Next, you’ll turn left onto the “Northern Highway”. This is a little different (easier) than going through Belize City. It will probably add about 10 minutes to your drive, but will make the drive a lot easier to manage.
You will proceed North for only about 10 minutes.
You will make a left onto the “Burrell Boom Cut”. Burrell Boom is a town and this “cut” will take you around to the Western Highway.
Follow the Burrell Boom Cut all of the way to the Western Highway, where you will make a right turn onto the Western Highway (this turn is in the area of Hattieville).
Go West on the Western Highway.
Follow the Western Highway past the Belize zoo all of the way to Belmopan and the Hummingbird Highway.
Turn left off of the Western Highway and onto the Hummingbird Highway. There should be signs for “Dangriga” / “Punta Gorda” / “Placencia”
As you approach Dangriga, you will see a Shell Gas station on your right. The turn off of the Hummingbird Highway and onto the “Southern Highway” is just ahead.
Turn Right onto the Southern Highway. You should see signs for “Punta Gorda” and/or “Placencia”.
Follow the Southern Highway for about 35 minutes, and then you’ll approach a round-a-bout. Here, follow the signs to Placencia. It’s the “left turn” in the round-a-bout.
You are now on the road to the Peninsula. There are no turns off of this road, just lots and lots of speed humps. The only “turn” that appears is a turn off to Riversdale. Don’t make that left, but rather stay on the road to Placencia.
Follow the Peninsula Road all of the way through Seine Bight, past Roberts Grove, the Airstrip and into the Village. You’ll know you’ve arrived in the village when you see the water tower. Once at the water tower, continue straight over two speeds bumps (a total distance of about 500 yards) and make a left at our sign “Caribbean Beach Cabanas”. You can see it on the map below. The road does not have a name, but you’ll see our sign (CBC) as well as Casa Palma and Heaven’s Gate’s signs.
A few points:
· The total drive can take from 3 ½ hours to 4 ½ hours. The speed humps, traffic and familiarity with turns and roads can greatly affect your drive. Be patient and enjoy the drive – it’s very pretty.
· If you put the drive into Google Maps – as I have done – it will take you through the “Coastal highway”. This road is not paved and is treacherous. It can be done, but because it’s a dirt road, it will unlikely save you time or headaches.
· I’ve used Google maps to provide some “map style” direction for you. However, Google’s turn by turn directions usually take you through the coastal and don’t map it through the Western, to the Hummingbird to the Southern Highway. We highly recommend you follow these and not Google’s, they are trying to find the shortest route, but dirt roads are just not fun.
Finally, HERE is a more entertaining and informing post to read about the experience of driving in Belize!
