Placencia, Belize: A Tourist's Paradise!

Here’s the rest of the story about my “visa stamp” visit to Placencia, Belize….

I finally arrived, just after dusk on Monday, Mar 15th, after a long day of travels and my first impressions of the village are really just a blur as I blindly followed my new friends from Minnesota from the dock to their hotel.

Thankfully there was a room available at the Seaspray Hotel as I wasn’t up for any more adventures that day. This was also my awakening to how expensive everything was going to be as I was charged $96 BZ (remember that the Belize dollar is 2 for 1 USF) for a comfortably large room with a private bath, a fridge and hot running water – I can tell you, that hot shower was glorious after such a day!

Dan & Destiny invited me to join them for dinner, just next door at “De Tatch” and over a couple of the local “Belikin” beer and a great Jerked Shrimp dinner we shared stories with each other. This was their first time vacationing in Central America and they were quite amused when I asked if they had “got the bug yet?” It certainly appeared that they were having a great time discovering Placencia and surrounding areas and already planning as to when they could return again.

Needless to say, with a full belly and a clean bed waiting for me, it was an early night for me. Somehow, I keep forgetting that I’m not as young as I used to be!

Early Tuesday morning was a special treat for me as De Tatch opened at 7am, so I was able to get a big mug of coffee and curl up at a beach table to soak in the sights and sounds of the Caribbean Sea filling my horizon. Placencia stretches along a crescent shaped section of clean beach, with both ends remaining fairly forested. There’s quite a collection of commercial and private residences tucked in along the beach and poking their multi coloured roofs above the trees.

The day’s priority was to find a cheaper hotel since I was working with a fairly non existent budget so off I went to explore. One of Placencia’s claims to fame is the fact that one of its two main streets is actually a concrete sidewalk that stretches from one end of the village to the other. Everything is built on sand, so this was a bit of a relief for me as walking in sand is still pretty tiring for the re-built hip. What a treat it was to be able to waunder along barefoot, following little trails between houses to find John’s Bakery, various gift stores and yes, the hotels I was actually supposed to be looking for.

I found “Omar’s Guesthouse” that had been listed in a very old copy of Lonely Planet and had a pleasant chat with an older man named Pine about a room. Sadly, the price was right at 40 BZ a night, but this ramshackle two-storey wooden place had seen better days, a very long time ago. Going back along the sidewalk, I had a delightful visit with Sharm, the clerk at “Evan’s” and was amazed at their huge full kitchen private suites for 130 BZ (discounted to 100 BZ if I was to stay three nights) and I stopped briefly at the “Cozy Corner” with their fully equipped rooms at 109 BZ but couldn’t face the thought of living right over their busy bar and restaurant. I trekked out to the opposite end of said sidewalk and made inquiries at “Lydia’s Guest House” which was offering a private room with patio hammock, hallway bathroom and a communal kitchen for only 40BZ a night.

I wasn’t terribly certain that I wanted to stay at the far end of the village so strolled along the sidewalk yet again to find that there was a room available at “Julie & Lawrence’s Guest House” and readily accepted it. It was still a little high for my budget at 80 BZ a night, but the room was large and came with a fridge and coffeemaker, hot water shower and my own little patio complete with a great hammock! All within sight and sound of the beach and sea….

Days were spent merrily making new friends like Denise & Wendy at the “Pickled Parrot Pizza, Bar & Grill”, discovering ham & cheese flat bread breakfast creations at “John’s Bakery” and stopping and visiting with numerous Mayan women or local Garifuna artisans. The Mayans set up their tables or blankets along the sidewalk (remember, this is a main street!) and display their woven baskets, hematite jewellery and various other art works of painstaking detail. A number of younger men and women also simply walk throughout the village with their back pack, politely ask if you would like to see their work and if you accept, simply (and very efficiently!) shake out a small cloth and, their hands working like magic, instantly set out their various goods.

The weather remained fairly cool (at least for me, the acclimatized Honduran!) but it only rained the one night and most days the stiff breeze blew the clouds off for afternoon episodes of sunshine. I walked the beaches, collected sea shells, took hundreds of photos and generally played at being a tourist. I was really surprised at the number of Canadians I met who live & work there, are building to retire there or were returning over the years to continue their appreciation for living in this little corner of paradise.

