Maya Beach: Belize's Tropical Paradise

Maya Beach is a small, quiet beach community in southern Belize, located on the Placencia Peninsula in the Stann Creek District. The beach is known for its serene atmosphere, attracting beachgoers who prefer a more secluded and relaxed experience. Maya Beach offers a beautiful stretch of clean sand, beach loungers, wooden docks, and hammocks strung between palm trees. It is an ideal spot for sunbathing, swimming, and partaking in water activities such as kayaking, snorkelling, and scuba diving. The nearby cayes also offer opportunities for exploring marine life.

Maya Beach provides a range of accommodation options, including beachfront hotels, guest houses, and authentic beach cabanas. Visitors can enjoy fresh seafood at beachfront restaurants, sample tropical cocktails at beach bars, and explore the nearby attractions, such as the Laughing Bird Caye National Park and the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary. Maya Beach is easily accessible, located 120 miles south of Belize City, with a domestic airport nearby offering daily flights from various locations.

Maya Beach Hotel & Bistro

Location

The Maya Beach Hotel & Bistro is a small beachfront resort and restaurant in the Placencia Peninsula area of Southern Belize, just at the 15-mile mark on the Placencia main road. The hotel is located on a pretty stretch of natural sand beach dotted with palm trees.

Accommodations

The hotel offers a variety of accommodation options, ranging from inexpensive beach-standard rooms to larger, more contemporary suites and a three-bedroom villa. All accommodations have WiFi, air conditioning, and beach/ocean views.

Dining

The Maya Beach Hotel Bistro has been awarded "Restaurant of the Year" by the Belize Tourism Board and offers casual dining with a contemporary Caribbean menu. The restaurant serves meals all day on the beach and by the pool, with indoor and outdoor seating options. Reservations are recommended, especially for large groups. The Bistro also offers takeout services.

Amenities and Activities

The hotel provides quick access to organised tours and activities such as fishing, diving, and snorkelling, and inland adventures. There is also a plunge pool and free kayaks and paddleboards for guests to use. Yoga classes are available as well.

Mangos beach bar

Mangos is known for its delicious food, made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients, and its friendly staff. The menu offers a wide variety of dishes, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, and changes seasonally to ensure the use of the freshest ingredients. The bar also has an extensive list of fixtures, furniture, and equipment.

The beach bar is centrally located near homes, hotels, and shops, and the surrounding area is booming with construction and development. It is a great spot to relax, sunbathe, and enjoy the view of the nearby Maya Mountains. Maya Beach is known for its serene atmosphere and is a great place to enjoy various water activities such as snorkelling, scuba diving, and fishing.

With its recent renovations, Mangos Beach Bar is a unique opportunity for anyone looking to own a well-established business in the heart of Maya Beach, Belize.

The Placencia Peninsula

The land on the peninsula is low-lying and flat, and the Maya Mountains are visible to the west. Placencia, a Creole village, is at the southern tip of the peninsula. A long concrete sidewalk runs up the centre of the village, and a stroll up and down will give you a good introduction to life in the village. The beaches on the peninsula are a beautiful resource—a narrow, long loaf of toast-coloured sand.

The northern portion of Placencia includes the Garifuna village of Seine Bight, is less densely populated, and has many of the more expensive resorts. Because of its distance from the reef, it also has 'real' though not very high surf. The water is clean and clear, and the trade winds gentle and cooling. The Placencia Peninsula is located 130 miles (209 km) south of Belize City. The road was recently redone in 2008 and is currently in good condition.

Placencia is one of three villages located on the peninsula, with lovely shops, charming cafes, seafood restaurants, a small medical clinic, and an airfield. It is renowned for having some of the most beautiful beaches in the country. The peninsula is also home to two other communities: Seine Bight and Maya Beach.

Laughing Bird Caye National Park

Maya Beach in Belize is a small, quiet beach community on the Placencia Peninsula in the Stann Creek District. It is a serene destination for beachgoers seeking a secluded getaway. The nearby cayes, including Laughing Bird Caye National Park, offer excellent snorkelling, scuba diving, and fishing opportunities.

The park is located 11 miles (18 kilometres) off the coast of Placencia. Visitors can take a day trip from Placencia with a licensed tour guide, and the boat ride takes approximately 30 minutes to an hour, depending on weather conditions. There is no built infrastructure on the caye, but this adds to the immersive experience of connecting with nature. While overnight stays are not permitted, a day trip offers ample time to savour the peaceful beauty of the island and explore its underwater wonders.

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Maya Beach is a small, quiet beach community on the Placencia Peninsula in Southern Belize. It is a great place to relax, sunbathe, and enjoy the local seafood.

Not far from Maya Beach is the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, an impressive sanctuary operated by the Belize Audubon Society. Covering an area of about 150 square miles of tropical forest in southern Belize, it is the world's only Jaguar Preserve. The sanctuary was established in 1986 as the first protected area for the conservation of the jaguar (Panthera onca). It is considered a premier site for jaguar preservation globally.

The name 'Cockscomb' comes from the appearance of the Cockscomb Mountain ridge, which resembles a rooster's comb. This ridge is located at the northern edge of the reserve and can be easily seen from the coastal plain of the Caribbean Sea. The ancient Mayas inhabited the Cockscomb Basin as early as 10,000 BCE, but the first modern exploration of the area did not occur until 1888.

The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary consists of two adjacent geographic basins: the West Basin and the East Basin. The West Basin, which is harder to access due to its distance from trailheads and denser forest, remains relatively unexplored. The reserve is approximately 36 km (22 mi) from east to west and about 14 km (9 mi) from north to south. The elevation ranges from 50 m (160 ft) above sea level in the lower reaches of South Stann Creek to 1,160 m (3,810 ft) at the peak of Victoria Peak, Belize's second-highest mountain.

The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is known for its diverse flora and fauna. The principal plant communities include Belizean pine forests, elfin scrub, Petén–Veracruz moist forests, sheltered valley forests, and floodplain thickets. The dominant trees in the tropical moist broadleaf forest are mahogany and cedar, which were historically logged for the Belizean economy. The sanctuary is also renowned for its bird populations, with up to 300 recorded species, including the Macaw, Great Curassow, and Keel-billed Toucan.

The sanctuary offers a well-maintained trail network, the most extensive of any reserve in Belize. The River Overlook and Warrie Trails are recommended for wildlife spotting. The Rubber Tree Trail offers a small chance of spotting the elusive Agami Heron. Visitors can also explore deeper into the forest to listen out for unique bird calls, such as the clicking sound of the White-collared Manakin.

The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary provides a range of visitor facilities, including trails, a visitor centre, swimming areas, and various accommodation options. It is an excellent destination for those seeking outdoor adventures and a chance to immerse themselves in the beauty of Belize's natural environment.

Frequently asked questions