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In this article, we’ll cover all the best things to do in Placencia, Belize. We’ll cover the best activities to do, where to stay, where to eat and everything you need to know to have a great time in this coastal town.

If you’re thinking of adding Placencia to your Belize itinerary, you’re in for a treat. Placencia may be a small town, but it packs a big punch. Much like Belize does.

In fact, if you’re looking to cross some bucket list items off your checklist, there are plenty of amazing things to do in Placencia. From beautiful beaches, scuba diving, remote islands and more, there’s something for everyone here! From families to couples to solo travelers, you’ll find some really fun things to do in Placencia.

This article may contain affiliate/compensated links. For more information, please see our disclaimer here. We take all the efforts necessary to ensure the information included in this post is accurate, correct and current, sometimes, things just change! Travel information like opening hours, business operations and prices may change. If you find anything in this post that is incorrect or outdated, please let me know in the comments so I can update it for other readers. Cheers!

About Placencia, Belize

Placencia is a small coastal town, home to less than 2,000 people, in the Stann Creek district of Belize. It’s located on a narrow and sandy peninsula that stretches for about 25 km along the Caribbean coast. This ensures that it has some of the nicest, sandiest beaches we’ve seen in Belize. It’s no surprise it made it on our list of the most beautiful places to visit in Belize.

Placencia is broken down into different towns: the main town, Maya Beach, and Seines Bight. The town is also home to many indigenous communities like the Garifuna, Creole, and Mayan. It’s truly a melting pot of cultures in Belize. It’s also home to many American retirees who have immigrated here.

Placencia is known for its stunning beaches, crystal-clear waters, its regenerated coral reef. It’s a popular spot for beachgoers, scuba divers and fisherman because of all the amazing waters that surround it. Here’s you’ll find tons of shops, restaurants and bars.

It’s also a great place to set up camp if you’re looking to go around and explore more of the lush rainforest in Belize.

Top 10 things to do in Placencia + 8 different day trips

Placencia is an amazing place to spend a few days. It has so many fun things to do. From adventure to chilling, things to do in the nearby cayes or the lush rainforest that is close to it. There is so much to discover and do in this small town.

If you can spend a few days here during your vacation, we highly recommend adding Placencia to your Belize itinerary.

Here are all the best things you can do here.

1. Visit the beautiful beaches of Placencia

Located on a sandy peninsula, Placencia is home to some of the best beaches we’ve seen in Belize. When you think of soft sand beaches, palm trees and tropical waters, Placencia is where you’ll find them. In fact, we were quite disappointed with the beaches in Caye Caulker and even San Pedro, so Placencia was a welcome beachy surprise!

Since you’re on a peninsula, the beach stretches out all the way down to its tip. Although most resorts have set up shop on the east side of the peninsula, we found the best beach was on the tip, near the pier. If you’re looking for calm waters, this is where to hang out. Plus, you’ll be next to some of the best restaurants in Placencia.

The east side beach of Placencia is also beautiful, but it gets really windy. That’s the main reason we recommend going to the tip. With crazy winds come big waves, and if you have small children or inexperienced swimmers, we recommend avoiding this spot.

2. Scuba dive the coral reef, an amazing activity in Placencia

As avid scuba diver’s, we were really excited to check out the waters around Placencia. We had heard such great things about it, especially since Fragments of Hope, a local NGO, had started regenerating the nearby coral reefs on Silk Caye and Laughing Bird Caye.

Luckily, we came upon Splash Dive Center, one of the best scuba dive shops in Belize. We took a day trip with them and headed out to Laughing Bird Caye. It’s one of the premier spots to go scuba diving and snorkeling.

We didn’t get very lucky with the weather while we were in Placencia. We were plagued with strong winds and heavy storms. In fact, our dive trip was postponed 3 times because of it. When we dove at Laughing bird Caye, the visibility was not great either, due to the weather. But we still managed to see quite a few fun fish!

If you want to scuba dive while in Placencia, we recommend heading to Silk Caye instead of Laughing Bird. We found out later that Silk Caye has much better scuba diving. Regardless, we recommend going with Splash – their staff was friendly and professional. And even if the visibility wasn’t great, they still ensured we had a great time and saw the best of what was available.

