Placencia Travel Guide

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 Belize are Creoles – descendants of African slaves and European settlers. They were brought in for the logging industry about 100 years ago.

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.

To get from Belize City to Placencia, you must drive for about a three-hour 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 in one of the local airlines, providing an exciting flight of about 30 minutes that lets you see the Caribbean Sea, the rainforest and various shrimp and citrus farms.

Attractions and Activities

Discovering Placencia

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.

Activities

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
The main feature about the Jaguar Preserve is its trail network. It is the most extensive of any other National Park in Belize. Jaguars are often found in dense forests and swamps with good cover and simple access to water. The best time to spot one is at dusk or dawn. Wildlife happens to be more active during the rainy season from June to November while birding is better in December until March. The animals are livelier on cloudy, cool days and tourists usually go to Cockscomb Basin to hike, camp, kayak, canoe, tube, and swim.

Dangriga
Dangriga is the largest town of Stann Creek District. Also known as “The Culture Capital” do to its mix of people and cultures. It is perfect for travelers looking for adventure, you will have several activity options, from laying down on the beach to diving and snorkeling to hiking in the rainforest, kayak or tube.

Hopkins
The peaceful Hopkins Village is situated further south along the coast near the village of Sittie River, off the Southern highway and about 25 minutes south of Dangriga. The sleepy seaside retreat lures visitors with 12 miles of white beach, among the best in the country. Many day tours available from Dangriga also operate from Hopkins. Attractions such as Mayflower Bocawina National Park, and Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary await you less than an hour away.