Cuba Liveaboard Fly Fishing

Cayo Largo - Tarpon, Bonefish, Permit...

The Jardines JA1

Cayo Largo is a small island in the Caribbean that belongs to Cuba. The island is 16 miles long and 1.9 miles wide. The JA1, a 110-foot Liveaboard yacht, has a maximum of six skiffs in the entire area for the week. Cayo Largo is Cuba's most exclusive and innovative fishing destination. The Cayo Largo fishery is one of the world's best locations for finding big permit.

Fishing Cayo Largo

Cayo Largo is a premier saltwater flats fishery and a top destination for Grand Slams. A Caribbean Grand Slam is when an angler catches a bonefish, tarpon, and permit in one day. Since 2004, over 500 grand slams!
Cayo Largo has a rotational system of six zones. During the week, you'll fish each zone once. With the Liveaboard, you can stay further to the west in zones 5 and 6, where the tarpon fishing can be better. The run from the marina to zones 5 and 6 is quite far, so liveaboard anglers have the advantage of fishing in these zones longer than resort-based anglers.

The Fishing Program:

Cayo Largo Season: March 15 - July 12.
Boats: Dolphin 16-foot Super skiffs teamed with Yamaha 70-HP motors at all their flats fishing destinations. The guides can pole the skiffs on the shallowest bonefish flats. You'll fish two anglers per boat and guide.
Guides: The local guides are excellent anglers, skilled at finding all species. They were born and raised on these waters and know the ocean and the flats very well. The guides speak Spanish but also speak enough fishing English to get by.
Equipment: No gear or tackle is provided. A rod, reel, and fly line rental is available for $350.00 per person per week and requires 60 days’ notice before your trip. Our confirmation packet includes a detailed list of what to bring.
Fishing License: A fishing license is included in the package.
Marine Park Fee: The package does not include the Marine Park Conservation fee of $300 per person.

Jardines The JA1

The JA1 is a 110-foot liveaboard yacht that can accommodate up to 10 anglers (12 for hosted trips) and eight crew members. It has nine staterooms with private bathrooms. Two cabins have queen beds, and the rest have twin beds. Each cabin has air conditioning and heat controls, electricity plugs (110 and 220 volt), drawers for storage, and panoramic windows for views of the Caribbean.
The main deck has an air-conditioned lounge with a large-screen TV and DVD system for watching fishing videos from your day out on the flats. The lounge also has a digital and photo-editing computer for use during your stay. The shaded upper sun deck has cushioned chairs and a hot tub.
Meals: Delicious Cuban cuisine, grilled fresh seafood, vegetables, and desserts, served with international wines and local liquors.
Alcohol: The package includes the open bar, which includes beer, wine, rum, soft drinks, and water.
Communications: Wi-Fi is not available on the liveaboard. Before your trip, you’ll need to check with your cell service provider to see if your U.S. cell phone will work in Cuba. Satellite phones are NOT allowed in Cuba and will be confiscated at the airport upon arrival.

Getting to the Liveaboard:

Friday: (optional arrival day) You’ll fly to Havana, Cuba (HAV). You'll be greeted by a Cubatur representative. He will help line up a taxi for your transfer to your hotel. The outfitter recommends staying at the Central Park Hotel or the Melia Habana Hotel. The package does not include the taxi or hotel nights in Havana.
Saturday: If you fly to Havana on Saturday, your flight must arrive before noon. A private bus will pick your group up at noon at the airport or from the hotel for the three-hour drive to the Zapesca Port. After appetizers, you’ll settle into your cabin. At 4:00 p.m., the JA1 will travel two hours to Cayo Blanco. Dinner and overnight on the Liveaboard.

Sample Itinerary:

Friday: Optional: You may arrive in Havana, Cuba (HAV) a day early and stay overnight. This hotel night is not included in the package.
Saturday: The group for the week will take a private bus to Zapesca Port, where you'll board the Liveaboard. You'll settle in, enjoy a cold mojito and a nice dinner, and spend your first night on the JA1 liveaboard.
Sunday - Thursday:
7:00 a.m. - Wake-up call.
7:30 a.m. - Breakfast.
8:00 a.m. - You’ll head out to fish and have lunch on the skiff. You'll return in the afternoon based on your preference and conditions.
5:00 p.m. - Dusk is usually around 5:00 p.m.
You’ll return to the liveaboard and enjoy appetizers.
7:30 p.m. - Dinner is served.
Friday: 6:00 a.m., You’ll have an early morning wake-up. You’ll fish from 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. The Liveaboard will sail back to the anchoring spot in Cayo Blanco, where you’ll stay the night on board.
Saturday: 1.) At 6:00 a.m., you'll transfer to Zapesca Port.
2.) You’ll disembark at 9:00 a.m. and board the bus for the three-hour drive to Havana.
3.) Do not plan your departing flights before 4:00 p.m.