If you’re looking to scuba dive with whale sharks in Placencia, the best time to go is during full moons in April, May and June. Splash Dive Center organizes these tours as well. Make sure you check with them for dates and best times to go.

3. Walk on the World’s narrowest main street, a quirky thing to do in Placencia

We learned about this quirky fact days after walking on this strip! Who would have thought that Placcencia would be a Guinness World Record holder for the narrowest main street in the world!?

Also known as the Placencia Sidewalk, this main street is located right next to the beach. It measures 4,071 feet long and it’s 4 feet wide. It’s one of the busiest streets in Placencia as pedestrians walk up and down it.

It’s also home to many shops, galleries, restaurants and more. Artists and craftsmen will often line the street and sell their goods there.

Instead of walking on the road, this is a great way to get from one end of the town to the next. And if you’re looking to be a part of history, and also just do a quirky thing in Placencia, don’t miss this!

4. Snorkel on Laughing Bird Caye, an amazing day trip from Placencia

As we mentioned, Placencia is home to some amazing nearby cayes. They are fairly quick and easy to access and they are perfect if you’re looking to do a short day trip.

Silk Caye is great for scuba diving, but Laughing Bird Caye is where you want to go if you want to snorkel. it’s calm clear waters, shallow reefs and plenty of marine life.

Once again, Splash Dive Center is who we recommend you go with if you want to take this snorkel trip, Their trips include transport, a guide and a delicious lunch on Laughing Bird Caye. Plus, if you love beaches, the one on Laughing Bird Caye is one of the nicest beaches in Central America.

Laughing Bird Caye is a 45-minute boat ride from Placencia. You’ll leave around 9 am and return around 3 pm. It’s a great place to snorkel.

5. Swing on the beach of Placencia

Have we mentioned how chill the vibes in Placencia are? It’s no surprise then that you’ll find a cool little resto-bar where you can enjoy your drinks while hanging on a swing with your feet dangling in the sand.

The Shak is one of our favorite restaurants in Placencia. Is it because of the amazing food or the chill swings?! Maybe a bit of both actually!

The staff here is super sweet, and the food is some of the best we’ve had in Belize – as Carine is vegan, finding delicious and varied plant-based food in Belize was not easy. Luckily, we came upon The Shak and fell in love.

You can eat your meal on the swings or on the picnic tables they have in the sand. They also have proper restaurant seating, but we enjoyed the ‘feet-in-the-sand’ options more!

6. Kayak or paddleboard on the waters, a fun thing to do in Placencia

The waters around Placencia are some of the most beautiful in Belize. If you have a chance, we highly recommend you rent a paddleboard or a kayak and explore the reefs.

There are many accommodations that will offer kayaks and paddleboards for rent. You can also go on a tour to explore the reef. Luckily, we were staying with Naia Resort and Spa, and the rental of these was included in our stay.

As we mentioned, the east reef of Placencia does tend to get quite windy, If you’re not experienced, this can pose quite a challenge. We recommend going when the wind is calmer, early in the morning or around sunset.

7. Shop the different art galleries and craft stores around Placencia

Placencia is home to so many art galleries, craft stores and other little boutiques. If you’re looking for something handmade, a beautiful piece of art or a unique souvenir you want to bring home to loved ones (or for yourself), you’re in luck!

Placencia has such a great offering in terms of arts and crafts. It’s a great way to encourage local artists and take a piece of this beautiful town (and country) home with you.

As always, you can try to negotiate prices a little, but be fair. A lot of work goes into these pieces. And remember that saving a few dollars on a piece might be fun for you, but it makes a huge difference in the local artist’s life.

8. Explore the towns close to Placencia

While you’re in Placencia town, we encourage you to visit some of the nearby towns. There are a few that are great to immerse yourself more in local life.

The east side of the Placencia peninsula is home to the beach, but on the north side, you have the lagoon. At the Placencia Lagoon, you can find a great variety of wildlife like manatees, dolphins, and exotic birds. If you don’t want to take a kayak or canoe on the beach the lagoon’s calm waters will be a great place to explore the waters.

