Located in the southern part of Belize, Placencia has some of the world’s most beautiful diving spots. The pristine barrier reef off of its coast has become popular with locals and tourists for its shallow, calm, and warm water. Placencia is a short plane ride from Belize City, making it an ideal winter getaway, honeymoon location, or spring break destination for world-class diving at any level.

With year-round temperatures averaging 80 degrees, anytime is a good time to go diving in Placencia. The most popular time of the year is between April and June. This is the peak period when the whale shark, the ocean’s largest fish, migrates to Belize. Divers flock to Gladden Spit Marine Reserve, a small island near Placencia, to swim with these gentle creatures as they display their unique feeding habits.

October and November are the best times to view groupers as they descend on the area by the thousands for mating. The wet season in Belize extends from August to October. The daily rain showers last only a few hours and allow you to dive without the crowds seen during the more popular months. November to July is the dry season in Belize, offering great water visibility and little to no rain to impede your diving experience.

Most of the diving in Placencia at the barrier reef is approximately a 30-minute boat ride from the coast. The inner reef is characterized by a series of shallow coral channels and mazes, excellent visibility, and no current. The area is ideal for beginning divers working on their certifications or for experienced divers looking to hone their skills.

The water is typically less than 80 feet deep and is home to a variety of sea life. Divers may see manta rays, mantis shrimp, barracudas, and stingrays, some of which are recently spawned and are spending their juvenile stages on the reef. On the boat ride to the reef, you may spot manatees and dolphins. One of the most popular dive locations for beginners is the Laughing Bird Caye National Park with its wide variety of ray species.

The outer reef provides the more advanced divers the opportunity to explore deep underwater canyons and experience jaw-dropping dropoffs. On your dive around one of over 40 outer reef islands, you may spot sea turtles, lobsters, and moray eels. Silk Caye and Tarpon Caye are popular dive locations on the outer reef.

Chabil Mar Resort is located in the village of Placencia. Our luxury beach-front property offers access to some of the best diving adventures in the area. You can choose from several of the resorts’ dive packages that include reef diving, inland adventures, or exploring the village center.

Chabil Mar also offers packages for stays up to seven nights and can accommodate couples, families, or large groups. Diving trips may include Glovers Reef Atoll, South Water Caye, and Gladden Spit. After a full day of diving, your package will include meals of your choice in Placencia Village or at the resort, and you will have access to all of the amenities such as the infinity pools, bikes, and kayaks.

Visit our website chabilmarvillas.com for more information on Belize, and don’t hesitate to send us an email, or call US/CAN Toll Free: 1-866-417-2377, Local: (011-501) 523-3606, if you have questions or need help in planning a Belize diving vacation.

If you’re close to someone suffering from Triaphilia (superstitious people always expecting a third negative to strike after two occur), help them think more positively about the number tree by suggesting they become immersed in sun, surf, and serenity. All three are found in abundance by flying less than three hours south from southern U.S. hubs to Belize where three could fast become your lucky number.

Placencia, Belize and you

Choose a vacation elsewhere in Central America and your airplane flight might be longer, not to mention the fact that you could wind up in a nation requiring you to communicate in a language you don’t speak. In Belize, everyone speaks English, and the currency exchange rate couldn’t be easier to master at $1 USD = $2 BZD. That stated, U.S. dollars and plastic are accepted everywhere you go.

Tourists love the entirety of Belize, but today’s hot spot is Placencia, considered the nation’s most idyllic place to sojourn. If you book reservations at Chabil Mar Resort on Placencia, you’ll be ideally situated to enjoy an idyllic stay along the Caribbean coast where access to water sports, shopping and local attractions are a trifecta that make this luxury property stand apart from all others.

Placencia and Chabil Mar: A Match made in heaven

1. Sun. Does it rain in Belize? It does; how else could tropical trees, plants, and flowers flourish year-round in this tropical paradise? When weather gets dark and dreary in North America, September in Belize blesses visitors with 78 hours of sunlight and tourists enjoy an average 161 hours of sunshine in March.
2. Surf. Bring an extra bathing suit and sunscreen so you’re ready to engage in every aquatic activity known to man. Snorkel, scuba dive, kayak, paddle board, fish, sail, swim, and cave tube. Put all of them on your “to-do” list, and Chabil Mar staff can help with your itinerary. After all, the name Chabil Mar is a Mayan language translation of “beautiful sea.”
3. Serenity. Can one Placencia resort deliver on bliss? If that resort happens to be Chabil Mar, the answer is a resounding yes. You’re invited to view this Vimeo for a taste of the lush grounds, sea-facing villas, pristine beaches, and environment that offers rest and relaxation to the weariest traveler amid luxury beyond compare.

Like what you saw on that video?

Placencia is the “island you can walk to” and Chabil Mar is an enclave of delight that you’ll want to learn more about before you come, so browse the resort’s website page for a look-see. Convinced this is where you need to be? How about enjoying paradise while saving money, too?

From Belize vacation packages to specials, these deals won’t last much longer so you’re encouraged to reserve your place in the sun quickly. You’re going to find more than three things to love about Belize, Placencia and Chabil Mar, but when you’re having fun vacationing in the lap of luxury, who has time to keep count?

Placencia is one of the most perfect places on Earth, but you wouldn’t know it based off the humble and laid-back personalities of the locals. Positioned on Belize’s southeast coast, the peninsula stretches from north to south for roughly 16 miles, despite the fact that it remains roughly half a mile long for that entire length. But there are plenty of other reasons why Placencia is the perfect vacation spot for you in 2022.

Placencia’s singular biggest selling point might be its location. Having constant access to beachfront no matter where you are on the peninsula is great in its own right, but it also gives you essentially everything that popular islands like Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker offer while still having access to the mainland without having to take a ferry. That means you can journey into the lush jungle or go hunting for Maya sites on a whim — or you can just as easily take advantage of the fact that it’s only about 40 miles from the Belize Barrier Reef and only 60 miles from the Blue Hole.

Tourism has a recognized presence in Placencia Village — and it remains an ideal hub for commissioning adventures out on the water or into the interior — but Placencia remains a fishing village rather than a tourist town. That means you’re less likely to find yourself caught in crowds of foreigners and more likely to find yourself getting recommendations to the best local spots for a filling dinner or a thrilling night out on the town. There’s an authenticity to Placencia that has a tendency to draw in visitors who are looking for something real.

There’s also the fact that Placencia is a pleasant place to visit no matter when you decide to book your trip. While the fall months are considered the green season in Belize, rainfall is normally restricted to pleasant and short showers either early in the morning or late at night. And no matter when you decide to visit, you can expect highs in the mid-80s and lows in the mid-70s. It’s a consistency that’s been luring foreigners into permanent residency here for years.

Of course, every time of year offers its most exciting opportunities. Fishing seasons tend to overlap, so there’s almost always some delicious form of regional fresh seafood in rotation. This food is often at the heart of the regular festivals and events that are peppered throughout the year. While September is the month most jam-packed with festivities, Placencia is never too far away from a major holiday — or at least a reason to party.

Placencia should be your 2022 vacation destination, and Chabil Mar should be your home base. Chabil Mar offers an expansive choice of Belize vacation packages, posh amenities, and luxury villas for any budget or sense of taste — and we will roll out the red carpet for everyone. It’s the perfect place for anything from a wedding to a family getaway.