FAQ
Is there Internet at the house?
No not at the house but there is internet just a short walk down the beach. We are working on it..
What else is provided at the house?
We have a 2 kayaks, 2 bikes, basic snorkeling sets, beach towels, floating loungers, beach chairs & sand toys. Seagrape has a dart board & a Ping Pong table on the lower deck.
Is there a swimming pool?
No…..but there are several options nearby! 3 resorts within walking distance have a “if ya drink you can swim” policy….and 2 mi up the road is The Placencia Hotel, and for $5 you can sit in the lap of luxury by their pool.
Can I change money at the nearby hotel?
Should I exchange money before I come?There is no need to change your money to Belize dollars (BZ $) before you come. US dollars will be welcome in the hotel and all other local establishments. Important to note - there are currently very few international ATMs in Belize, and none in Placencia. For total fees of approximately 5 percent (fees from both your home bank and a Belize bank), you can get a cash advance from your ATM card or credit card. Our recommendation is to bring part of your money in cash and part in traveler's checks (in case of theft). If you are traveling from outside the United States, you should exchange your own currency into US dollars before you come.
What is the beach like?
Soft sand…lapping waves….shallow, waist deep around the dock. We have an incredible colony of sand dollars around the dock, as well as fish, starfish & little conchs. If you wish, you can walk all the way to the tip of the peninsula (8-10 mi). I will not lie….depending on the tides, Central America has a trash problem on their beaches. You can definitely tell a difference between the maintained and the non-maintained beaches.
Are the beaches private?
One of the great things about Belize is that the public is always allowed to use the waterfront. Locals and tourists wander up and down the beach to their hearts’ content, although in quiet Maya Beach you often have the beach to yourself.
What about power and electrical appliances?
Electricity in Belize is 110V/60Hz (same as theUS). Since the electricity in our area is provided from a diesel generator, voltage variations and surges can occur and we suggest that you bring a surge protector if you are planning to use your laptop computer or other electronic devices. Also—short black-outs are not unheard of!
Is it safe?
Belize is a developing country and the Placencia Peninsula is a little isolated, so you should be aware that emergency services such as police, fire or rescue services are very limited and are not usually able to respond quickly. Placencia Village has a nurse and part-time doctor and it is a 20 minute drive from Maya Beach. Please take precautions to safeguard yourself and your belongings when you travel. Please be sure to use the safes in the house & the alarms when not at the house.
Can I drink the water?
Yes! We collect fresh rainwater, treat it with cholorine and run it through filters. If you prefer bottled water, it can be purchased in 5 gallon containers. We encourage visitors to limit using the small bottles of water, as Belize has no way of recycling
Are there bugs?
Yep…sadly! Sandflies (no see'ums) and mosquitoes are sometimes present in the Maya Beach area. Mostly bad at dusk & dawn, but it all depends on the breeze off the ocean. Use DEET…it is the only thing that works
Do I need a passport and/or visa?
Everyone needs a valid passport to visit Belize. Americans, Canadians, EC passport holders, and many other nationalities may visit Belize without obtaining a visa in advance. Please visit this website http://belizetourism.net/info/enrq_wkpmt.html to see the entry visa requirements for your nationality.
What will the weather be like?
A / The climate here is subtropical. The temperature is almost always in the high 80s to high 90s during the day. In the summer, nights are very warm and in the winter there is more relief from the heat with temperatures dropping in to the high 60s and low 70s overnight. There is normally less rain between the months of November and April but there is a chance of rain year-round and especially in the summer. Often it will rain at night, and the day will be clear.
What about vaccinations?
None required. There are some diseases in Belize that you can be vaccinated against before your trip. These include Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid, Malaria, and Influenza. Ask your doctor which vaccinations are currently recommended or visit an immunization clinic. We have yet to meet anyone who gets shots before they arrive.Is Belize Spanish speaking?
Belize is officially an English-speaking country, as it was formally British Hondoras. However, Spanish is the first or second language of many Belizeans, namely our caretaker, Mike---so if you want to practice, you’ll have plenty of chances.
What are the people like?
Belize is a fascinating & diverse country,: Mestizos (44%), Creole (30%), Mayan/Indian (11%), and Garifuna people (7%). The remaining 8% of the population is made up of North Americans, Europeans, and Asians. While people live rather harmoniously, there are distinct cultural differences that can be seen in towns throughout the country.
