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Orange Walk Town

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Northern Belize : Orange Walk Town
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Orange Walk Town is the capital of the Orange Walk district in Northern Belize.

Get in[edit]

Orange Walk Town is a little over an hour from the airport in Belize City, up the Northern Highway. The Highway is also known as the Belize-Corozal road, and runs right through the center of town. There is a toll booth on the approach to the Town from Belize City (or simply Belize, as the locals put it). The road is generally in good condition, although like anywhere in Northern Belize, one must be careful in the wet season while driving off the main roads and highways. During the sugar cane season, watch out for the many large cane trucks. Recently in 2012 the highways were renamed and the Northern Highway is now the Philip Goldson highway.

Get around[edit]

Walking is the best way to get around the downtown area. The market area between the Corozal road and Main Street gets going early in the morning. There are many small to medium shops and restaurants. Do not miss the carts selling breakfast tacos. Walking anywhere in the town is fairly safe, especially in groups, and the people are friendly and will be happy to chat.

See[edit][add listing]

The best attraction in the area is Lamanai, the Mayan ruins up the river. You can catch a boat or bus tour from Orange Walk. The boat will be easier on your kidneys, as the road is quite rough. The river tour is also a great way to see crocodiles, fruit bats,spider monkeys and hundreds of different bird species including many species of herons. Many of the hotels here can arrange the tour for you.

Corozal is a short drive to the north with its beautiful bay, and Chetumal, Mexico just past that. Progresso lagoon is also a great place to visit.

Do[edit][add listing]

The Belize Bank on Main Street will change Euros and US Dollars, but not Mexican Pesos. Scotia Bank was similar. To change Mexican Pesos into Belizean Dollars, go to the store called Baba's, that faces on the main square (near the clock tower). Inside Baba's there is a teller window where Pesos can be changed to Belizean dollars at a reasonable rate. There is no indication on the outside of the store that this service is available.

Buy[edit][add listing]

Eat[edit][add listing]

There will be many street vendors selling tacos and the like in the morning. Try them. While you are in Belize, be sure to have some salbutes - fried corncakes, tomatoes, chicken - available at a couple of places along main street. There are a lot of Chinese restaurants in Belize, and they are usually pretty good, especially the bigger ones.

Of course, the staple of Belizean cuisine is barbequed chicken, rice and beans, flour tortillas and potato salad. That is dependent on where you go for a meal. Orange Walk population are a mixture of different cultures and each ethnic group still prepare and eat their tradtional meals so at the Fort Cairns market square you will be able to find different types of traditional food.

One of the oldest traditional restaurants in town is the San Francisco Restaurant where delicious Mestizo meals are prepared and is managed and owned by Mrs. Elvira Briceno.

We have other local restaurants like Juanita's where you can enjoy a delicious "Cowfoot Soup" and they open as early as 6:00am.

Nahil Mayab Restaurant is also open for service and is centrally located near the Shell Gas Station. They prepare delicious local, American and Europeans dishes.

One of the places to eat in Orange Walk is the Lamanai Riverside Retreat. The menu emphasizes seafood. There are no vegetarian options on the menu, but the staff are happy to work out a vegetarian plate.

  • Panificadora La Popular, 1 Bethias Lane (one of the central veins connecting to Main Street), (501)-3223472. This bakery has been providing the town with fresh bread and tasty treats since 1955, and is definitely a favorite stop for the locals. They are best known for their abundant selection of Mexican-style sweet breads and pastries baked daily. $0.35 to $3.00 BZD.  edit
  • Sing Wong Chinese Restaurant, Main Street (between St. Christopher's Hotel and the Banquitas House of Culture), (501) 322-0018. One of the oldest Chinese restaurants in town, offering great Chinese food, sea food and vegetarian dishes. Take out is available.  edit

Sleep[edit][add listing]

  • St. Christopher Hotel, Main Street (near the Banquitas House of Culture) is clean and reasonable. All rooms have air conditioning, and it is a five minute walk from the center of town. The hotel also has free Wifi for guests.
  • D'Star Victoria Hotel,
  • Akihito Hotel, a 30 bedroom hotel right in the center of town on the Philip Goldson Highway. Room rates is cheap.
  • Orchid Palm Hotel, The orchid Palm hotel is located near the Barracks in the center of town. Its a small family operated hotel Free coffee every morning, WI-Fi, etc.
  • Lamanai Riverside Retreat. Small hotel with three rooms each with bath and air conditioning, right on the New River. The hotel will happily set up a tent or two for additional guests (shower and toilet accessible). The hotel will be happy to help with travel and sightseeing information, and can book boat tours to Lamanai that pick you up directly at the hotel's little dock. This is also a great restaurant. Located on Lamanai Alley, (501) 302-3955, email:lamanairiverside@hotmail.com.

Drink[edit][add listing]

  • 33 san fransisco st. acuario nightclub

Get out[edit]

Drive through the surrounding countryside. Be sure to visit some of the smaller towns in the district - August Pine Ridge, San Pablo, San Narciso, etc. Mennonite communities abound. You can recognize them by their perfectly tended farms.

2nd Class buses (no airconditioning, and usually no "trunk" for suitcases) run regularly from Orange walk to Belize City, usually no more than 2 hours one way. From Belize City, you can connect to almost anywhere else in the country. While avoiding Belize City is desireable, it is almost unavoidable if you want to make bus connections to other locations.

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