The Simple Joys of Life in Placencia, Belize

Fresh fruit, friendly cafés, rooftop views, and relaxed evenings show why this seaside village feels so desirable.

DAILY POSTCARD  | FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2026 Dear International Living reader, Spend a day in Placencia, Belize, where sunrise rooftop coffees, tropical market runs, sea breezes, and sunset cocktails are part of everyday life.  This glimpse into Jane Thompson-Hassenmueller and her husband's routine reveals the simple pleasures, friendly community, and laidback lifestyle that make this Caribbean beach village such an appealing place to call home. P.S. There are hidden places around the world where the pace is slower, the people are warmer, and the cost of living is dramatically lower. My new book shows you where they are—and how to make one your escape hatch. Request your copy now—supplies are limited. Recommended Resource: Far Away from Any Crisis, in These Hidden Places Abroad, a Smaller Budget Buys a Better Life Special Offer ends Saturday... Reserve your print copy now, and we'll bundle it with a bunch of other useful bonuses, too! Inside: Discover the calm, overlooked, undervalued escapes where you can spend less, live richer, and thrive abroad. The books are on their way to the warehouse right now. Special deal for the first 500 to request a copy... Yes! Show Me How to Get a Copy The Joys of Life in Placencia, Belize By Jane Thompson-Hassenmueller Waking before sunrise in Placencia, I do my stretching routine, then open the curtains just as the light begins to brighten the sky.  Afterwards I make an espresso, and my husband pours himself a brewed coffee. Then we head to the rooftop: coffees, journals, and books in hand to enjoy the sea breeze, hear the birds, and watch the fishermen head out to sea.  The Kiskadee bird screeches "Good morning," as the Caribbean Mockingbirds dance in the sand, their wings spread wide, facing each other. Are they mating? Fighting? No matter, they are lovely.  Then one of the lobster boats potters down the canal, piled high with canoes, fishermen, and drying clothes on the ropes. They will head out to the reef, where they will each tie themselves to a canoe, and dive for lobster, bringing their haul back to sell at the pier.  The sea breeze on our rooftop tells what the day will hold. If it's already warm, if we can't see the mountains, we know the air will be thick with humidity. If it is cool and the mountains are visible, a fresher day is ahead. You don't have to go full-time overseas to recharge, reset, and invest wisely. Retreat for a few weeks or months a year... that could be just the medicine you need. Discover more here. My husband is a runner, and I walk so, by 7 a.m. we are crossing our canal and heading out to the village's main road, which, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, is actually the narrowest road in the world, what most would call a sidewalk.  This road goes right through the village, passing shops, still closed, small hotels, and coffee shops. Sometimes, I slip a few dollars in my pocket and stop for a coffee ($3) along the way, because why not? Another possibility is the guy selling Jonny cakes. If he has beans and cheese, I'm in. Once home, we both do whatever work we need to do, then it's off to the village for shopping. Steve rows us across the canal, we hop into the golf cart, and we're on our way. First stop, our favorite coffee shop, Chillpoint, to meet up with friends for a chat. One of our friends just bought a cabinet shop and brought samples to show us of a Maya king cut into a square, which will eventually become the pattern on a door. Lots of people meet up here and spend the morning chatting or working. It's become a morning hub of the village for both expats and locals. Including the writer's group I started, which meets twice a month. Next, we head to one of the grocery stores to buy a few cabinet staples. Since almost everything in the grocery store is imported, the prices are higher than in the States, but that's the price of living in paradise, so we really don't mind. Now it's time to think about lunch. Bohemian for pizza ($14) or fish sandwiches, or Ricks for a Greek salad ($11.95).  Then again, we might choose one of the mom and pop places for salbutes (deep fried tortilla that is topped with lettuce, sliced avocado, pulled chicken or turkey, tomato and pickled red onion) or burritos. What will it be today? Lots of choices here in Placencia.  After lunch, we head to one of the veggie stands to stock up for the next several days. My husband and I eat primarily plant-based, so the majority of our shopping happens at one of the stands. There I find dried beans, potatoes ($3.09/kg), tomatoes ($4.38/kg), eggplant, squash, onions ($2.30/kg), and so much more. Fruit is abundant, including even apples, imported from Mexico, but nice to have in addition to the papaya, pineapple, and bananas that grow abundantly in Belize.  Like other fruits, mangoes, dragon fruit, passion fruit, and mangosteen also appear in the markets during their respective seasons. Mangosteen is my favorite fruit of all time. The mangosteen arrives around the first of August and is gone by the end of the month, but they are delicious and well worth the wait. After an afternoon lie down, because let's face it, there's nothing better than a slow afternoon, we head to the pool in our row of townhouses, and float for a while.  When the neighbors are in residence, the pool is the meet-up place for a leisurely afternoon. As the sun sinks behind the buildings, we head inside for cleanup and cocktail hour on the rooftop—a great way to start the evening. But just as likely, we head to the village for a cocktail at Agave, or the beach bar at Turtle Inn ($14). Both have beautiful views of the sea.  Last, we head to dinner, maybe at the quintessential beach bar, Barefoot (about $40 for two), or to a fancier meal at Rum Fish ($80-120), where the coffee-rubbed fish is out of this world, because I do occasionally indulge in a local caught fish dish. But I'm just as likely to order the vegetable curry, or the vegetable tostones. The one thing our visitors always tell us before they leave is how much they have loved the food they've had in Belize. The meal completed, we drive home, settle in, and call it a great day.  Editor's Note: If you've ever dreamed about trading in the stress of home for a simpler, more affordable, and more joyful life overseas, this book is your roadmap. You'll discover safe, stable escapes where you can rent beachside condos for $1,500 a month or enjoy European charm for a fraction of what it would cost back home in my book, Live Better Overseas: Hidden Places and Surprising Ways You Can Spend Less, Live Richer, and Thrive Abroad. And we'll ship a copy to your doorstep—but this special offer ends this week. Claim your copy now before supplies run out. Recommended Resource: Want a Free Travel Book? (offer inside) Right now—for a limited time only—we're giving away this travel book, called: Secrets Travel Writers Never Share: 101 Ways—and Places—to Travel Better, Spend Less, and Enjoy the World More. Grab your free copy—with this offer.   12 Best Cities to Visit in Portugal By International Living Inbox too crowded? Don't worry—if you can't keep up with our International Living Postcards every day, click here to switch to the Weekly Best of IL Postcards instead. If you no longer wish to receive IL Postcards, click here to unsubscribe. 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