WHY PLACENCIA, BELIZE NEEDS TO BE YOUR NEXT SENSATIONAL GETAWAY
Heading down the coast towards southern Belize… there is a town that sings of tranquility, calmness, and peace. A town where hummingbirds dance, ocean waves softly crash on the shore, and palm trees sway along the golden beams of sunlight. This town? Placencia.
Placencia is a small beach town located in southern Belize, and is an absolute gem of paradise. Amongst this small tropical village, it boasts some wonderful and unique traits.
Placencia is home to the world’s narrowest street. This street has even been recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s narrowest street! With it being just a few feet wide, it was originally built on a foundation of conch shells.
Placencia is located on a perfectly pristine peninsula that stretches for 16 miles. The exact spot of Placencia is what makes it one of the most amazing spots in the entire world. Located within the Belize Barrier Reef system… it’s surrounded by turquoise waters, tiny sand bar islands, and epic marine life.
Speaking of epic marine life… during the months of March through June, the majestic whale sharks make their way towards the Placencia area. You can see these creatures in all their glory! Can’t visit during these months? Do not worry because there is so much more marine life to be seen during all times of the year!
Among the narrowest street, the sandy peninsula, and the glorious whale sharks… there lays something just as special. This special place will forever hold a spot in my heart. It just gives you that feeling… that feeling of belonging and that everything is right in the world. This special place? Chabil Mar… Maya for “Beautiful Sea”.
I want to take you through my whole journey (with my husband) of traveling down to Placencia. I want to make it as easy as possible for you to visit the magical resort of Chabil Mar, and make all your tropical dreams come true!
THE JOURNEY
First things first… getting down to Placencia! One aspect of traveling to Belize from the Unite States that is amazing… it’s a relatively short flight! We flew directly from Houston, Texas to Belize City, Belize and it was just under 2.5 hours. Such a quick flight! I noticed that most flights flew directly from either Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, or Miami… and all flights flew into Belize City at the Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport.
Before continuing on to how we got from Belize City to Placencia… I want to go over all the COVID-19 protocols for entering Belize.
You do NOT need to download and complete the Belize Health App anymore.
Both unvaccinated and vaccinated visitors must present a negative COVID-19 test. A negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken within 96 hours of arrival or a negative COVID-19 Antigen Rapid test result taken within 48 hours of arrival are both accepted.
If no COVID-19 test result is presented, a COVID-19 test will be administered at the airport for a fee of $50.
Once you get to Belize, you must wear a mask at all times! This can be strictly enforced by law officials. Even when you’re walking outside on the street, you must be wearing you mask! When in doubt, continue to reference the Belize Tourism Board.
And now it’s onto Placencia… via a hopper plane! This is actually a fantastic experience in itself because you get to fly over Belize’s beautifully blue water! It’s a short 30-ish minute flight, but during that short time, you will see so much of Belize from up above! And when you’re over the water, don’t forget to look down! I saw plenty of sting rays and manatees from way up there!
We flew Maya Island Air from Belize City to Placencia (and back) and couldn’t recommend them enough! Once landing in Belize it literally took less than 15 minutes to get through all of customs. Once getting through customs, you’ll have to check into the Maya Island Air check-in counter, and then head through security. The international airport does a great job of directing guests throughout the airport… there are literally signs everywhere! Once you get through security, you’ll head all the way down to the end of the gates to the Maya Island Air gate, and let the employees know you have arrived. One thing to note about hopper planes like this, a majority of the time they will leave early. So, remain in the surrounding area, and wait for your flight to be called.
The minute I stepped off the plane in Placencia, I knew our time at Chabil Mar was going to be nothing short of amazing. Waiting for us upon arrival was a lovely gentleman holding a Chabil Mar sign and bottled water… along with cool and refreshing towels, that had a subtle hint of essential oils blended in. After a few hours of travel, it was the exact welcome we needed!
Chabil Mar is just a stones throw from the airport, so before you know it… you are pulling into the gates of one of the most beautiful resorts you will ever lay eyes on… and I can’t wait to take you through it all! But let me just warn you… photos do not do this place justice!
