We believe Sabal Beach to be the finest secluded spot in the Toledo District, perfect for swimming from the beach, kayaking to a shallow coral reef, relaxing on a private sandy beach, far from the bustle of Placencia. An engineered private dock has deck heights for boats large and small, and offers a perfect spot to sit and contemplate the sunrise or sunset, or full moon rise as we did.
The 2-story cabana is rented to only 1 party at a time, so we had the site to ourselves. Miles of sand beaches stretched north and south, offering interesting looks at mangrove swamp, shoreline forests, many kinds of animal tracks. Surf was mild in our visit, and water is pleasantly warm and free of sargassum.
Solar panels provide plenty of power for lights, ceiling fan, and a great WiFi connection on the porch of the main house. Propane fridge made ice and kept food cool, and powered an on-demand water heater which worked fine.
The grounds of the 9-acre getaway are cleared for easy walking and yet maintain plenty of big trees for shade, and birds. Mixed flocks of warblers, flocks of parrots and jays, and others we didn't recognize were easily seen from the 2nd story deck and from the ground. The owners have no dogs or cats. They also do not feed the birds, so the birds appear to behave naturally.
I especially enjoyed photographing abundant animal tracks in the sand by the cabana and on walks along the seashore. Tracks of several foxes, a small cat, raccoons, and even a weasel-type animal were observed near the cabana. On a stroll along the shore,a small crocodile (2 - 3') left a tail drag mark into the ocean. We also saw a circular depression we thought might be a sea turtle "practice" nest just at the crest of the main beach.
Another highlight for me was walking a mile or so to Punta Negra and enjoying a traditional Creole meal prepared by Ms. Suzette. This quiet little town of some 2-dozen people fronts directly on the beach while at its back is a national park. Ms. Suzette knew I was coming because the owners of Sabal Beach called her the day before. That morning she'd launched her little boat and caught a snapper on a handline just beyond the surf, and it was grilled to perfection, served with a tomato stuffed with home-made potato salad, rice & bans, fried plantains, curry stewed chicken, and chicken fingers. A jar of her special fresh-made hot sauce really spiced up the meal, which I enjoyed. Fresh-squeezed orange juice was excellent too.
Jack