Lobster is some of the most expensive and decadent seafood you’ll find, but it’s not a delicacy reserved for the wealthy in Belize. The residents of the southern fishing village of Placencia still survive on what they pull out of the water, and spiny lobster continues to be a meal worth celebrating. In fact, it might even be worth timing your trip to coincide with lobster season. That’s how big of a deal it is here.
When is Lobster Season?
Belize is more conscientious about employing environmentally conscious tools and methods for industry and tourism, and that extends to our fishing practices as well. While the Caribbean spiny lobster is abundant in the waters around Belize, it only stays that way because the Government of Belize limits when it can be hunted. This year, lobster season began on July 1 and runs until February 28 of next year — and that means that you should be able to find plenty of lobsters in Placencia’s restaurants as long as you visit before the middle of the spring. After that, lobster fishing is banned for the period of lobster mating season.
What is Lobster Fest?
Belizeans love lobster and with good reason. Estimates state that it will earn the country a whopping $15 million in Belize dollars, and a lot of that has to do with Lobster Fest. As arguably the biggest event of the year, Lobster Fest is a celebration of everything about the inscrutable crustacean. The first Lobster Fest in Placencia was held in 1998, and it’s quickly become not just a beloved event for the locals but also a way to keep tourists coming in during the formerly slow summer season.
This three-day event was cancelled last year because of the pandemic, and it looks like it won’t be happening this year either. But even if you don’t get the chance to see the pageantry of Lobster Fest this year, there are still plenty of reasons to come to Placencia. The Lobster Tour is one of them, and it features some of Placencia’s top restaurants — putting a spotlight on their menu and their approach to serving lobster in particular. It’s a great way to catch specials and deals.
Lobster Fest may not be happening this year, but the lobsters aren’t going anywhere. Take a trip down to Belize to see what you’re missing and to taste some of the most delicious food you’ve ever had. And stay in Chabil Mar if you want to be treated like you’re royalty while you’re here.
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 vacation.
