Placencia
Encyclopedia
Placencia is a small town located in the Stann Creek District
of Belize
. It is the most southern town on the largest peninsula
of the Gulf of Mexico
.
and latterly from the island of Providencia
. This settlement died out during the Central American wars of independence in the 1820s.
The Placencia Peninsula was resettled in the late 1800s by several families. Placencia prospered and soon became a village, earning its livelihood from the sea.
The Spaniards that traveled the southern coast of Belize gave Placencia its name. At that time Placencia was called Placentia, with the point being called Punta Placentia, or Pleasant Point.
On October 8th, 2001, Hurricane Iris hit southern Belize with 145mph winds causing major damage to nearly 95% of buildings in Placencia. Many developers took advantage of plummeted real estate value and an increased development of the peninsula and Placencia proper is consistently on the rise, as well as property value.
In the late 20th century it became a significant tourism
destination, and is now referred to as Placencia proper, or simply Placencia.
in some areas; the western side is bounded by a long narrow north-south trending bay of the Caribbean Sea
. A significant settlement on the peninsula is the Garifuna village of Seine Bight. Placencia is served by Placencia Airport
.
The area was established as Maya Beach and registered as a subdivision in the 1960s. Slow but steady growth due to tourism, immigration to the area and Belizeans moving to the area for jobs has resulted in a population estimated by some to be as high as 200.
Throughout Maya Beach the peninsula is quite narrow, approximately 300–600 feet across from the sea to lagoon. Most properties have beach, lagoon or canal frontage.
Stann Creek District
Stann Creek District is a district in the south east region of Belize. According to the 2010 census, the district had a population of 32,166 people...
of Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
. It is the most southern town on the largest peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
of the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
.
History
In the 17th century, Placencia was settled by the English Puritans, originally from Nova ScotiaNova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
and latterly from the island of Providencia
Providencia
Providencia may refer to:* Providencia, Chile* Providencia District in Amazonas, Peru* Providencia Island, part of the San Andrés y Providencia Department district of Colombia in the Caribbean sea...
. This settlement died out during the Central American wars of independence in the 1820s.
The Placencia Peninsula was resettled in the late 1800s by several families. Placencia prospered and soon became a village, earning its livelihood from the sea.
The Spaniards that traveled the southern coast of Belize gave Placencia its name. At that time Placencia was called Placentia, with the point being called Punta Placentia, or Pleasant Point.
On October 8th, 2001, Hurricane Iris hit southern Belize with 145mph winds causing major damage to nearly 95% of buildings in Placencia. Many developers took advantage of plummeted real estate value and an increased development of the peninsula and Placencia proper is consistently on the rise, as well as property value.
In the late 20th century it became a significant tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
destination, and is now referred to as Placencia proper, or simply Placencia.
Location and geographic setting
The eastern side of the Peninsula is a long expanse of white sand beach and heavy mangroveMangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
in some areas; the western side is bounded by a long narrow north-south trending bay of the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
. A significant settlement on the peninsula is the Garifuna village of Seine Bight. Placencia is served by Placencia Airport
Placencia Airport
Placencia Airport is an airport that serves Placencia, Belize. It has a dirt strip and borders the beach. That reason causes pilots to be very careful when landing.-Scheduled Service:...
.
Demographics
The village is home to 458 permanent residents according to the 2000 census. The 2009 population estimate for Placencia Village is 750.Attractions
- Placencia, it used to be a fishing village but now offers some tourist amusement such as bars and entertainment like kayaking, snorkeling, diving, saltwaterSeawaterSeawater is water from a sea or ocean. On average, seawater in the world's oceans has a salinity of about 3.5% . This means that every kilogram of seawater has approximately of dissolved salts . The average density of seawater at the ocean surface is 1.025 g/ml...
fly fishingFly fishingFly fishing is an angling method in which an artificial 'fly' is used to catch fish. The fly is cast using a fly rod, reel, and specialized weighted line. Casting a nearly weightless fly or 'lure' requires casting techniques significantly different from other forms of casting...
, whale sharkWhale sharkThe whale shark, Rhincodon typus, is a slow-moving filter feeding shark, the largest extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of and a weight of more than , but unconfirmed claims report considerably larger whale sharks...
watching during the full moons between April and July of each year, light tackle saltwater fishing, as well as numerous restaurants and local art gallery.
- Placencia Village, hosts the Placencia Lobster Fest, the Placencia Peninsula Arts Festival, Easter Week (similar to US Florida Spring BreakSpring breakSpring break – also known as March break, Study week or Reading week in the United Kingdom and some parts of Canada – is a recess in early spring at universities and schools in the United States, Canada, mainland China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the United...
).
- Placencia Lagoon, with manatees, dolphins, rays (the Lagoon is a nursery for some species of rays), mangrove forests, birding by canoe or kayak, fishing (juvenile tarpon, snook, barracuda), wetlands and sea grass beds.
- Mayan ruins of Nim Li Punit and Lubantuum are in the Toledo District, a day trip from the Placencia Peninsula.
- Cockscomb Basin Wildlife SanctuaryCockscomb Basin Wildlife SanctuaryThe Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is a nature reserve in south-central Belize established to protect the forests, fauna and watersheds of an approximately 400 square kilometre area of the eastern slopes of the Maya Mountains...
, which is also a day trip from Placencia.
- Maya Centre Village with 12 self-guided trails, 100000 acres (404.7 km²) forest jaguarJaguarThe jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
preserve, and nearly 300 bird species.
- Mayflower Archaeological Reserve, 3 post-classic MayaMaya civilizationThe Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...
ruins: Mayflower, T'au Witz and Maintzunun) and waterfalls.
- Bladen River Reserve
- Maya Beach is a tiny community on the Placencia Peninsula, mid-way between Placencia Village to the south and Riversdale to the north. The closest village is Seine Bight, a historic Garifuna settlement. Approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long, the Maya Beach area is made up of homes, small resorts and a few retail establishments including two small grocery stores, a half-dozen bars & restaurants, and an art gallery.
The area was established as Maya Beach and registered as a subdivision in the 1960s. Slow but steady growth due to tourism, immigration to the area and Belizeans moving to the area for jobs has resulted in a population estimated by some to be as high as 200.
Throughout Maya Beach the peninsula is quite narrow, approximately 300–600 feet across from the sea to lagoon. Most properties have beach, lagoon or canal frontage.
See also
- Monkey RiverMonkey RiverMonkey River is a coastal watercourse in southern Belize that rises in the Maya Mountains and discharges to the Caribbean Sea near Monkey River Town. One of Belize's major rivers, Monkey River has northern headwaters which originate in the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, where the Swasey Branch...
- DangrigaDangrigaDangriga, formerly known as Stann Creek Town, is a town in southern Belize, located on the Caribbean coast at the mouth of Stann Creek. It is the capital of Belize's Stann Creek District and also the largest town in southern Belize...
- PlacentiaPlacentiaPlacentia may refer to:* Palace of Placentia, an English Royal Palace* Placentia, California, United States* Placentia, Italy* Placentia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada* Battle of Placentia* Placentia Bay, the name of two ships of the Royal Navy...