The south - The Rough Guide to Belize - page 194

Punta Gorda; W tropicair.com and W mayaislandair.com).
Taxis are usually waiting to take passengers into Placencia
village (Bz$10). It's just possible that a new, entirely
distinct international airport will have opened at the north
end of the peninsula by the time you read this.
By bus Buses from Dangriga pull in at the petrol station
near the beach at the southern end of the village. In
addition, all buses between Dangriga and Punta Gorda stop
at Independence/Mango Creek, from where you can take
the Hokey Pokey ferry for the short ride to Placencia.
Destinations Dangriga (3-4 daily, last bus 2.30pm; 1hr
45min).
By boat The Hokey Pokey ferry departs for Independence/

Mango Creek from the Main Dock on the northwest edge of
the village, where buses on the Dangriga-Punta Gorda line
are usually timed to meet the ferry. D Express provides a
weekly shuttle between Placencia and Puerto Cortés,
Honduras, departing from the Main Dock on Friday
morning at 9.30am, and returning from Honduras on
Monday; you can buy tickets in advance from the Placencia
Tourism Centre (see below).
Destinations Independence (6-7 daily; last boat from
Placencia Mon-Sat 6pm, Sun 5pm; last boat from
Independence Mon-Sat 5.30pm, Sun 4pm; 20min; Bz$10;
T 601 0271); Puerto Cortés, Honduras (Fri 9.30am; 4hr
30min; US$60; T 624 6509, W belizeferry.com).

6

GETTING AROUND
By taxi A taxi between Placencia village and Maya Beach
will cost at least Bz$30. Local taxi firms include Noel's
( T 600 6047) and Travelling Gecko ( T 523 4078).
Car rental Barefoot Services, on the main road in

Placencia village ( T 523 3066, W barefootservicesbelize
.com), rent cars from around US$100/day, golf carts from
US$32 for 8hr, and scooters from US$8 for 1hr.

INFORMATION
Tourist information The Placencia Tourism Center is near
the northern end of the main road in Placencia village, (Mon-
Fri 9-5pm; T 523 4045, W placencia.com). It produces the

excellent free Placencia Breeze newspaper, with full local
listings, transport schedules and a good map, and also stocks
brochures for accommodation and tour operators.

TOURS AND ACTIVITIES
Diving and snorkelling Splash Dive Shop, in the marina
north of the village, and with a central of ce across from
Scotia Bank ( T 523 3058, W splashbelize.com), is the best-
equipped diving operation in Placencia, staffed by certified
tour guides. Sea Horse Dive Shop, in town near the petrol
station ( T 523 3166, W belizescuba.com), also offers
instructions and excursions at competitive rates. Diving
trips start around US$125 for a two-tank dive, and US$435
for open-water certification; snorkelling trips start at about
US$80/person including equipment, transport and a snack.
Pirate's Point Tours ( T 632 8399, E shaneyoungbz@yahoo
.com) and Ocean Motion Guides ( T 523 3363,
W oceanmotionplacencia.com) both offer snorkelling and
manatee-watching trips.
Fishing World-class fishing draws anglers eager to catch
tarpon, snook and bonefish that abound in the waters off
Placencia. A day out with a boat and guide will set you back
around US$300; any of the dive or snorkel places can arrange
this, as can Trip'n'Travel ( T 523 3205, W tripntravel.bz). Rods,
flies and tackle are available from Fred's Fishing Gear (daily
8am-5pm; T 523 3304, W fredsfishing.tripod.com).
Sea-kayaking Saddle Caye South ( T 523 3207,
W kayakbelize.com), offers excellent kayak rental (single

Bz$60/day, double Bz$100/day), as well as guided and
self-guided four- to six-day river- and sea-kayaking trips.
Nature tours Trip'n'Travel, based at Placencia O ce
Supply at the southern end of the village ( T 523 3205,
W tripntravel.bz), and Barebones Tours ( T 677 9303,
W barebonestours.com), who have a base in Monkey River,
organize nature tours, overnight jungle adventures and
trips down the Monkey River (around US$65).
Sailing If anything, the cayes off Placencia offer even more
beautiful sailing than the northern cayes, and the village is a
base for top-tier catamaran charters. For a week's sailing you'll
need to book well in advance. Some resorts have Hobie Cats
(small catamarans) for rent; other than these, regular sailing
trips are offered by Belize Sailing Charters ( T 523
3138, W belizesailingcharters.com), who have day sails to the
cayes (9am-3pm; US$125 /person, including buffet lunch
and open bar), with snorkelling and kayaking or sunset cruises
(4-7pm; US$85 including snacks and wine). The company has
been around for over thirty years, and brokers for the Belize
charter fleet, with overnight packages on fully crewed yachts
from US$500 to over $1000, and it can also arrange sailing
certification.

ACCOMMODATION
As the beach that lines the eastern side of the Placencia Peninsula is consistently good all the way along, the major issue in
choosing accommodation is whether you'd rather be in Placencia itself or in the more upscale resorts and hotels further
north. While the options in Placencia Village tend to be less fancy, less private and squeezed up closer together, it's simple