THE RESORT
When we stepped out of the van, we were pleasantly greeted by Chabil Mar staff who provided us with a delightfully tasty tropical drink, took care of our luggage, and then took us on a detailed tour of the grounds. The grounds are absolutely spectacular… I really can’t even put the beauty of the grounds into words. The lush landscape just sweeps magnificently across the entire resort. There are palm trees, perfectly pruned shrubs, delicate topiaries, and a plethora of various flowers. Each different flower boasts a beautiful and bright color. And there are hummingbirds flying all over the place! Every morning, I woke up around sunrise to take a breathtakingly peaceful walk around the grounds. It was the perfect way to start my morning every day.
Chabil Mar is such a unique resort as each room is actually a stunning villa! There is a small handful of villas that adorn the property, and each villa is different than the next. The interior design of each villa is “proudly infused with local art, artifacts and Belize decor, modern amenities and conveniences, inspired by the beauty of Belize!” All villas are different in size and layout… and range from 925 square feet to 2,000 square feet… and can have a single or double bedroom, and even a loft. Each villa has a living space, a personal verandah, an outdoor personal dining area, and a hammock.
Some key touches we loved about Chabil Mar, and specifically about our villa…
There were gorgeous flowers placed throughout our entire villa when we checked in. It was absolute perfection, and made us feel so welcomed on our first day.
We could rent movies, which was so lovely! It was such a treat to be able to lay in bed after a long day, and wind down with a movie of our choice.
There was a washer and dryer in our villa, that actually came in super handy! After we went for a river tour down Monkey River… we were really muddy from hiking in the jungle. So, having that washer and dryer was a life saver!
The bottom of the pools! You heard me right! There are a pair of pools… with one pool having a palm tree on the bottom, and one pool having a dolphin on the bottom.
Literally, every person working at Chabil Mar knew our names! I have never been to a place of lodging where the employees knew my name. This was so endearing… that it really made a memorable impact on our trip.
There were complimentary paddle board and kayak rentals. Belize has such beautifully blue water, and it’s wonderful to experience the water on so many different levels.
My most favorite aspect of our entire villa though would definitely have to be the artistic wooden headboard on our bed. Carved into the headboard was a plethora of adorable sea creatures. It was such a beautiful display!
So, you’ve seen how amazing the villas are… now, are you ready to see how amazing the food is? Before I dive into how delightful the food at Chabil Mar is… did you know that each villa has their very own fully equipped kitchen? Absolutely! So, if you’re looking to grab some groceries and cook up some of your own food… you totally can! But if you’re looking more to lounge around and have the cooking done for you… then Chabil Mar has got you covered!
Chabil Mar has a few things that make their dining experiences exquisite and their food delectable…
Chabil Mar is guest exclusive. They are the only guest exclusive resort along the 16 mile long Placencia Peninsula. All of the dining at Chabil Mar is for guest use only.
Chabil Mar has a “Roaming Butler Service”. Something super unique that I've never seen before at a resort... a service called, "Roaming Butler Service". Essentially... breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and drinks can be brought to you wherever you'd like on resort property! We had food on the beach, right alongside the pool, on the verandah of our villa, and out on the dock under the moon and stars.
Chabil Mar employs their very own personal chef. All dishes utilize “authentically unique flavors” and “the freshest possible ingredients”. In each and every dish, there is “passion and admiration for Belize cuisine”. Long story short… it’s all so yummy!
So, if you’re not lounging around your villa or munching on some delicious goodies… what are you doing? There is so much you can be doing! And that leads me to talking about the vast array of experiences you can encounter in Placencia and the surrounding area!
THE ADVENTURES
There are so many epic adventures to be had in Placencia… especially related to the surrounding waters. This is the main reason we chose to visit Belize, in general… because we wanted to experience the fabulous and abundant marine life.
One aspect of Chabil Mar that is so convenient… once you book your reservation, you can start booking your excursions. Chabil Mar partners with so many wonderful people and companies to give you the best Belize experiences ever!
