Family fishing vacations/adventures packages

Guatemala, you ask? Yes, Guatemala! It so happens that Guatemala has the best sailfishing in the world! The record being 76 sailfish caught by four fishermen using conventional tackle and lures, on a deep sea sportfishing craft, in one day.

Destination Photo Galleries

Antigua

Tikal

Lake Attitlan

Guatemala City

The average catch is about 15 sailfish a day. These high catch rates happen because of two factors: the shape of the seafloor and ocean currents creating a favorable environment for fish that billfish feed on and because under Guatemalan law, all bill fishing is catch and release. There are other fish that if you catch you can keep like dorado and tuna, which the mates will clean and the chef at the Villas del Pacífico Resort will prepare to your utmost delight.

Guatemala is located in Central America, right next to Mexico's southern border. By airplane it's approximately 2 hours from Miami, 3 hours from Houston, 3.5 hours from Atlanta and 4.5 hours from Los Angeles. The country slogan is: "The Land of Eternal Spring". Currently Guatemala is on Mountain Time.

Your vacation starts after clearing Guatemalan customs. We will be waiting for you at the airport and drive you to Chulamar, a 1-1/2 hour trip over Guatemala's modern north/south main highway, where you will be checked into the Villas del Pacífico, a five star resort and convention center.

Each fishing day our boats, fully stocked, are ready to leave the dock as early as 7:00 am. After a full day of fishing, take advantage of the amenities available at the hotel for you to enjoy as part of your all inclusive package: a swim in the pool, relax in the hot tub, have a drink at the bar, etc.

After your final day of fishing, depending on the schedule of your flight, we will transport you back to a hotel in Guatemala City or to the colonial city of Antigua Guatemala.

Guatemala is a study in contrasts. Volcanoes that reach over 12,000 feet, beaches covered by black volcanic sand on both the Pacific and Atlantic Coasts, lakes inside volcanic craters, raging rivers, luscious rainforests teeming with exotic plants and animals, arid desert habitats, the largest forest in the Americas after the Amazon, mangrove covered coastlines, small sleepy towns on mountainsides, the most modern and densely populated city in Central America, native Americans that dress in clothing that has changed little in 500 years and follow their ancient customs passed down from generation to generation, descendants of European stock that make beer and produce the coffee bean, rainy season, dry season, one official language, 24 native American languages. Most of all Guatemala is a contrast of colors. Every possible shade of green is combined with reds, yellows, blues, purples…all colors of the rainbow are present either in plants, animals, landscapes, seascapes, sunrises, sunsets and in the colorful dresses worn by native Americans.

Your choices of activities in Guatemala are endless: deep sea sport fishing on the Pacific coast, white water rafting in Retalhuleu, rock climb or rappel, climb a volcano or see lava flows in Escuintla, swim with dolphins and manatees or see a banana plantation in Izabal, volunteer at a sea turtle preserve in Monterrico, watch a play or hear a symphony in Guatemala City, take a native American steam bath in the Central Highlands, eat a gourmet meal or try traditional Guatemalan cuisine anywhere in the country, stay at a five star hotel or a backpacker hostel, water ski or jet ski in lakes or rivers, ride a horse in the mountains of Sacatepéquez, take a cross country off road motorcycle tour, visit a World Heritage site: the colonial city of Antigua Guatemala or the archeological National Park Tikal, visit a jade mine in Zacapa or a coffee farm in Quetzaltenango, relax on a beach, savor a drink made with the best rum in the world, walk inside the third oldest university in America, learn how to dance salsa, visit a native American Market in Chichicastenango, hunt, bird watch…….have a great time. The staff of Greatsailfishing.com will gladly arrange any of these endeavors for your enjoyment.

Puerto (Port) Iztapa is a small town located on Guatemala's Pacific coast on the banks of the María Linda River. Iztapa means "River of Salt" and gets its name because rising Pacific tides mix with river waters creating a salty river. In Spanish Colonial times Puerto Iztapa became the Kingdom of Guatemala's first Pacific coastal port, used by the Conqueror of Guatemala, Pedro de Alvarado. In fact In fact Alvarado, who landed on the Atlantic coast, had his ships dismantled and carried overland, piece by piece, to Puerto Iztapa so he could travel on to Peru and conquer another Kingdom for Spain. Puerto de San José, built in 1853, became the main Pacific port and Puerto Iztapa changed in functions to harboring fishing boats. Today Guatemala's most important Pacific port is Puerto Quetzal while both Puerto Iztapa and Puerto de San José are laid back fishing villages, the difference of these villages being: all sport fishing boats and most commercial fishing ships are berthed in Puerto Iztapa while Guatemalans swim and play on the beaches of Puerto de San José. There are several small, affordable hotels, and restaurants in Puerto Iztapa. An individual or group can: bathe in the ocean or river, go costal or deep sea fishing, hire a boat to sight see and bird watch on the river, hunt, or have a meal and a beverage on one of the restaurants by the river. Remember, Greatsailfishing.com will gladly arrange any of these endeavors for your enjoyment.

Forests and jungles are everywhere; colors abound in flowers, butterflies and birds. The costal lowlands have tropical temperatures; the plateaus and highlands maintain a perpetual spring with temperatures changes from hot to cold; the mountain regions are cool, and on winter mornings peaks are covered with ice. Above all shines an electric blue sky.

The Great Sailfishing Company
La Antigua Guatemala