Driving north of the Placencia
peninsula it is difficult to miss the acres of bananas. It is true that
Placencia is known for its perfect barefoot beaches, its diverse cayes located
between Placencia and the Great Barrier Reef, its tranquil tours through the Monkey
River, the jungle, Maya ruins and the unbelievable snorkeling and scuba diving
reserves such as the Silk Cayes, Glover’s Reef and Laughing Bird Caye National
Park. However, these are only a few of the activities Placencia has to offer. Recently,
the Sagitun Farms located near Riversdale on the Placencia Peninsula has opened
its doors to the public offering a fantastic opportunity to learn all about
growing bananas while walking amongst acres and acres of bananas. The billboard
on the Placencia roadside reads “you’ll go bananas!” and I concur, you will go
bananas, after visiting the banana farm!
Super
fun, educational, interesting, awed, are but only a few words to describe the
tour around the plantation. Bananas are one of the only fruits that bear all
year round and it is commonly found all over Belize, and the world. However,
did you know that bananas were once considered a rare fruit in North America
& Europe? History has it that bananas didn’t reach North America until
after the Civil War. Consequently, it then became the number one selling fruit
in America!
Our
tour on the banana farm was booked and we were ready to go bananas! Entering
the Sagitun Farm I was taken by surprise, they were lines of bananas the entire
road in, it seemed to me as a hidden community/village! They had everything in
this area from housing, schools, churches, to a police station. We met with
Evin, our tour guide, who made us feel right at home. The tour started with a brief ten-minute
video on the history of the banana production in Belize and around the world.
It is here that I learned that bananas are not grown on trees, as it is
commonly believed. Bananas are actually grown on herbaceous plant (herb),
not a tree!
We were
then taken out in the farm where we walked amongst the bananas and met with the
Farm Manager. The walk down the banana trail was very informative and interactive.
We witnessed firsthand what it really takes to grow and harvest bananas to be
sent off for exportation to the United Kingdom. Sagitun Farms takes pride in producing
quality bananas; therefore the fruits that are processed, packed, and shipped
all meet the very high standards of the European Union Commission Regulation
(EC).
For me
and for anyone that enjoys natural healthy snacks you will enjoy the end of the
banana tour. After all the walk and learning about bananas your tummy will
definitely be calling out for some bananas! Evin was kind enough to take us
back to the main office where she surprised us with crunchy, delicious banana
chips accompanied with a drink of our choice. The tour was incredible, it is
definitely worth visiting the banana farm near Placencia!
If you
are planning to spend some time on-land in Placencia be sure to have Patty book
the nearby inland tour with Sagitun Farm!
It is
bunches of fun for all ages!