I inadvertently wound up operating as a tourism assistant as Julie’s place was full, so I was able to share my new found hotel information with various backpacking fellows, a couple of young women travelling together and even two fairly affluent North American couples who were making their own inquiries.

There is quite a variety of Caribbean and international food available and I tried to sample as many as possible! Wood fired, thin crust pizza at “Tony’s”, conch fritters and a gorgeous green salad at the Pickled Parrot, the Jerked Shrimp at De Tatch, the Curried Prawns at Pirate’s Grill (which specializes in Caribbean Fusion, a new concept on me) to name a few of the best ones. Again, most meals ran about 25 BZ to 30 BZ and were big enough that I snacked merrily on leftovers.

It seemed that most bars specialized in “happy hours” whereby regular prices were either reduced or they offered mixed drinks at two for one, so as a purely economical restraint I visited a few of the many beach places in the later part of the day. The infamous parrot slightly pickled me one day while I was meeting so many Canadians and the “Tipsy Tuna” was great for meeting up with the various 20 to 30 “something” crowds of younger folk out to just have fun. Tony’s Pizza was a great place to sit and visit with a wide variety of “most ages” folks and had the distinct advantage of being a 20 second beach walk back to my patio at Julie’s.

Wednesday night at the Tipsy Tuna a local Garifuna band was featured and they shared their music and dance with the crowds both in the open bar and all along the beach as the drums echoed and the chanting voices carried strongly over the water throughout the night.

Thursday was spent verifying the D Express ferry schedule and pickup location, purchasing far too many jars of Belizian hot sauces, simply cruising the town taking photos and visiting with all kinds of friendly folks. I even discovered a thrift store – I have a knack for finding them in whatever country I’m in it seems.

Overall, it was a wonderful little vacation to a gorgeous sea side village and a novel way of ensuring that I can remain in Honduras with a legal visa without being forced to donate my fine money to the Honduran government. Two birds with the same stone!

Belize Visa Stamps: Plan A and then what really happened....

Plan A: Mirna Bus Lines from La Ceiba to San Pedro Sula
This actually happened, and pretty much as the schedule stated. The buses run from 5:30 am onwards, once an hour to San Pedro Sula (SPS) so I caught the 9:30 am, after a 20 Lp taxi to the Mirna depot located at the Shell station across from the Mega Mall in La Ceiba. Cost was 90 Lp, one way with a 15 minute break at Tio Dolmo and we arrived in San Pedro Sula at 12:40 pm at the main bus terminal cum mall.

After wandering marginally lost for a few minutes, I figured out that to find the “collectivo” buses, I needed to walk the full length of the mall, through the food court, take a right down the small escalator and the first left which delivered me to where I found what I was looking for!


Impala Express “collectivo” bus from SPS to Puerto Cortez
These are small van type buses, holding seats for approximately 34 – 40 people maximum (just guessing on passenger capacity – certainly NOT a retired school bus/ chicken bus!). The cost was 42 Lp and with the bus leaving at about 1pm we arrived in Puerto Cortez at 2:30pm, so this part of Plan A did actually happen.

I don’t know how long this trip actually takes as it’s only about 55 km in distance, but there were a few delays. Originally there was a rather extensive delay when the police roadblock not only stopped us but 1) had all men go outside and get searched, 2) had one officer come into the bus and search every bag and parcel and 3) appeared to believe that I (as the only gringa aboard) was completely invisible. The driver also did the usual pick up and drop off stops and gave us a rather drawn out tour of Puerto Cortez when we finally arrived there.

That’s where I resorted to Plan B ie Options… I did a fast 15 minute walk around the centre of Puerto Cortez, and though I love Honduras, I did not pick up a good feeling about this place.

       Chicken Bus
Puerto Cortez to Omoa

Back to the bus depot and onto a chicken bus to Omoa which is only 18 km away and is a totally different type of village! PC is a port city, industrialized, grubby, busy and tired at the same time. Omoa has its original village up along the highway, with more of it stretching about 1 ½ km down to the Bay of Omoa. The cost was 14 Lp, takes about 45 minutes and regardless of what Honduras Tips suggests about hiring a tuk tuk (15 Lp) at the highway stop, the chicken bus and collectivos will take you all the way down to the beach area of restaurants and hotels.

I stayed at “Roli’s Place” that night, as per Honduras Tips, but no matter how funky it is, it really is just a backpackers hostel. I paid 150 Lp for a private room, which was actually kind of like a one room tree fort and quite comfortably clean though the showers and bathroom were across the courtyard. That’s not for everyone!

