Reference : Consumer Guides

I am the travel editor for a national travel magazine and have recently had the priviledge of using Patricia Katzmans excellent guide book to Panama. First, the cover is outstanding, one of the best I have seen. I loved all the pictures...they added so much. Second, the print is readable. Third, and most important, I found this guide to be extremely helpful to the average tourist planning a trip. The various areas and activities and the way to reach each destination were well researched. I consider many guide books to be useful only to those who know exactly where they are going (probably with a tour) and want to read about what they are going to see. Pat writes with a touch of humor and a sense of history that brough each area alive. I had the feeling she knew her subject well and I would be inclined to trust her judgement. Her chapter on the Darien, even included a few "reasons not to go" or at least, to not go alone. Great resource material. Mary Jo Plouf more...

Price: $15.00

We have the only all-color guide and the most extensive one to Peru. Larger than Spain, France and Germany combined, Peru offers astonishing variety in its landscape, from the endless desert coastline, to the cool mountain waters of Lake Titicaca, the glaciered pinnacles of the Andes or the rainforests filled with wildlife. The author shows how to explore them all, through guided tours or on your own, on brief excursions or week-long treks. Peru was home to the Inca empire 500 years ago, but this was just the last of a succession of pre-Columbian civilizations going back thousands of years. Inumerable ancient monuments remain from these early cultures. See many of them by trekking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu; observe the Nazca Lines, vast designs made by ancient peoples and best seen from the air. Cuzco, Lima, Lake Titicaca, the Amazon Basin are here to discover as well. The tallest mountains outside the Himalayas are here, as are the world's two deepest canyons. Hike the Cordillera Blanca - with 50 peaks exceeding 17,000 feet. Venture into the rainforests to see the birds and animals. We tell you how to do it all. Wildlife and plants are amazingly abundant, with 3,000-plus species of orchids, plus macaws, jaguars, parakeets, tapirs, alpacas, even South America's only species of bear. Offshore islands are home to penguins and sea lions. Cultural adventures include sampling what is perhaps South America's best cuisine, touring the highlands and meeting the Quechua-speaking Indians, joining in the ancient Andean festivals or the shamanic ceremonies and sampling hallucinogenic potions used since long before the Incas. The author shows you how to experience the country more intensely and directly than most travelers know how to do - seeing the place close-up, through walks, fishing, rafting, horseback excursions, culinary adventures, meeting the people. more...

Price: $15.00

Puerto Vallarta, on Mexico's Southern Pacific Coast, became a world attraction when John Huston filmed Night of the Iguana here. It was during the filming that Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor fell in love; they built adjoining houses and lived here for many years. 244 cruise ships visit each year, with 420,000 passengers. There are 40 beaches here and innumerable little coves where you can spend the entire day alone. Among the attractions are whale-watching, turtle-spotting, birding, snorkeling, canopy tours of the jungle, where you swing on a cable at treetop height. Puerto Vallarta has become an international music scene as well, with many prominent performers such as Jethro Tull spending time here. Guadalajara is nearby, as is Chapala Lake and Los Arcos Underwater National Park. In both regions, the choices of tropical, palm-lined lagoons and soft sandy beaches seem without end yet are easily accessible, thanks to Mexico's Highway 200 on the Pacific coast. Each beach resort town is different in character and the author explores them all. Like all Adventure Guides, this book shows you how to experience this coast intensely and directly - seeing it close-up through walks, watersports of all kinds, bike rides, horseback excursions, culinary adventures, language courses and interacting with the people. That discovery is the essence of adventure travel. The places to stay are all reviewed in depth, based on personal visits, from budget spots to lavish resorts, plus every restaurant and food stand worth mentioning is described. Our author has tried them all! more...

Price: $15.00

The definitive guide to Scotland, a land of rolling hills, craggy cliffs and fascinating history. Read about the legends, the clans, the castles and romantic hotels, the highland games and the whisky. The author is a long-time resident of Scotland and he takes us from Edinburgh to Glasgow, Loch Lomond, the Highlands and the Outer Isles. Fascinating details on the Loch Ness monster, Macbeth's castle, Mary Queen of Scots, the Viking legacy, Burns Night festival and the royal castles. more...

Price: $15.00

These islands are unique, each offering beautiful sandy beaches and a near-perfect climate. Half-French, half-Dutch, St. Martin has chic boutiques that sell the latest French fashions at duty-free prices. Superb hotels and restaurants entice you with excellent spas, mouth-watering cuisine and comfortable atmospheres. St. Barts has a peacefulness that draws visitors back year after year. With few buildings higher than one story, most hotels are intimate, offering a level of privacy that’s seldom found. Party animals should look to other islands. Standards are high on both islands - and that’s something that attracts thousands of US travelers who know they can rely on honest staff, excellent food, great service, and accommodations that often exceed their expectations. Maps, photos, index. more...

Price: $15.00