Sailfish sportfishing charter from Marina Pez Vela

Sailfish are what bring most anglers to Guatemala's Pacific coast, and Marina Pez Vela in Puerto San José is where the local fleet ties up (the same dock doubles as the cruise terminal).

Charters are full days on sportfishing boats of roughly 26 to 43 feet, with lodges sending boats out around 6:30 to 7 in the morning. Sailfish are the target, with marlin, dorado, yellowfin tuna and wahoo also in play, plus roosterfish. The season for sails is best from about November to April or May, when they are most plentiful and the sea is calmer; the rainy months from May to October bring choppier water. Day charters are expensive and priced per boat, so they make most sense split among a group, and you can book ahead or ask among the captains at the docks.