Chicken Bus Omoa to Honduras/Guatemalan Border

You can choose to walk back up the highway (or take a tuk tuk taxi) and by sheer fluke I arrived in time to catch the 10am chicken bus to the “frontera”. Basically, the pick up stop is just past the main highway intersection and it’s easiest to just look for a group of folks waiting patiently at the side of the highway and join them.

The cost was 36 Lp and what with side trips into places like Cuyamelito, it took us 1 ½ hours to cover the 51 km to Corinto, near the actual border.

When you get off the bus you aren’t actually in a community or townsite but there are money changers who will exchange lempira for quetzals at a rate of 2.5 Lp to 1Q. From here you simply start walking the kilometre or so forward across the bridge and around the corner until you see the Immigration buildings in a widened area of the highway.

There is no charge to leave Honduras here – he simply stamped my passport and took out my white 90 day visa paper and I continued walking across the border to the two collectivo vans that were waiting on the other side.

Collectivo Van Guatemala Border to Puerto Barrias, Guatemala

The cost for this part of the adventure was 15 Q (38 Lp) and what with having to hand over non-regional passports for entry stamps, stopping for uniformed school children and sundry other delays, it took a full hour to arrive in Puerto Barrias at 1pm.

I had said that I wanted the boat to Belize, thus was dropped off on the main highway at a sign that said “Immigration 500 metres” and was pointing directly down towards the shoreline. About 4 blocks later I easily found the Immigration office, paid my $10 USF (80Q or 200Lp), received my stamps and went one block further to the Municipal Dock for the water taxi to Belize.

Water Taxi Puerto Barrias, Guatemala to Punta Gordo, Belize

There are “runners” here who will ask where you want to go and thus direct you to the correct boat, simply by its call name painted on the bow. The cost was $20 USF (160Q or 400 Lp) and the boat left at 2 pm so there was time to buy some takeout food and indulge in a single Guatemalan beer, a “Gallo” to the tune of 12 Q (30 Lp). After the days prior adventures, it was a welcome treat!

The boat is basically an open dory, with tarp roof, holding approximately 18 people and took 1 1/3 hours to reach the immigration dock at Punta Gordo, Belize. Calm seas and a pleasant ride through the harbour and across the Bay of Amatique.

Punta Gordo, Belize to Independence, Belize

Immigration in Punta Gordo was very conveniently located at the arrival dock and was casually efficient with very helpful personnel. I was asked if I was carrying any alcohol or tobacco to import (wasn’t) and they didn’t seem at all interested in either searching my bags or commenting on the (now somewhat soggily dripping) container of take out food that I had brought with me.

The “James Line” bus depot is the large green building two blocks to the right of the Immigration parking lot and there was a bus leaving at 4pm. The cost was $9 BZ ($4.50 USF, 90 Lp) and was a comfortable, not quite retired, school bus that took 1 ½ hours to reach Independence.

“Hokey Pokey” water taxi Independence to Placencia, Belize

This is where Plan A backfired, Plan B Options wasn’t available so wound up resorting to Plan C entitled “Uh, Oh!”… A critical point of information: the last water taxi to Placencia leaves at 5:30 pm. It is about a ½ km walk from the café/house bus depot near “Tony’s Super Store” (the large white building on the main road) down to the water taxi. Independence has almost no redeeming qualities and its only saving grace is that it is smaller the Puerto Cortez but equally uninviting.

Thankfully, there was a couple from Minnesota who were negotiating the hiring of a local boat, as they were staying in Placencia and had only been visiting in the Independence area for the day. I have no idea what the actual cost of the water taxi would have been since the gentleman in control had offered to take them over for 50BZ ($25 USF, 500 Lp) but I am certain that Hokey Pokey would have been both considerably less and much safer! I donated my 20 BZ to Dan & Destiny after we had arrived on the dock in Placencia after a harrowing 10 minute slewing rip through mangrove swamp channels and open water!

Thus I finally arrived in Placencia, Belize, after two days of travelling consisting of about 6 hours first day and 8 hours the second day, entailing transportation costs of 925 Lp (appr. $50 USF) with a Guatemala exit fee of $10 USF and hostel, beer and food costs running approximately 500 Lp (appr. $23 USF).

