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Catch
of the day |
Stretching 16 miles between the calm lagoons of Big Creek
and the blue, choppy seas of south Stann Creek, the picturesque
Placencia Peninsula is quickly becoming a premiere tourist
destination in Belize. Located 100 miles south of Belize
City, Placencia boasts the longest sand beach in the entire
country. Dotted with quaint seaside resorts, guesthouses,
hotels and restaurants, this once sleepy fishing village
is now being recognized for its laid-back ambiance, breathtaking
location, lush ecosystems and abundance of adventure-packed
activities to experience.
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Famous
sidewalk |
Home to a collage of cultures stemming from the Garifuna,
Creole and Mayan to retired Americans and Europeans, the
typical villager uses a bicycle to get around, walks barefooted
on the red dirt roads or simply strolls down the narrowest
street in the world ~ Placencia’s famous sidewalk.
Twenty inches wide, the sidewalk, which was featured in
the “Guinness Book of World Records”, extends
through the heart of the village and is a common meeting
place for neighbors and friends.
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Local
fishing boat |
Visitors can travel to Placencia by road, boat or plane.
The red dirt road along the peninsula and leading into the
village mostly provides a very bumpy and dusty ride. In
the wet season, the road gets very muddy and slippery and
a four-wheel drive vehicle is advisable. Traveling along
the peninsula towards Placencia, visitors will encounter
the small Garifuna community of Seine Bight. A community
rich in their Garifuna heritage, visitors can take a walk
around to experience a taste of local ethnic dishes, music
and hospitality. Traveling along the peninsula one cannot
help but wonder how this narrow strip of road is not swallowed
up by the large water bodies on both its sides. The community
of Big Creek can be seen on the opposite side of the large
expanse of lagoons, while small mangrove cayes dot the horizon
on the breathtaking view out to sea.
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Fishing
off the pier |
Arriving in the village immediately hints at the natural
laid-back ambiance of the community. Residents standing
on their verandahs overlooking the narrow street into the
village, chatting with the neighbor across the street; children
running around bare-footed and care-free dragging each other
in makeshift wagons; dogs of all sizes and breeds freely
running about (in fact residents of Placencia have created
a calendar featuring pictures of the beloved pet dogs of
the village which are for sale in most of the gift shops)
and fishermen docking into the picturesque harbor at the
end of the main street.
Visitors to Placencia have the opportunity to experience
both sea and inland jungle adventures because of the village’s
ideal location. The village comes alive in the summer months
when the annual Lobster Fest is held. This seafood extravaganza
is a celebration of the opening of the lobster season in
Belize. Visitors can drift from booth to booth sampling
the variety of delicious lobster dishes while listening
to the live beats of Garifuna drums reverberating through
the cool salty air.
Places nearby: 
Interests:
