Blogs from Placencia Village, Stann Creek District, Belize, Central America Caribbean

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Eat, sleep, sunbathe, repeat.........eat, sleep, sunbathe, repeat..........sounds like a Fatboy slim tune. The last couple of days has been exactly that but it really makes a change to the relentless, sometimes brutal but always adventurous travelling we do. A good example of one of our tiring but very enjoyable travelling days has to be the journey from San Cristobal (Mexico) to Huehue in Guatemala. The long day started with a 20 minute walk to a collectivo station, where we waited 30 minutes while all 15 seats in the van were eventually taken. The van then drove at a safe and relaxing speed that allowed us to enjoy the sceanary go by. After 1 1/2 hours we arrived at the next collectivo station where we changed into the next van that left minutes later as we were ... read more
view from bungalow Belize
directions Placencia
on the dock looking back at bungalow


Chuck and I went to Placencia last year to celebrate our friend Sarah’s 50thbirthday with her and her husband, Chris. This year we decided to end our trip with Cheryl by spending the last week there like beach bums. With Chris and Sarah we lived like beach bums. For two weeks we shared meals and drinks, went for daily walks, and read several books while soaking up the sun or lounging in the shade. With Cheryl we didn’t live like beach bums, because there was nearly no sun. We spent less time walking the beach and soaking up the sun, but still enjoyed our time being lazy and immersing ourselves in some good books. Both last year and this, we stayed at Trade Winds, located at the very end of the peninsula. Rent for a beachfront ... read more
boats on a calm bay
sunrise
Placencia Pier


Placencia is a long peninsula in southern Belize with a seaside beach on the Caribbean side and marina studded, mangrove shore on the inside (lot’s of 40 footers; catamarans and single keelers). Located at its southern tip is Placentia village. Running through this village is a 3km-long concrete boardwalk; it runs from a fishing wharf and marina through the tourist end of town, and all through all the hotels, shops, beach paths, restaurant/bars – carrying names like “The Pickled Parrot”, “Tipsy Tuna”, “Barefoot Bar”, “D’Tatch Bar”…. sort of captures the feeling of, “A little drinking village with a fishing problem”. Actually fishing is not a problem – all sorts of lobster, Wahoo, Tuna, Snapper, Conch and ‘Cuda are available fresh at wharfside O’Mars or at any of the restaurants, especially as luncheon promotional treats -- “If ... read more
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I hate this part...................the end of a trip, so I'll recount the last couple of days and maybe have one more post after tonight's sunset cruise. One of the best parts of any trip are the people you meet from around the world who just like you, have decided to enjoy life by visiting other countries and sampling other cultures. This trip was no exception. Let me start with the people of Placencia Village. They are kind, helpful and very grateful you chose their village to visit. The vendors we have met and traded with on the beach are courteous and friendly, and are not that person in the U.S. you try not to look at when you pull up to a stop sign or stop light holding a sign asking you if you can spare ... read more
Tipsy Tuna Bar and Grill
Jim on the paddle board
Beach where we tried paddle boarding


It's been a few days so I have some catching up to do! I think the last time I posted, it was last Wednesday after our fishing/snorkeling tour and then our boat dive on Tuesday. Wednesday we took the day off and relaxed by the pool. It was somewhat cloudy and the locals said their was a "cool front" coming through from up north, so we stayed close to home. Thursday was another day of rest and lounging by the pool. Friday we decided to try our hand at being our own inland tour guides and to visit a chocolate factory and a spice farm. These tours are normally about $85 per person when using the local tour guides but since we have access to a vehicle we decided to try the tour on our own. ... read more
William Walton Originals
The Not So Famous Yet William Walton
Lion Fish


All good things must come to an end, including our month in Belize. We end things off by spoiling ourselves with the best lobster dinner in town at The Secret Garden, oh my, I can still feel all the butter dripping down our chins - yummmm. Lobster season is still on here until the end of January. If you are planning a trip here, we suggest that you bring more money than you originally budget because it's expensive, more expensive than Mexico that's for sure. We aren't the only ones who ran out of the spending money we planned. Food, beer and alcohol is all really about the same or a even a little more expensive compared to home, with the exception of rum, which is super cheap. Real estate, which I've written about before, is ... read more
Cabanas
Bye Belize!!


We all know him as the mysterious guy that makes his appearance on Christmas Eve long after all the little kids are sleeping, but he makes his arrival a little early in Placencia. For some of these kids, we have to think that this community event is really a big deal, it could even be the whole deal. We can feel the exicitement and anticipation in the air. What time is it?? How much longer?? There's maybe150 kids running around, I'm sure every kid from the whole area, plus parents, volunteers and on-lookers, like us. We had sponsored one of the gifts earlier in the month with a $10 donation so thought we'd come by for a little Christmas spirit. We recognize our caretaker's kids but otherwise we don't know anyone there. Some kids are all ... read more
Welcome Santa
Activity Table
What's Christmas Without Presents?


The village is starting to fill up with travellers. Every day there are more people here. The new arrivals are easy to spot with their white skin and fancy clothes. After a few days they will figure out that fancy is not needed in this laid back little fishing town. The weather has turned for the good so it's hot and sunny most days. The construction of the building next door to us has shut down until the new year - nice. All in all there are not that many signs of Christmas in Placencia, no big public displays or excessive Christmas lights. A couple of restaurants have set out a few decorations but it is all very modest and not the type of Christmas splash we've become accustomed to over the years in North America. ... read more
Golf Carting
Talk about Fresh Turkey!


You don't get very far in Placencia without a street peddler trying to sell you something. They are pretty easy to spot in any public area like the street or the beach. They are usually little Mayan ladies carrying plastic bags and wearing backpacks. They are very brazen often coming right up to you while eating in an outdoor restaurant. A single glance in their general direction will summon them over from as far as across the street. There were 13 of them set up around the sidewalk of the Barefoot Bar. When they tried to peddle their wares to Ian, he happily volunteered his wife for souvenir shopping- gee, thanks for that Honey. Each peddler had set up a small tarp with a selection of their souveniers for sale. Like a lamb to a slaughter, ... read more
Mask
Turtle Basket


We decided two things when we first arrived in Belize, 1 - no complaining, and 2 - no list making. Being business owners and living in a small town, we find that our lives generally revolve around lists. Lists of things to do for work. Lists of things to buy in town. Lists of things to not forget - we are starting to get to that age after all. Sometimes I go downstairs to get something and by time I'm down there I've completely forgotten what it was. Yes, we are getting older indeed. As for complaining, I think it can be easy to see your glass half empty instead of half full. Subsequently, I am not allowed to complain that we have only barely warm, not hot, water which doesn't provide the best of shower ... read more
Not So Great
Happy Travellers




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