ABOUT ORANGE WALK
Orange Walk, Belize
Orange Walk District is home to a mixture of cultures and some 40,000 residents. The beautiful Central American nation of Belize offers plenty of majestic vistas and landscapes. From its pristine beaches to its untouched jungles, the entire country is truly a sight to behold.
The Orange Walk District is undoubtedly one of the best examples of Belize’s natural beauty. Otherwise known as “Sugar City,” this picturesque region is located about an hour from Belize City and 30 miles from Corozal Town. The area is inhabited by more than 40,000 people, making it the third most populous district in the country. Due to the Mexican influence in the region, Spanish and Creole are the most commonly spoken languages in the Orange Walk District.
For visitors to the Orange Walk District, there is plenty to see and do. The ancient Maya ruins at Lamanai and Cuello are always particularly popular. At these historic sites, travelers can immerse themselves in the Maya culture and get an up-close look at how the Maya people lived and worshipped.
The storied history of the Orange Walk District does not stop there, however. It is also home to two 19th century forts. It is believed that Fort Cairns and Fort Mundy were erected by the British Honduras West India Regiment after battles with the locals. Both sites can still be visited today.
Of course, the Orange Walk District is also famous for its vast expanses of untouched jungle. Travelers to the region can go on an adventure into the wilderness in search of a cascading waterfall or a rare bird. In fact, the region’s jungles are home to more than 400 different species of birds – making it the perfect place to relax with a journal and some binoculars.
The Orange Walk District’s abundance of trees made it an ideal location to set up a logging operation – which is exactly what the locals did until the late 19th century. They would cut down trees and float the timber down the New River and on to Belize City where it was then exported to other regions of the world.
Though travelers to Belize have no shortage of superb options to choose from when picking out the best places to visit during their vacation, the Orange Walk District should sit near the top of every list. Its combination of stunning natural beauty and historic sites makes it the perfect place to take in just about everything Belize has to offer.
Orange Walk Town
Orange Walk Town is the fourth largest town in Belize and is located 53 miles north of Belize City. The town is known for its diversity and visitors come to explore Mayan sites like Cuello and Lamanai (pictured above) and a variety of other natural parks.
The town is an excellent place to stop when traveling to Mexico from Belize. One of the top hotels to stay in Orange Walk Town is the fabulous El Gran Mestizo Hotel which is strategically located on the historic New River, just eight minutes from downtown.
Orange Walk District is home to a mixture of cultures and some 40,000 residents. The beautiful Central American nation of Belize offers plenty of majestic vistas and landscapes. From its pristine beaches to its untouched jungles, the entire country is truly a sight to behold.
The Orange Walk District is undoubtedly one of the best examples of Belize’s natural beauty. Otherwise known as “Sugar City,” this picturesque region is located about an hour from Belize City and 30 miles from Corozal Town. The area is inhabited by more than 40,000 people, making it the third most populous district in the country. Due to the Mexican influence in the region, Spanish and Creole are the most commonly spoken languages in the Orange Walk District.
For visitors to the Orange Walk District, there is plenty to see and do. The ancient Maya ruins at Lamanai and Cuello are always particularly popular. At these historic sites, travelers can immerse themselves in the Maya culture and get an up-close look at how the Maya people lived and worshipped.
The storied history of the Orange Walk District does not stop there, however. It is also home to two 19th century forts. It is believed that Fort Cairns and Fort Mundy were erected by the British Honduras West India Regiment after battles with the locals. Both sites can still be visited today.
Of course, the Orange Walk District is also famous for its vast expanses of untouched jungle. Travelers to the region can go on an adventure into the wilderness in search of a cascading waterfall or a rare bird. In fact, the region’s jungles are home to more than 400 different species of birds – making it the perfect place to relax with a journal and some binoculars.
The Orange Walk District’s abundance of trees made it an ideal location to set up a logging operation – which is exactly what the locals did until the late 19th century. They would cut down trees and float the timber down the New River and on to Belize City where it was then exported to other regions of the world.