Entire Yacht and Half-Yacht Options:

Entire Yacht Includes:
Nine cabins for groups of 10 anglers with 5 skiffs and 5 guides.
If you book the whole yacht, the deal is 10 paying anglers + 2 free hosts with 6 skiffs and 6 guides.
Half-Yacht Includes:
Five cabins for groups of 5 anglers with 3 skiffs and 3 guides.
If you book the half yacht, the deal is 5 paying anglers + 1 free host, with 3 skiffs and 3 guides.

2025 USD Rates:

7-nights and 6-days guided fishing
Peak Season:
March 15 - July 12, 2025
Full Yacht rate: $114,400.00 per group
Half-Yacht rate: $57,200.00 per group

Request a Cayo Largo Liveaboard
Information Packet.

The Packages Include:

• Reception at the Havana Airport
• Group bus transfer from Havana to Zapesca Port
• 7-nights Liveaboard lodging
• All meals on the Liveaboard
• Open bar on the Liveaboard
• 6-days guided fishing
• A Cuban fishing license
• Four (4) drinks on the skiff each day (beer, water, or soft drinks)
• Daily laundry service.

The Packages Do Not Include:

• International airfare
• Taxi services
• Meals in Havana
• Hotel nights in Havana
• Optional fly outfit rental--a fly rod, reel, and lines $350 p.p.
• Gratuities for guides and staff
• Personal expenses
• Global Rescue
• Travel Insurance
• $300 Marine Conservation Fee p.p.
• Anything not mentioned under inclusions.
• Fishing with Larry adds a 2.5% convenience fee to all credit card transactions.

Cayo Largo JA1 Policies:

Required Waiver of Liability Form: Upon your arrival to Cayo Largo, you’ll be required to sign a Waiver of Liability form. (It’s a legal contract asking you not to hold their business responsible for accidents.)

Deposit Policy:

For trips confirmed with over 18 months of arrival date, a 5% deposit of the total amount due is requested.
- 18 months before arrival date, a 10% deposit of the total amount is due.
- 12 months before arrival date, 30% deposit of the total amount is due.
- 6 months before arrival date, 70% of the total amount has to be paid.
- Balance payment is due 3 months (90 days) prior to arrival.
6 months prior to your arrival date, you will have the chance to confirm only half yacht or to book half group (on land base accommodation), more anglers can always be added further on if space will remain available.
The Outfitter will be in charge to sell the unsold part of the yacht if necessary to help completing the group.

Cancellation Policy:

Deposits are refundable (minus a US $800.00 PER PERSON handling fee until 180 days prior to the start of your trip). Within 180 days of your trip, your deposit is non-refundable. No refunds are available for unused portions of packages. Full payment is due 90 days prior to arrival. In the lodge, credit card payments cannot be accepted for anything. All programs and execution of them remain subject to weather and other unforeseen circumstances. Claims for refunds will not be accepted.

Trip Cancellation Insurance: Trip cancellation insurance is highly recommended and "cancel for any reason" insurance is very important to consider in the case of unforeseen events preventing you from traveling. If you cancel within 180 days of your trip this will be your only possible form of reimbursement.
If you would like trip cancellation coverage for reasons not included in standard travel insurance policies, please inquire with your travel representative about the No Risk Policy** The refund policy is not applicable to rescheduled or rebooked trips. Therefore, once a trip has been rescheduled or rebooked it is ineligible for a monetary refund of any kind and claims for refunds will not be accepted.
Travel Insurance: Fishing with Larry strongly recommends purchasing trip insurance when traveling with to Cuba. We have worked with the outfitter for years and know from experience they almost never give a refund or credit for a future trip. We have had anglers miss their trip to Cuba due to flight problems because of weather or mechanical issues and the outfitter was unwilling to work with them. Save yourself some heartache and get Travel Insurance.
Click here for our Travel Insurance page.

*Cuban Laws are against any kind of drugs, and the use is absolutely forbidden in any place. Trying to enter the Cuban Country with drugs is considered a severe crime. The outfitter is against any kind of drugs.