Placencia
is a village in the southern end of Stann Creek District in Belize. It dwells on
the tip of a peninsula around forty miles south from Dangriga. The Placencia
Peninsula is approximately sixteen miles long and houses three communities
namely Placencia Village, Maya Beach and Seine Bight. The name Placencia is
really a distortion of the name Punta Placentia given by the Spaniards to the
peninsula, which means Point Pleasant in English.
Placencia is a coastal fishing village with a steady temperature and climate, the people who live there are primarily creoles (descendants of African and European). Placencia is still mainly a fishing village, even though it is getting very appealing to people seeking adventure from an inland trip and others, looking to relax in the sun and enjoy the sea. Placencia Belize is a small piece of heaven for nature lovers, because it has many beautiful plants and flowers, birds and even butterflies. The beaches are normally referred to as the best on mainland and the roads in the village of Placencia are not paved, but simply a series of pathways for pedestrian traffic.
Transportation
It doesn't get any more easygoing in Belize than Placencia, which is saying quite a lot. To reach Placencia Belize there is the option of a plane, bus, or rental car from Belize City. All of these choices in transportation are very easy to get. Car Rental service is available when you reach there, however the village is small and going around on foot is normally a lot simpler.
You will be able to make it to Placencia Belize via air or road. Regardless of which way you select to travel by, driving gives a fascinating and beautiful view. Renting a car in Belize City will allow you to drive through the beautiful Hummingbird and Southern Highways. If you plan to drive, on this route the roads are paved and the road signs are clear and consistent. Once off the highways you will encounter rough, dusty, winding roads so it is best to drive a sturdy 4x4 drive only in the day.
Two local airlines, Maya Island Air and Tropic Air offer daily flights to Placencia from Belize City Municipal and the International Airport. Placenica is close to the airstrip so you will be able to use a cab to get to and from Placenica Belize Village.
There is also a Placencia daily shuttle service which goes from Belize Airport or Belize City to Placencia. The last alternative is to go by bus to Placencia this is the most adventurous way to reach your destination. Traveling by bus normally takes around five hours to reach Placencia Belize from Belize City or San Ignacio and is really an adventure to enjoy.
Placencia Belize now features Barefoot Rentals that normally offer transportation, Golf cart rentals, Car rentals and charter services.
Hotels
In Placencia Belize there is a mixture of small and mid-size hotels and resorts and other types of housing alternatives like holiday rentals, condominiums, villas, beach houses and cabanas.
The Placencia hotels will offer travelers several different accommodations; for individuals on a budget, hotels can be found in and around town. The Placencia beach located north of town is wider and more detached; this is the location of the more expensive hotels in Placencia Belize. The villas there are perfect for anyone wanting more space, and flexibility. Simple accommodations are available at in-town guesthouse. If you stay at one of the Placencia villas that are connected to any of the resorts, you will enjoy a comfortable stay and also make the best of the resort activities and tours.
Soulshine Resort is a little cozy resort in Placencia Belize. This resort is uniquely settled on a private island, across a small inlet to the ocean, from the tranquil village of Placencia.
Singing Sands Inn is neatly tucked inside an attractively landscaped tropical garden, supplying a relaxing environment and ambiance. The broad sandy beach provides both the sun and shade, with palm trees, hammocks and beach chairs available.
The Placencia Hotel provides a real escape where you will be able to unwind and experience the natural world. At the Placencia Hotel you can find some of the best outdoor activities in the region in a convenient location.
Attractions
Placencia Belize has a lot of attractions like the Monkey River, the Cockscomb Basin, and Maya Ruins. This place is famous for offshore Fishing, Diving or Snorkeling in Belize's Barrier Reef. Perhaps you will want to unwind in a hammock on the beautiful sandy beach. Placencia's irresistible location provides a few of Belize's best beaches and boats are available for sport fishing, swimming, diving and snorkeling.
Placencia Belize is a haven for real nature lovers, because Placencia has many plants, birds, iguanas, and flowers. You will be able to Kayak close to the Mangroves in the peaceful lagoon and maybel see the manatees. If you're fascinated with adventure, a visit to the cayes by kayak will be perfect.
Charter a boat and take a ride out on Monkey River there you'll see the renowned Howler Monkeys, and perhaps a Crocodile along way. You can also take a ride to the many different cayes located between Placencia and the Barrier Reef of Belize. Snorkel around the small reefs and dive in the clean barrier reef or just unwind on one of the beautiful white sandy beachs.
