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Title: Moon Guatemala (Moon Handbooks)
ISBN: 1598800574
Author:
Al Argueta
Publicate Date: 2007-09-28
Publish: 2007-09-28
List Price: $19.95
Average Customer Rating: 4.0
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $11.65
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $12.05
Amazon Merchant Price: $13.57
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| Customer Review: |
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1: A Disappointment.
Having just returned from a week in Guatemala, I bought this book because it packed a lot of information into its pages and seemed to cover all the bases, and then some. However, I found the information in the Moon guide to Guatemala surprisingly thin or just plain inaccurate with respect to what one really needs to know about a place. For example, Moon's advice on Antigua is unhelpful or outdated: the tourist office is located elsewhere; the restaurants deserve better descriptions; and the best shops are given short-shrift. Additionally, it doesn't deliver the good regarding practical information on excursions. For example, with respect to climbing the Pacaya volcano, it would have been nice to know all the ins-and-outs on entrance fees, recommended stuff to take to the top (don't forget those marshmallows!), and just how long the whole trips takes start to finish. I sometimes got the impression that the author was relying on second-hand accounts for his information on these places.
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2: Hands down the most insightful, thorough, and useful guide to Guatemala
The only problem I have with Argueta's Moon Guatemala is that it didn't come into print early enough. I loved my travels through Guatemala in fall of '06, but after picking up the Moon book I realized there is much more to Guatemala than what I experienced. Frankly, I find it unfortunate that I carried around several of the other leading guidebooks, yet missed out on a wealth of the country's offerings, especially beyond Antigua. The author's passion for the country shows through the insightful, thorough, and thoughtful detail, which just isn't found in any of the other books.
Moon Guatemala has me excited to go back and experience the entirety of the country's richness, which in some sense I feel that I was cheated out of. I suppose an added bonus will be that my backpack is going to be considerably lighter when the single Moon book replaces the three other publishers I had with me on my first trip...my back hurts less just thinking about it.
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3: poor guide for the non-tourist
I was excited to try a different guidebook brand after reading the reviews but this guidebook proved to be entirely worthless. It is only useful if you want to know where all of the bars & clubs in Guatemala are. If you want useful info (like how to travel outside of Antigua or where an ATM might be), it's useless.
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4: Not as good as I expected
After reading the other reviews, I was really excited to read this book in preparation for my trip to Guatemala. Instead, after reading this book, I feel less excited about the trip in general. There's a severe lack of interesting and engaging things to do and sense of the places in this book. I should have stuck with Frommers (who does the best travel books, IMHO)
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5: Excellent Guide Book, Worth Every Penny!
Having traveled to Guatemala a few times, I considered myself to have a decent grasp of the sights. But my perspective changed as I purchased this most recent edition of Moon Guatemala. The author writes from a true insider perspective, giving insight into not only tourist sights, but also spots that are mostly known to locals. Anyone wishing to find the best food and nicest places to stay will need to purchase this book. Internet searches just don't cut it, as the hotel descriptions are often advertisements instead of reviews written from an actual critic.
The maps in this edition are very helpful. They are drawn clearly and accurately, greatly easing travel from sight to sight. The guide also contains interesting tidbits and historical facts, which are entertaining to read and also help add significance to the various destinations.
Concerning layout, it is formatted much better than any other Guatemala guidebook I have seen. Divided by various cities, the book is simple to navigate through, and points can easily be found. I really can't say enough about the quality of this book, finally a Guidebook to Guatemala done right. A must have for anyone interested in, or traveling to Guatemala.
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