I spent 4 nights in Placencia, a beautifully clean and friendly tourism village stretched out between the beach and the harbour. I did find it expensive for my non existent budget, with mid range accommodations running about $40 USF per night, local beer and rums at $2.50 USF and restaurant meals going for $10 to $20 USF. I’ll write more later about places to stay and things to do while in Placencia.

The “D Express” water taxi from Placencia, Belize to Puerto Cortez, Honduras
The vessel leaves the dock at the Shell gas depot on the harbour side of the village at 9:30 on Friday mornings only. The cost is $55 USF and you must have your passport registered on the captain’s log sheet. We left a few minutes late, with almost 40 people and their gear loaded on board and drifted through mangrove swamp channels, arriving in Big Creek after 10 minutes.

There we proceeded to wait for the Immigration officer to arrive and set up his station on the hood of his car, in the dockyard parking lot. You will be charged $7.50 BZ ($3.75 USF) if you are a non-resident to leave Belize but the ticket you receive states that these funds are to be used for conservation/ecological purposes. More passengers joined us, and we finally left at 11am with a total of 41 passengers on board.

I won’t discuss this trip except to say that all was well until the last 45 minutes on entering Puerto Cortez. We saw dolphins and flying fish; saw occasional accidental cays out in the middle of seemingly no where and generally everyone had a reasonably comfortable ride. The seas were calm and though the skies were overcast, that simply prevented those riding outside from getting sunburned and we arrived in PC at 2:30pm about half an hour ahead of schedule.

That vessel is a horror show! It tipped, slewed, yawed and did everything but scream out in pain or rage as it fought its way into the harbour – and this was with calm seas!!! Then we got to the Laguna Bridge, which is the arrivals dock for said vessel and were immediately ordered to hand over our passports to a gentleman wearing a white shirted uniform, clutching a cheap plastic bag and providing no element of identification. There were policemen there who were searching all bags and suitcases, which I simply chose to walk past, numerous taxis and finally a gentleman with a pickup truck that was willing to take about 8 of us to the Immigration office somewhere in Puerto Cortez. Said gentleman then proceeded to hold us up for 50 Lp each, keeping in mind that a taxi, per person, is only 20 Lps. Welcome back to Honduras!

Thankfully the actual Immigration personnel were bilingual, and rather efficient given that their system consists of handing you a form to fill out in line, grabbing a stack of passports and calling out the person’s name to return it to them in their place in the line up and then digging through the remaining passports to find yours if you happen to be near the front of the line and arrive at the desk without one like I did. I was able to get my new 90 day visa for Honduras and didn’t have to pay any fees, so at least the original purpose of the whole trip was accomplished!

The majority of people who had arrived were actually en route to San Pedro Sula which meant that the taxi drivers were having a field day trying to scoop $50 USF from each passenger for the 55 km drive. I knew that the last bus of the day for Mirna bus lines left SPS at 3 pm, so simply decided to walk over to the central bus depot and stay in Omoa for the night.

If you turn right from the Immigration office (it’s on a corner) and walk up about 2 blocks, you’ll be at the main road where you turn right and continue about 3 blocks to the large Esso gas depot sign, cross the main road there and go up another 2 blocks and you’ll be at the central bus depot for the collectivos and chicken buses to SPS or Omoa.

I stayed the night in Omoa, met up with some great “transplanted” Canadians at Henry’s Sunset Playa and wound up just donating my bus fare as gas money to return to SPS the following day.

Therefore return transportation costs amounted to 2000 Lp (appr. $115 USF) exit fee of $7.50 BZ ($3.75 USF or 75 Lp) and lodging, food and drink of about 500 Lp ($23 USF).


Not counting my costs of actually staying in Placencia, Belize, (I’m almost afraid to do that tally!) I spent a total of 4400 Lp (appr. $230 USF) to avoid breaking the Honduran law by overstaying my visitor’s visa and having to pay the same government a 60 day fine of 3640 Lp.

I readily admit that it would have been cheaper (much cheaper!) to just pay the fine when I leave in May but at least now I can say I’ve done the circle journey, I’ve seen some amazing country, met some great people and have a wealth of incidental adventures to scribble about and a glut of photographs to edit some day soon!

PS Here's Henry's link http://www.playapantera.com/ -- Check it out if you're interested in staying in Omoa, need airport pickup or want to see the sights around this part of Honduras!