Here are the excursions we went on…
Snorkeling at Silk Caye: This was my favorite excursion because I love the underwater life so much! To start the day off, we were picked up at Chabil Mar in the morning, and brought to the dive shop we would be snorkeling with. After we got fitted with all the gear we needed, we hopped on the boat and headed on our way! Little did I know… we were headed to an island literally in the middle of nowhere! And when I mean island… I mean a small sandbar with a picnic table on it! It was seriously a dream… like something out of a fairytale. Once we arrived, we put on all our snorkel gear, and started to swim around in the crystal clear blue water. This was a guided snorkel tour… so, our guide showed us all of the amazing sea life we could find! After we snorkeled for quite a while, we were served lunch on the island. Then after lunch, was my favorite part… we got to swim with nurse sharks, sea turtles, and sting rays! I still can’t get over this moment… I will remember it forever!
Spin casting and troll fishing: This was my husband’s favorite excursion because he loves fishing whenever he can! Our fishing day started off at the marina across the street from Chabil Mar. Our fishing guide’s name was Grayson, and he was the absolute best! Grayson was such an amazing guide because he was charismatic, knowledgeable about the surrounding fishing environment, and just a super fun guy! Grayson was there to educate us about the fish we were catching, and how to go about catching the fish. We were out on the water for a few hours, and we ended up catching over 10 fish! The great part? We got to eat some of the fish we caught for lunch! I’ll talk more about how our fish tasted, and where we had it cooked later on!
Boat tour down Monkey River: We got to step inside the Belize jungle for a little bit during this excursion! Just like our day of fishing, we started our Monkey River tour at the marina across the street from Chabil Mar. We then took a boat through the mangroves, and eventually ended up at Monkey River! Once we arrived at Monkey River, we spent the next few hours essentially going on a jungle cruise! We saw turtles, crocodiles, manatees, monkeys, bats, and a plethora of different birds. Once our cruising was completed, we had a delicious lunch at a local restaurant… and then made our way back to the resort.
Besides the excursions we went on, we also ventured down to the village of Placencia. We went there twice! One time we traveled down there by bike (don’t forget the bikes are complimentary from the resort!), and the other time we walked along the beach. I recommend doing both!
Here are some of my favorite places I recommend stopping at in the village of Placencia…
Omar’s: This restaurant is actually owned by the brother of our fishing guide! It was awesome to support the same family in multiple ways! And the coolest aspect? We caught the fish we ate! I have never done anything like this before, and it was such a unique and special experience. Our fishing guide brought the fish to the restaurant, his brother cooked it up, gave us some side dishes… all for only $9 per person!
Tutti Frutti Gelateria: Get ready for some of the best gelato of your life! This gelateria has been around for years, and is a local favorite. To be honest, you’ll probably want to stop here more than once! One thing to note, they only accept cash.
Barefoot Beach Bar: This beach front bar is seriously so much fun! The second you walk in, you can’t help but smile because everything is so colorful! The atmosphere is seriously a blast, and along with that, the food and drinks are drool worthy… yum!
Angel Delights: An adorable bakery that you can’t miss! Why? Because it’s purple! Hehehe! While we were riding our bikes towards the village, this bakery caught my eye because they serve key lime pie, and I love key lime pie with all my heart!
G. Sierra Art Gallery: This art gallery is actually the art gallery of our fishing guide! He shared his painting life story with us while we were fishing with him, and it was so amazing to hear! And guess what? You can support him from the United States! Check out his Facebook page (his brother is also an artist), and you can request commissioned work that can be shipped to your home. We bought a small sea turtle print from him, and also rash guard shirts with his sea turtle creations on the back.
So, what do you all think? Have my words and photos convinced you to visit Placencia? Do you now realize that Chabil Mar is one of the most beautiful resorts ever? In full transparency, Chabil Mar is one of my favorite resorts in the entire world. I am already counting down the days until I can be back in Belize… and back at Chabil Mar. There are certain places in the world that really do feel like a home away from home… and Chabil Mar is now one of those places for me.
Thank you so much to Chabil Mar for providing the lodging, some food, some tours, and the domestic flights for this amazing trip. Although I did work with Chabil Mar, all thoughts and opinions are my own, and true to myself.
Don’t forget to pin me!