Exactly 3-1/2 hours, Placencia Point to Belize City. It's a breeze once you hit the Southern Highway, except for a few speed bumps around the villages along the way. Oh, and the one-lane bridges take a little maneuvering.

I was complaining to a friend in Placincia about the 4 hours it took to get there from BC.(This was before the southern highway was paved)."You can make it in 2 hours you know" was the reply... I said "You gotta be kidding me" "You can make it in your Land Cruiser in 2 hours?" "Not in my car!!!" he said "But you have a rental"

haha Deano!

Pelican Pouch on Southwater Caye looks so very relaxing. Is it a good place? I have been reading about Tobacco Caye, but Southwater Caye sounds great!

Pelican Beach does sound so relaxing. Might just have to take a second or third look at that.

Hmm 3 hours. Thinking if we get in around 1:30 we will hit Placencia around dark. But now with Pelican Beach... well all these options!

Thanks all!

Dear aqtpie, My wife and I loved the trip, yes the last 20 miles suck (and we were there when it rained like hell) but what a blast to see the countryside and people up close. We are returning in June and have already reserved a car for another road trip. ML

ML - Car rental - how much and where do you rent from/reccommend?

I am thinking Dangria may be a better bet for us. Still in the planning stages though. I have friends that just adore Placencia and keep telling me about it. Heading down Sept this year instead of November and trying to sneak in a new place for us before we head out to AC.

You don't want to spend much time in Dangriga. It offers little for the visitor, other than as a jumping off place for the southern cayes and during Garifuna Settlement time.

The family of Tony Rath has a hotel in Dangriga, a place to stay but a little expensive and basic for what you get, but Pelican Beach, which the Raths also own (I can't remember which of the family owns what) on South Water Caye is more appealing.

--Lan Sluder
www.belizefirst.com

If you arrive mid afternoon you can make Placincia easy by sundown..It really is an easy drive..There are plenty of rental companys. I have used National, Crystal and Louis over the years..Always got me there and back.. The Toy Jeep we rented last week was $70.00us per day + fuel..So its sort of expensive but well worth it to see the countryside at your own pace. Lan has Dangriga right ..Not too much there in the way of accomodations. Just hop on down to Placincia and have a cold one on the beach, you will soon forget the last bumpy 20 miles.

If you get tired en route, you can always stop off at Singing Sands Inn. We stopped there a few years ago, and it was quite nice. We stopped at a little restaurant further on the way to Placencia that morning and had baracuda for breakfast. It was darn good!

Dear aqtpie2,
I think we searched the prices on about all of the car rental places and found Trifty to be the cheapest. The car we had was nothing special but heck I'm not buying it I'm only renting. As for stopping at the Singing Sands before you get to Placencia, it's hardly worth it, you are only about 6 miles away at that point, and to tell you the truth we stayed there two days and had a most unpleasent expeience. Have fun ML