Placencia

Placencia

Placencia is a small village in the Stann Creek district of Belize. Before European colonization of the Americas, the Placencia peninsula was inhabited by the Maya. There is archaeological evidence that the Maya produced salt in this area and traded it with other settlements in the coastal area. Placencia was settled in the 17th century by English Puritans, who came originally from Nova Scotia and Providence Island. This settlement disappeared during the Spanish-American War of Independence in the 1820s. The Placencia peninsula was repopulated by several families in the late 1800s. As Placencia flourished, it soon became a village that lived off the sea. It became a major tourist destination in the late 20th century, and is now known simply as Placencia. Once a fishing village, Placencia now offers opportunities for tourists such as kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving, saltwater fly fishing, whale shark watching. In Placencia Lagoon you can see dolphins, stingrays, go bird watching by canoe or kayak. Diving at Gladden Spit from Placencia is a popular activity. Cubera snappers congregate at Gladden Spit for spawning, usually from 2 days before the full moon to 12 days after the full moon, from March to September, with over 10,000 individuals. This attracts many predators and whale sharks.