Maya Beach is another laid-back community to explore. It’s located about 5 miles north of Placencia Village. It has some great restaurants and beachfront accommodations. And as you can guess by its name, it’s all about beach vibes here!

Finally, there’s Seine Bight village. This is a traditional Garifuna village. You can see the colorful homes, try delicious Garifuna food and listen to live music pouring out from different homes and businesses.

9. Test out the best vegan ice creams in Placencia

Ok, we don’t usually put food as a top thing to do, but since ice cream in Placencia became our daily tradition, we had to include this. Every day, we would go and try a new flavor of nice cream or gelato in our 2 favorite places in Placencia.

The first is an authentic Italian gelateria located on the main road. It’s called Tutti Frutti. They have different flavors almost every day, but they also always carry the classics. We were lucky that they had 3 different vegan options each time and we had a blast trying them all.

The second place is located on the narrowest street in the world. It’s called Bomboyaz. All their ice creams are vegan and they’re also quite good. Their most famous one is the Bailey’s ice cream.

We had a clear favorite, but we won’t influence you. Try them both out and see which one you prefer!

10. Take in the local festivities, an amazing local thing to do in Placencia

Although Placencia is a small town, it does get quite festive a few days out of the year. We were lucky enough to experience this while we stayed in Placencia.

Here are some of the best festivals you can experience in Placencia:

• Placencia Sidewalk Art Festival – Every year in Mid-Februrary, the Placencia Sidewalk Art Festival takes place. The main part of town turns into a big concert and art festival. Artists, artisans and craftsmen from all over take over the streets. Walking around, you can look at beautiful pieces of art, crafts, jewelry, handmade goods and even food. For 3 days (Friday to Sunday), the whole town can be seen here. There are also many concerts taking place. It’s really a fun event to experience in Placencia.
• Lobsterfest in Placencia – In mid-July, at the opening of lobster season, Placencia (as well as Caye Caulker and San Pedro) hosts its lobster fest. Chefs from all over the city make their versions of the best lobster. You can walk around and try all the lobster your stomach can handle! In 2023, Lobsterfest will take place on July 14-15-16.
• Garifuna Settlement Day – On November 19, cities with large Garifuna communities, like Placencia, celebrate Garifuna Settlement Day. This is an occasion to commemorate the arrival of the Garifuna people to the Stann Creek district. All over town, you’ll see events and reenactments taking place. They also hold religious events, parades and more.

Other holidays & events in Placencia and all over Belize

Of course, other national holidays are also celebrated in Placencia. These same festivals and events are also celebrated all over Belize, in other bigger cities. If you are traveling during these days, you may want to make sure your travel plans can still take place.

• New Year’s Day – January 1
• Easter – In March or April. Although this holiday is not as big as in Mexico or Guatemala, it’s still celebrated in Belize.
• St. George’s Caye Day – September 10. This holiday celebrates the historic 1798 triumph of British settlers over the Spanish Armada. You can expect parades, celebrations and local festivities. This day is a national and bank holiday.
• Independence Day – September 21. This day is meant to celebrate Belize gaining its independence in 1981. Most workers have this day off, so celebrations can last for a few days. Make sure you plan accordingly.
• Thanksgiving – Celebrated in late November. Expect to see turkey and gravy dishes served in restaurants around town.
• Christmas – December 25. Expect big celebrations all over the country. Christmas is one of the big holidays in Belize and they take their festivities very seriously!

8 amazing day trips from Placencia

If you have a few more days in town, you can also choose to take some day trips from Placencia. This will depend on your Belize itinerary – whether you’re going to San Ignacio, or if you’re joining another tour like with Island Expeditions.

Here are some of the best day trips you can take from Placencia, depending on what you’re looking to do.

1. Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

This is a protected area in the Maya Mountains, close to the Bocawina Rainforest Lodge. What sets this sanctuary apart is that it’s home to jaguars, pumas, and other wildlife. Chances are you’ll only see birds while you’re there, as the other animals are nocturnal.

