Pacific Fins Resort & Marina

Founded on Guatemala's Pacific coast at Iztapa, Escuintla, Pacific Fins Resort was built around access to the Pocket, a deep offshore canyon roughly 30 nautical miles wide where sailfish gather in numbers that have made this stretch of water one of the busiest billfish grounds anywhere. The resort's own boats have logged daily releases in the hundreds over the years, and one crew once released 124 sailfish in a single day. It is a compact stay. Four villas and two suites sit around a pool and marina, each air conditioned, each with a sun deck facing the tropical grounds. Villas hold two bedrooms and two bathrooms across four queen beds; suites are smaller, built for two. A fleet of five sportfishing boats, from 32-foot Blackfins to a 40-foot Luhrs flybridge, runs out most mornings by seven, crewed by a captain and two mates who rig bait, tie flies, and serve ceviche made fresh in the galley. Guests can also fly out from a private airstrip, cutting the transfer from Guatemala City to about 20 minutes by plane instead of two hours by road. Meals are gourmet and all-inclusive, drinks included, laundry done daily. Beyond the water, the resort arranges trips to Antigua, Lake Atitlán, and the Mayan Golf Club for days off the boat.