Placencia

The Placencia Peninsula is a destination with white, sandy beaches, clear blue waters and many cooling palms. There are plenty of attractions and it is a good base for all sorts of activities. Placencia is a small mainland costal-fishing village on the tip of the peninsula in the South of the Stann Creek District. The people of Placencia are Creoles – decendants of African slaves and European settlers. They were brought in for the logging industry about 100 years ago.

Close to several other, smaller Cayes, Placencia is the ideal place for diving, snorkeling, sea kayaking and deep sea or reef fishing. The mangrove habitat of Placencia Lagoon is among the most important ecosystems in Belize. The marine life around the peninsula is equally interesting. Coral gardens abound, together with several colorful fish and a carpet of sea grass making it ideal for diving and snorkeling. Also worth mentioning is the Cockscomb Basin, recognized as the only Jaguar Reserve in the world. Among the Jaguar, there is also a wide number of other cats, such as pumas, margay and ocelots.

Placencia has plenty of resorts and lodges, all with their own character. Almost all of them are situated on the long beach leading up to Placencia Village. Strolling along the beach, you will also encounter bars and restaurants that are lined up along the shore. A small shuttle service is also available to help you getting around the Peninsula. Most resorts can easily arrange dive and snorkel trips to the reef, which is about 17 miles away. They can also arrange day trips to many small, idyllic cayes, such as Laughing Bird Caye, a mini-atoll that offers protected snorkeling and swimming.

Placencia is about a three-hour drive from Belize City via the Coastal Road to the Hummingbird Highway to the Southern Highway. Along the road you will get to enjoy the wonderful scenery. You can also choose to fly with Tropic Air or Mayan Airways, both providing an exciting flight of about 30 minutes that lets you see the Caribbean sea, the rainforest and various shrimp and citrus farms. There are also several buses a day to Placencia from Belize City.