Placencia
Moving on to our final destination, we arrive at the Placencia Peninsula, which extends 16 miles off the southern coast of the Stann Creek District. It is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the east and by the mangrove fringed Placencia Lagoon to the west. Placencia consists of three villages: Maya Beach, Seine Bight, and Placencia Village. The most established community, Placencia Village, encompasses the southern tip of the peninsula. Previously a sleepy fishing village, Placencia has enjoyed increased tourism demand over the last several years, which has led to increased real estate development, including many large-scale projects. Such projects include master-planned communities such as Plantation Belize, the new Municipal Pier and Promenade (funded by government), a new international airport (in progress), and the previously mentioned Norwegian Cruise Lines Harvest Caye cruise port.
These developments are beginning to usher in a new wave of higher-quality construction and design that will positively influence the competitive standard of existing facilities and substantially improve Placencia’s viability as an international tourism destination. Unlike any other destination in Belize, the Placencia Peninsula offers two different vistas; one unveils a world of magnificent beaches, crystal clear waters, spectacular diving and pristine cayes; the other reveals wildlife, inland adventures, and a skyline of the Maya Mountains. To understand the strategic value of Placencia to Belizeans and visitors alike, one must take a brief look at the historical and present state of resort development in Belize.
Placencia Emerges as Number 1
At the beginning of the Travel and Tourism business in Belize, Ambergris Caye the largest of Belize’s islands sitting about 35 miles off the northern shore of the Belize mainland, was the primary resort destination area for Belize. Building on its reputation as a world-class destination for scuba divers, the island’s only town, San Pedro, became the epicenter of a burgeoning hotel and resort business. However, over the years, a limited supply of sandy beach area stunted San Pedro’s growth in new hotel and resort developments. Moreover, as an island, Ambergris Caye suffers from the lack of easy access, requiring travelers to Belize to take an extra 30-minute (door to door) air shuttle ride from Philip Goldson International, just outside of Belize City, or a 45-minute water taxi ride from Belize City to eventually arrive at their destination.
As a result of the limited supply of developable sandy beachfront on Ambergris Caye and the Government’s need to grow its Travel & Tourism business, the Placencia Peninsula, long known for the quality and stability of its 16 miles of sugary beaches, has been designated by the Government to receive significant infrastructure support as well as positioning as the next important beachfront vacation destination in the Caribbean. Indeed, the NSTMP 2030 report singles out the southeastern coast of Belize, of which the Placencia Peninsula and the Plantation Belize property are a significant part, as the only resort area in Belize to receive economic support for “new development”.
The most notable example of such government backed support, is the new Placencia Road. From the time it was originally carved out of the jungle by Jim Parker, the developer of Plantation Belize, in his rented Caterpillar bulldozer, the original 16-mile Riversdale to Placencia road remained unpaved, with deep ruts and potholes for over 20 years. It was dusty in the dry season and was prone to frequent flooding when it rained. The 12-mile stretch from Riversdale to the Southern Highway was no different, and together the combined 28-mile trek to Placencia was slow, cumbersome and a hazard to the health of your vehicle suspension system. These conditions were also a harsh impediment to the growth of the Placencia Peninsula as it struggled to become the rising star in Caribbean resort destinations.
Fortunately, with the Government mandate to support infrastructure in Belize’s south coast, the full 28-mile roadway received government funding for a new road renovation program, which was completed in the fall of 2010. The new roadway features a complete re-engineering and design, new culverts and other drainage systems, asphalt paving, road signs, and various streetscaping programs. The new roadway now provides safe high-speed access from the Central American highway system to the Placencia Peninsula right down to Placencia Village. And as you might expect, the new road has ushered in a new pride of ownership of Placencia residents, resort developers and numerous support businesses effectively instigating private streetscaping programs, lavish new resort entry ways and other cosmetic improvements along the length of the new roadway. And just as importantly, the value of real estate property along the roadway, Plantation Belize included, has risen steadily.