Only a fast ride by boat across the Placencia Lagoon or a two hour ride on the Southern Highway will carry you to the fascinating Maya Ruin sites of Nim Li Punit and Lubaantun. Formerly important cities to the ancient Mayans, these partly exposed sites provide the background for the marvelous stories of Xibalba and the Mayan Underworld.
About an hour’s drive from Placencia is Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary. This is the abode of the first Jaguar Reserve in the world, even though it is rare for you to see a jaguar there, you are certain they are watching you when you are exploring their domicile. The Cockscomb sanctuary is home to many different species of birds, plants and other wildlife. After a few hours of hiking on the trails filled with peccaries and many other animals, you can chill out under the invigorating waterfall and swim in the clear water before heading back to your Placencia Hotel.
Featured Tours
Coming soon!
Dining
As a developing tourist destination Placencia has an intriguing selection of small restaurant and shops. The luxurious restaurants are part of the larger resorts. Turtle Inn wraps you in its lovely atmosphere and lays out uniform Italian fare. Robert's Grove Inn provides quality and nightly special events keep things interesting. Laru Beya's restaurant is a good choice, a bit more casual. North of Maya Beach is the Placencia Hotel that serves both Italian and American food in dining areas by the pool, in the main restaurant and by the dock bar. These restaurants also provide formal dining settings. Additional famous Placencia restaurants are La Dolce Vita Italian, Purple Space Monkey and Habaneros Mexican Grill for some great food and outstanding entertainment.
So regardless, if it’s a beach restaurant like Cozy Corner located in the village or an upscale one like the Bistro in Maya Beach you're certain to experience and savor the wonderful Caribbean flavor.
Nightlife
There is no shortage of bars in Placencia. For your nightlife, you might be entertained with live music from some local bands, dance under the stars, sing karaoke, or just park yourself on a barstool and hear some local tales. Placencia is booming on Thursdays and Sundays with entertainment. Barefoot Grill and Bar has an active Saturday night, with live reggae music out on a big deck. The Tipsy Tuna Sports bar also has some lively evening entertainment during the busy time of year.
Shopping
Placencia Belize isn't actually renowned as a shopping town, however the more you get to know the village you'll find a few nice places to shop.
Gift Shops
The primary merchandise you'll discovery on the peninsula are crafts and souvenirs. Gift shops are located at just about all the hotels and cabanas in the region. There are boutiques that operate separately such as: Lost In Paradise Beach Shop, Robert’s Grove, Sunova Beach and Beach Bazaar. Beach Bazaar is likely to carry the widest selection of souvenirs.
Works of art can be discovered at Art ‘N’ Soul on the sidewalk or Lola’s Art Gallery in Seine Bight, which both caries the works of local artists. Jap’s Jewelry offers gifts made from precious stones and metals. Spectarte Gallery has a tidy collection of sculptures, crafts, furniture and Belizean paintings while Maya Carvers exhibit unusual wood and stone carvings.
People are normally walking on the beach and streets selling coin purses carvings, beaded bracelets fabrics and Mayan baskets. These sellers usually have a few crafts that were really built in their villages. Colorful hammocks and masks are on exhibit outside many tiny shops that sells these same items. In Placencia Belize, on the second weekend of February, the sidewalks normally come alive with the yearly Placencia Sidewalk Arts Festival, where local artists display their best works.
If groceries are what you need, there are many different choices available in Placencia Belize, like Tommy's Market and Veronica's. The new supermarket in Seine Bight is among the largest in the area, and small distance away is the produce shop operated David Perez.
Many resorts have gift shops that sell resort wear such as t-shirts, cover-ups and swimwear. Dive shops normally have a small amount of aquatic gear.
Featured Resort in Placencia Belize
Local Video's
Weather
The tropical weather in Placencia Belize is normally warm and humid. Placencia humidity is higher than most other regions of the country. The constant temperature during the year is normally 75-80°F (24-27°C), and the difference between the temperature in the day and nighttime isn’t much.
The seasons are characterized in regards to the amount of precipitation. The rainy time of the year is from May to November and from February to April or May is the dry season. There is occasionally a dry patch in July or August, when it hardly rains, this typically last for a couple of weeks. The total amount of rainfall for the year is around 400cm annually.
