'''Placencia Village''' [http://www.placenciavillageguide.com] is at the southern tip of the resort peninsula of Placencia in Belize.

Get in

Flying from Belize City with Tropic or Maya Island Air is easiest. You can also ride a school bus into Placencia from Belize City; 4-6 hours. The road from Southern Highway to the village is rough and dusty - alternately take the bus past Placencia road to Independence and Mango Creek in Stann Creek and then the Hokey Pokey water taxi across to Placencia.

Get around

Just wear comfortable shoes. There are taxis, but you shouldn't need them except perhaps to/from the airstrip, which is only 10 minutes from town. "The Sidewalk" is a concrete pedestrian-only path that runs most of the length of the village, ending at the seashore. It is interesting to walk up and down and there are many businesses of all types along the way.

See

Rent a kayak and snoop around the lagoon. Manatees, crocodiles, dolphins and birds.

Do

  • Chill out on the beach.
  • Take a sailing trip with '''Nextwave Sailing''', or one of the other sailing charters in town. Go fly fishing. Take an eco-tour and go snorkeling with D-tourz or Nite Wind.
  • For Scuba Diving or snorkeling check out '''Splash Dive''', near the end of the Sidewalk http://splashbelize.com.
  • Buy

    Buy from the locals. Maya women and girls typically line the sidewalk from the early morning hours.

    Eat

    The best seafood is at Lost In Paradise Beach Shop & Pirates Grill, located on the sidewalk in Placencia. Great baja fish tacos, ceviche, shrimp cocktails, nachos, burritos, tapas and philly cheese steak subs, vegetarian meals. Great affordable meals, small location, great food on the go. Breakfast, Coffee and Wifi available.

    Actually, you can find quite a bit of good food and a few places for great food. A few suggestions would be Barefoot Beach Bar for burgers, smoked fish, smoked chicken and cold beer. French Connection offers limited seating and astonishingly good food. Tratoria offers good italian, theres another italian place above Wallens Market, that's also quite nice. If you want to spend a lot of money you could visit one of the resorts, though it's not the best way to spend your money. De Tatch is the best place for local food. Seafood, chicken and daily specials reasonable.

    Drink

    Belikin Beer (they also make a decent stout), or One Barrel rum, both products of Belize.

    The local coconut rum is surprisingly good, and happy hour at the Barefoot Beach Bar (6-7pm) is the best place to be. They also have an excellent band on a Sunday evening, Inner Vibrations.

    The very good artesian water from the tap.

  • Boson's Chair Internet Cafe. aunromat. lacencia Sidewalk. outh end sidewalk near Ice House. 23-4063. AM to 6 PM. 6.32. 8.3. Drip Coffee, Latte, Mocha, Belikin or add a Coco rum to your Latte Sit and chill watching the boats or check your e-mail while you wait for your Laundry

    Sleep

    Accommodation ranges from huts with shared "bathroom" to cabanas on the beach to guest houses to resorts. The resorts are north of the airstrip in Seine Bight and Maya Beach, and not really part of the village.

  • '''Harry's Cozy Cabanas''',011-501-523-3155, [http://www.placencia.com/members/harrys.html].
  • '''Coconut Cottage''', 011-501-523-3234, [http://www.coconutcottage.net].
  • Stay safe

    You can drink the water; it's plumbed in from an artesian well on the mainland.

    Bring plenty of mosquito repellent.

    Avoid any "locals" selling drugs. Most are not from the village.

    Get out

  • '''Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Preserve'''. Its back on the mainland in Stann Creek and well worth the effort to get there. Try D-Tourz [Doyle Gardiner] for informative and organized "adventure of a lifetime".
  • '''Monkey River Town'''. Several outfits can hook you up with a boat trip south for manatee and howler monkey watching.