Let’s start with a few new fun things in Placencia Village –
New sub shop in Placencia! Chris, a great guy who has been living in Belize for several years – has opened a new restaurant where Hot Chicks used to be – and he is getting rave reviews about his Subs and Chicken! Check out Sidewinders Subs & Rotisserie Chicken on Main Street. Here’s his menu:
Cha Chi’s has a new Thai Pop up Kitchen!
From their Facebook page: We are excited to announce our Thai Pop up Kitchen this weekend with Chef Nantha from Siam Thai Belize. We will announce the menu later this week Thai food in addition to our regular menu will be dine in or take out 523-3305.
New Store – The new Placencia Pharmacy has been in its new location for about a month – really nice!! And it is right around the corner from CBC 🙂
Food Delivery – When you are in town and you are feeling lazy, and want to get food delivered – this is a relatively new place, getting great reviews, and they will deliver hot dogs and hamburgers to your door! The Burger Joint –
From their Facebook page:
The Burger Joint will be serving burgers from 11am – 9pm. To order Call 626 – 5502 Delivery or Pick Up
$1.00 Wings Available
$2.00 Burger Joint Fries Available
$3.00 Joint Hot Dog’s Available
$3.00 Natural Juices Available
$4.00 Cheese Fries Available
$7.00 Joint Burgers with Cheese Available
More choices available on our menu.
Located in Placencia in front of the police station next to DeJa’s Closet
Fun Recent Event – The Rotary Auction ran by the Placencia Rotary Club is a very anticipated event every year – if you are in town, you’ve got to check it out, you will see it advertised all over the village, and the prizes are amazing – and such a good cause. Here are some pics from this year’s event:
Sargassum Update – Finally – yes, February was a Sargassum-ey month – yuck!!! We were blessed with wonderful and patient guests who made the best of it, even though some of them missed seeing the beautiful Placencia shores. It is understandable to be frustrated and upset when you look forward to your beach vacation and then happen to have the seaweed take over your shore – it is an unpredictable occurrence, and can go away quickly, or stick around – just when you think the beach can’t get worse, it can disappear. We wish that we had a way to predict it and deal with it better, those of us who are passionate about making our guests happy really wring our hands over it.
I found this very interesting and thoughtful thread on a Trip Advisor forum (from a seaweed invasion a few years ago, but it was similar to this one) – and I wanted to share it to show the VAST differences in reactions a guest may have to a “mother nature” problem. The initial “poster”/person had a rotten experience – but it wasn’t helped by their negative attitude and perhaps inflexibility. If you read the other posts, guests that were also in Belize during the same time had a wonderful experience. I couldn’t have written a better thread to explain how we hope visitors will choose to react to natural occurrences (in the responses of course!): https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g291962-i1458-k8450836-BEWARE_of_sargassum_and_medical_facilities-San_Pedro_Ambergris_Caye_Belize_Cayes.html
Next Up in Placencia – Easter Weekend!
If you are here for Easter weekend coming up – please note that every year there is always confusion and questions about what is open and when. I highly encourage people to check out the Facebook pages Placencia What’s Happening and Placencia Restaurants and Food for the most accurate info about what will be open.
For those guests who booked their vacations in January in Belize – yikes!! It was the worst weather in January that most people said they had ever seen. It rained pretty much everyday for around 4-5 weeks, and although there were some sunny days, and breaks from the rain, it was WET and annoying!! At CBC, we had the most amazing guests who were great sports and found ways to make the best of it. It seems that it is over now – fingers crossed! For guests coming now (sorry past guests!!!:( ) they are treated to super lush growth everywhere, this is supposed to be a dry time of year and the foliage is loving it!!
So here was the scene for most of January 🙁
Still pretty – and the weird thing was, the way the currents were, we had the MOST gorgeous water for January – so that was a positive!
Here are some examples of the lushness you’ll find throughout the village right now…
Here are some other random pictures from January – we are set to close lobster season soon to (whaaaa!) and soon to come is the Placencia Art Festival!
You can still get a ton of great seafood options, no worries!
Wood carvers like Leo are a huge part of the sidewalk fun at the festival
Local characters like Marlon the Coconut Man are sure to be found at the festival…
This area will be the heart of the festival, right by Tipsy Tuna!
So word is, the weather has dried up, but we are getting a lil bit of Sargassum coming in. Belize is not for the fussy – it can be a place where you have to roll with mother nature, and it is not always predictable – but there are ALWAYS ways to have an extremely memorable and beautiful vacation!
