Placencia

Travel Guide

Placencia Beach which includes general coastal views and a beach
Maya Beach showing tropical scenes
Placencia Beach featuring a marina and general coastal views
Placencia Beach featuring a river or creek and a house
Placencia Beach as well as an individual male

Go diving at one of the cays in this charming beach town and take a boat tour of the national park.

Find golden beaches, warm Caribbean seawater and exotic birds in the picturesque town of Placencia. Its highlight is the Laughing Bird Caye National Park, where snorkeling and scuba diving are popular ways of seeing colorful marine life. Bring your swimming goggles or mask to this lively part of the world to witness extraordinary features of nature.

Visit the Laughing Bird Caye National Park to see outstanding natural beauty. Take a tour with one of the area operators. This generally includes a boat ride to the national park as well as lunch.

Learn about one of the main local harvests at the Bunches of Fun Banana Farm Tours. Guided tours make the trip through the banana farm really enjoyable and funny.Learn about the fascinating process of growing bananas it will change the way you think about the fruit. Try the local specialty of fried green bananas.

Visit Lola’s Art Gallery to get an insight into the creative minds of Placencia. That creativity continues to the bright colors used to paint the wooden structures of bars and restaurants. Nearby you will also find a gym and a nightclub.

This area essentially has two seasons: wet and humid from June to November and dry and hot the rest of the time. The mood is generally fun and friendly, as can be seen from the comical names and colorful décor of the bars and restaurants. The name of the town comes from the Spanish for “pleasing,” which sums up how the Spanish colonists felt when they arrived.

Find the small town on the southern part of the peninsula. It is a 20-minute drive south along Placencia Road from Maya Beach, which is 8 miles (13 kilometers) away. The town has its own airport for small connections. For far-flung destinations, go to Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport.

Placencia is primarily known among snorkelers for its cays. Visit its cute cafés, shops and galleries for a touch of Caribbean flair added to the attraction.

The Annual Vacation Sale

Members save up to 40% on hotels and homes. Plan this year’s big trip and save.

Where to stay in Placencia

Belize, Placencia, Aerial view of village on sea coast

Placencia Village

While visiting Placencia Village, you might make a stop by sights like Placencia Beach and Jaguar Bowling Lanes.

Placencia Village
Erholung am Strand

Caribbean Way

4/5(2 area reviews)

You might consider checking out Maya Beach while you're exploring Caribbean Way and the larger Placencia area.

Caribbean Way
A light show at the Green Parrot Beach Houses

Maya Beach

If you're looking for some top things to see and do in Maya Beach and surrounding area, you can visit Maya Beach and Inky's Mini Golf.

Maya Beach
Maya Beach showing tropical scenes and general coastal views

Cocoplum

4.5/5(5 area reviews)

While visiting Cocoplum, you might make a stop by sights like Maya Beach and Inky's Mini Golf.

Cocoplum
Placencia, Belize. Roberts Grove Resort marina with master dive boat, restaurant, protected harbor.

Plantation

4/5(5 area reviews)

When in Plantation, you can plan a visit to Maya Beach and Inky's Mini Golf, some noteworthy sights in the nearby area.

Plantation
Holy goodness! This place serves THE BEST Indian food. The chef is from Mumbai, worked at a 5🌟hotel in Dubai, as well as India. 
For the record my boyfriend hates curry and has never eaten Indian food but loved this place. The Naan is just the best thing ever. The staff is great, and they even have a tuk tuk that will pick you up from your hotel and drive you back and forth.

Surfside

When in Surfside, you can plan a visit to Maya Beach and Placencia Beach, some noteworthy sights in the nearby area.

Surfside
Maya Beach Hotel

Maya Beach Hotel

3 out of 5
Maya Beach Placencia Stan Creek
$128 nightly
The price is $139 total per night from Mar 14 to Mar 15
$139 total
Mar 14 - Mar 15
Total with taxes and fees
Book a stay at this beach hotel in Placencia. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a beach locale. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular ...
9.8/10 Exceptional! (281 reviews)
Great view of the ocean (including sunrises) from bed and balcony. Toucan room has a large seating area. Restaurant is very good. The only suggestion would be to put in some softer floor or table lighting; the lights were too bright.

