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Tacogirl Belize blog Est. in 2007

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Battle of the Best Beaches Ambergris, Placencia and Roatan

by tacogirl 02/03/2015
written by tacogirl 02/03/2015
belize beach resorts

Ambergris vs. Roatan vs. Placencia Best Beaches Comparison by Laura Diffendal

Recently, West Bay Beach on the island of Roatan, Honduras, was rated one of the best beaches in the world by TripAdvisor, congrats!! Having been on this beach, as well as the beaches of Ambergris Caye and Placencia, I wanted to do a comparison of the three. Many travelers looking for great snorkeling, beaches, and the Caribbean/Central American vibe will no doubt be looking at all three places. All three have their own fantastic reasons for a visit!

**Note, the images I used are a combination of Google and my own… I chose the ones that I feel most represent what you are actually going to see when visiting.

Ambergris Caye Beaches

Ambergris has a gorgeous, white, soft sand perimeter around the whole island. The sea-side is more appealing in most areas I saw as compared to the lagoon, but gorgeous on both sides. I read reviews that said the beaches were disappointing and that there were no beaches for swimming… this is simply NOT accurate! Ambergris is closest to the reef of the three spots and has the added benefit of GORGEOUS, crystal clear water, no waves, and less sea grass/trash actually coming in than the mainland. People actually use the beach for a walkway in places in town, and you can ride your bike on it. The beaches truly look like the pictures you look at on your calendar in your cubicle… Note…this is an old post from a TripAdvisor Belize Travel Forum that is amazingly accurate comparing Ambergris Caye and Placencia even though it is now a few years old. Destination Expert and part time Ambergris Caye resident Jean H. gives some very insightful comparisons from well known Belize travel writer Lan Sluder.

belize beach resorts

Beach at Ramon’s Village resort from ambergriscaye.com

belize beach resorts

Beach at Victoria House from kiwicollection.com

belize beach

Estel’s dine by the sea from Jose Luis Zapata for Ambergris Today newspaper

Roatan Beaches

Roatan has the same calm, clear water, but has less actual beaches and beachfront than Ambergris or Placencia. Roatan looks a little more dense and lush, LOTS of trees and hills, mountains–many of them look like Northern foliage to my eyes. There are two major beach areas, West Bay, which is a bit far from the other beach area in West End (not walkable), and mostly has resorts, a more quiet area. In town, the other fun beach area, with a narrower beach–is West End; I have to give Roatan points here…..the Sundowner’s Beach bar is the most perfect tiki bar I have ever seen. Tourists, (some) locals, and expats all hang out together, with the perfect amount of live music (not TOO loud), nightly beach bonfires, great seating options, cheap beer, great sunsets…..it should really be a template for all other beach bars! Note… Here is a more in-depth review of my visit to the Island of Roatan.

roatan resorts

Aerial beach picture from Grand Roatan

roatan beaches

Roatan Beach picture from Romantic Travel Belize

roatan beach bar

Sundowners Beach Bar from gbot.me

Placencia Beaches

Placencia has the most beach area of the three, and no matter where you stay on the peninsula, you are steps from the beach. You can find great, rustic cabanas (really cheap), and a quiet, laid back atmosphere, or a more rowdy fun time closer to the village. Placencia has the most “moody” of the beaches of the three–it is far enough away from the reef that you may have waves that resemble the Atlantic, and the next day the water looks like the turquoise and glassy Caribbean. You will hear the waves most nights. Having lived on this beach for a year I can attest that we get our share of sea grass, and you may encounter this more in Placencia than the other two places due to the wave action. The sand is a bit different here–less powder and more khaki colored as it comes from the mountains instead of coral. Footnote; I happen to be in love with the waves at the beach, the sound and sight of them, so for me, I’ll take some days of sea grass for the benefits 🙂

 where to stay in belize

Caribbean Beach Cabanas downtown Placencia

To see different pictures and my point form comparison of all 3 locations, visit Ambergris vs. Roatan vs. Placencia…pros/cons, best beaches.

where to stay in belize

Beach view at the Cabanas from Sue Vasquez

A bit more about the Placencia blogger and resort owner who wrote the above guest post.

Until moving to Belize, Laura had never lived outside the USA, or Northern Ohio to be exact. After visiting Belize, she had a hard time finding blogs about Placencia, and since she rates it as it is one of the most charming places, she started her blog. Laura wanted to share this special place with others and encourage them to come down and experience it live.

In addition to writing Pure Placencia Belize blog, Laura, and her husband Dave can help you out if you are wondering where to stay in Belize. They bought Caribbean Beach Cabanas a small beach resort on the Caribbean Sea, located close to town on the famous Placencia sidewalk. You can follow along with them as she documents their adventures in building up what is currently a 3 cabana resort, into something larger.

placencia belize resorts

Caribbean Cabanas

where to stay in belize

Beach at Mariposa from Sharon Maddison

Related

tacogirl

Laurie Norton grew up dyslexic and was very challenged by the school. She never dreamed she would move to Belize and become a writer. A year after her move to Ambergris Caye, Laurie became an entrepreneur and professional writer starting tacogirl blog in 2007. Since then she has helped many people plan their vacations or move. She also has been published in Great Destinations Belize Guidebook, Moon Guide to Living in Belize, Insight Guides, Island Magazine several times and USA Today. Currently Laurie resides in downtown San Pedro and enjoys being a "city girl" on a tropical island.

previous post
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3 comments

CCREED 05/03/2015 - 8:03 pm

and comment posting doesn’t return that “Wrong Answer” error msg.