Canadians and Americans make up the bulk of the expat population in Belize. So why is it that some individuals move to Belize? Here are the top reasons given…
1.) The weather – once some people experience year-round summers, it is VERY hard to go back. Most of the US experiences 4 seasons, and many people do genuinely love to experience that. For others – they are just summer people. And the weather in most of the US (and definitely north of there!) does not cut it. Except for southern Florida, it does get “cold” in the winter. For those that are uncomfortable when the weather dips below the low 70’s, you do have to be close to Miami or south of there.
Actual pic taken recently from NE US, vs Belize in winter…
2.) Why don’t people just live in the southernmost parts of the US? There are a lot of great places to live in the US, where it does stay warm enough for most folks. In general – there is a vibe in the Miami area that does not match what everyone is looking for – for others, it is perfect, and Miami grows every year for this reason. Key West is a crowd pleaser for many – but it is one of the most expensive places to live in the US, and a bit challenging to get to. There are also many other choices on the southern tip of Florida, so to dig a bit deeper…
There is a different culture and vibe in Belize, and for some people, when they show up here, they feel at home. What are some of these cultural differences that make it better to live in Belize for some people….each one deserves its own section – read on!
If the idea of sand streets, golf carts, and rustic, candy colored street buildings appeal to you, you might like it here – pic from Island.com
3.) Lack of materialism – appropriate attire for Belize is flip flops or bare feet, and you are welcomed everywhere in what you might wear to the gym in the US. It doesn’t occur to you after a while here why you’d need a designer bag, jewelry, expensive shoes, fancy car, or most of the electronic toys that are part of everyday life in North America. The longer you are here, the less money you find you spend and the less you feel you need. If you are partial to a minimalist lifestyle and have felt turned off by the “keep up with the Jones’s” culture in North America, this could be a big reason you are drawn back here. For those that have lived here for a length of time – it is generally quite shocking and uncomfortable to experience the materialistic cultural difference when they return to North America.
4.) A “swim at your own risk” mentality – Many people find it very refreshing (and at first, overwhelming and even confusing!) that the restrictions/rules/regulations in Belize are very different than the US. This does NOT work for everyone – in fact, there are some that are put off by this lack of regulation, and they feel safer in places that have a list of rules posted everywhere you look. And in fairness, if you do have an issue of some sort, this difference in structure can cause you to long for home or get cultural fatigue.
Things like drinking a beer while driving your golf cart, the fact that golf carts are allowed like cars in places in Belize; the fact that you can swim with sharks or jump from high places without signing a waiver; walking on the beach with a drink (even if it is in glass!); if you want to rent out your space, or start a business, compared to a tourist place like New Orleans or Key West – the barriers to entry are wildly different; major differences in the regulations needed to build – this one can again be a positive or negative, but if you desire to trust in what you are building, with a permit, you have a different amount of freedom compared to what you can do in the US; enjoying the vast amount of small businesses that pop up by locals, right next to their homes sometimes, where they provide wonderful authentic food or experiences, and I could go on and on. It is a different day to day lifestyle here. I would describe it as a bit of a libertarian mentality – those that prefer to live and let live, think for themselves, decide for themselves what level of risk to take, who want less restrictions than the US will find it refreshing here.
You’ll find this sign all over Belize – and it is not totally joking….from etsy.com
Ready to Move to Belize yet?
5.) Nature – There are parts of Belize that are just jaw dropping, and this is enough for some people to move to Belize. There are parts of Belize that look like the very best parts of the US all in one. I wrote this in my first few months of living in Placencia, and it is still true:
“The peninsula is very special and unique. We drove onto the peninsula the first time we came. The drive is so gorgeous and special….you go from watching the Maya Mountains, which look like Hawaii, to driving through what feels like a North Carolina shoreline…..to arriving at Hilton Head-like homes (Plantation area and North)….to driving through Maya Beach, which looks and feels like 1940’s Florida (at least what I imagine it did 🙂 ), to seeing authentic Belize culture in Seine Bight (this town is rough around the edges, but friendly, right on the water, and tons of local character), to arriving in the village, where not a structure is over a few stories high….everyone is friendly…..Caribbean-colored wooden homes and businesses….one cute restaurant and shop after another…and throughout this whole drive, you can see the lagoon and Maya Mountains on your right, and the gorgeous Caribbean the whole time on your left, and palm trees everywhere. I have never been in a place that had so many charming natural aesthetics.”
Also add to this that ALL THE BEACH IS PUBLIC! And you can find fun, lively beach action, or the prettiest remote stretch without another person in sight. And as this post is not specific to Placencia, I will add that I have never seen prettier water than Ambergris Caye, and the whole coast of the country has retained a vintage beach town feel that does not exist in the US.
I can verify this is a real pic because that is me sitting there!
