Placencia used to be a quiet fishing village. Now it is a popular holiday destination along the coast of the Caribbean Sea. The Plasencia Peninsula is less than a kilometer wide, which is why it is often referred to as «the island to be traveled».
Placencia has more than 25 km of beaches. Here you are offered a lot of entertainment: hiking in mountain rainforests, kayaking, deep-sea fishing, diving, exploring the Mayan ruins, yachting.
Why do yachtsmen prefer Placencia
The main attraction of Belize is a huge reef about 180 miles long, and hundreds of small uninhabited islands are situated just next to it. Travellers come here from all over the world for a perfect diving experience. They hire charter boats in Placencia and go for adventures to the white beaches and underwater wonders.
The Gladden-Spit reserve on the Gladden Spit (40 km from the town of Placencia) is considered a convenient point for diving. In March-April, in the first week after the full moon, reef sharks are found here. During the spawning of small fish from April to July, whale sharks arrive. On a full moon, you can sign up for a night walk with predators.
The Placencia lagoons have preserved a rich fauna and flora. Dolphins, a native species of stingrays, sharks live among the mangrove forests. To view them, you can rent a canoe or kayak.
An arts festival is held annually in February. Belize's artists showcase their art on a sidewalk 4,071 feet (3/4 miles) long and 4 feet wide. This sidewalk is also the main street of Placencia. The Guinness Book of Records named the street the narrowest main street in the world.
The city regularly hosts the Lobster Festival (June) and the Art Festival (February).
You can sign up for a trip to the Mayan ruins of Nim Li Punit and Lubantum in the Toledo area, it will take all day. The same time can be spent on the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary with jungle and waterfalls.
If you are in Placencia between April and July, try to sign up for a night walk with whale sharks, they are only held at a full moon.
Visa: North and South America residents, almost all EU countries and several others can enter Belize without a visa. The rest can apply for it in person or by mail.
Anchorages in Placencia
- Dangerous shoal lies in the south of Little Harvest Caye, right in front of the lagoon entrance
- Placencia Bay is open on the SSE-S side. When winds blow from this direction, it becomes uncomfortable because of the high waves. In this case, everyone usually stands on the north side of the lagoon.
- There is always a place for yachts in the lagoon to drop the anchor including a couple of secluded places in case of storms. One of them, Lark Caye Range, is situated opposite to Placencia.