What Country Have You Visited and Want to go Back to?

[SurfnFish]

Japan. Stunning vistas and rich subcultures.

Lived just outside of Nagasaki from age 4 to 6, single mother had taken a secretary job there with the US State dept associated with the post war city reclamation project. Sister and I spent the week days under the care of a mama-san who would take us daily to the sprawling outside markets for fresh food, once a week we went to the public baths to join a few hundred other bathers. Memories of cold winters in our thin wall house, tiny coal stoves for heat next to the shikibuton mats we slept on. Coming back to the states was a reverse cultural shock.

 

[ifsteve]

Caveat: I don't travel to foreign countries if there isn't fishing involved. That doesn't mean that I haven't done some regular tourist stuff (usually do) but the focus for going there in the first place was to fish.

Seychelles - Been twice and loved both trips tremendously. Different fishing both times but took a couple of days prior to fishing to do tourist stuff in Mahe. Way cool place. Pricey as hell but its a must do if you fly fish. Did a one day layover in Paris the first time. Saw the usually stuff. Wouldn't go back. DIrty, pricey, and unfriendly people.

Argentina - Been twice and had a terrific time. Fantastic food and culture and great people. Best trout fishing on the planet,

Panama - Did the most tourist type stuff on this trip. Tons to do. Fishing the Pacific was great but more conventional than fly.

Costa Rica - Been twice to chase sailfish. Wonderful country and people are great. High literacy rate!! Definitely a great place.

Bahamas - Gin clear water and lots of bonefish. What else do you need!

Mexico - had a very tough fishing trip our in the Pacific. Just not many fish around but I'd love to go try for striped marlin again. But not sure I would go visit Mexico.

Canada - Don't personally count there. Been many times and it s great place and some good fishing but not really "travel" per se.

 

[Smith]

Mongolia, Vietnam, and China.

 

[SilverFly]

Norway: Been once on a NATO exercise in the late 80's. Just north of Narvik, not too far from where my Grandfather was born in the Lofoten Islands. It's on our long range travel radar, and will be bringing fly rods.

Mexico: Baja twice, once with my wife to Los Barriles, and a group FF trip to La Paz in 2019. Back again this November to Mag Bay.

Germany: Had a week off at Rhein Mein AFB outside of Frankfurt before the NATO exercise in Norway. No fishing but great people and food. Might include as part of a N. Europe trip with Holland and Norway.

Belize: Took my wife there on our honeymoon in 2008. We've been wanting to go back but have other places ahead on the short list. She doesn't fish but loved the FF lodge we stayed at, and got to do some cool tourist stuff like visiting Mayan ruins.

Bahamas: Had a full family vacay there in 2016. Great trip, but stressful and expensive with the full crew. Icing on the cake was catching my PB bonefish (solid 5#) DIY on a public beach south of Nassau with the wife and kids doing beach stuff. Loved it, but not sure we'll be back due to other short list destinations and not much for her to do but read.

Costa Rica: Haven't been yet but it's at the top of the short list. My SIL's fiancé's family has a condo in Jaco and plans are in the works for next year. Fly rods and surf gear will be packed.

 

[goinoregon]

some country thoughts.
-Tahiti, easily the most beautiful place I've ever seen. Free nurseries are provided by the government, so house yards tend to be landscaping wonders. People are polite, not to be trifled with, powerful dudes with warrior blood. The outer island of Huahine a dreamscape. Next level waves that left me with scars. Triple taxed and beyond expensive.
-Germany, high energy folks, tough to do business with so single minded and self sure. Berlin after hours a whole other world, a bar crawl in East Berlin one late weekend night with a co uple of locals wildly entertaining. One trip my boss rented a tweaked BMW M5 and we ran the 350 miles on the Autoban from Berlin to Frankfurt to catch our states flight at warp speeds.
- Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, friendly and reserved, precise folks to do business with, love the Nordic countries terrain, and as to the women...oh my.
-Costa Rico, friendly folks, tens of thousands of ex-pats from the states, lotta petty crime in the tourist areas, Nosara and Mal Pias a good hang, SW coast my fave, the southern Matapalo area a gem for right hand points, beach casting and jungle life.
-Fiji, good hearted folks, kava for sleepy time, the offshore reef diving as good as the surf, chase boat following while drifting with the current for miles, lotta reef sharks, some spectacular lobster caves, endless fish. Nomotu a good hang as well as a couple of other outer islands under the radar.
Never made New Zealand, my one regret.

germany - i once had a taxi ride.... and i cant remember the city. good sized one. the gal had to get us on the bahn, and i was in the back seat looking at the speedometer.... holy crap ! she was moving.

 

[Chris Bellows]

Iceland
Norway
Canada - would be tough fishing the big river without crossing the border on the river. Also, Toronto has great concerts.

Been all over but I'm not interested in the tropical fishing and for the species I enjoy the US and Canada have all I could ever want in a lifetime. I wouldn't mind fishing in Iceland or Norway but I want to spend more time enjoying the scenery and hiking/trail running there.

 

[Matt B]

I haven’t been to all that many countries but I’d like to go back to all of them. Top of the list might be Costa Rica. We spent time in three different areas but for a small country there seems to be so so much more to see and do.

 

[Turkey4me]

Belize for the Jungle adventures, Beaches, Wadeable Saltwater Flats, Outislands. Fabulous people, Food, Guiness, Tarantulas, Monkeys, Mayan ruins, Caves, Tapirs, Jaguars, Crocodiles, Parrots, Scorpions, Bot flies, Conch, Lobster, Bonefish, Tarpon, Snook and one of the Biggest Permit I've ever stared Eye 2 Eye with.