There's just something about the formidable marlin that makes catching the fish feel like a true achievement. It doesn't matter if you're an experienced angler or on your first deep sea fishing trip, the marlin is always a worthy adversary as you wrestle it out of the water. There are some stunning places around the world that are famed for the quality and quantity of the marlin on offer. So where are some of the best places in the world to go marlin fishing? 

1. Havana, Cuba

The late, great Ernest Hemingway lived in and around the Cuban capital in the 1940s and 1950s, and was one of the participants in the very first Havana big game fishing competition. He won (for the first three years) and the competition was subsequently named after him. You can now participate in this wonderful contest (held each June) with Havana's stunning harbour full of boats making their way out into deeper waters, hoping to emulate Hemingway's success on the water by catching the biggest marlin of the competition.

2. Cairns, Australia

Luckily, one of the best spots for marlin fishing is right in the north of Australia, and the waters off Cairns are teeming with gigantic black marlin. You will need to charter a boat to catch one of these beauties, and they put up quite a fight, so this might not be a wise choice if you've never been marlin fishing before.

3. Kadavu Island, Fiji

The waters around Kadavu Island are rather tranquil due to the protective nature of the coral reef. Again, you will need to charter a boat to take you out to deeper waters in order to get your hook into a marlin. Black marlin are quite common in this part of the world too, but the prize in these waters is the Pacific blue marlin.

4. Canary Islands, Spain

Many visitors to the Canary Islands might visit to take advantage of the beaches and party lifestyle, but the oceans around these Spanish islands attract a fair few anglers too. There's a fairly heavy tourist trade, meaning that you're not going to struggle to find a charter boat, even away from the larger towns. You can expect to catch Atlantic blue marlin in the waters around the islands.

5. Bay of Islands, New Zealand

If international jet setting in pursuit of marlin is out of your budget, why not a quick hop across the Tasman? The Bay of Islands in New Zealand's North Island makes for a picturesque fishing experience and it's not necessary to go too far offshore. You will probably be quite lucky if your boat stays within sight of the town of Kerikeri (a good place to base yourself). The most common marlin in this part of the world is the striped marlin.

You'll never forget catching your first marlin, and the experience will be even more amazing if you happen to catch it in one of these magnificent spots.