The Orange Walk District is located in Belize and borders Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the west. The history of the settlement of this district begins around the year 2000 BC. The first Mayans founded their first city here in Cuello. This is often referred to as the birth of the Mayan culture. But soon a number of Mayan settlements formed in the swampland of Orange Walk, which gradually grew into cities. In the Pre-Classic period, the first kingdoms also emerged here, which also developed into metropolises. La Milpa and Lamanai are particularly noteworthy here. The latter was able to benefit from its strategic location on the New River, which was one of the most important trade routes from the interior to the coast. Many settlements and cities arose around this river. At the end of the Classic period, many cities here also fell victim to drought, war and general political changes. But unlike in El Petén, for example, the two largest metropolises, Lamanai & La Milpa, survived here. When the Spanish arrived in 1544, they were able to occupy the most important metropolis in the region, Lamanai, but they were able to shake off Spanish rule 100 years later. The first English lumberjacks found both cities still inhabited. But diseases brought in by the Europeans eventually led to the collapse of the Mayan culture here too. The rest was done by the British pirates and lumberjacks who advanced from the south a few years later in search of hiding places and wood. By the beginning of the 19th century, this region was almost deserted. But that changed during the Caste Wars. Numerous refugees from Mestizos and Mayas fled across the border to start a new life here. Most of the cities date from this time. Larger groups of Mennonites followed.
The Orange Walk District borders the Corozal District and Belize District to the west. In the north it borders Mexico, with the Rio Hondo marking the border line here. The border line with Mexico and Guatemala to the west runs straight through the rainforest. The south borders the Cayo District. In the northeast is the Northern Highway, surrounded by farmland and the larger settlements and the capital, Orange Walk. The Northern Highway continues south into the Belize District and is surrounded by swampland and lagoons. Other larger settlements stretch west along the border with Mexico. Most of the area in the southwest is covered with tropical rainforest.
With 15,000 inhabitants, Orange Walk is by far the largest town and
capital of the district. Although the town is not particularly worth
seeing, it is best suited as a starting point for exploring the
district.
The other towns have far fewer than 10,000 inhabitants
and are located directly or near the Northern Highway or near the border
with Mexico. Worth seeing here are:
Blue Creek Village - the only
Mennonite town with tourist infrastructure
Gallon Jug - a luxury
paradise in the rainforest
Indian Church - founded by former
residents of Lamanai
San Estevan - a small town with Mayan ruins
Shipyard - a Mennonite town
Of course there are also Mayan ruins to visit here. The following are
accessible to tourists and recommended:
Chan Chich - In the middle of
the rainforest and a lodge in the middle of the ruins
Cuello - The
oldest Mayan city ever found
La Milpa - With around 50,000
inhabitants, one of the largest metropolises of the Classic Period
Lamanai - Picturesquely located and inhabited until the 18th century AD
Nohmul - Larger ruin north of Orange Walk
Belize also has a lot
to offer here with pure nature in the form of protected areas:
Rio
Bravo Conservation Area - Rainforest & bird paradise with 400 species on
4% of the area of Belize
Aguas Turbias National Park - National
park on the border of Mexico and Guatemala
The climate here is a little wetter than in the classic Yucatan. But the amount of rain is comparatively low compared to the south. Most of the rain falls in the rainy season between June and November. It is mostly dry between February and May.
English is of course the official language here, and is also spoken by the majority of the population. However, similar to the three largest ethnic groups, Spanish, Mayan or Plautdietsch (a dialect of East Low German) are also often spoken alongside English.
Whether by car or bus: The central transport hub is Orange Walk.
There are good road connections to the Corozal District and Mexico via
the Northern Highway and further towards the southern districts. Most of
the major settlements are directly connected to this transport axis. The
cities on the Mexican border can be reached via a route from Orange Walk
towards the Rio Bravo Conservation Area.
Another way to get there
is by plane. The provider Tropic Air flies to Tower Hill Airport, which
is just a few kilometers south of Orange Walk.
The main connecting road is the Northern Highway. There is also the option of travelling by boat on the New River.
Nature - Swamp landscapes with lagoons in a tropical atmosphere on
the one hand and the rainforest on the other. Everything is close
together here and provides a good refuge for a rich animal world. The
Rio Bravo Conservation Area in particular has numerous observation
opportunities.
Mayan ruins - It is safe to say that the birthplace
and, with Lamanai, one of the last refuges of the classic Mayan culture
can be found here in Cuello. The latter destination is also particularly
impressive due to its picturesque location and access by boat across the
New River.
Mennonites - Here in Blue Creek Village you have the only
opportunity to stay overnight in a Mennonite town and get to know their
life.
Nature observations - There is hardly an animal living on land in
Belize that cannot be found in the rainforests to the west of Orange
Walk. The best address here is undoubtedly the Rio Bravo Conservation
Area. With over 400 species of birds, it is also an excellent area for
observing bird life. If you are more interested in water birds and
crocodiles, you should not miss the boat trip to Lamanai.
Explore -
The Mayan ruins in particular invite you to explore. While Lamanai
attracts large groups of tourists (and rightly so), the other ruins are
more off the beaten track. And whether it is a former metropolis like La
Milpa or a smaller ruined city on a company site like Cuello. The
discovery factor is high. Here you will find some of the ruins still in
the condition they were in when they were discovered just a few years
ago.
Hiking - In the Rio Bravo Conservation Area, numerous hikes are
offered through the rainforest, including animal observation.
Canoeing - In Blue Creek Village, you can travel along the Rio Bravo to
the Mexican border
Horseback riding - In Blue Creek Village, you can
rent horses to explore the Mennonite lands.
Cuisine
The
restaurants are generally simple and the only difference is in the
dishes: fish, chicken or meat. But this does not usually reduce the
quality. On the contrary, real delicacies are served here at good
prices, especially in small towns. Marie Sharp's Habanero Pepper Sauce
is a staple on every table in Belize. This extremely hot sauce has
telling names like "No Wimps Allowed" or "Beware". Fish is highly
recommended.
The nightlife here is rather spartan. Only in Orange Walk are there a few options. If you really want to let it rip, you should head to San Pedro (Belize) or Belize City.
The crime rate is negligible, especially in the smaller towns.
Nevertheless, you should keep an eye out for con artists, especially in
Orange Walk.
There are also crocodiles and poisonous snakes here,
so it is certainly not advisable to be too careless. But given the fact
that humans are not on the menu for these animals, cautious behavior and
appropriate clothing should guarantee sufficient protection in the
rainforest. The "most dangerous" thing here is almost the mosquitoes, so
mosquito repellent should not be neglected. Dengue fever, which is
occasionally transmitted by mosquitoes, cannot be prevented by
vaccination. However, other diseases can be prevented:
Malaria
prophylaxis should be carried with you at least in case of emergency
A typhoid vaccination should be carried beforehand
The hepatitis A,
B, tetanus and rabies vaccinations should be updated