What is the population of Belize?
The population of Belize has approximately 240,000 residents.& it has around 240 miles of coastline on the Caribbean.
Logistics
How do you get to Placencia and the house???
Most folks fly into Belize city & then take a ‘puddle jumper’ to Placencia. There are flights several times a day on the two national airlines; Maya Island Air and TropicAir. We can help you book your flights if you like.There is also bus service. Since schedules are complicated, please visit this website for details: http://www.placencia.com/services.htm#trans . You will probably take a bus from Belize City to Belmopan and then Dangriga, and then transfer to a bus to Placencia.You can also rent a car at the international airport in Belize City. It takes about 3 hours to drive to Maya Beach from Belize City. Private taxis can also transfer you to and from the hotel for a price of around $275 US each way. For a group of four, the private taxi is less expensive than flying.
Should I rent a car???
It is recommended….the house is slightly isolatated, and is 8 mi from town, If you want to explore and be independent, rent one. If you want to use taxi’s or buses to get around, then don’t.
Can I rent a car anywhere in Placencia?
If you want to fly to Placencia and then rent a car, you can do it through a local rental company called Barefoot Rentals (011+501 523 3438), with cars starting at $80 US dollars per day. They will meet you at the airport and take you to their office to sign the papers and pick up the car.
Can I rent a car in Belize City?
Yes, again call Barefoot—you can drive it down yourself or they can send a car down for you. The cost of doing this is approximately $150 US dollars to have a car delivered to you in Placencia. It will cost another $150-200 US dollars to have the car picked up, but if you drive it back to Belize City yourself, you can save that charge. Normal car rental fees of $80 to $120 US dollars per day will apply.
What about golf carts or scooters?
Barefoot Rentals (011+501 523 3438) has a golf cart rental service. Please contact them for details. At this time we are not aware of any scooter rentals.
How do you get to the houses once you have arrived in Placencia?
We offer complimentary pickups and dropoffs to & from the Placencia Airport.
If you take the bus,: it passes the house so please let the driver know you wish to get off at Maya Plaza.
If you drive,: look for signs for Maya Beach approximately 6 miles after you turn on to the peninsula at Riversdale. Once you enter the Maya Beach area, look for The Maya Beach Hotel sign on the left, or the sea side; we are 4 house down from there. You will see the house signs on the road, right across from The Maya Plaza.
Without a car, how do you get around Maya Beach area?
The house comes with a couple of bikes & kayaks---- you can walk to a small convenience store and a few small restaurants or you can kayak to breakfast, lunch or drinks to one of the several nearby resort.. Or you can use taxis to go further.
We were wondering about the privacy of the area.
We have a neighbor on one side and a 'park' on the other side. The park is public but rarely used. We have a dock in front of the house, which we maintain, but it is public property. Every once in a while, a local or 2 will use it for an evening of fishing, but rarely. The peninsula is narrow, so the house does sit on the road. A short walk down the beach either way (100-200 yds) is a couple of restaurants. Other†than that, Maya beach is very quiet. All the shopping, groceries, dive shops, and bars are located in the village, which is just 8 miles away.
The kids were wondering how big the waves get and how soft the sand is.
Surf? Depends what you are looking for: I think this is the most kid friendly beach, but it has lots of personalities! Mostly calm, soft sandy bottom, some sea grass, and a variety of sea life can be found right off our dock (fish, rays, sand dollars and more) On some days it gets a little rough, and fun but the waves are not the kind you can ride or surf. We have a glass-bottom kayak that is perfect on the calm days. Just 1/2 mile away is an island called False Caye, which has some great snorkeling on the backside. The sand? is amazing!!! The sea grass does wash up, but our beach is very well maintained.
Is this the right place for us?
It is if you are an adventurous traveler, and don't expect 5-star perfection. The road to and from the house is VERY rough, and sometimes very loud. The house is not insulated from the "colorfulness" of Central America. The vibe in Maya Beach is very casual; flip-flops and shorts are the attire, even out to dinner. If you do want to dress-up or get a spa treatment you can visit one of the several higher-end resorts in the area. And it is not unheard of to get a visit from tropical friends (spiders, geckos, sand fleas, and even a scorpion, even we do everything we can to deter such visitors)