Traveler's Checks and U.S. Dollars.  No need to exchange traveler's checks or U.S. dollars at the banks.  Your U.S. dollars are welcome everywhere, as are U.S. traveler's checks. (We've recently heard that traveler's checks are  becoming harder to cash outside main tourist areas.  Also, please be very careful with your signature - make sure to sign EXACTLY as you signed when you purchased the checks, and please don't date the check or enter the merchant's name on the check.)  Also, a bank may only give a $1.9875 BZD to $1 USD exchange rate, instead of the 2:1 given by merchants.  Ask the bank for the exchange rate first.

(Note:  The reason you shouldn't date traveler's checks and enter the name of the merchant is that Belize banks impose a 40-day clearance delay for traveler's checks deposited into local accounts.  This means that if you enter the merchant's name on the check, the merchant will have to deposit the check in the bank and won't be able to access the funds for over a month.)

Placencia now has three banks - Atlantic Bank, Scotia Bank and Belize Bank.  Atlantic Bank is located in a large free-standing building just south of the water tower, Scotia Bank is located on the east side of the main Placencia Road across from Every Day Discount Store and Belize Bank is located near the docks.   Atlantic Bank's hours are from 8-4 p.m. and Scotia's hours are from 8-2:30 p.m., M-Thu, and 8:30 am - 4:30 pm  on Fridays.  Scotia Bank is also open on Saturday mornings.  Not sure of Belize Bank's hours, think they're 8 AM - 3 PM.

Atlantic Bank now has 2 ATMs in Placencia that will accept international MasterCard and Visa credit cards, Visa debit cards and most international ATM debit cards.  Scotia Bank has one at it's location on the main road, and Belize Bank also has one at its dock location.  The machines sometimes don't work (primarily because the banks sometimes forget to put cash in the machines).  However, you can still get cash inside the bank if an ATM isn't working. 

Credit Cards.  More businesses accept Visa and MasterCard than American Express. Credit card advances can also be obtained from Atlantic Bank for a flat fee of $5.00 US per cash advances (Visa and MasterCard only - no American Express).  Scotia Bank also provides cash advances and bases its charges on a percentage of the transaction, so it's less expensive to obtain a cash advance from Scotia for cash advances of up to US$500.  Atlantic Bank is less expensive for advances of more than US$500.

Remember, you won't get a 2-1 exchange rate on your cash advance - you'll only get BZ$1.9875 to US$1, and possibly a currency conversion fee of 2-4%.  The actual amount charged on your MasterCard or Visa for cash advances and purchases made in Belize will depend on your contract with the issuer of your card, so check your contract, or talk to you issuer to determine what your charges will be. 

(Note:  Not all issuers charge a conversion fee in addition to the 1% charged by Visa or MasterCard, so it might pay to shop around for a credit card with a fair foreign currency policy.  Also, both Visa and MasterCard (international corporations AND issuers) have been recently sued in at least two state courts in the US for failing to adequately disclose the additional foreign currency fees to their customers.)

Some businesses still charge a 5% service charge on credit card purchases (some charge more, so ask).  Debit cards issued by MasterCard or Visa work just fine and do debit your checking or savings account.

NOTE:  MasterCard has imposed a $0.00 floor limit on ALL Belize businesses.  Therefore, many small businesses have stopped accepting MasterCards.

A new trend seems to be to require a minimum charge - just saw a local restaurant that required a BZ$50 minimum.  Won't hurt to ask first.
 

ATMs.   Again, you'll be charged a service fee, and will get a $1.9875 BZD to $1 USD exchange rate (rather than the 2 to 1 you would get with cash).   Per the above discussion of ATMs under US traveler's checks and banks, Placencia now has 4 ATM machines that accept Visa for cash advances. 

Wire Transfers.  Fees are fairly high, but wire transfers are credited much faster than they used to be (usually within 2 business days as opposed to 2 weeks a few years ago).

Western Union.  The Western Union office in Placencia is now at Atlantic Bank.  Fees are paid by the sender.  You'll need your passport as identification before funds can be released.

Cash and Checks.   Bring a good supply of smaller U.S. denominations (5s, 10s, 20s).  Banks have been known to run out of cash in the past, meaning merchants run out of cash - - and change.  Funds drawn on foreign checks are usually held eight weeks before being released by Belize banks.

Other Currencies. Currencies other than Belize and US dollars are not accepted in Belize.  (Make sure to purchase traveler's checks in US dollars.)
 

Belize City Cabs.  Fares into Belize City from Goldson International should be around $25-$30 USD for the cab - NOT per person.  However, if you have a lot of luggage, the driver may add on another $5.00 USD.  Cabs in Belize City proper should cost $7-$10 BZD ($3.50-$5.00 USD) per stop.  All cabs have green license plates.

Water.   Tap water is safe to drink in Independence, Mango Creek, Big Creek, Placencia and Seine Bight Villages (really).  Bottled water is also readily available (if it makes you feel better.  We suggest relying on bottled water in most other Belize destinations.

