Recently, I’ve spent a few days in Placencia.  This small, laid-back beach town offers visitors lucky enough to visit in March and April a chance to see some of the biggest fish in the world.  Up to 55 feet (!!) long, whale sharks are notoriously difficult to view in the wild and scientists have almost no information on how they live, breed, and die.  While the trip out to see these protected animals is quite expensive in Belize, I felt I couldn’t be traveling there, in season, and not pay the $100 dollar fee.  After all, there was a greater than 90% chance of seeing them and everyone raved about actually being up close and personal with a giant, totally safe fish. (more…)