DOWNTOWN
There’s a main road with a large supermarket, a few shops and restaurants. But my favorite place in the village is the Placencia sidewalk, which is a fairly narrow pedestrian path where you can walk freely through hotels, small shops, a few restaurants. This path leads to the meeting point for the boat trips but also to the large city beach. It’s very beautiful and colorful. I immediately fell in love with the place. The town is a little less touristy than Caye Caulker but it looked like it’s easier to meet locals. If you want to see a beautiful sunset, there’s the sunset point which is in a more touristic part of the peninsula but still one of the things to do in Placencia. You can sit on the pontoon to admire the beautiful colors of the sunset.
GARIFUNA VILLAGE
Not far from Placencia, one of the things to do in Placencia is to discover the Garifuna village in Seine Bight. It’s possible to go there by bus from the city center, it’s about fifteen minutes of transport.
Once there, you’re immersed in another environment. Houses on stilts not very well maintained, abandoned cars. There weren’t many people on the street. We were there one morning and the village was very quiet. We went to a local restaurant on the main road, called Vern’s Kitchen. Prices and menus aren’t shown, but we ate one of the best dishes in the country, the Hudut. A fish in a coconut-based sauce (but doesn’t taste that much coconut) with a scoop of plantain on the side. A real pleasure for only BZD 15*! Plan a short half-day to visit the village but no more.
Price of the round trip by bus: BZ$ 5*.
BOAT EXCURSION
As it’s a city next to the sea, another one of the best things to do in Placencia is a snorkeling excursion. And quite honestly for me it was one of the best I’ve done so far. And I’ll tell you why.
For our excursion, we did it in partnership with Ocean Motion Services. Meeting point at 9 a.m. to test the equipment before heading to the pontoon to board a small boat. We’re about 8 people with two guides. We leave towards islands. On the way, the guides fish a huge barracuda that they will serve us cooked on the barbecue for lunch. We pass in front of small islands, each ones magnificent, until we arrive at ours. Several lunch tables, a few palm trees, and barbecue facilities, all on a tiny island in the middle of nowhere. It’s just gorgeous! Frankly, having lunch in this idyllic setting is incredible. But before eating, we do an hour of snorkeling with the guide to see the corals and the different fish. It’s super beautiful! And after eating a good fresh fish, we head to a place for snorkeling. And there, I think it’s one of my best memories in snorkeling that I’ve been able to do since now. We see a huge turtle, nurse sharks, and 3 different types of rays! It’s amazing to swim next to all these marine animals! Afterwards, we go to another resort-style island to settle down for a bit. On this island, there are several cabins, a bar / restaurant, a swimming pool, the beach (obviously), and even a waterslide. It’s really good to be able to land on this type of island to see what it looks like, without necessarily having to pay a night to enjoy it. Then we come back to Placencia at around 3 p.m.
I really liked this excursion, it’s really one of my favorite in terms of snorkeling excursion. I recommend without hesitation. The landscape is amazing, everything we saw was great, and the guides were really good. One of the best things to do in Placencia.
Price of the excursion with guide, transport, lunch, equipment, drink (non-alcoholic): BZ$ 100*.
WHERE TO STAY IN PLACENCIA?
ANDA DI HOWS HOSTEL
Jew Fish Lane,
Placencia, Belize
Price: BZ$33* / person in a mixed dormitory of 10 people.
Click here to book a night.
A hostel a few meters from the beach, super pleasant. It’s very close from all the things to do in Placencia. The owner’s adorable and we had a great atmosphere in the dormitory. I recommend without hesitation. Besides, there’s a small kiosk that sells cheap takeaway specialties right next door.
THE PRACTICAL MAP OF PLACENCIA
HOW MANY DAYS TO VISIT PLACENCIA?
If you’re there for the purpose of just visiting the things to do in Placencia, 2 days are enough. On the other hand, there’s a really pleasant atmosphere here and if you’ve time, why not enjoy 2 extra days doing nothing by the beach or on one of the islands?
WHAT ARE THE BEST MONTHS TO GO TO PLACENCIA?
Temperatures are pleasant throughout the year in Placencia, with more or less warm months. But what you especially want to avoid is the rainy season. Recommended months are between December and April.
| JANUARY | It’s the start of the dry season. |
| FEBRUARY | Few rainy days with pleasant temperatures. |
| MARCH | Conditions are similar to the previous month. |
| APRIL | It’s the start of the rainy season. |
| MAY | Temperatures are increasing. |
| JUNE | Rainy days are becoming more and more frequent. |
| JULY | During the rainy season, temperatures are hot. |
| AUGUST | Same as July. |
| SEPTEMBER | In the heart of the rainy season. |
| OCTOBER | Several days of rain with warm temperatures. |
| NOVEMBER | Conditions are similar to October. |
| DECEMBER | It’s the end of the rainy season. |
WHAT BUDGET TO VISIT PLACENCIA?
The budget below corresponds to a budget when traveling backpacking:
- Accommodation: There’s not much cheap accommodation. The hostel dormitory option remains the most economical. Plan on around BZ$35*/night.
- Food: It’s more economical to cook. Plan on around $15BZ*/day.
- Transport: If you go to the Garifuna village, budget 5$BZ*
- Activities: If you go snorkeling, plan on spending around $100 BZ* minimum. There are several agencies, you can shop around and compare.
If you stay 2 days in Placencia, count around $230 BZ* without counting extras for some things to do in Placencia.
MY TRAVEL TIPS TO VISIT PLACENCIA
- Put down your suitcases and relax in this heavenly place
- Look to spend a few nights on an island
- Visit several agencies to compare prices and activities
*Prices are as November 2022.