Showing posts with label placencia beach. Show all posts
Showing posts with label placencia beach. Show all posts

Monday 18 March 2013

You’ll Go Bananas!



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!             

Tuesday 26 June 2012

School is Out – Belize Summer Travels Offers a Journey through Time


Island Life
School is out and Belize’s Summer Travel is hotter than ever. Anyone who has travelled can attest to the gazillion charms that Belize has to offer from reefs to ruins, birds to blue holes, Belize adventures awaits you.

Like no other journey you have ever encountered, Belize is truly a journey through time.  Mark my word, Belize is no ordinary place! Often, we hear the expression, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” On this journey, it will take a thousand pictures to say one word – Belize.

First-time visitors will want to enjoy discovering Belize’s array of natural land and sea wonders. Expect the unexpected and pack accordingly. Savvy travelers will enjoy their stay more. Pack your cameras, film, diving, snorkeling, and fishing equipment, sunscreens, repellents and appropriate clothing for sub-tropical climate – serious adventure awaits the curious and brave of heart in Belize.

Like a mighty sun perched high on a mesmerizing sunset, Belize shines brightly over the completion.  She is colorful, vibrant and very exciting.  One look will never satisfy your curiosity. She must be scrutinized and explored from every corner to really appreciate her beauty.

Her highest point towers some 4,000 feet above sea level, where she watches over the majestic Maya Mountains. As one foot huddles in the warm sand of the coastal beaches, the other rests gently on the proud barrier reef. Her arms stretch out and embrace more than 8,000 square miles of unharmed natural beauty. You have seen no paradise more lovely. She is picture-perfect.

In fact, this rare gem called Belize is an endless voyage through snapshots and feelings. It’s an intimate date with Mother Nature that promises an experience oozing with excitement, adventure and memories. She is close, yet so far – old, yet so new. In every way, she is a trip one never forgets.

Lobster in its Barrier Reef Home
Visitors from all over the world find it wonderful, magical and beautiful, in a very natural way. Belize is the last outpost. It’s on the edge of the world.  It’s where the old world of the Maya, Garifuna, Creole and Mestizo meets the new and emerges into the cultural melting pot it is today. Simply put, she is splendid.

If Belize is famous for anything, it would be diving along its outer cayes and ecotourism inland. Belize is home of the longest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere. Diving is unquestionably outstanding. The cayes along the reef are picturesque – white sandy beaches and coconut palms. No footprints allowed here, except yours of course. So pack your bags, camera and film, Belize welcomes you!

Wednesday 30 May 2012

Making Earth Day a Reality in Placencia!

Southern Environmental Association (SEA) and Splash Dive Center observed Earth Day, under the theme, Mobilize the Earth: Living Green, at Laughing Bird Caye National Park on April 29, 2012.  More than 120 students from the community schools in Placencia and the surrounding area, friends of Splash volunteers and event organizers visited the World Heritage site for their seventh annual Earth Day Clean Up.

After the warm welcome and brief orientation on house rules, the elated volunteers got busy with their yearly tradition of garbage collection on the picturesque island. Students, teachers, organizers and friends of Splash Dive Center meticulously combed the 1.4 mile long island for garbage while taking in all the sun and sand on the coconut dotted caye.

After garbage collection, earth day observers gathered under the large palapa for cool refreshments, fruits, and a delicious plate of Rice & Beans made available through the kind sponsorship of the local businesses and community. Fellow student peers delivered vibrant presentations on the fascinating history of Laughing Bird Caye, the ecological importance and the social and economic impact this has on the sustainability of Belize’s tourism.


An active day of environmental awareness would not be complete without a delightful swim in the clear waters of the island. Students enjoyed the last segment of day splashing and playing in the magnificent sea.

SEA and Splash Dive Center thanks all those in the community who generously supported the Earth Day Clean Up initiative in making it another year’s successful event.

Efforts like these provides a good opportunity to educate the future of this community on the ecological and economic importance of maintaining and protecting Belize’s natural heritage while actively experiencing the charm of the natural jewel.

Splash Dive Center and SEA continues to encourage the community to consider the expansion of this sort of first-hand experience of healthy reefs clean up campaigns to other needed areas. Essentially, Splash Dive Center supports the belief that Earth Day may be observed every day in both small and large ways.

“Living Green,” has never been more important but Earth Day provides an opportunity to take a moment and appreciate its growing importance in sustainability.