Win!

Reply
CCREED 05/03/2015 - 8:02 pm

display issues seem to have cleared up…Chrome glitch?

Reply
tacogirl 05/03/2015 - 9:44 pm

Hopefully was just a glitch CCreed. Please keep me posted if you experience any more tech gremlins.

Reply

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Darrell Moore
Darrell Moore
13:15 18 Apr 22
Laurie was super helpful in providing places to eat, things to do and best yet had ongoing blogs that allowed us to... look back on other places that she pointed out. A fantastic resource for both first time and return visitors of Ambergris Caye!read more
B W
B W
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Fantastic service .I needed to find a place where I could buy a local sim card as my UK sim doesnt work in belize and... Tacogirl put me on the right path .Decided to walk across town and discovered so much more in beautiful San Pedro.Many thanks.BWread more
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Kristi Palm
20:40 12 Oct 21
We have been using TacoGirl for what feels like decades when planning our trips to Belize! It has only been a few... years but she is the first place we stop to see what is happening in our favorite vacation spot. She knows all the best spots to get away and do so many fun things - whether it is relaxing or exploring! We are planning our next trip with our twins and she was the first person I reached out to. Knowing we have a resource like her, makes trip planning a breeze!read more
D Zep
D Zep
12:39 01 Oct 21
Found tacogirl while doing some research on an upcoming trip to Belize. This is the place for all the information you... need to plan your vacation. Incredibly helpful and responsive. I sent an email with lots of questions and received a very quick and detailed response that helped us finalize our plans.read more
Kelley Adams
Kelley Adams
20:19 21 Sep 21
We have been following TacoGirl for years now and before booking any trip to San Pedro we check to see what is... currently happening. We love the emails to let us know when a new blog has been posted. Keep up the great work Laurie, we feel like we know you.read more
Pamela Nixon
Pamela Nixon
18:36 20 Sep 21
I first got my Passport in 2012 and Taco Girl was my first connection back then Great then and Marvelous Now! She's... blossomed and developed into a wonderful contact for any and all information Belize. She goes above & beyond to respond with information that you need whether visiting Belize or relocating! I wasn't able to fund the move then but now that I have much more equity I am doing it.This time she was the 1st person I reached out to! Now I am selling and moving to Belize. She responds immediately! Like I do in my Pet Sitting Business! I was so impressed I followed her all this time. And was not disappointed!Pamela Nixonread more
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Chris S
17:12 17 Sep 21
Wanted to give a shout-out to tacogirl belize for helping us! She is a plethora of knowledge and was super helpful and... responsive in helping us find longer term stay on the island. Thank you so much for your help!read more
Ty Willingham
Ty Willingham
01:47 20 Aug 21
I've spent the last month exploring Belize. I'm retired & seriously considering moving down to Belize permanently from... the US. I contacted the local San Pedro expert "Taco Girl" to help me get started in finding an apartment to rent. With her help, I've located several places that meet my needs & budget requirements. Thank you Laurie!read more
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Greg Cox
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I am very glad I found you and asked you a question about a spice in Belize. You helped me figure out the name of it... and where i could buy it. You went above and beyond to help. Thanks again.read more
Katherine Jones
Katherine Jones
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I am so grateful for the time and energy Laurie has taken to share about her experiences traveling to and living in... Belize as well as provide thorough recommendations for planning a trip there. I was so thankful (and honestly surprised) that Laurie took the time to respond to several of my questions via email. I highly recommend reading Laurie's blogs and helping to support her business. Thank you Laurie!!read more
Greg R
Greg R
02:12 29 Jun 21
tacogirl was very nice to share her knowledge with us and assisted with planning our trip to Belize; thank you for the... help and info, it was helpful and allowed us to plan utilize our time accordingly while both on the mainland and islands of this great country.read more
Katherine Carlson
Katherine Carlson
18:46 02 Jun 21
As a Canadian—tired of long winters—I cannot wait to spend some time in Belize. I haven't set foot yet, but I am... yearning for lots of Caribbean adventure. Thanks so much to tacogirl for her endless enthusiasm and generosity of spirit. She is a constant stream of up-to-date information. Her knowledge and love of the area is priceless, and I will need her expertise for future endeavours!read more
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Kathleen Ward
18:29 02 Jun 21
We started coming to Ambergis Caye in 2014 and stumble on to Tacogirls blog, so glad we did! We used her 15% discount... at The Premier Duty-Free shop in the airport! It worked great all we did was let them know we read it on her blog . She has great information awesome pictures, we have tried several places she has recommended, all were amazing. Highly recommend reading her blog. Kathleenread more
ksniegoc1
ksniegoc1
17:45 02 Jun 21
