How far is the closest beach to where you live? If it requires you to load up the car and take a ride, there’s reason to be envious of Placencia Village. This small but friendly fishing village on the southeast coast of Belize has the unique privilege of occupying a peninsula that’s 16 miles from tip to end but only a half mile wide at most points. In other words, the longest you’ll ever have to walk is half a mile.
As a result, things tend to move a little slower in Placencia. It’s not that cars are banned so much as that they’re largely unnecessary and limited in where they can travel — and both visitors and locals are inclined to using bicycles and golf carts to navigate the beach-rich peninsula. While island resorts like Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker have become gleaming tourist hot spots, Placencia has remained the place to go for retirees and visitors who are looking for something a bit more authentic.
Placencia is seeing more tourists, but it’s still fundamentally a fishing village — and that makes it one of the best choices around if you’re looking to explore life out on the Caribbean Sea. Over 400 islands of varying sizes surround Belize, but the all-star attraction is undoubtedly the Belize Barrier Reef — the second largest of its kind in the world. Whether you’re looking to have a romantic picnic on an isolated island or venture out on a scuba diving expedition, it’s not hard to find what you need in Placencia.
That holds true if you’re looking to venture inland as well. While plenty of guests to Placencia spend their whole time exploring the beaches, bars, and boardwalk of the town, there’s plenty of things to explore nearby as well. This may not be a tourist town, but booking tours and expeditions isn’t difficult. Cruise up the coast to visit the Garifuna village of Dangriga, venture into the jaguar sanctuary at Cockscomb Basin National Park, or venture further inland to the wild and rugged Cayo District.
But if you really want to enjoy Placencia to its fullest, you’ll have your best experience at Mariposa Beach Resort. With a wide variety of suites and treehouses to choose from, you can have a luxury paradise experience without having to bankrupt yourself in the process. Our local staff can help you fully understand what the peninsula has to offer and help you find adventures that suit your preferences.