It only takes 30 minutes to fly from Belize City to Placencia, a charming fishing community located on the country’s southern coast. Just half a mile wide, the Placencia Peninsula is a 16-mile long stretch of golden sands sandwiched between the Caribbean Sea on the east and a mangrove-lined lagoon on the west. With a laidback attitude, this coastal area is becoming one of the top destinations for visitors interested in enjoying a wonderful beach vacation.
The “capital” of the peninsula is Placencia Village, home to around 1,500 people and a charming collection of juice bars, yoga studios, cafes, and Instagram-ready street murals. But it’s Placencia’s proximity to so many of Belize’s most beautiful natural attractions that makes it a popular destination for visitors.
On the mainland, Placencia is located just a few miles from the vast Cockscomb Basin Wilderness Sanctuary (CBWS), home to the world’s very first jaguar conservation project. The CBWS is also home to an incredible variety of terrains, including mountain slopes, wetlands, and tracts of virgin rainforest that teem with an incredible variety of flowering plants, birds, and animals.
Also on the mainland near to Placencia is the well-named Monkey River, a pristine watercourse that wends its way through some of the most spectacular jungle scenery in the country. Boat tours on the Monkey River allow visitors to explore the jungle while learning more about the plants and animals that thrive there.
Many visitors to Placencia, however, prefer to head east, out into the shimmering waters of the Caribbean Sea. Belize is home to hundreds of islands strung out like jewels along the length of the world’s second-largest barrier reef. National parks and protected marine areas such as Laughing Bird Caye and the Silk Cayes are where some of the best scuba diving, snorkeling, and fishing spots in the world can be found.
And last, but definitely not least, the reef is also where you’ll find whale sharks. The largest non-mammalian creatures in the oceans, whale sharks visit Belize every year in the springtime, giving divers and snorkelers a unique chance to interact with these gentle giants.
Looking for the perfect beach resort to stay on your summer vacation in Belize? Chabil Mar is a boutique seaside resort in Placencia with its own private beach, lush tropical garden, and features luxuriously appointed villas. Chabil Mar in the local Maya language means “Beautiful Sea,” the perfect description for this little corner of paradise located in Placencia, Belize.
For more information about travelling to Belize this summer, feel free to chat with our Concierge at: concierge@chabilmarvillas.com or contact our Reservations Manager at: reservations@chabilmarvillas.com. Or perhaps you would like to call toll free from the US or Canada: 1-866-417-2377.
