Hello Sirenian Bay friends!

We all know by now that Placencia is a truly unbelizeable place to live or visit. It’s characterized by perfect weather, perfect beaches and a never-ending list of things to do, explore and eat. We’re close to everything, yet just far enough away from it all!

Little wonder we’ve become one of the most sought-after vacation destinations in Belize. Visitors are arriving in record numbers to our little spot in the Caribbean “jewel”, thanks to growing awareness of the region’s stunning beauty – plus plenty of extra flights and cruises coming our way!

Belize’s incredible popularity on the world stage is something to celebrate, and  we do—every year! In October of each year we hold the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) National Tourism Awards, celebrating the people and places that have caught the eye of visitors.

This year, our beloved Placencia and ocean-side neighbor Ambergris Caye got plenty of nods from the Board. Five out of a total of ten awards, in fact!

Among the award-winners was well-known Ambergris Caye figure Phillip “Billy” Leslie, who nabbed a much-deserved award for his work in shifting the local economy away from commercial fishing and towards water-based tourism. Eco-tourism is on the rise in Belize, which is great to see—we want people to be able to enjoy our nation’s beauty for years to come!

Ambergris Caye’s successes didn’t end there. Grande Caribe Resort, just north of San Pedro, won Hotel of the Year, and tourism stalwart Leroy Welch won Frontline Personnel. Well done to both!

Closer to home, the lovely Caribbean Beach Cabanas of Placencia took home an award for best small accommodations, while local gastro-bar favorite Rumfish y Vino came away with Restaurant of the Year. Rumfish has been delighting visitors and locals with its Mesoamerican cuisine for years, and we’re happy to see it get some recognition on a larger scale.

For such a small, laid-back village, Placencia was wonderfully represented in the awards. We may be biased, but we think it’s a pretty good indicator of just how spectacular life is here!

If you’re planning a vacation, we can vouch that there’s plenty to enjoy in Placencia—and we have the awards to back it up!

Well, that’s all from me for now. Until next time!