The Best Costa Rica Books: Stories, Travel &amp; Wildlife

Set during the aftermath of Costa Rica’s 1948 civil war, this novel follows several members of a wealthy coffee-growing family as long-buried secrets and political tensions resurface.

The story explores class divides, corruption, and the hidden costs of Costa Rica’s peaceful reputation.

Author Bio:
John Manuel Arias is a Costa Rican-American writer whose work often explores identity, politics, and history in Central America. He has written for The Atlantic and The New York Times and is known for blending journalism with fiction.

2. Costa Rica: A Traveller’s Literary Companion — Barbara Ras

This anthology in the Traveller’s Literary Companion series gathers short stories, poems, and essays by Costa Rican writers and international authors inspired by the country.

The pieces range from intimate village scenes to reflections on rainforests, politics, and daily life. This is ideal for readers who want a cultural snapshot rather than a single narrative.

Author Bio:
Barbara Ras is an American poet, translator, and publisher born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, who has lived in Costa Rica, Colombia, California, and Texas.

3. Local Legends of Costa Rica: Exploring Costa Rica Through Folklore — Prateek Agrawal

This book collects traditional Costa Rican myths and legends, including stories of La Llorona, El Cadejos, and other supernatural figures.

These tales reveal how folklore reflects Costa Rica’s fears, values, and rural traditions, making it both entertaining and culturally insightful.

Author Bio:
Prateek Agrawal developed a lifelong love of mystery and adventure stories in his local library and now writes from his home in Central America, where he lives with his wife.

4. Finding La Negrita — Natasha Gordon-Chipembere

This novel follows a young woman searching for meaning and belonging while uncovering the spiritual and cultural significance of Costa Rica’s Black Madonna, La Negrita.

The story blends faith, travel, and personal transformation against the backdrop of Costa Rica’s landscapes.

Author Bio:
Born in New York to a Costa Rican mom and a Panamanian dad, Natasha Gordon-Chipembere is the founder and host of the Tengo Sed (“I am thirsty”) Annual Writing Retreats in Costa Rica.

5. Jurassic Park — Michael Crichton

Though best known for its dinosaurs, Jurassic Park is firmly rooted in Costa Rica, where scientists discover strange animal attacks linked to a secret genetic experiment.

The novel mixes science fiction with adventure, using Costa Rica’s rainforests and coastlines as a dramatic setting for chaos and survival.

Author Bio:
Michael Crichton was an American author, screenwriter, and physician best known for science-based thrillers. His works include The Andromeda Strain and Sphere, and many of his novels were adapted into blockbuster films.

6. Girl Off the Grid — Jillian Dodd

A fashion blogger and a wildlife photographer are sent on an eco-trip to Costa Rica for the same assignment—and instantly clash.

Forced to work together despite being total opposites, they struggle without glamour, gadgets, or social media. Along the way, they may discover love and themselves off the grid.

I included this book for anyone who wants a light-hearted beach read for their Costa Rican trip.

Author Bio:
Jillian Dodd is a USA Today bestselling mother-daughter writing duo who, from Florida and Scotland, create fun, binge-worthy YA romance across more than fifty beloved books including That Boy and The Keatyn Chronicles.

Non-Fiction: Books About Costa Rica

1. Happier Than a Billionaire: Quitting My Job, Moving to Costa Rica, and Living the Zero Hour Work Week — Nadine Hays Pisani

This memoir chronicles the author’s decision to leave her corporate job and move to Costa Rica for a simpler life. She shares stories of cultural adjustment, entrepreneurship, and redefining happiness.

It’s a popular Costa Rica book for expatriates and digital nomads, though has received criticism for its depiction of “primitive” Costa Rica, lack of awareness of privilege, and cliché rose-coloured notions of living a simple life in the developing world.

There are so many variations of this book (gringo moves to Costa Rica for a better life), I felt I had to include at least one in this list, at the very least to acknowledge how prolific this trope is.

Author Bio:
Nadine Hays Pisani is a former Wall Street professional turned writer and entrepreneur. She writes about alternative lifestyles, work–life balance, and intentional living.

2. The Adventurer’s Son — Roman Dial

After his son disappears while hiking in Costa Rica’s Corcovado National Park, Roman Dial travels there to retrace his final steps.

Part memoir, part travel narrative, the book reflects on wilderness, grief, and the pull of adventure.

Author Bio:
Roman Dial is an American biologist and mountaineer who has spent decades working in remote regions. His writing blends scientific observation with personal storytelling.

3. Bananas: How the United Fruit Company Shaped the World — Peter Chapman

In this book, Peter Chapman reveals how the United Fruit Company built a banana empire through marketing, CIA-backed coups, and exploited labour from Costa Rica to Washington, D.C.

The book exposes how this created a ruthless model of global capitalism that prioritised corporate power above all else.

Author Bio:
Peter Chapman is a London-based journalist and writer who works as an editor for the Financial Times and previously served as a BBC foreign correspondent in South America.

4. The Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer — Dan Buettner

Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula is one of the world’s “Blue Zones”, where people live unusually long lives.

This book examines diet, lifestyle, and social habits that contribute to longevity, offering practical lessons inspired by Costa Rican communities.

Author Bio:
Dan Buettner is a National Geographic Fellow and longevity researcher. He is best known for identifying the world’s Blue Zones and translating their habits into modern health advice.

5. Monkeys Are Made of Chocolate: Exotic and Unseen Costa Rica — Jack Ewing

If you’re looking for a Costa Rica wildlife book (but with a narrative twist), look no further than Monkeys Are Made of Chocolate, which comes highly recommended by wildlife enthusiasts.

In this book, Jack Ewing explores the intricate relationships between animals, plants, and people in Costa Rica’s rainforests through decades of first-hand observation.

Monkeys Are Made of Chocolate blends natural history with vivid storytelling to celebrate the wonder of life in a rich ecosystem.

Author Bio:
Jack Ewing moved to Costa Rica in 1970 and, inspired by the rainforest, became a leading environmentalist and naturalist who helped transform a former cattle ranch into Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge. A gifted storyteller and conservation leader, he shares decades of jungle life and ecological history through his books and public speaking.

6. The Birds of Costa Rica: A Field Guide — Richard Garrigues