By visiting the site, you’ll be promoting sustainable eco-tourism and providing much-needed funding to protect this area and the animals that live here. The entrance fees are of $5 USD for non-residents, and the sanctuary is open from 8 am-4:30 pm. The Sanctuary is about 1 hour and 15 minutes away from Placencia.

There are plenty of tours and day trip available from Placencia to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary. These tours often will take you river tubing there are well, which is a great way to spend a relaxing day after hiking the trails there.

2. Glover’s Reef, a remote atoll to visit on a day trip from Placencia

For avid scuba divers, Glover’s Reef is the perfect scuba day trip from Placencia. It’s about a 1.5 to 2-hour boat ride from Placencia. If you’re looking for deeper dives and more marine life variety, Glover’s Reef is the place to go! Again, we recommend going with Splash Dive Center – You’ll need to book ahead of time as they don’t offer daily trips here.

3. Visit the Mayan Ruins of Xunantunich

If you’re going to San Ignacio, you can skip this day trip, as the ruins of Xunantunich are much closer to there than Placencia. In fact, you’ll need a good 3.5 hours to get to these ruins from Placencia.

Xunantunich are the most famous ruins in Belize which are easily accessible. This Mayan archeological site is located on a natural limestone ridge, giving you a pretty epic look at the surrounding area, all the way to Guatemala.

If you want to visit these ruins independently, you’ll need a rental car to get there. And while you’re there, you can also visit the next ruins on the list.

There are also day trips and tours available from Placencia. The good news is that they make the best of it, by combining the ruins with other activities like river tubing.

4. Check out the Cahal Pech ruins

Again, these are much easier and closer to visit when in San Ignacio. But if you don’t have a stop planned there, you can go on a day trip from Placencia to visit Cahal Pech.

This archeological site is one of the oldest in Belize as well as being one of the longest continuously inhabited, from approximately 250-900 AD. Since it’s 3 hours away from Placencia, it will also require a full-day trip. There are no tours that go here, so you’ll need to rent a car and get there on your own.

5. Adventures at Bocawina Rainforest Lodge

If you’re looking for somewhere much closer to go, we recommend the Bocawina Rainforest Lodge. Not for staying overnight, but instead, to go do all the fun activities there.

If you want an adrenaline rush and knock some things off your Belize bucket list, you can rappel down a waterfall. Or, you can glide on the country’s longest zipline. Or you can do both!

Bocawina is also home to many hiking trails, other waterfalls you can visit without rappelling down them, a restaurant and more. It’s a little over 1 hour and 15 minutes away, so it’s the perfect day trip from Placencia.

6. Go on a Monkey River tour, a must in Placencia

We didn’t have a chance to do this tour, but it came highly recommended. This tour is for animal and nature lovers. During the day, you’ll cruise around on Monkey River and spot plenty of unique animals.

On the watchlist for this tour, you have the very loud howler monkeys, toucans, crocodiles, manatees, giant iguanas and plenty more. If you haven’t already spotted these animals in the wild, this is your chance to do it all!

Tours will include transportation, a guide (to help you spot all the animals), and a hearty lunch. You’ll also have a chance to swim in the river (not where the crocs are!) and see the locals fishing.

7. Explore these hidden gems on these 2 day trips from Placencia

If you’re looking to do less touristy things while in Placencia, there are 2 different day trips you can do while you’re here. we didn’t have a chance to do these, but have heard many great things about them!

The first is to visit the Nim Li Punit ruins. These ancient Mayan Ruins are about 25 miles from Placencia, much closer than the ruins that are located near San Ignacio. There, you can see many well-preserved pyramids, plazas and more. You’ll get a deeper look into the Mayan civilization that lived there. You can take a full-day tour there that will take care of everything for you.

You can also take a day trip to the private island of Ranguana Caye. This 2-acre island is located about 20 miles from Placencia. A day trip here can be done with a tour provider. While on the island, you can paddleboard, kayak, hammock surf, chill in the sun, drink, eat and play beach games. Tours include round-trip transport, BBQ lunch, and use of the facilities and things on the island. All you need to pack is your bathing suit, towel, sunscreen and cash for the beach bar. Obviously, bring a camera to capture this pristine tropical paradise!

