Do I need to own a car in Placencia, Belize?
Erin Ivy - Captain Jak's
If you stay on the peninsula of Placencia, you do not need to own a car here, since the entire peninsula is only 27 miles long. For the most part, if you are in the village, you definitely do not need to own a car, but if you are in some other area of the peninsula, you have to have some method of transportation, so you can go to grocery stores conveniently. We do have grocery stores in other areas of the peninsula, too, but most of the...
If you stay on the peninsula of Placencia, you do not need to own a car here, since the entire peninsula is only 27 miles long. For the most part, if you are in the village, you definitely do not need to own a car, but if you are in some other area of the peninsula, you have to have some method of transportation, so you can go to grocery stores conveniently. We do have grocery stores in other areas of the peninsula, too, but most of the vegetable stands are all in Placencia Village, although there are vegetable trucks that go down to the peninsula and make stops.
If you are not in the village, you would have to have some method of transportation, whether it be a car, a golf cart or a bicycle. It all just depends on the person.
Posted January 7, 2015
Veronique McKenzie - CTTBeliZe
No, you don’t need to own a car in Placencia. I love to go shopping so to go to Belize City for shopping it is better for me to have a car but if that was not the case, then a car would not be necessary. What you are going to pay to have a car is going to be quite expensive. Instead you can take a taxi once in a blue moon if it is really necessary. Flights are a little bit expensive here in Belize but if you do it once a month, it is still cheaper than to own a car. No, you don’t need to own a car in Placencia. I love to go shopping so to go to Belize City for shopping it is better for me to have a car but if that was not the case, then a car would not be necessary. What you are going to pay to have a car is going to be quite expensive. Instead you can take a taxi once in a blue moon if it is really necessary. Flights are a little bit expensive here in Belize but if you do it once a month, it is still cheaper than to own a car. If you are really old or if you have difficulty in walking then you could get a golf cart or a bicycle. Up to Robert’s Cove down to Placencia Village, you wouldn’t need a car. A bicycle would be sufficient or you could walk to most of the village.
However, everyone is starting to have cars in Placencia now. Even I have a car, too. Everyone wants to stay in the air-conditioning. Often people do not turn off their engines if they are just going into a store to buy something fast, for example, a bottle of wine. I have always suggested that we should stop using cars once you reach the Placencia airstrip. You could use a golf cart or a bicycle or a taxi. If we do that, a lot of people will be happy because there are just too many cars now in Placencia.
(Pictured: sidewalk in Placencia.)
Posted June 26, 2015
Larry France - Chabil Mar
You don’t need to own a car in Placencia, but you probably would want to. You can get around with a bicycle, some people have golf carts, and a very few people have scooters, but that is an option.The reason that you might want a car is because Placencia is such a small village, and though there are some 4 or 5 grocery stores, 3 banks for ATM, and hardware stores, your daily needs are met. However, you know if you're in such a small village, you're on a peninsula...
You don’t need to own a car in Placencia, but you probably would want to. You can get around with a bicycle, some people have golf carts, and a very few people have scooters, but that is an option.The reason that you might want a car is because Placencia is such a small village, and though there are some 4 or 5 grocery stores, 3 banks for ATM, and hardware stores, your daily needs are met. However, you know if you're in such a small village, you're on a peninsula that's only at that point of the village less than a quarter mile wide. You might want to get out sometimes just to do something different or see a different view. To do so, you just have to drive along the only road along the whole peninsula for about 20 some miles. The peninsula itself is only about 18 miles and then you start going inland a little bit, but you're still just on one road until you get to another highway, which is about 24 miles away. So just to get a little a bit different experience, a car would probably something that you would want to do.
There is the Hokey Pokey water taxi that takes you across the lagoon to another village, called Independence, that costs US $5. When you get to Independence, there are some more things to do and see. But there aren't things like movie theaters and there aren't shopping centers. There's no such thing as a fast food restaurant, so while you have everything you need in Placencia, for me personally, I would get a little bit tired of just looking at the same thing day in and day out.
(Mennonite man in Belize selling his watermelon from his wagon, pictured.)
Posted August 5, 2015
Wayne Robbins - The Placencia
It is not necessary to own a car in Placencia but the beauty of Belize is having the power to do what one wants.The country of Belize is so beautiful that you would want a car whether just to go into town or to go on trips. There are lots of trips that you could take from Placencia. You could go into the mountains, you can go to the Mayan ruins, or visit several towns within a couple hundred miles radius. You can even go further and cross the border into Mexico. Having a car...
It is not necessary to own a car in Placencia but the beauty of Belize is having the power to do what one wants.The country of Belize is so beautiful that you would want a car whether just to go into town or to go on trips. There are lots of trips that you could take from Placencia. You could go into the mountains, you can go to the Mayan ruins, or visit several towns within a couple hundred miles radius. You can even go further and cross the border into Mexico. Having a car will go you the convenience.
You don’t have to have a really nice car. It could be a small or medium-sized car because as long as it has wheels and it gets you around, it can be used for your independence. Being in a country like Belize, which is very beautiful from top to bottom, you would want to explore it whether on a long weekend from Thursday to Sunday or just a one day short excursion.
If you are from Mexico, you would appreciate it because Belize is close to the Mexico border. A lot of my friends have taken multiple trips to and from Belize to Mexico. A friend of mine is in Chetumal (a city in Mexico just over the border with Belize) right now and he is having a very good time. That is why I would recommend one to have a car.
The cost of oil is coming down in the States so it is much more affordable to get a car now. Insurance cost is also reasonable and the roads in Belize are getting better, which makes driving a lot easier and more enjoyable.
(Chetumal, Mexico, pictured above.)
Posted January 23, 2016