It was my first time visiting Belize and San Pedro so naturally I had a ton of questions when it came time to planning... the travel. Taco Gril's blog was an invaluable source of information for all the travel questions in Ambergris Caye. I was able to learn a lot of basic information, as well as many tips and tricks. In addition when I reached out to Taco Girl for advice on finding a local photographer and a restaurant recommendation, she was very quick to respond and gave me many helpful suggestions. She also provided a lot more information from a local's point of view, which was much for valuable than than a typical guidebook. Thanks to her helpful suggestions we were able to celebrate my daughter's birthday at a nice restaurant, and had a great photo family session with a local photographer. I'm very thankful for all her resources and knowledge.read more
Myra F
Myra F
01:30 25 Mar 21
I started coming to San Pedro Belize in 2007 and that is when I met the online presence of Taco Girl. Her blogs on the... island and area are very personable and informative. She gives out promo codes from time to time so watch out for those. You cannot go wrong with someone who was a tourist and now lives here for quality info. Thanks Taco Girl for helping make my trips memorable!read more
Corey Holm
Corey Holm
04:38 25 Feb 20
I take the seniors from our academy to Belize every year for their senior trip. One of the first people I contact when... I start planning the trip is Laurie with TacoGirl Belize. She knows the island of San Pedro better than anyone else out there. Trust me, I have looked. If you are looking for the best restaurants, hang outs and shops then Laurie help plan your vacation.read more
Carol Taylor
Carol Taylor
15:53 24 Feb 20
Love Taco Girl Blog @LaurieNorton!I've been reading this blog since I started visiting Ambergris Caye in Belize almost... 10 years ago. It is filled with helpful up-to-date information and recommendations that I wouldn't necessarily find on my own. Laurie Norton's knowledge and extensive network on the island provides her with the ability to share perks/discounts/coupons with her readers, which come in handy year after year. Things on the island change daily - new businesses pop up constantly and LaurieNortonstays on top of these developments. Whenever I plan my return trip to the island, I always check her blog first - and I recommend you do the same. Trip Advisor ain't got nuttin' on Taco Girl!read more
Heidi
Heidi
20:01 20 Feb 20
Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice... to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. There is so much information it's amazing! Thank you Laurie!!!read more
Nick Goodman
Nick Goodman
21:23 30 Nov 19
I am considering a move to Belize and I have serendipitously found tacogirl.....what a treasure! She is full of great... advice, helpful hints.....knows everybody on Ambergris Caye and has a thousand useful recommendations and suggestions. Whether you are planning a vacation or relocating, you should make use of the many services she has to offer…..read more
KellyDivePhotography
KellyDivePhotography
20:58 30 Nov 19
I’m so pleased to see tacogirl's blog on Google. Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local... information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. I especially enjoy her guest articles, providing a different perspective of all things San Pedro. Her tipping quide is a classic, and don’t forget her Tropic Air flight code and on-island discounts. You’re not up-to-date with what’s going on in San Pedro if you’re not regularly reading tacogirl's blog.read more
Sandra Godfrey
Sandra Godfrey
15:58 23 Nov 19
I have known Laurie (Taco Girl) for several years. She has been a wealth of good information for me in all of my... pursuits in Belize. I highly recommend her for any services you may require.read more
William Jones
William Jones
13:39 06 May 19
Do yourself a favor. Read this BEFORE any trip to San Pedro - Ambergris Caye or Belize in general. Not saying “do what... everyone else says”, but Laurie has frank and honest info which will make your stay in country a little more fun, a little more informative, and often at a great cost savings. Best thing: it’s unbiased, honest, and factual. Personal note: thank you for your personal tailored help in answering mine (and my wife’s) questions.read more
Kimberly Robinson
Kimberly Robinson
18:28 03 May 19
Taco Girl (Laurie) is amazing. She has so much knowledge about Belize and has great connections with many of the... businesses in Belize. Because of her connections she is able to offer many perks and discounts that you wouldn't have been able to find otherwise. She is super responsive and I always go to her for all my travel needs. From golf cart rentals, to spas, to places to eat. She's got the inside scoop on all!read more
Michael Rieck
Michael Rieck
20:22 21 Apr 19
Since 2003, my wife and I have been to Ambergris at least once a year to experience the fantastic diving. About twelve... years ago we me Tacogirl on a blog giving us discounts on golf carts, local airfares, and restaurants. Over the years we have grown a friendship and I look forward to her weekly blogs about he changes on my favorite home away from home. The island changes every year, and she always shows you what to see, do, and eat.read more
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Belize Blog Est. 2007

belize travel specialist

ABOUT ME

I took the plunge and moved to San Pedro Town on the Island of Ambergris Caye, off the coast of Belize, Central America. Originally from Canada, I made the life-changing move to escape winter for good (in 2006) after one three week vacation. If you have any questions or want Belize help planning and booking, please feel free to contact me.

SPARKING MY DESIRE

A few childhood memories that shaped my desire to move to Belize from a young age. Sailing in the Virgin Islands, seeing a rainbow out the window of an island hopper as we flew from Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, Christmas in Hawaii and many trips to Florida.

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