Best places to stay in Placencia

Placencia has everything you’re looking for in terms of accommodations. From budget-friendly options to mid-range and even all-inclusive resorts. However, if you’re looking for one of the best places to stay, not only in Placencia but all of Belize, we recommend Naia Resort & Spa. This place is absolutely beautiful, but what sets it apart from all the other accommodations is the quality of the service here.

On our way to Naia, while taking their shuttle, we picked up this American couple coming to the resort. They seemed so excited to get there and told us that this was their third time coming to Naia in the last 2 years. Every vacation, they come back to Naia. They loved it so much that they even bought a property there. Once we got there, they were greeted by name, and they knew the names of all the staff around as well. They all spoke like they were long-lost friends. This was a small hint of what we were to expect!

Over the next few days, we got to know the staff. Each person was sweet, kind and helpful – one of the waitresses at the restaurant even offered to go get Carine some peanut butter because not all their breakfast options were vegan. This is the level of professionalism and service you can expect from Naia.

As for the accommodations here, they are beyond expectations. We stayed in a beachfront cabana. This came with a king-sized bed, a little kitchenette, a complete bathroom and an outdoor shower. We didn’t know how much we would actually love this shower, but it’s now a must in our future home (in a tropical destination, of course)!

The best thing about this beachfront cabana was the fact that we could wake up and enjoy our coffee on the front porch, hearing the waves crashing. We also had access to hammocks and lounge chairs right in front of the cabana. If ever we got tired of being at the cabana, there was also a pool where we loved to hang out. And a fully equipped gym. And a yoga lounge. Everything was a short walk away.

The property is also home to two amazing restaurants. They both serve the same food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but one is upstairs in an air-conditioned area, and the other is an open-concept beach restaurant. On some nights, they have entertainment, and on other nights, the bartenders play DJ!

Naia Resort and Spa is located outside of Placencia town, about a 20-minute drive away. They do however offer complimentary shuttle service to and from town, as well as airport pick-ups. The shuttles run 3 times a day, and it leaves the resort at 10 am, 2 pm and 6 pm. They do pick-ups in town 30 minutes later, at 10:30 am, 2:30 pm and 6:30 pm. You can also ask to have a shuttle take you to town on your own schedule, at a small cost of $10-15 USD per household.

Overall, we adored our time at Naia! We had such a great experience here. From the staff to the amenities to the services they offered. Everything was on point.

If you’re looking to stay in Placencia town, here are some other options that seem popular:
– Budget: Anda Di House Hostal. Alan’s Paradise hotel. (Truth is, there are very limited options when it comes to budget accommodations in Belize.)
– Mid-Range: Placencia Villas. Dolce Cabana Waterfront Suites.
– Luxury: Belizean Nirvana. Ellysian Boutique Hotel.

Best vegan-friendly restaurants in Placencia

As always, when we travel, we love to find amazing vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants. Luckily, there were quite a few great vegan-friendly restaurants in Placencia, so we had fun trying them all! They aren’t in any specific order, because as we all know, not everyone’s taste is the same, so it’s all very subjective!

The Shak, a great beachfront vegan-friendly restaurant in Placencia

Located at the tip of the peninsula, The Shak quickly became one of our favorite lunchtime spots. With swings at the bar and picnic tables on the beach, we loved enjoying a delicious meal with our toes in the sand! Plus, all of their options were delicious.

Carine highly enjoyed the samosa wrap, the classic veggie burger and the Indian curry. Derek was a big fan of the Jamaican patty and fry jacks. And since he’s a creature of habit, that’s all he got!

They are open for breakfast and lunch only, so plan accordingly!

Cha Chi’s, one of the best pizzas in Belize

It’s rare to find good wood oven pizza in Central America. Luckily, we found Cha Chi’s pizzeria. They offer a variety of delicious pizzas that are made to order. They also have live music on weekends. The place does get quite lively!

Carine loved their vegan pizza topped with all sorts of veggies and plantains, and Derek enjoyed the mushroom and caramelized onion pizza, as well as the meat lovers.