6.) So add to above, many move to Belize because of the low cost to live here. You may read complaints that it is very expensive in Belize. It is for certain things, but if you give it some time and experience, you figure out how to live more cheaply here than you ever could in the US – let alone a popular beach town in the US. When people see that the real estate prices look like the US, and that a bag of Doritos is $6us at the store, and that gas is twice the price of the US, some say forget it, why would I live here without all the first world benefits?
Here are some ways this happens….property tax is pennies on the dollar compared to the US. It is almost nothing. If you compare this to the real costs of owning on a coast in the US, it is not even comparable. Water, gas, cell phone, are much cheaper here, electricity is relatively expensive, but this is somewhat in everyone’s control how much they want to use. Internet is reasonably priced – again this is a complaint here, but after 4 years here I can say I truly do not understand the complaints about internet access, speed, or cost – I am an average computer user and I experience no difference, and the cost is less here for us than in the US. Most people do not need a car here. If you do, you will only have one, and rarely use it. You walk and bike everywhere. If you get a golf cart (and let’s face it, this is a fun and charming way to get around!), there is no comparison in cost in every way to a car in the US. There are very few stores or things to buy – because the materialism needs are SO much less here – I barely spend money on anything here outside of food. Imported food and wine are expensive, period. But who doesn’t love the idea of farmer’s markets for shopping – which are way cheaper than any food shopping in the US. Local chicken, rice, beans are super cheap. And another huge money saver, which deserves its own section next…
7.) The entertainment is cheap, free, and plentiful – people who love it here are people who can sit on a pier or dock and enjoy their surroundings…….bike rides, swimming, happy hours, horseshoes, walks on the beach, hiking, relaxing in a hammock, kayaking…..all year long. Because some parts of Belize are set up for entertaining tourists – you find so many great activities that provide endless fun – trivia nights, movie nights, karaoke, games, drink specials, live music, dinner specials – there is something every night, and for the cost of a drink or two, or dinner less than $10, you can have fun any night you choose. Not to mention the many festivals, and the random things you see, like the high school band marching through town, or a fisherman fighting with pelicans and sea gulls as he’s cleaning his fish.
When I am in the US – the entertainment and cost is SO different. Socializing in the US usually involves movies, pedicures, expensive dinners, yoga classes, themed parties like makeup or jewelry which revolve around buying things, of course shopping, theme parks, miniature golf, trampoline gyms, Chuck E Cheese, golfing, skiing, and the endless ways we spend our money for entertainment. It adds up!
8.) Some random things – fatigue over the political climate in the US – and this is everywhere, you can’t get away from it, but by being a guest in another country, I can promise it feels much less personal and upsetting no matter what side you fall on. People also often ask about crime in Belize – seeing that I just read about multiple carjackings and gunpoint robberies near my hometown – please consider that while theft here is common, it is usually the result of leaving things unsecured or crimes of opportunity (leaving doors unlocked, leaving things unattended). The rarity of guns, organized crimes, and nonexistence of mass shootings…while the police here are limited compared to the US, so is access to weapons that can be used against you here. Meeting people from all over the world – who are usually pretty interesting! Although you do find this in some parts of the US – plenty of us are from places where we see very limited demographics and backgrounds. The tourism culture – to succeed in Placencia or Ambergris Caye, you really do need to enjoy this kind of environment. I love the energy of new guests, the signs directing guests to the best snorkeling excursions, the happy hour with local music on the chalkboards at Barefoot Bar, seeing backpackers get off the water taxi, things like crab races and chicken drops, the many booths and stalls the locals set up for tourists, etc….it gives some people a feeling of a perpetual vacation, and some of us find that’s the best way to live! that’s why it’s easy to see why so many people choose to move to Belize!
Once in a while I like to round up all the happenings in this country, as I follow these like a hawk, and it might be helpful to have a summary of what’s been going on that you may have missed! As always, this tiny country somehow always ends up in world wide news pretty frequently. Here is the latest stuff!!
(and enjoy some totally unrelated-to-the-news-stories pics of Belize sprinkled throughout)
Silk Caye
—In arguably the biggest news for Belize, the government just signed a deal to start building a $100 million international airport on Ambergris Caye!
The start of high season in Placencia usually means that the village is in tip-top shape….all the painting, construction, etc, mostly ceases and it becomes all about the visitors! Here are our top 12 favorite images from around CBC and the village in the last couple weeks! You may find yourself booking a flight after you take a look…
The first views our guests see as they enter CBC…
The view from the tower in Hacienda…
Our new office! And we are now offering cold towels at check in along with your welcome drink 🙂
Had to add this one….our lovely guests sent these to staff after check out!
