Cuba

There's one reason to visit Cuba... Cuba.  That sounds funny but this giant Caribbean island remains one of the best cultural experiences going.  Havana, though more crowded now, is absolutely stunning. The people are incredibly colorful, well educated and just flat out friendly.  Now we've only been once but we've booked a lot of folks through there and our perspective runs counter to the industry hype--that Cuba's fishery is world class.  It's selling point is that it's got all of the flat's species in one venue, but, and this is our experience and that from first hand reports from clients booked; it's bonefishing pales in comparison to the Bahamas;  it's permit fishing is a fraction of Belize; and more tarpon swim past Florida in a day than exist in all of Cuba.  Add to that, a lot of boats and fishing traffic per flat(if you don't end up on a reef edge ping ponging one school of baby tarpon back and forth between Cuban guides yelling here they come, we'll eat our hats), terrible service and outfitting(the guides are exceptional and hard working) and you've got our read on Cuba.

But do we recommend going?  Absolutely, but go with eyes wide open and spend lots of time not fishing.  With regard to the travel of things, expect a full 12 hour travel day to get where you're going, both ways not including your days of travel to Havana.  Why should you go?  Cuba.  Go for the island, Havana, the reefs, the culture and the people, but DO NOT go expecting to find an unexplored, easy to get to fishery with unpressured fish.  Need references on the fishing front, we've got as many as you need until you're convinced this is an honest read of Cuba's fishery.