Naia Resort & Spa, an amazing restaurant in paradise

We mentioned how much we enjoyed the hotel and amenities at Naia. Well, we also loved their restaurants. We had breakfast, lunch and dinner there, and the great news is that they have plenty of vegan options to choose from. They, of course, also have a great range of non-vegan meals – there’s something for everyone.

For breakfast, Carine would often have the continental breakfast, while Derek had the Johnny Cake Breakfast Sandwich and the Belizean Breakfast. Derek’s meals were big and hearty, perfect for starting the day off right!

For lunch and dinner, the menu is the same. Some of the great meals we had were:

• the Naïa Veggie Burger – it was tasty and vegan!
• Lobster Creole – we were lucky to catch the end of lobster season in Belize
• Belizean Quesadilla – You can’t go wrong with a cheesy quesadilla
• Peninsula Wrap – It was big, hearty and delicious
• Tacos De Cosina – super tasty and refreshing to eat
• Curry de Coco – we both loved this dish. It comes with rice and it’s quite tasty!
• Pasta de Hojas Verdes – The vegetarian version was much better than the vegan version, but they were both tasty

Dawn’s Grill

Dawn’s Grill is a bit of an unassuming place. It’s small but it packs a punch! They have a varied menu that consists mainly of fish and seafood, but they are also very accommodating to vegans.

We both had the curry while we were there. They were full of hearty veggies and the sauce was super tasty and flavorful. We got them hot and they were a great amount of spicy. If you like spice, you’re in luck because Dawn’s Grill also makes their own hot sauce. It’s really a delicious choice and different than what you usually find in Belize – Marie Sharp sauce!

Rick’s Cafe

We discovered Rick’s Cafe on our last night in Placencia. Located on top of Tutti Frutti, this place is often very busy, and with good reason. The food here is quite tasty.

Carine enjoyed the falafel sandwich – it was quite large and delicious. Derek had the hamburger and he really enjoyed it as well.

The best vegan ice creams and gelatos

If you have very hot and humid nights like we did in February in Placencia, you’re going to make ice cream a nightly routine. After supper, we would always stop for a cone of vegan ice cream. Luckily, in Placencia, you have 2 different options: Tutti Frutti & Bomboyaz nice cream.

Tutti Frutti is an authentic gelateria run by an Italian couple. All their options are delicious. Derek always stuck to the lemon flavor – he is a true creature of habit. While Carine tried whatever new vegan flavors they had. Our favorites were the exotic fruit cocktail, mango, strawberry and watermelon.

We also tried Bomboyaz and loved their soy-based nice cream. We loved the Snickers option and the Baileys flavored one.

We’ll let you decide which place has the best ice cream… but we had a clear favorite!

What you need to know about Placencia

If you’re planning on going to Placencia, here are some of the most important and popular questions answered.

When is the best time to visit Placencia?

In Belize, there are 2 distinct seasons, the wet and the dry. The best time to visit Placencia is during its dry season, which runs from December to May. However, in recent years, because of climate change, the lines between those seasons have become blurred. We were in Placencia in early February and had quite a few days of heavy rain. Luckily, the rain would only last about an hour or two, and then we were blessed with sun and heat.

The dry season is also at the peak of the tourist season. You can expect higher occupancy levels in hotels, more crowds and higher prices. Your best bet is to book early.

For scuba divers, the dry season is also the best time to go diving. That’s when visibility is clearer and you have a chance to see some incredible marine life, like whale sharks. For all the details about scuba diving in Belize, make sure you check out our article about the best dive resorts.

What is the weather like in Placencia?

Placencia is known to have a tropical climate and warm weather all year round. Temperatures can range between 24-29C (or 75-85F) and it does tend to get quite humid and sticky. The rainy season runs from June to November, and the dry season is from December to May.

During the rainy season, you can expect heavy rainfall for a few hours a day, and then it clears up pretty quickly. It shouldn’t impact your travel plans too much. However, it may have a negative impact on your scuba diving plans, especially if the winds pick up.