Love this view of the beach, that you’ll see each time you leave CBC and head into the village
If you follow our Facebook page, you’ll see all the new and exciting things to look forward to for this upcoming high season! If you visited in October, you may have seen/heard all the painting and updating many businesses do right before reopening in November. Below is some new information and images of what is new for this upcoming season!
CanAm Health and Wellness: Healthy food and classes…. From their new Facebook page:CanAm Health and Wellness was created to help assist our clients explore a different way of health and lifestyle. As coaches we share our knowledge of primal foods and movement. One way we have decided to share this is through our CanAm Cafe. We recently opened up the doors to this new venture. We currently are offering baked goods(all gluten-free) coffee drinks , fresh brewed chai tea, green smoothies and fruit smoothies. Coming as soon as this week, we will offer a 3 course breakfast. We prepare foods in an alternative way using locally sourced products, whole foods, gluten-free and organic/pasture raised. This breakfast offering will be available on select days. Please follow us on Facebook and we will share our menu and days available. The menu will be set for each day with fresh juice and coffee included. Lucky you…no decisions to make! Have a seat, relax and let us serve you.
Here for Thanksgiving? Check out this locally famous spot to try a Belize Thanksgiving dinner!Back by popular demand Cliff’s delicious finga licking turkey dinner sale Thanksgiving Day Thursday November 23rd at Nite Wind Tours next to the old shell service station.Super moist oven baked turkey served with coconut rice and beans,real Belizean Christmas ham,potato salad,homemade stuffings and gravy and cranberry sauce.Price $15.00bz per plate.Place your orders here or call Ms. D at 660-6333.
From their Facebook page…
Paint and Sip at Lost Reef!
Paint & Sip Classes @ Lost Reef Resort as well as Artwork for sale by Eddie Guerra
We are blessed to have “Eddie the Artist” Eddie Guerra come teach for a sip an Paint! ….Classes will be held on the sea side under the shade of palms in natural light. Class sizes will be limited to 8 people…We will do one class at 11:30, and another at 3:00. We will supply the following: paint, easel, brushes, one yummy adult beverage, and a 2 hour tutorial lesson with this amazing artist! Located in Riversdale approximately 5 miles north of Maya Beach. Classes are already filling up, so please contact Molly Morton directly to secure your spot and take home an original piece made by the one and only YOU!!! Molly Morton 668-5053
Also at Tipsy Tuna – check out this weekly volleyball tournament with prizes!
From their Facebook page…
New frozen yogurt place in town…..Deja Moo (how cute is that!)
From their Facebook page…
New wine shop at Los Porticos – The Wine House opened a branch here in Placencia!
From their Facebook page…
Check out this new cafe located right across the sidewalk from Tipsy Tuna!! Afrodite Cafe –
Afrodite is a unique sidewalk cafe open from 7 am ’til midnight, featuring fresh baked goods, juice bar, salads, pizza, ceviche, Lick Me, full bar and more in a comfortable and stimulating atmosphere. We deliver.
Does this seem like a lot of new stuff for this little village? I think so, and it keeps things fresh for all the return guests that come here! I seem to have to update this new stuff every few months or so – if you missed any of these posts, you can check out other recent new stuff at the following!!
Click here to see new more new places and what’s reopening for high season….
Things change a lot in Belize – there are many, many businesses here that stay open and can be relied on year after year, and then there are others that shut down for low season, or shut down and sometimes we don’t know why! Placencia as a village runs on Facebook, so a lot of people get their information from different Facebook groups. Unless you are a frequent visitor, it is very hard to keep up with changes, so here are some updates you may have missed!Casino reopened – The Placencia Casino up in the northern part of the peninsula has reopened, HERE is their Facebook page – always smart to check here to make sure they are open the night you want to go. Sometimes they have shuttles from the village as well.
Placencia Yoga – new hours (from a Facebook post!)
“Ms. Pam’s back and happy to offer you Core Yoga & Stretching for all levels at the Wild Orchid on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays at 10am for only $10BZ. Happy to share my 20 years of teaching experience from the USA. Check out my FB pages for more information (see below)” www.yoga4lifebelize.com www.yoga4lifenh.com
Pizza…. Citrus Sensations pizza – Just sayin’ – our guests have been raving that their pizza is amazing, so it is worth checking out. Especially since Cha Chi’s pizza is recently closed (for now/forever? Not sure yet. But for your pizza fix, try above!)