Though travelers to Belize have no shortage of superb options to choose from when picking out the best places to visit during their vacation, the Orange Walk District should sit near the top of every list. Its combination of stunning natural beauty and historic sites makes it the perfect place to take in just about everything Belize has to offer.
Orange Walk Town
Orange Walk Town is the fourth largest town in Belize and is located 53 miles north of Belize City. The town is known for its diversity and visitors come to explore Mayan sites like Cuello and Lamanai (pictured above) and a variety of other natural parks.
The town is an excellent place to stop when traveling to Mexico from Belize. One of the top hotels to stay in Orange Walk Town is the fabulous El Gran Mestizo Hotel which is strategically located on the historic New River, just eight minutes from downtown.
"SUGAR CITY" Sugar Capital of Belize
Sprawling across to the Guatemalan and Mexican borders, the vast Orange Walk District can be thought of as having two largely unrelated regions. To the east are the urban centers (such as they are), surrounded by endless fields of sugar cane.
Meanwhile, lying to the west of Orange Walk District are great swathes of Belize's most remote savannah and rain forests. Until the mid-1980's, the uninhabited lands were entirely owned by a single logging operation, the Belize Estate Company - a million acre holding that made up one fifth of Belize's total area. Today the rain forests are being set aside for one of Central America's largest and most ambitious conservation reserves.
Orange Walk is still the most convenient, if not the most interesting or comfortable, base for exploring the north. Although this is Belize's second-largest town, it has two forts, Mundy and Cairns, which were used to fend off Mexican bandit raids in the early 1870's.
Orange Walk Town is fondly called "Sugar City" by the residents because it is smack in the center of the northern sugar industry. Like lumbering elephants, the cane trucks, seemingly overloaded and about to tip over - dominate the streets and the scene in the middle of town.
Orange Walk for many, is the gateway to Chetumal, across the border in Mexico. Here in Orange Walk, you will find some of the country's best corn dukunu, tamales and tacos being sold by street vendors. People will often exchange Belizean and American dollars for Mexican pesos here, because there is not the pressure and competition from the money changers - that is common at the Mexican border.
While it may not have the mass appeal of the Lamanai Mayan Ruins, is the Cuello rum distillery, some 3 miles west of Orange Walk Town. Here exists one of the oldest Mayan ceremonial sites in the area, dating back some 2,600 years. You must gain permission before going onto the distillery property. There is not much to see here as much of the site is still being excavated and is a frequent study site for archeological students.
Meanwhile, lying to the west of Orange Walk District are great swathes of Belize's most remote savannah and rain forests. Until the mid-1980's, the uninhabited lands were entirely owned by a single logging operation, the Belize Estate Company - a million acre holding that made up one fifth of Belize's total area. Today the rain forests are being set aside for one of Central America's largest and most ambitious conservation reserves.
Orange Walk is still the most convenient, if not the most interesting or comfortable, base for exploring the north. Although this is Belize's second-largest town, it has two forts, Mundy and Cairns, which were used to fend off Mexican bandit raids in the early 1870's.
Orange Walk Town is fondly called "Sugar City" by the residents because it is smack in the center of the northern sugar industry. Like lumbering elephants, the cane trucks, seemingly overloaded and about to tip over - dominate the streets and the scene in the middle of town.
Orange Walk for many, is the gateway to Chetumal, across the border in Mexico. Here in Orange Walk, you will find some of the country's best corn dukunu, tamales and tacos being sold by street vendors. People will often exchange Belizean and American dollars for Mexican pesos here, because there is not the pressure and competition from the money changers - that is common at the Mexican border.
While it may not have the mass appeal of the Lamanai Mayan Ruins, is the Cuello rum distillery, some 3 miles west of Orange Walk Town. Here exists one of the oldest Mayan ceremonial sites in the area, dating back some 2,600 years. You must gain permission before going onto the distillery property. There is not much to see here as much of the site is still being excavated and is a frequent study site for archeological students.