Getting from Belize City to Placencia
Belize City is the largest city in Belize and the former capital. While there aren’t many things to do here, Belize City is home to the only international airport in the country and a transportation hub.
Plancecia is a peninsula along the Caribbean coastline of Belize and is a well known getaway to the diving sites in the area. Kayaking, fishing and sailing are also popular activities here. And let’s not forget the sunbathing on the incredible beaches.
Quick summary
The hassle free way to get between Belize City and Placencia is by plane. Maya Island Air and Tropic Air have similar fares but they do depend on the time of the year when you fly. And it’s cheaper to fly from Belize City Municipal Airport. Buses are the cheap alternative but there isn’t a direct bus and you’ll spend too much time on the road.
Flights from Belize City to Placencia
Belize City is served by Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE) , the only international airport in the country. It is is located northwest of Belize City and is not a hub for any airline. The airport handles direct flights from USA (Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, Newark and Charlotte), El Salvador and also handles domestic flights.
Belize City Municipal Airport (TZA) also serves Belize City but only handles domestic flights.
Placencia Airport (PLJ) and only handles domestic flights to/from Belize City (International and Municipal), Dangriga and Punta Gorda. Flights to/from Belize City are run by Maya Island Air and Tropic Air.
Flights from Belize City International to Placencia on Maya Island Air take between 35 min and 50 min. Flights cost 199.00 BZD (about US$100) during the high season. From Belize City Municipal the flight takes 45 – 50 min and the fares start at 164.00 BZD (about US$83) during the high season.
On Tropic Air, flights from Belize City International to Placencia start at US$106.50 one way and there are 12 departures per day. From Belize City Municipal, flights start at $89.00 one way and there are only 5 departures per day.
>>read more about flights to Belize
Buses from Belize City to Placencia
There isn’t a direct bus between the two cities. So first you need to catch a bus to Belmopan and then another to Placencia. It’s easily a half day trip. All buses heading south or west stop in Belmopan. However, figuring out the entire route and times of departure ahead of time (online) is pretty much impossible.
Driving from Belize City to Placencia
You can rent a car and drive the 184 km along the Coastal Highway between Belize City and Placecia. The drive time is about 3 hours.