Lonely Planet Central America on a Shoestring

I have just returned to Norway after a year backpacking around in Latin America (of course accompanied by the Lonely Planet books). I do not claim to be an expert, but I know what I look for in a travel guide! This edition of the LP Central America did not disappoint me. I used it, going from Panama to Guatemala by bus(!). It is up to date on the information, and as with all the other LP books it is easy to find your way around with it. It includes maps over the big cities, good information about the hotels, restaurants, places worth visiting, and time schedules for bus, train etc. You have to take into account that this is a guide that is meant to cover the whole Central America so naturally it is not as detailed as the guides for each country separate. It is good as an overall guide if you plan to go to more than one or two countries, as you would try to cut down on the baggage to carry around.As for the prices for hotels and food, the book is fairly accurate.. It is hard to keep up with all the changes, especially in the Latin American economy, where the inflation is "somewhat" higher than in the rest of the world. So, for prices - if you are on a backpacker-budget, do your own research, or at least be prepared for changes! (We usually multiplied the prices in the book with 1,5 and that gave us a good indicator of what to expect).You will find that if you are walking around with the LP book under your arm, many of the local people will approach you and ask you if you need help. Say yes - even if you don't need help! It is a great opportunity to get in contact with the local people! This book is a must on your travel!

If you wish to travel through Central America in a rush, this is the best book for you to take. As always, Lonely Planet is unbeatable. On this very region, it is only second to the other Lonely Planet guides on specific countries: Yucatán and Belize, Guatemala, etc. If you need to see it all in one go, and/or don't want to spend too much money or take too much weight, this is the book to take !

I am doing a PeaceBike trip around the world so I have read a fair share of travel guides. As I am biking I want a guide book that will prepare me for what's ahead and give me just enough tips to make the adventure fun and not a ¨wild hotel¨ chase. Lonely Planet's Central America on a Shoestring includes everything I need. It has got very detailed maps of almost every town I pass through. It has a section for every town as to where the good eats are and often reviews the vegitarian restaurants which for this vegi-biker is a real treat!I have found that other guidebook series give you just a few options as far as cheap places to stay but this guidebook gives you at least five places to stay in each town or city that are real bargains. I like to learn a bit about the country I am going to before I enter it. Central America on a Shoestring has a good little history section for each country as well as many of the sites. This way when you get to Tikal you have a map in hand to follow around the ruins. You have got a concise history of what the place is about plus if you want to stay a little longer that you thought this books adds enough Places To Stay options so that you never have to panic. One other thing I really like about this book (and this may only be of real help to other bikers)is that it often gives road and uphill, downhill information which is vital when you are planning how far you are going each day. Central America on a ShoeString and a few country maps and you are set!Their huge number of city maps, the mini Spanish language guide, the consistent and thorough sub sections all make this book a must. I might even say, the only. I used this book on my bike trip and I am writing this from Central America and I'm loving it. The book and the region!