Placencia

Placencia

What more could you ask for in the way of a relaxing beach vacation than this lovely peninsula with 16 miles of soft, white sandy beaches, peaceful lagoons and the totally laid back feel of the nearby cayes? The Placencia Peninsula is a  beautiful starting point for some of the best eco adventures offered in this amazing country.

Activities & Attractions

Located on the southern tip of the peninsula and once a fishing village, Placencia is now a popular, although peaceful, Belize travel destination. Many of the former fishermen now earn their livelihoods by guiding sport fishing tours and diving tours. Trolling inside the barrier reef for barracuda is popular, and for the fishing diehard, trolling for bigger game fish like wahoo, tuna and dorado outside the Barrier Reef is great fun.

From the Placencia Peninsula, you can take a diving tour on the Belize Barrier Reef and explore the nearby cayes, or you can stay close to home base, diving and snorkeling on one of the smaller coral reefs. 

A favorite pastime of Belize is the art of relaxing. Rent an affordable, beachfront guesthouse with a private garden, relax in your hammock and then go for a swim in the warm, blue waters that lap the shoreline. Enjoy the abundance of flowers and plants and the many birds, butterflies and iguana in the area.

Sailboat sunset cruises are perfect for viewing sunset. The clear, calm waters and steady winds of Placencia are perfect for sailing.

Kayak tours through the maze of mangroves is a popular activity that may allow you to encounter a few of the gentle manatee that live here. The Monkey Boat Tour guides you through the mangrove lagoons before taking you to Monkey Boat Town and upriver where you may see a few crocodiles and where you will most certainly hear the loud cacophony of howler monkeys.

Travel Tips

Placencia is a one-road town that once made it into the" Guinness Book of World Records" for having the narrowest street in the world. The main "street" is actually a sidewalk once used by fishermen and their wheelbarrows of catches.
The true main road that takes you to gift shops, grocery stores and restaurants (local and international cuisine) is actually a back road.
 
The population of Placencia consists of friendly locals, including North American transplants. The dress code here, like the Belize cayes, is bare feet or sandals, shorts and T-shirts.

The climate is subtropical with annual average temperature of 80°F, so pack summery clothing, and for cooler nights, sailboat cruises and unexpected downpours bring a waterproof, lightweight jacket and hat. Due to bumpy and dusty roads on the Placencia Peninsula, it's recommended that those who normally wear contact lens bring glasses and extra contact lens lubricant.