This is a new activity/excursion – at least, I haven’t seen it before and it look really unique! Garifuna Drumming Lessons…. #SplashDiveCenter … #CulturalTourism is amazing … join Kevin from “The Light of Seine Bight Drumming School” – “Legemeri Seinbedi Drumming School” … Daily Garifuna drumming lessons, dance ,cooking lessons and group performance … For more information call 610-0235 … #GarifunaCulture#LearnToPlayTheDrums#SeineBight#Seinbedi#Belize
Oh, it’s football season….and that is fun around here. Nothing like watching football in 100+ degree heat index! Yoli’s…..
Sunday at Yoli’s Bar. NFL Football on two TV’s and lunch specials. Yoli’s Bar is on the beach by the Paradise Resort Hotel
Trivia….
Trivia is really hot here, a couple new spots to play!
Saturday afternoon trivia. Starts at 3pm at Yoli’s Bar.
There has been a gradual increase in the number of shopping stalls in the village, in the public space behind the ReMax bus station. It is kind of a flea market, you never know what you will find, but sometimes there are really inexpensive and fun treasures!General Yoga Info
Check HERE for the latest schedules…..they change frequently and there are always special yoga events.Mistletoe Ball
Here is a highly anticipated event every year!
What’s closed right now?
If you are headed here – just some FYI things that are temporarily closed….and keep in mind, there is PLENTY to do here in low season! Our guests never run out of things to do here, and you could never get everything done in a week or more anyway!
Cozy Corner – reopening at least bu Oct 7th, check this out!
Its That Time Of The Year Again! Cozy Corner 41st Anniversary Party!!! Bring Out Your Family & Friends And Have Fun!!!
Beach Party @ 12pm-6pm
Dance Party @ 9pm-3am
Tutti Frutti – this lovely couple goes back to Italy and brings ingredients back, for the best gelato ever….they will reopen sometime in October! Detatch – reopens sometime in Oct or Nov Naia – Reopens October 16th Maya Beach Bistro – reopens October 5th
Guests often ask about Tranquilo or Fusion – at this time, both are still closed, we will keep you posted!
What a fun day…many people said this was the biggest and best parade ever! Our guests had a blast tailgating at the parade, and then some followed the party down to the pier later at night. Here is a sampling of pictures from the day to give you an idea of what to expect, it is a very fun time to have a vacation here!
Our guests tailgating during the parade!!
Even CBC mascot Sticks was in on the fun
These little guys were awesome…two miles of drills!
Awesome floats
Heading to the pier
Beautiful costumes everywhere!
Pretty much everyone was dancing, you couldn’t help it!
This has been a very stressful hurricane season for the Caribbean as we all know by now. It has led to a lot of panic throughout the region, and if you happen to be traveling to the Caribbean right now, you are probably not very happy about your timing. I wanted to take a look at Belize’s hurricane history to find out your chances of being impacted during hurricane season here. Here’s the highlights of my research….
Since 1930, there have been 16 Hurricanes.
8 were Major Hurricanes, that either made landfall in Belize or passed close enough to cause damage or loss of life.
17 systems made landfall in Belize as Tropical Storms.
Average years between direct hurricane hits – 6.59
Average years between MAJOR hurricane hits – 24.16
Average years between being brushed or hit with a major storm – 2.84
Months when storms are most likely – September and October
Placencia itself was touched by Hurricane Earl in 2016, and was massively damaged by Hurricane Iris in 2001. There aren’t too many reports of major hits in the 100 years before this – minor to moderate damage in the 1940’s and once in the 1960’s. So if you look at a specific village – the chances of that specific village getting hit are still pretty low – so, statistically – I would not plan your vacation around it!!
Photo by Cecil Johnson – HERE are more pics from Hurricae Iris in 2001, when 95% of the village was damaged…
On to more uplifting topics…..
September Fun Times!
If you are here in September you are in luck! The two weeks leading up to Belize Independence Day on the 21st are one big party! You will find a lot of parades, music, and festivals during this time. Here are three things you can have fun with in Placencia in the coming weeks….
9/9 and 9/10 – Fishing Tournament – see HERE (always fun to watch down at the pier!)
9/10 – St George’s Caye Day – See HERE for more info
9/21 – Belize Independence Day – See HERE for more info….
Image from prweb.com of a past Placencia Belize Independence Day
And finally…..here are the latest news articles about Belize, in case you missed them!
ATM Cave tour was ranked as one of the most terrifying (thrilling?) things to do in the world…..
The Fort Worth Star Telegram thinks Belize is an amazing tropical getaway with something for everyone….
Although this one sends a mixed message, apparently environmentalists are impressed/surprised at the health of the reef in Belize, despite the massive growth….
Forbes thinks that Belize is worth looking at as an international investment….
Hoffman’s Houston thinks you’ll have a pretty good time here in Belize…