What is the best way to get to Placencia?

There are different ways to get to Placencia. If you’re already in the country, the best way to get to Placencia (and the most eco-friendly way) is to take a chicken bus from Belize City to Dangriga and then another from Dangriga to Placencia. This will take about 3-4 hours and cost $5 USD.

There are also buses running from San Ignacio to Dangriga, in case you’re coming from deeper in the mainland. Plus, you’ll get to experience the Hummingbird highway, a must in Belize. Cost and timing should be similar.

You can also choose to take a private shuttle from Belize City or anywhere, really to get to Placencia. The cost will be higher depending on where you’re coming from, but you’ll get there much quicker. From Belize City, you’re looking at around $300 USD for up to 3 people. The rising price of gas is constantly driving the cost of transport up in Belize.

Finally, you can choose to fly from Belize City to Placencia. You’ll need to fly to the Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport in Belize City and then take a domestic flight to Placencia. Your flight providers are Maya Air or Tropic Air. Although this is your fastest option, it’s also the most taxing on the environment. If you can, we recommend you offset your carbon footprint for taking this flight.

Is Placencia expensive to visit?

Traveling to Belize is not cheap. In fact, it’s one of the most expensive countries to visit in Central America, especially if you want to experience all the bucketlist things to do. But you can find ways to travel for cheap.

Placencia is one of the more expensive cities to visit in Belize. The large American immigrant population has driven up prices for accommodations and food.

If you’re looking to save costs while you’re in Placencia, you can choose accommodations with a kitchen and cook your own meals there. You can also stick to free or cheap activities. There are also quite a few good eateries that have great meal options at decent prices.

Are there all-inclusive resorts in Placencia?

Yes, there are plenty of all-inclusive options in Placencia. Naia Resort and Spa is a great option for an all-inclusive. They have so much to do there with food and activities, that you never have to leave the property.

Other options for all-inclusive in Placencia are Chabil Mar Villas and Belize Ocean Club.

Is Placencia safe for tourists?

Yes. Placencia was one of the safest places we visited. Actually, all of Belize was really safe. Of course, like anywhere you visit, you need to be conscious of your surroundings and be mindful of your things. Don’t go flashing expensive things around and be more vigilant when you go out at night. But overall, Belize and Placencia are very safe places to visit.

What is the nightlife like in Placencia?

On certain nights, the nightlife in Placencia is quite lively. You can find live music bands, karaoke and more all over town. When we got into town, they were hosting a pub crawl that started in the afternoon and went til late at night.

Some of the most popular bars in town are Barefoot Bar, Tipsy Tuna and the Cozy Corner Bar. We found the crowd in Placencia was a bit more mature, so keep that in mind when visiting.

What currency is used in Placencia?

The currency in Belize is the Belizean Dollar (BZD) but the US dollar is widely used as well. You can even pay using a mix of the two currencies.

The BZD worth half of the USD, so if something cost $10 BZD, it’s the equivalent of $5 USD. And if you go to a restaurant that offers their prices in USD, we recommend leaving. They probably hiked their prices for tourists and you can find better pricing elsewhere.

The 12 best things to do in Placencia, Belize

There you have it! Everything you need to know about having a great trip to Placencia. It’s such a great town to explore and discover. Just don’t go too crazy trying to cram in all the activities on this list (or any other). Truth is, one of the best things to do in Placencia is to chill out.

As a recap, here are the best things to do in Placencia.

1. Visit the beautiful beaches
2. Scuba dive at Silk Caye
3. Walk the world’s narrowest sidewalk
4. Snorkel on Laughing Bird Caye
5. Swing on the beach
6. Kayak or paddle board on the beach
7. Shop the different art galleries
8. Explore the different towns nearby
9. Test out the different gelatos & nice creams
10. Take in the local festivities
11. Take a day trip to:
    • Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
    • Glover’s Reef for scuba diving
    • Visit the Mayan Ruins of Xunantunich
    • Check out the Cahal Pech ruins
    • Have an adventure at the Bocawina Rainforest Lodge
    • Go on the Monkey River tour
    • Tour the hidden gems of Placencia

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