Footprint Central America and Mexico 2004

Some years ago I solo travelled (backpacking) all through Central America from Panama to Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico). I tried Footprint guides for the first time and I was absolutely amazed. This guide is absolutely great. I do agree with other reviewers: the paper is very thin (how to place so much info in a handy guide), maps could more precise and in a huge guide there may be some mistakes (I assure you that, for instance, the guide was really concerned about safety in El Salvador, and that was totally right). BUT... it is concise, precise and realistic. I have enough of this kind of comments that you may have read in other guides: "the hostel is run by a Danish former sailor called Jürg and his wife Ingrid who will make you feel like at home. She cooks delicious crêpes and are very helpful and you will enjoy their anecdotes, etc, etc, etc". Thick paper, tons of photos and tons of rubbish like that: you get to the hostel, there is no Danish sailor, no crêpes, no anecdotes and lots of noise in front of a road. By contrast, Footprint says: noisy, avoid the rooms overlooking the bus station, not that clean, but cheap and very well located. Safe area. That is real, but other guides avoid such comments because they are too much diplomatic. When you have to read a guide while sitting in a yellow former American school bus in an extremely potholed road, you need that language: direct, precise, concise and avoiding those unreal idylic stories. I carried two guides: CentralAmerica in a "Horshoe" and Footprint. They cover several countries, so sometimes one may provide more information than the other on a certain field. But, no doubt, Footprint was much, much better and the best guide I have ever had. And, please, do not mislead people: IT IS ABSOLUTELY BUDGET TRAVELLER GOOD. Now, I will be going to Malaysia and, apparently, Footprint does not publish such "country/region guides", but only about cities, maybe thanks to comments like "this is not a budget traveller guide..." : oh, no, it covers a whole underdeveloped region, but it is intended for rich people going to stay a week in an expensive resort in the Mayan Riviera... Come on! I feel sorry about that, so as many other times I will have to buy the typical guide with nice photos, which is ok, although not that good since it is too politically correct and provides so much absolutely unuseful info. But, even if not up-to-date, I guess I will buy a used 2002 Footprint edition just to compare again...

I love Footprint! Since I began traveling I've used these books. Everyone has their opinion, but I trust only these. I'm moving to Mexico in a few months and this is the only guide I'm bringing with me. Very detailed, readable, with good maps and contact info.

It covers Mexico, Belieze, Honduras... basically all the contries in CENTRAL AMERICA and MEXICO. The massive bonus is it covers them all really well. It's the ultimate trip; I started in Costa Rica and dipped into every country along the trail to Mexico. All you need is one guide book to lead the way, and look no further than this one. Accurate, thoughtful, humorous, knowledgable... who needs to hire a Mexican guide for the day when you've got this baby in your pocket. if you wanna know the history or just somewhere to stay quick, or where you can get a good local bite then read on... Don't be fooled by the excess of snazzy photography in the Lonely Planet et al, this company have done their research and really well. Whatever you're desires from Central America and Mexico; whether it be a bull fight i Mexico and take away burritos, or dinner over looking the white sands of Roatan, you won't regret purchasing this for your travels. And rememeber... what's the point of just buying the guide book for Costa Rica? Even if that is your only intended destination, once you've sampled the fabulous food and vibrant lifestyle of this part of the world you'll be back to venture into the other countries soon enough... Pura Vida.

I drove to Panama with a friend of mine this last summer, using this book as a guide. It was accurate, useful, and led us to many places that we would never have found otherwise. I cannot speak highly enough of it. If I am traveling anywhere else in the future, I am buying a Footprint guide. The maps in the back proved accurate, too, succesfully getting us all the way to Panama. I looked at a Lonely Planet guide to Panama once I was there, and found that it was not nearly as accurate or useful. If you are traveling anywhere in Mexico or Central America, this footprint guide is all you need. Buy it.

This is the most complete and reliable guide for everyone - from budget/alternative to business travelers. The information given is useful and accurate, even for the most remote areas. I have spent a lot of time in Mexico, Central and South America over the past 25 years and the Footprint guidebooks have always turned out to b e far more useful than any others.