Placencia Lobsterfest

Imagine a nationwide annual party dedicated to the "beginning of Lobster Season". Welcome to Lobsterfest—Belize's most mouth-watering tradition and what locals simply call "Lobster Galore and a big fat Belizean party". Lobster fishing is banned during mating season (yes, even lobsters get a break), so when the ban lifts, the entire country throws a party in honour of the crustacean comeback. And trust me—it’s not just a festival, it’s a full-blown, rum-fuelled, reggae-soundtracked tribute to Belize’s most delicious resident.

We purposefully scheduled our visit to Placencia—as part of a four-week trip around Mexico and Belize—to coincide with their famous Lobsterfest. Normally a quiet but colourful fishing village on the Caribbean coast, Placencia truly comes alive during the festival. There are three such celebrations across Belize, all within about two weeks of each other, and based on previously incarnations this festival was worth the disruption (ahem, complete overhaul) of our itinerary just to make the dates work. The husband went along with the idea as I promised him endless amounts of Lobster at ridiculously cheap prices - feed him beer and seafood and he'll agree to anything.

As we arrived in Placencia after a few days in the jungle, the village was already buzzing with preparations for the annual festival. Placencia is the kind of place that makes you sigh with happiness—sandy boardwalks, colourful art shops and cafés, and laid-back beach bars decked out in the primary colours you see all over the Caribbean. The vibe is reggae beats, swings, rum cocktails, bars with names like "Tipsy Tuna" and "Barefoot Bar", and a white sandy beach that curves lazily around the cove for miles. A.K.A my favourite ingredients for a perfect vacation - and thats even before the seasonal additions of steel drums, endless lobster and dancing.

Lobsterfest in Placencia is a three-day explosion of seafood, sun, and seriously good vibes. The whole village transforms into a buzzing beachside carnival, with over 60 beach stalls lining the boardwalk—selling everything from colourful local art (Placencia’s kind of famous for it) to locally brewed beers, rum cocktails, and of course, lobster in every conceivable form. Grilled lobster, lobster curry, lobster sushi, lobster fajitas, lobster wraps... basically, if it's edible, someone's lobstered it. Hence, it's Lobsterfest!

There’s a packed itinerary of events: kid-friendly games, beach contests, fishing competitions. By day, the music tent is filled with the sounds of local bands, steel drums, and saxophones. By night, things really kick off, with famous national musicians and well-known Belizean artists taking the stage to keep the party alive well into the early hours. The celebrations spill into every nook and cranny—people dancing barefoot on the beach, live performances around every corner, and an infectious Caribbean spirit that’s impossible not to get swept up in.

But the main event is a big fishing competition, which ends with everyone crowding around to admire the day’s hauls and as the night falls, a huge fireworks display lights up the beach.

Local and tourists descend on Placencia just for this magical event and it's clear to understand why - the Caribbean really does know how to throw the best parties. But if you can't make the dates work (or even reshuffle your entire itinerary), Placencia is a magical beautiful place to include in any visit to Belize regardless.

Top Tip

Whilst you are visiting, take a day trip to visit Laughing Bird Caye or Ranguana Caye.