The Quiet Village of Placencia| Events and Festivals

The Placencia peninsula, a once quiet fishing village is today a charming preferred tourism destination. This tiny village located in Southern Belize is known to offer a wide range of water sports including: snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, kayaking and fishing. 

The ambiance of Placencia is a laid-back relaxing atmosphere combined with a multicultural experience embedded in its people, food, and music. Choose to relax on the sandy secluded beach of Placencia or take a day tour scuba diving or snorkeling out in the Belize Barrier Reef a World Heritage Site.  After a long day of activities visit downtown Placencia and choose from only the finest array of restaurants, bars, and coffee shops.

Placencia celebrates its people and its culture all-year round with its yearly scheduled festivals such as:

Placencia Sidewalk Arts and Music Festival

The Sidewalk Arts and Music Festival celebrated in February, truly brings forth the artistic cultural experience found in its people. Artist from all over Belize and abroad gather on the village beach sidewalk to boast of their art and music.

The Placencia Lobster Fest

Each year in June in celebration of the opening of the Lobster season Placencia hosts a grand festival where everything is made of lobster. The music, games, contests, lobster competition, beers, and food, are all part of the weekend beach party – The Placencia Lobster Fest.

The Placencia Lionfish Tournament

A fairly new tradition in an effort to save our reef the Placencia community now holds a Lionfish Tournament each year. The Lionfish tournament kicks off with a fishing competition and ends with a Lionfish cook-off!

Splash Dive Center Environmental Day

In celebration of Earth Day everyone is invited to Laughing Bird Caye National Park with the aim to collect as much trash as possible – CLEANUP DAY! The Splash Kids Club along with others from Placencia village volunteer on this day to cleanup the trash found on the island that are hazardous to our reef.

The quiet village of Placencia has grown into a tourism destination: it has become to many their home away from home!

Contact me at patricia@splashbelize.com to find out more about the quiet village of Placencia and to book your next Placencia adventure.

Plan Your Next Scuba Dive Trip to Belize

If you have been to Belize before you probably know what to expect, and where to head to experience the natural beauty of Belize and the Caribbean Sea. However, if this is your first trip to Belize here are a few “need to knows” to help you get started and plan your next scuba dive trip to Belize:

1. Official Language in Belize: English

Belize is a tiny country located between Mexico and Guatemala and is known as the ONLY country in Central America whose official language is English.

2. Belize Currency Exchange 

U.S Dollars are generally accepted but the currency of Belize is Belize Dollars (BZD), which exchange rate is steady at $1USD=$2BZD.

3. Entry Requirements to Belize

Visas are not required for citizens of:  the United States, Canada, Caribbean Countries, Australia, Hong Kong, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, or Venezuela.

4. Belize Accommodations

            Belize offers a wide array of accommodations from

• Budget - $25-55USD
•  Mid-range- $60-110USD
• High-end- $110- Up USD

           

5. Best Known Scuba Diving Spots 

            Belize is not only home to the second largest Barrier Reef in the world,(second only to              

            Australia’s Barrier Reef) and the Belize’s well-known Blue Hole but is also     comprised of hundreds 

            of Cayes, and Atolls. Belize is known as a Diving Mecca,          which   only makes it harder to choose 

            where to go Scuba Diving. Following are the most   visited sites:

•   Gladden Spit 
•  Glover’s Reef Atoll
•   Lighthouse Reef Atoll
•  Turneffe Island 
•   Hol Chan Marine Reserve & Shark Ray Alley 
•   Pompion Wall

6. Take advantage of new scuba dive courses

Splash Dive Center is not only a PADI Resort Facility but is also an Instructor Development Center located in Placencia, Belize. Contact Splash Dive Center to find out more about E-learning Dive courses that are also available.

Start planning your next Belize dive trip, contact Patty at patricia@splashbelize.com for more information.

Visit Placencia, Belize My Top Five Must Do!

The Placencia Peninsula is easily accessible either by road or a short flight from the Phillip Goldson International Airport in Belize City. When you first arrive at Placencia you will find it to be a small, secluded, friendly village. My first impression was that Placencia is certainly a laid back area to escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life and to have my dream Belizean Getaway enjoying the sandy Caribbean beach! The longer I stayed in Placencia the more I learned. 

