Top Five Reasons Why You Should Visit Placencia in October!

By JOLIE POLLARD Editor in Chief The Placencia Breeze pollard.jolie@gmail.com

October has long been reputed as the slowest month of the year on the Peninsula, but in 2018, most businesses who break for travel or renovations are taking a chance on the month of conch, Halloween and beautiful beach days.

Instead, they are choosing to close in September when the national holiday festivities keep everyone entertained! Expect gorgeous weather between rain showers, as well as more peace this time of year. Win. Win.

1. THE BEST BEACH IN BELIZE DOESN'T CLOSE!

As if almost being spiteful, Mother Nature tends to tease us with her most beautiful beach days in October. The rain showers or thunderstorms that usually fall while you're sleeping, miraculously clean up the beach, and most days you'll wake up to a pristine coastline. Chances are high you'll have it all to yourself, especially in the early mornings.

2. CONCH SEASON OPENS OCT. 1!

Rejoice, conch lovers! The season finally reopens! The closest thing we have to abalone or scallops is also our popular village aphrodisiac ;) Try it raw and cured in lime juice in a conch ceviche or blended with flour and spices for a delicious fritter or just pounded, battered and fried as a "crack conch." You'll find conch dishes at all the peninsula resorts and most independent restaurants. Order conch ceviche at Tipsy Tuna Seaside and Sports Bar, Barefoot Beach Bar, The Shak Beach Cafe and Rumfish or the fritters at Bubba Wubba's, Li'l Bites or at Cozy Corner before they close on Oct. 14! Also look out for conch specialties like Conch Creole, Conch Curry or Garlic Conch (and more ceviche) at The Vine, Omar's, Wendy's or Dawn's Grill and J-Dee's when they reopen later in October.

Tip: While on a snorkeling, diving or fishing tour, ask your guide to free dive for a conch and crack that baby open on the boat! With a sprinkle of pepper, salt and a squeeze of lime, it doesn't get any better! This is also a time in the year when all the seafood options are available: lobster, fish, shrimp and conch. Yum.

3. TOUR OPERATORS ARE RUNNING!

The Peninsula might seem quiet, but tour operators are still ready to take you to Laughingbird Caye National Park to snorkel or dive among vibrant corals, see loggerhead turtles off the Silk Cayes, take you on a Monkey River adventure, go hiking in the Cockscomb or aboard a sailing cruise! Since most operators will require a minimum of four or more people for a trip, you're going to have to be social if you're traveling alone. Get off the smart phone and hit up the bars. Make some friends!

MUZAMANZIE PHOTOGRAPHS

4. Low Season Rates!

Take advantage of low season rates offered at our hotels! Get discounts on rooms and save more money for your tours and meals. Don't forget to book a massage, spa treatment or yoga class.

5. HALLOWEEN!

That's right! Halloween is actually a pretty big deal here. In fact, some people take the whole month prepping their costumes for the big Halloween dance parties at Barefoot and Tipsy Tuna, and the trick or treating is top notch! Some even call it the best time of the year rivaling New Year's Eve, which certainly gives October big points. In fact, Halloween gets an article of its own, courtesy of our Halloween party expert and Former Placencia BTIA Executive Director and The Placencia Breeze Editor Emeritus, Elysia Dial. SEE PAGE 7!

DINING OUT TIPS! DeTatch, Dolce Vita and Sidewinder's are the only restaurants that will be closed all of October based on our surveys. Dawn's Grill, Friends Near the Pier, ChaChi's, Cozy Corner and Tutti Frutti Gelateria will open mid-October, and J-Dee's will open Oct. 24. So what to do if you were looking forward to pizza and Italian during your tropical vacation? Try Rick's Cafe for delicious pizzas and pastas. Rick's, The Burger Joint and Pickled Parrot can also satisfy sandwich cravings. Turtle Inn whips out world-class pizzas from their wood-fired ovens while Rumfish, Maya Beach Bistro and Aphrodite Cafe can also deliver excellent Italian-inspired dishes if you're missing Dolce Vita! Find ice cream at any of the Chinese grocery stores. We know it's not gelato, but the local Mennonite ice cream can appease! Want similar flavours to Dawn's Grill? Hit up The Vine located across Placencia Office Supply or visit Wendy's or Omar's if you're missing DeTatch, J-Dee's and Cozy. Additionally, the restaurants that took time off in September such as The Flying Pig, The Shak Beach Cafe, the Maya Beach Bistro and Tipsy Tuna Seaside and Sports Bar, will be open! Don't forget to try the restaurants at the resorts or the roaming street vendors and new food kiosks popping up along the road!