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Long Reefs and Fringed Palms: Palencia Beach

Placencia is a small town sandwiched between the Caribbean Sea and Placencia Lagoon in Belize. With a resident population of 600, Placencia's claim to fame is the fact that the longest reef in the western hemisphere is only 45 minutes away by boat.

Great Dives

The 200 mile long reef is a great location for scuba diving, where underwater visibility can reach over 200 feet in some places. Placencia's dive sites receive less boat and diver traffic than some other sites, which results in more spectacular pristine diving areas. A range of scuba locations cater for experienced divers to beginners, and regardless of where you dive, you are bound to see something spectacular on the reef. If you avoid tourist resorts it can cost as little as $40 a day to dive along this 150 mile barrier reef.

Some of the closest fringe reef dropoff sites for scuba diving near Placencia are the Loggerhead Caye, and Murray Caye for deep scuba diving. Placencia's closest snorkelling areas to Placencia is the Colson Caye and the Laughing Bird Caye with surface dives up to 15ft.

Sealife

In these dive spots you are likely to see stingrays, giant jewfish and other types of tropical fish. Also you can view the masses of hard and soft corals that fill the reef. Occasionally, divers have been privileged enough to see dolphins whilst diving.

If you plan to scuba dive or snorkel around Placencia between April and June, you must be cautious of migrating whale sharks.

One great feature of the Placencia beach is the fact that palm trees line the beach on the eastern side. They are great to shelter from the swelling heat of the coast.

Where to Stay

Placencia has a range of accommodation, with a handful of Hotels available. However, an equally popular option can be renting a simple guest room from a local family.

Other activities around Placencia are sailing, fishing, bird and manatee watching. Also overnight camping on isolated cayes and trips to jungle river systems can be organised by contacting the Placencia Tourist Guide Association.