My top “Five Must Do Activities” in Placencia includes a little bit of everything for families, friends, or couples:

1.     Visit the Great Belize Barrier Reef

You simply cannot visit Placencia and not take the fun boat ride out the Belize Barrier Reef to snorkel or dive. The waters of Belize are truly spectacular it opens your mind to a whole new world.  Belize is the home of true natural resources. Much of Belize’s marine environment is heavily protected in order to preserve an authentic diving experience. Book your dive trip with Splash Dive Center, a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center! Explore the Barrier Reef and choose to dive Placencia’s Outer Reef, Placencia’s Inner reef, Glovers Reef, Gladden Spit, Turneffe, Lighthouse Atolls, or the famous Belize Blue Hole.

2.     Monkey River Tour

One of the most relaxing ways to go back in time and see the authentic Belize before “civilization” is to take the boat ride up the Monkey River and revel in the natural jungle-life of this Caribbean country. The Monkey River Village is located 12 miles south west of Placencia Village where you will meet and greet the “ambassadors of the jungle”: the Black Howler Monkeys, commonly known in Belize as the “baboons”.  The Black Howler Monkeys are not only the largest monkeys in Belize’s rainforest but they are also the “loudest”.

3.     Bunches of Fun Banana Farm Tour

Spending some worthwhile time on land learning all about how to plant and care for and harvest bananas!  You pick up an amazing understanding of this complex plant and get to taste the product including fresh banana cake and banana chips.  We visited the Sagitun Farm located in Riversdale, Placencia only a short drive from our resort and had “bunches” of fun. We even participated in preparing the bananas for exportation by sticking on the Fyffes stickers on the “bunches”.  The best part was meeting the people and learning the process of having bananas in our kitchen fruit basket.

4.     Enjoy Diverse Dishes

Placencia town is populated with great restaurants serving diverse and unique Belizean flavors. Whether you are looking for an upscale five star restaurants or looking to kickback under a palapa hut by the beach your meal is a guarantee satisfaction. One of my favorite restaurants is Wendy’s Creole Cuisine.  A trip to Placencia is always a trip to the ice cream/gelato shop, Tutti Frutti. Tutti Frutti uses local ingredients to make authentic fruity gelato.

5.     Sunset Cruise

Enjoy a romantic moment with your special someone cruising the Caribbean Sea past Placencia Village and explore Placencia’s picturesque canals before watching the sun go down with a glass of wine and some tasty hors d’oeuvres at anchor secluded by the mangroves on serene Placencia Lagoon. The view is breathtaking as you take a magical moment as the sun slowly sinks behind the Maya Mountains.

Start planning your visit to Placencia, Belize contact me at patricia@splashbelize.com or visit our website at www.splashbelize.com 

Belize: Safe, Fun and Budget Friendly

Have you ever wanted to travel to a tropical paradise but had so many questions about the destination you are heading to?

Let Splash Dive Center, take care of you! Splash Dive Center is located in beautiful southern Belize: Placencia.

Placencia is known to be the most laid-back, tranquil environment in Belize, located just a short boat ride away from many of Belize’s well-known marine reserves such as: Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes, South Water Caye, Glovers Reef, Turneffe Atoll and Belize’s Barrier Reef.

Visit Splash Dive Center and meet with Patty, co-owner of Splash Dive Center, the most genuine and friendly person you can meet. Splash will become your home away from home.

Safety is Splash Dive Center’s #1 goal, a PADI resort facility, encompassing the most experienced and qualified staff in the region. Continue your diving education or learn to dive with a very professional Instructor. Sign up for some of the tours and package deals offered,  led by dive masters who are licensed tour guides who are both knowledgeable and make it fun.

A few of Splash Dive Center’s most famous ‘Big 6’ special dive packages include:

·       The GrandSlam

·      Barrier Reef Package

·      Glovers & Barrier Reef DivingPackage

·      Blue Hole & Barrier Reef DivingPackage

·      Whale Shark Scuba Diving Packages

·      Blue Hole & Whale Shark DivingPackages

The ‘Big 6’ encompasses the very best of Belize’s underwater world, experience Belize!

Mix it up! Splash Dive Center also offers a range of inland tours, including but not limited to:

·      Monkey River Excursion

·      Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

·      Hikes and River Tubing

·      Visits to Mayan Archeological Sites

·      Cave Expeditions: ATM, Barton Creek

Concern about accommodation?

Accommodation in Placencia ranges from budget, mid-range, to high-end. A short list can be found below:

·      Budget

o   Sea Glass Inn - Placencia

·      Mid-range

o   Sea View Suites

o   Miramar Apartments

·      High-end

o   Laru Beya

We had the opportunity to dive with Splash Dive Center and can still remember the details of my vacation in Placencia, Belize. In simple words: it is more than a dive center: ‘it is home away from home’.

For more information on vacation packages visit www.splashbelize.com.

Start planning your stay by contacting Patty at patricia@splashbelize.com