10 Epic Things to Do in Placencia Belize with Kids + Where to Stay

Looking for some cool things to do in Placencia Belize? You’ve come to the right place!

Most people visiting Belize seem to rush straight to the islands (called Cayes) for beach fun. However, several towns along the coast also offer family-friendly excursions.

When we visited Belize, we skipped the Cayes in favor of a mainland adventure. After our inland stay in San Ignacio, we discovered some cool things to do in Placencia Belize.

It was so fun that we’re planning a return trip! And I can’t keep all my expertise and research to myself. A blog is for caring and sharing!

Based on my personal experience and ongoing research, here are my family’s top things to do in Placencia Belize to help you plan your next trip. Let’s jump in! 💦

Things to Do in Placencia Belize

Placencia is a small town and there isn’t a lot to do in the town itself. However, it is an excellent place to base yourself for day trips around southern Belize.

1. Wander Around Centro

We were able to walk all of it in about an hour, even with a small child in tow.

There’s a small shopping area and a coffee shop with a cool vibe. And, there’s a handicrafts shop promoting locally made items. Being on the second floor, it enjoys a refreshing breeze compared to the rest of the downtown strip.

The town playground was one of Little Man’s favorite things to do in Placencia Belize. It was technically part of the local school. However, since it wasn’t gated anyone could use it after school hours.

We enjoyed hanging out there before heading somewhere in Centro for dinner.

When we walked through town, we heard about a local bar having Trivia Night. So we planned to go back for dinner and to have some fun. The Pickled Parrot is owned by a Canadian couple who love to have a good time.

Not only was the food good, but the drinks were affordable, and the jokes were slightly raunchy. They even passed out free jello shots!! We placed terribly in the trivia contest but we certainly enjoyed ourselves, even Little Man!

2. Enjoy the Beach

Whether you stay in beachfront accommodations or check out a beach club for the day, it’s easy to enjoy the sand and waves in Placencia.

We didn’t make it to Placencia Beach Club during our visit. However, it has a solid five-star rating and Trip Advisor reviews say that it has the best-kept beach in Placencia.

3. Watch Sunrise on the Beach

This one is admittedly easier with smaller children. We were often awake at sunrise anyway. This is especially easy when the sun comes up around 7 am and you stay at a beachfront hotel.

Let the kids play in the sand or in the water if the waves are calm (they usually are). Parents can just relax and drink some coffee. It’s fun for everyone with minimal preparations. Just how a family trip should be, in my opinion!

Day Trips from Placencia

While it’s not essential to rent a car for day trips, it can be easier to have one. It can save money to have a rental car if you’re on a budget and you have more time flexibility.

However, if you don’t have a vehicle many excursions do offer transportation at an extra fee.

4. Go Swimming with Whale Sharks

While we did not personally do this in Placencia Village, we did run into some other travelers who went swimming with whale sharks during their stay.

However, Little Man wasn’t old enough to do that. Instead, we waited a few years until he was older to try it in Isla Mujeres, Mexico.

We’re planning on doing this on our return trip to Placencia because Little Man loved doing it so much in Mexico.

Based on our experience, it is an amazing family activity. However, children should be old enough to swim comfortably in very deep water. You won’t be able to see the bottom and the water can be a bit choppy.

Little Man has snorkeled in deep water from a young age, so he was comfortable with the activity at age eight. I would not recommend this for kids that young who have only swum in pools or on the beach.

5. Experience the Magic of Bioluminescence

👉 On this sunset river tour, you’ll experience the wonder of bioluminescence which is found in only a few places on the entire planet!

Just an hour north of Placencia, this is where the whole family can enjoy a sunset cruise along the Sittee River in Hopkins. The tour operator can pick you up in Placencia.

Your local guide will take you out onto the Anderson Lagoon and through the surrounding mangroves by boat. This is where you’ll get to see the fascinating bioluminescent plankton light up the water around you.

The night sky is truly remarkable to see on this tour. With no light pollution, it’s thick with stars all the way down to the tree line. You may even see shooting stars!

The kids will love swishing their hands around in the water near the plankton to see how the agitation causes them to immediately illuminate.

You may also see schools of fish or other marine life swimming through the lagoon. If you do, they’ll create a phosphorescent trail which looks like a glowing cloud in the water.

You may even see hundreds of jelly fish pulsating in the water, feeding on the algae.

Make sure to eat dinner before you go, as there are no snacks or meals with this tour. Bottled water is included, though.

6. Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

The world’s first jaguar sanctuary is an expansive and scenic place where you can hike, bird-watch, and search for wildlife. This park is at the base of the Maya Mountains and features 200 square miles of protected land.

There are well-marked trails, impressive waterfalls, and a chance to spot many different animals. Jaguars are shy, so you may not see one. However, you’ll likely see iguanas, deer, tapirs, monkeys, foxes, and keel-billed toucans.

👉 On this tour, in addition to searching for tropical wildlife, you also get to ride natural river waterslides and inner tubes down the South Stann Creek River.

If you want to drive yourself, it’s possible to just show up at the sanctuary’s visitor center. However, a guide isn’t guaranteed on the spot. They do make a difference because they’re trained wildlife spotters.

You will see a lot more cool sights when you have a guide, so do consider a tour for this excursion.

7. Go Snorkeling at Silk Caye

No Belize itinerary is complete without a trip to the cayes that surround the Belize Barrier Reef. The southern islands are pristine and uninhabited, unlike the touristy northern Ambergris and Caulker Cayes.

These lesser-known islands are stunningly beautiful. They offer excellent snorkeling opportunities with tropical fish, living coral, lobster, sea turtles, conch, manatees, nurse sharks (non-threatening!), and stingrays.