Reviewed on Mar 10, 2026

Maya Beach Hotel
Umaya Resort & Adventures

Umaya Resort & Adventures

4 out of 5
Maya Beach, Stann Creek Placencia
$180 nightly
The price is $197 total per night from Mar 20 to Mar 21
$197 total
Mar 20 - Mar 21
Total with taxes and fees
Book a stay at this beach resort in Placencia. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a full-service spa. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular ...
9/10 Wonderful! (994 reviews)
Umaya is a beautiful resort with everything we needed. Bedrooms, full kitchen, large living room and could walk right out to the beach. They had a lovely pool with swim up bar and a nice restaurant across the street. It was close to restaurants and bars but we did need to drive to them as the road ...

Reviewed on Mar 13, 2026

Umaya Resort & Adventures
Placencia Resort

Placencia Resort

4 out of 5
Placencia Rd Placencia Stann Creek
$194 nightly
The price is $211 total per night from Apr 12 to Apr 13
$211 total
Apr 12 - Apr 13
Total with taxes and fees
Book a stay at this beach hotel in Placencia. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a full-service spa. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular ...
8/10 Very Good! (313 reviews)
The property itself was beautiful, but the pool was only open until 6pm. The restaurant was only open until 7 and there was nothing to do after 7pm. This property needed to have someone at the front desk/ maintenance available 24/7. We went to check out at 6am and there was no one available to check ...

Reviewed on Mar 13, 2026

Placencia Resort
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Julia´s Cabanas

Julia´s Cabanas

3 out of 5
CENTER OF PLACENCIA VILLAGE Placencia
Book a stay at this beach cabin in Placencia. Enjoy free WiFi, a beach locale, and dry cleaning or laundry services. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (272 reviews)
Fine little place, best price on the beach. Unfortunately right next door to a late night bar which literally makes the walls vibrate. The good news is Julia’s discloses this upfront and sadly the bar is overstepping their allotted noise time. Bad for the other businesses around them. I ended up ...

Reviewed on Mar 11, 2026

Julia´s Cabanas
Little Harvest Caye - Your Own Private Island

Little Harvest Caye - Your Own Private Island

Placencia Stann Creek
Book a stay at this beach villa in Placencia. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and private pools. Popular attractions Placencia Beach and Jaguar Bowling Lanes ...
10/10 Exceptional! (151 reviews)
Excellent! We went with a group of ten and we all had a wonderful week. The staff was incredible! Our chief, Rodwell, made every meal and the food was to die for! We did not want for a thing. Kendra, Rodwell, Michael, Jaz, and Martha took excellent care of our stay at Little Harvest Caye! We have ...

Reviewed on Mar 9, 2026

Little Harvest Caye - Your Own Private Island
Captain Jaks

Captain Jaks

3 out of 5
Main Road Placencia Stann Creek
Stay at this apartment in Placencia. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a free airport shuttle. Popular attractions Placencia Beach and Maya Beach are located ...
10/10 Exceptional! (7 reviews)
Location was perfect, very friendly, safe, and helpful. Highly recommend this place

Reviewed on Mar 12, 2026

Captain Jaks
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Things to do

Reviews of Placencia

4.5
Top Destination
5 - Excellent
134
5 - Excellent 57%
4 - Good
86
4 - Good 37%
3 - Okay
12
3 - Okay 5%
2 - Disappointing
3
2 - Disappointing 1%
1 - Terrible
0
1 - Terrible 0%

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

We loved Placencia and will return in the future. We stayed for 8 days, however we would recommend splitting your vacation between the beach and the interior.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

If you like seafood you MUST go to Omar's in Placencia Village. Outstanding! Best ever!

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

This was the first I traveled that made me seriously consider staying. It is slightly more expensive than other areas in Central America but in my opinion it is worth the cost.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

Only problem is the shuttle runs certain times, I feel they should add more rides.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

Placencia is a lovely chill beach town with plenty of good local food. The place is full of friendly, helpful locals, and retired expats. Although there was seaweed and some trash ashore, most hotel properties cleaned their part of the beach daily.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

Fun, quiet, friendly, funky beach town!

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