Orange Walk Travel Guide
Travel to Orange Walk - Mennonite and Jaguar Country
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In the past a refuge for mestizos seeking to escape from Spanish purges in the Yucatan, Orange Walk district is a wild area, dominated by deep forest (much being preserved by Programme for Belize), Mayan ruins, and the largest population of birds in the country.
The New River which meanders through the district was once an active Mayan trading waterway and leads to the stunning Mayan ruins of Lamanai, on the edge of the New River Lagoon. The trip to visit these ruins is a marvellous journey by boat along a river teeming with life, including anhinga, snail-kites, crocodiles and iguanas sunning themselves, cormorants, bats and jacanas, and passes communities of denim-dressed Mennonites.
Orange Walk Town, the principal town of the area, is 55 miles (89km) or a 75 minute drive north of Belize City. The town is a mix of Spanish, Maya, East Indians, visiting Mennonites (who originally emigrated from the deep south at the end of the US civil war), and Chinese. Mexican influences remain strong, and you will hear Spanish, English and Creole spoken.
Orange Walk District was previously dominated by loggers for over a hundred years until the refugees of the Caste War arrived in the late 19th century. At the time of logging, all the timber was floated down the New River into the Corozal Bay, then to Belize City and shipped abroad. At the time of the arrival of the refugees, the logging industry was in decline and eventually gave rise to the sugar industry.
Although the Orange Walk District has no coast because it is locked inland, it boasts the remains of two forts, Mundy and Cairns, which were the scene of battles between earlier Mayan inhabitants of the district and settlers.
The district has become a very popular destination for bird watching, as over 400 bird species have been recorded in the district and that number keeps rising.
While many people come to visit for a day, the area undoubtedly merits a longer visit, especially if you are interested in wildlife spotting. A good place to start may be by visiting Godoy's Orchid Garden, in Orange Walk Town where there are more than 250 species of orchids and bromeliads.
Attractions in Orange Walk
There are two remote nature reserves, Aguas Turbias Reserve and Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area, that are well worth the effort to get there on account of the wealth of biodiversity contained within.
The trip up the New River to the Mayan ruins of Lamanai is both a naturally and archaeologically rich experience. On that journey, or elsewhere in Orange Walk District, you will witness the fascinating, anachronistic Mennonite culture.
Activities in Orange Walk
Bird watching is a premier activity, while fishing for tarpon in the New River is also popular.
Relaxing
A swim in the New River Lagoon after a hot, sweaty and fascinating tour of Lamanai ruins.
Getting Around
Orange Walk Town is a major stop on the Northern Highway and there are regular buses to and from Belize City and Corozal.
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