Instead of shivering through another long, gray winter, why not escape to the sunny climes of beautiful Belize? Just a short flight from the United States and Canada, Belize is a tropical oasis replete with golden sand beaches, swaying palm trees, offshore islands, and thick jungles where exotic animals and birds thrive.
And one of the finest places to visit in Belize is the Placencia Peninsula. Measuring 16 miles north to south but just half a mile wide, Placencia is widely believed to have the most beautiful beaches in a country with hundreds of miles of Caribbean coastline.
Here are just some of the fun things to do and see this winter in Placencia:
The End of the World Marathon
Initially held as a comic response to the “end of the world” allegedly predicted by the ancient Maya to occur on December 21, 2012, the End of the World Marathon is now one of Placencia’s most popular sporting events. Every December, runners from around the world gather to run a full or half marathon along the beach as thousands of people cheer them on to victory.
The Placencia Sidewalk Festival
Placencia owns a unique spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the smallest “main street” on the planet, actually a four-foot wide pedestrian-only sidewalk lined with colorful murals and boutique shops and cafes. Every February, the sidewalk is transformed into a lively arts festival where local artisans, musicians, cooks, and artists showcase their talents.
Adventure Tours
Placencia is close to many of the top adventure attractions in the country, including hiking the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (home to hundreds of jaguars), taking boat tours on the aptly named Monkey River, and visiting the nearby Laughing Bird Caye national marine park.
Diving the Blue Hole
Sir Richard Branson and an all-star team of luminaries and scientists participated in a historic live broadcast from the bottom of the Blue Hole on December 2, 2018, Belize’s most famous dive site. The Discovery Channel used advanced submarines and high-tech radar to create the first 3D map of the Blue Hole.
If you’d like to escape winter’s wrath by escaping to Belize, be sure to stay at the award-winning luxury resort Chabil Mar. Situated just steps from the beach on the beautiful Placencia Peninsula, Chabil Mar has a wide range of vacation packages ideal for weddings, honeymoons, family vacations, fishing enthusiasts, and scuba divers.