Grocery Stores and Pharmacy.  Placencia Village has 6 grocery stores - Wallen's Market, Nang Kee's, Everyday Discount Grocery, Mings near the post office,  one on the main road on the Lagoon side in front of Blue Lagoon Apartments,  and one a little further north on the sea side of the road at the site of the old Placencia Grocery -- the last three don't seem to have names.  In addition, Placencia has a few small "convenience" markets located in odd locations around the Village.  Seine Bight Village has two grocery stores. (The Peninsula is a large concrete store on the main road and is pretty well stocked).  Maya Beach also has two small grocery stores. 

For fresh vegetables, look for the trucks from Cayo, Orange Walk and sometimes Toledo on the main road near Wallen's.  Also, Perez's Market behind Omar's Restaurant on the main road.  In addition, check Wallen's - the vegetables (If they have any) are kept refrigerated, so stay fresher longer (sounds like a commercial, huh).   

Rumfish y Vino imports its own wine and has a retail outlet separate from the restaurant, which is located across from the soccer field near the Placencia Tourism Center. 

Both Wallen's and Everyday carry a pretty good selection of wines (US, Chilean, Italian, South African and Australian).  Wallen's wines tend to be less expensive, but Everyday has some very nice Chilean wines if you have some cash to spend.  Nang Kee's often has wine, but tends to be more expensive than either Wallen's or Everyday.  Ming's has a decent selection of wine - about the same price as Wallen's.  Wallen's is the beer distributor for the Peninsula, so Wallen's is definitely the place to buy cases of beer. 

Wallen's Pharmacy is located above Wallen's Market.  In addition to antibiotics and other "prescription" medications, the Pharmacy has a good selection of over-the-counter medications, plus some cosmetics, skin creams and the like, AND a good stock of sunscreen, insect repellant and pet supplies such as Frontline, Heartgard and worming medications.  (Hurray!)  Wallen's Hardware Store and its housewares store have now moved around the curve from Wallen's Market (near the BTL building) where you can get hardware, plus such essential items such as corkscrews, decorative candles and shower curtains.

Schedules: 

Wallen's Market and Pharmacy close for a half a day on Sundays, open at 7 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. on other days.    The other grocery stores purport to be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., but that seems to be hit or miss.  Rumfish y vino is open for lunch Monday through Fridays (sometimes) and 3 PM - midnight 7 days a week (sometimes).

Fish Co-op.  Please only buy lobster and conch from the Co-op.  Illegal trapping and sale of under-size lobsters and conch are threatening the supply, and if you buy from someone on the street, you're usually buying an illegal lobster or conch (that the Co-op won't accept).   Purchasing fish directly from the boats is ok, especially since the Co-op rarely has fresh fish.  Lobster season is closed from 15 February to 15 June of each year.  Some resorts have received a special dispensation from the Belize government to serve lobster in the off-season.  The lobster served is supposed to be lobster caught and frozen during the open season.  However, this system is subject to abuse, and with lobster stocks declining, it's best to stick to conch and other seafood during the lobsters' closed season.  (Think of it as a lobster honeymoon :->)

Shrimp.   Shrimp purchased frozen in the grocery stores is farm-raised shrimp.  Trawling has now been banned in Belize (the first country ever), so no fresh shrimp from the sea in Belize anymore, which is a good thing.  (A Belize Coastal Zone Management report states that for each 1 fish netted, 11 fish are caught and destroyed.)  

Shrimp farms can quickly devastate coastal environments through destruction of mangroves, heavy sedimentation and pollution of area waters.  The Belize government strongly supports shrimp farms in the Placencia area, and we understand that the farms are now employing more environmentally sound practices for disposing of sludge and dumping of pond water into the Lagoon.  And, the water quality in the Lagoon and some of the rivers feeding into the Lagoon seems to improving. So, enjoy your shrimp while in Placencia, but please make sure you also eat sustainably produced shrimp at home.

Other Fresh Produce Sources.  If you happen to be traveling from Dangriga on a Friday or Saturday, Dangriga has a fairly good farmer's market. 

Bread and Pastries.  John the Bakerman makes a good loaf of white bread.  John's cinammon rolls are a Village tradition (after 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday). Greg, one of the vegetable vendors (usually across from Tutti Frutti Ice Cream on the main road) often has multigrain loaf bread from Cayo.  Creole bread ($2 BZD per round loaf) makes an outstanding sandwich (and is a fairly decent substitute for Italian bread for bruschetta).  Many of the local women make pastries - look for people (often children) selling from large plastic boxes.  Black Cake is a very dense cake made as a special treat at Christmas.

Street Food.  Street food is again becoming common in Placencia, especially on the main road near MNM Hardware/MNM Service Station and the Hokey Pokey.  There are still several people who sell tamales around the Village.  However, be careful of the tamales - Belizans have an unusual taste for chicken feet, and you'll often find them as an ingredient in chicken tamales (same goes for chicken soup - often includes chicken feet). 

I have also occasionally found dukunu being sold by street vendors (both savory and sweet dukunu).  Buy some if you can - it's delicious, and no longer very common.

