Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Orange Walk
ORANGE WALK
is the largest town in the north of Belize and the centre of a busy
agricultural region. The tranquil, slow-moving
New River
, a few blocks east of the
centre, was a heavily used commercial waterway during the logging days, and today
provides a lovely starting point for a visit to the ruins of Lamanai, to which several local
operators offer tours (see p.76).
Orange Walk is built around a distinctly Mexican-style formal plaza, shaded by large
trees, and the town hall across the main road is called the Palacio Municipal,
reinforcing the strong historic links to Mexico.
The land in and around the satellite villages of Blue Creek, Shipyard and Little Belize
has been developed by
Mennonite
settlers (see box opposite), members of a Protestant
religious group who choose to farm without the assistance of modern technology. You'll
often spot them, the men in wide-brimmed hats and the women in ankle-length
dresses, shopping for supplies in town - it's an arresting sight, particularly against the
dusty, tropical backdrop of Belize.
2
Brief history
Like Corozal to the north, Orange Walk was founded by mestizo
refugees fleeing from
the Caste Wars in Yucatán in 1849, who chose as their site an area that had long been
Chetumal
N
THE NORTH
Santa
Elena
Consejo
Rocky
(North)
Point
COROZAL BAY
WILDLIFE
SANCTUARY
0
kilometres
20
Santa Rita
Corozal
5
Ranchito
0
miles
20
Cerros
Sarteneja
Copper Bank
HIGHLIGHTS
Nahil Mayab, Orange Walk
Lamanai
Rio Bravo Conservation and
Management Area
Chan Chich Lodge
Corozal
Laguna
Seca
Visitor Centre
1
Libertad
2
3
Nohmul
Progresso
Little Belize
Progresso
Lagoon
SHIPSTERN
NATURE
RESERVE
San
Pablo
San
Antonio
4
5
COROZAL
DISTRICT
San Estevan
High Bluff
1
Yo Creek
MEXICO
Orange
Wa lk
Cuello
Honey Camp Lagoon
August
Pine Ridge
Carmelita
Guinea
Grass
La
Unión
Spanish
Point
AGUAS TURBIAS
NATIONAL PARK
Bomba
Neustadt
Shipyard
Northern
River
Lagoon
Northern
Lagoon
Blue Creek
Village
San Felipe
Lu c ky
Strike
La Milpa
Field Station
Crooked
Tre e
BELIZE
DISTRICT
Lamanai
La Milpa
2
3
M idwinters
Lagoon
CROOKED TREE
W ILDLIFE SANCTUARY
Indian
Church
Jones
Lagoon
RIO BRAVO CONSERVATION
AND MANAGEMENT AREA
New
River
Lagoon
ORANGE WALK DISTRICT
Southern
Lagoon
Sand
Hill
Hick's
Cayes
h
ek
Chan
Chich
COMMUNITY
BABOON
SANCTUARY
Hill Bank
Field Station
4
Ladyville
Belize
City
Gallon Jug
Rancho Dolores
Belmopan & San Ignacio
Hattieville (4 miles)
