and enabling travelers to connect with the world for their own benefit and for the benefit of the world at large.

What We Do
* We offer travelers the world's richest travel advice, informed by the collective wisdom of over 350 Lonely Planet authors living in 37 countries and fluent in 70 languages.
* We are relentless in finding the special, the unique and the different for travellers wherever they are.
* When we update our guidebooks, we check every listing, in person, every time.
* We always offer the trusted filter for those who are curious, open minded and independent.
* We challenge our growing community of travelers; leading debate and discussion about travel and the world.
* We tell it like it is without fear or favor in service of the travelers; not clouded by any other motive.

What We Believe
We believe that travel leads to a deeper cultural understanding and compassion and therefore a better world.

Customer Reviews

The Bible
Everywhere we went on our month long blitz of Central America, we saw other travelers using this book. Anyone that wasn't looked on jealously. It was commonly referred to as "the Bible". The information on border crossings and buses could've been more extensive, but that's what other travelers were for. The recommendations on hostels were great, as were the highlights of things to do in each country. It's a heavy book, but a necessary item in your pack.

The backpacker's bible to Central America
I have used Lonely Planet's "Central America on a Shoestring" on a couple trips to Central America. Just like every other Lonely Planet Shoestring Guide, it's been amazing. There have been some bad reviews of the book, so I think I should clarify who this book would best appeal to. If you want to stay in three and four star hotels in the tourist parts of town, take guided tours of everything you see, eat at expensive touristy restaurants, and basically don't care whether you ever encounter the "real" Central America, this book is probably not for you. If you are a backpacker, want to stay in hostels with other backpackers, experience as many "adventures" as possible, find all the sights yourself, dive deep into local culture and history, eat at authentic restaurants that attract mostly locals, ride the chicken bus, and basically wouldn't consider your trip complete unless it's as authentic as possible, then this book is right up your alley. If you are planning on visiting just one or two countries, this book will be fine. Just be forewarned that it does cram all of Central America into one book, so some of the info on sights and attractions is very concise. This book generally sticks to times, costs, and locations, plus a very brief description of each sight, with certain exceptions (Tikal has 5 pages, don't worry). If you think you'll want more than that, you might consider the individual country guides. The maps and info have all been 100% accurate. The coverage of hostels, restaurants, sights, and treks cannot be beat. And it puts all of this into one compact, easy to carry book. Highly recommended.

served me well.
I just returned from Central America from a month long trip,during which I used this book exclusively. I've heard a lot of people knocking Lonely Planet's "on a shoestring" series but I found the book to be invaluable. The maps are excellent and provide a side legend that lists the area's Hostels bars and tourist spots. But aside from listing cheap places to stay "on a shoestring" is a fascinating read. information is provided on travel safety, current events for the Central American countries (and their national parks) and important travel schedules(for instance, when I was in Gracias, Honduras the book showed that I had to catch a 4.am mini van to begin my journey out of the country. It showed exactly where the pick up was. I would of been lost and clueless if I didn't have the book). I found the book to be greatly helpful and every place I stayed or went was exactly how the book described it. The only problems I had was not every town they listed had a map and some of the prices they listed in the book where a little different in actuality(Most of the time $5 more but prices could of changed since the book was published)So. This is an excellent choice for backpackers and should definitely be their choice of guidebook for your next trip.