Tutti Frutti Ice Cream Shop, located near the Placencia Tourism Center on the Placencia Road, sells wonderful home-made fresh fruit Italian ice creams (the lime is amazingly good).  And, if you run into anyone selling small coconut pies or fresh-roasted cashews - buy some!  (Wallen's lately has had fresh cashews for sale in the market.)
 

Unusual Food (to try - - or not).  Per above, tamales and chicken soup often include chicken feet.  Cow's foot soup is a local favorite (and does include one or more cow feet) .  Gibnut - well, some say it's a small rodent (rat?), other's say it's like a groundhog - supposed to be a vegetarian either way (actually it's very, very good - sort of like very good pork - hah, thought we were going to say chicken, didn't you).  Can sometimes be found on local menus, but we've heard that gibnut may soon be on the endangered list.  Definitely try sere (boiled fish in coconut sauce), chimole (similar to a black gumbo), cassava bread, cassava and plantain chips, fried plantain, fish balls, fry jack, tamarind juice (supposed to be good for hangovers, plus a sexual stimulant - do we see a connection here?) - - and, of course, the national dish, red recado stewed chicken with beans and rice (or rice and beans -- and there IS a difference).  Red recado gets its color from annatto seeds and is a seasoning mix made from flour and annatto, plus a variety of other seasonings.  In the stores, it looks like a red sausage wrapped in plastic wrap or small pieces sold in bags.  You cook with it by mixing it into a paste with cider vinegar.   Makes a good base for stewed chicken and barbecue bastes.  If you have a kitchen and find some "Spanish Cream" (Perez's vegetable stand usually has it), try it as a thickener for sauces or seasoning for steamed vegetables (but don't use it as a sweet - it's a savory rather than sweet substance).  Best we can figure, Spanish Cream is similar to creme fraiche.

Day-to-day food.  Hamburgers are not particularly tasty - beef isn't great in Belize to begin with, the patty is often thin, and the bread usually overwhelms the meat.  But if you crave a burger anyway, don't ask for a hamburger - you may be told the restaurant doesn't carry ham!  Instead, ask for a beef burger.  The best cheeseburger we've had lately is the blue cheese cheeseburger at Pickled Parrot and the burger at Maya Beach Hotel.

If you order a salad, you may get slaw (which is really good here).  Belizean potato salad is awesome!

Placencia has good pork and chicken, and of course, the seafood is great.  However, you can't usually buy seafood in the stores.  Best bet is to meet the fishing boats when they come back to the dock in the evenings, or buy from the Fishermen's Co-op at the docks.

Belize produces a decent coffee (by Gallon Jug).  However, be aware that some restaurants still use instant coffee.  The Secret Garden, Tutti Frutti and another new coffee shop near Wendy's Restaurant serves regular and premium coffee drinks including latte, cappucino and expresso.

Liquor.   Beliken Beer (regular, premium and stout) and Lighthouse Beer (supposed to be an ale, but tastes more like a pilsner), Heineken and Red Stripe are the only beers legally available in Belize.  Personal dark rum favorite is One Barrel or it's more upscale cousins, Three Barrel and Five Barrel  - reminds us of Barbancourt Rum -- sometimes - Five Barrel is hand made so the flavor can vary).  When selecting rum, just remember, the cheaper the rum, the better it is as a varnish remover (the stuff in the unmarked bottles can remove varnish just by setting the bottle on a piece of furniture - no need to pour it out).   Locally produced cashew and craboo wines are very sweet, almost liquerish - both are definitely acquired tastes.  Imported liquor is VERY expensive - especially Scotch and vodka.  In the Villages, Wallen's, Rumfish y vino and Everday Discount have the best selections of wine.   Around $17.50 U.S. for a bottle of Gallo Cabernet.    
 

Restaurants.   In Placencia Village, the food is fresh and usually very good.  Favorites in Placencia Village include Wendy's, Merlene's,  La Dolce Vita, Barefoot, The Galley,  Barefoot Bar & Grill (now on the main road), D'Tatch, Pickled Parrot, Radiance's little restaurant and take-out across from the police station and Fat Boyz Pizza on the main road just north of Everyday Discount Grocery (or call for delivery - 669-9880).  Rumfish y vino (mentioned above in connection with their retail sale of wine) is a tapas bar located near the Tourism Center.  (Note:  Many local restaurants are closed one day of the week. (Don't ask which one - I can never keep them straight.)  Outside the Village, try Maya Beach Bistro for very good, reasonably priced meals.  (Had lamb sliders there recently - delicious!)  We now also have an Austrian restaurant on the very southern edge of Seine Bight, and Singing Sands restaurant is now open serving meals with a Korean influence. 

Special Note on Summer Restaurant Schedules: there aren't any.  That's not entirely true, but almost.  If few tourists are in town, be prepared to try several restaurants before finding one open.   Definitely plan on eating lunch before 2 p.m., and try having dinner between 6-8 p.m. when restaurants are most likely to be open.