How far is Placencia to drive from BZE? Is it a rough drive?

Trying to see if doing Placencia for 2 days before hitting AC would be in the cards for a 10 day trip.

Any thoughts? >

I've only been on the bus, and it was LOOOONG. (And rode bikes all the way up the peninsula from Placencia to Maya Beach.) There was a lot of road construction, which may now be finished. The scenery is beautiful, though, and you really get a chance to see the countryside, at your own pace. On the bus, there was lot of delay upon changing buses in Dangriga, and local stops along the way. The roads, south of Dangriga, are often rough and/or unpaved. During wet weather, it's a sea of mud in the unpaved spots. But you should try to hear from someone who's actually driven all the way for a more accurate idea. Have fun no matter what!!

We just did this last week. The Hummingbird HWY is a beautiful drive not to be missed. the last 20 Miles are a little brutal but well worth it. You can stop at the Zoo, Blue hole, caves, etc. or just wet your whistle at many fine stops along the way.
Have Fun
Chris

Chris - how long did this take you? If we arrived at BZE mid day - would we make Placencia before it woud be unbareable to drive?

I figure the drive must be an adventure in itself and there woudl be tons to see and take in. Have been inland before but never to Placencia and thought we could do that this trip before heading to AC.

Thanks for the info!

Drove to Placincia just last week.. The road is good all the way. The southern highway is now paved so the only rough stuff is the last 20 miles or so to Placincia.We did it in 3 hours easy. But there is plenty to see and do along the way that you could take 2 days if you wanted to.Go by way of the Hummingbird, The coastal road is a rough dusty mess.

aqtpie2
How late are getting in? you should consider the luggage & customs thing. You might want to spend one night in BC and get a fresh start in the morning thats a drive you don't want to rush.
And yes it took us about 3 hours also.

The world has changed. Its been several years since we last went to Placencia, we now seem to favor Ambergris. The road was a KILLER then. My back was killing me by the time we got there, and I have never had a back problem!!!! I haven't been there since the last hurricane, so don't know. If you do stay in Belize City, Fort Street Guest House is nice, though a bit noisy. Colton House is just beautiful. Much more peaceful. Or, you could take off, get some miles under your wheels, and just break midway. If you can find it at the airport, find Emory King's most recent "Driver's Guide to Beautiful Belize". It'll let you know where the next break can be. The guy is an expat, very knowledgeable on his adopted country. In fact all of his books on Belize are worth a read. Its probably a good idea to get off the road before sunset, about 6:00 p.m. Have fun!

Thanks for all the info! I will process and see if this is the route we will take or not.

Sounds like an interesting drive with many sights to take in and experience.

Thanks All!

You should be able to make it from BC to Dangriga in an afternoon now that the Southern HWay is paved. We spent a night at the Pelican Resort there a couple years ago that was enjoyable. The drive to Plancencia is easy in a day from there. Better check to see if Pelican is still open before you go though. :p