This ribbon of barrier beach and mangroves winds 16 miles southward from the coastal wetlands and shrimp farms near Riverside village all the way to Placencia Village [1] proper, on the tip of the peninsula.
The area used to be a forgotten cul-de-sac on the tourist trail, but no more. Traveling to nearby cayes and inland attractions like the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary [2], Maya villages, and ruins of Toledo District [3] is possible from anywhere on the peninsula.
The area offers the full range of accommodations—whether you prefer to mingle with backpackers in Placencia Village or rub elbows with fellow guests at any of a number of beach resorts, each with its own personality. This is also the site of several enormous, ambitious, and controversial development projects, more of which are springing up all over the area every year.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/belize/the-southern-coast/placencia-village
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/belize/the-southern-coast/the-cockscomb-basin/cockscomb-basin-wildlife-sanctuary
[3] http://www.moon.com/destinations/belize/punta-gorda-and-the-toledo-villages/vicinity-punta-gorda/maya-archaeological-sites