Silk Caye is a quality destination for anyone in search of world-class snorkeling and scuba diving. The caye is in a protected area, though. This means you can only visit with a licensed tour guide.

👉This tour allows children of all ages, including infants. It also includes a picnic lunch.

8. Mayflower Bocawina National Park

The Mayflower Bocawina National Park was first established in 2001. It both protects and manages the archaeological site and the surrounding rainforest.

The park is located east of the Maya Mountains and is next to the Sittee River Forest Reserve in southern Belize. It is a 1.25-hour drive from Placencia.

This 7,000-acre national park connects a region between the Maya Mountains and the Caribbean coast. It is one of the best choices for leisure and adventurous explorations.

The park offers excellent wildlife observation and birding opportunities as well as access to several Mayan sites and beautiful waterfalls via a system of maintained trails through the rainforest. 

Mayan sites include the main Mayflower Plaza, Maintzunun temple mound, and Tau Witz. Waterfalls include Bocawina Falls, Three Sisters Falls, Antelope Falls, Peck Falls, and Big Drop Falls. You can hike to the temples and the waterfalls.

Some tours geared toward adults allow for rappeling the falls, but I wouldn’t recommend trying to do this with kids in tow.

👉 Mayflower Bocawina National Park is the home of Belize’s longest zipline. It extends 2.5 miles so you can observe virgin rainforest from a bird’s eye view.

While not permitted for younger children, kids ages eight and up can participate in the zip-lining excursion.

9. Take a Boat Down the Monkey River

The Monkey River in Belize is a scenic coastal waterway abundant with wildlife. Visitors frequently spot herons, toucans, crocodiles, iguanas, ibis, sea turtles, egrets, manatees, and dolphins.

You’ll also see and hear various kinds of monkeys. Howler monkeys are the loudest mammals on earth, and touring the river in their territory is an unforgettable experience.

👉 Hire a tour to take you on a 40-minute boat ride through the mangroves and the Caribbean Sea.

You’ll enter the mouth of Monkey River at Monkey River Village. On your boat ride down the Monkey River, you can even jump in the river for a swim!

Then you’ll return to Monkey River Village for lunch. Before heading back to Placencia, your guide will take you manatee-watching. Have a family competition to see how many each of you can spot before they go back under!

10. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park

This day trip is a bit further afield than the others. It’s closer to San Ignacio (1 hour) than Placencia (2 hours). We made a trip there while visiting San Ignacio, and enjoyed it.

The water is cool but not frigid. If you enjoy hiking there are some fun trails to explore before you take a dip in the blue hole there. They have changing rooms on-site, so you don’t have to hike or drive in swimwear.

You can hire a tour here from Placencia, or you can simply park your rental car near the blue hole and go swimming for a bit. The feeling is similar to the cenote swimming options common throughout Riviera Maya in Mexico.

You may want a guide if you choose to go hiking though, to help you spot more of the wildlife along the trail.

Getting to Placencia Belize

Belize isn’t a large country. All the major towns are no more than a few hours apart by car. In addition, the highways are generally well-maintained.

We chose to rent a car at the airport during our one week in Belize. This is how most people get around the country.

👉 I recommend using Discover Cars for renting a car on your trip!

The drive from San Ignacio or Belize City to Placencia takes about three hours. It’s just under a 2.5-hour drive from the Belize Zoo to Placencia.

I don’t normally recommend captive animal tourism because a large portion of it is highly unethical.

However, this zoo is comprised entirely of rescued animals who cannot be returned to their natural environment. It’s a unique experience for families to enjoy!

It is also possible to fly from the Belize International Airport in Belize City to Placencia. The flight takes approximately 30 minutes on two local airlines: either Maya Island Air or Tropic Air. Our last round-trip airfare cost was ~$162 USD per person.

Where to Stay in Placencia Belize

Whether you want a luxury resort or a budget vacation rental, there’s something for everyone in Placencia! Best of all, there are options for pretty much any budget right on the beach!

Budget Beachfront Accommodations

We stayed at Trade Winds Hotel in Placencia and it was exactly as described: rustic and 30 steps from the ocean. Having a hotel off the main strip is a huge perk, especially for families.

This area is much quieter and there’s a much better airflow right on the ocean. Little Man was thrilled because we had our very own hammock right on the porch!

In addition, the hotel owner had a granddaughter his age. They played together on the beach often during our stay.

Luxury Beachfront Lodgings

The main reason we visited Placencia was to catch up with a friend who had moved from Florida to open a new resort. Unfortunately, he had a last-minute trip out of town during our stay but he made sure we were well taken care of.

His business partner, Dick Chrysler (of the car empire family), gave us a full tour of the resort including their airport and casino which were still under construction!

He even offered to let us enjoy the facilities for the day, so we spent the afternoon enjoying their private beach, beautiful pool, and swim-up bar! The food was tasty, the drinks were cold, and the staff was pleasant.

We truly enjoyed our afternoon at The Placencia Resort. Now that it’s finished, the amenities are even better!

Final Thoughts on Things to Do in Placencia Belize

A week filled with daily eco-tourism activities and a few idle beach days is a great way to spend time in Belize!

Like our budget trip to Isla Mujeres, Placencia is only good to visit for a few days if all you want to do is lounge around on the beach and drink.

We’re more active travelers so we enjoyed the nearby day trips a lot. If you book a week in this charming beach village, make sure you balance chill days with some fun excursions.

If you do that, you won’t have a hard time finding enough things to do in Placencia Belize.