Orange Walk
The second largest city in Belize, with a population of less than 20,000, Orange Walk is more like a town than a city. A friendly, working class place, most of the folks that live in Orange Walk Town work in the sugarcane industry. Whether they are cutting sugarcane out in the hot fields or helping process the cane in factories in Orange Walk this is one town in Belize where tourism is of far less importance than agriculture. Founded as a logging town on the New River because valuable mahogany from nearby forests could be easily transported along the waterway to the coast, once the trees ran out, Orange Walk, Belize switched to the crop that gave this town its name. As sugarcane became more valuable than citrus crops, though, although the town’s name stayed the same, fields of sugarcane replaced the groves of oranges trees that used to grow along the New River. Visitors to Orange Walk, Belize will drive through fields of this important crop on their way and also won’t help but notice some of the Mennonite farmers in town that work the surrounding lands. Visitors will also find that there is plenty to see and do on day trips to sites near Orange Walk, Belize. Orange Walk, Belize is situated in northern Belize, about a one or two hour drive from Belize City. Most visitors to Orange Walk arrive by rental car after a flight to the Belize International Airport. With a rental car, getting to Orange Walk, Belize from Belize City is fairly easy and straightforward as there are many signs to this important town along the northern highway. Visitors to Orange Walk, Belize can also arrive by expensive although quick shuttle service from the airport, or by slower public buses. Buses to Orange Walk, Belize leave from the Belize City bus terminal throughout the day and take about two hours to get there. Despite Orange Walk not attracting as many tourists as some other areas of Belize, this town has a pretty good variety of accommodation available. Budget travelers visiting Orange Walk, Belize can stay at the centrally located Akihito Hotel, Lucia’s Guesthouse, or stay just outside of Orange Walk, Belize at Victor’s Inn. The largest number of hotels offer rooms for mid-ranged prices. Visitors to Orange Walk, Belize who would like to explore one of the less frequently visited Mayan ruins of the classical period can do so by traveling about thirty miles southeast of Orange Walk, Belize, to the ruins of Altun Ha. This Mayan site is for the more adventurous tourists staying at Orange Walk as depending upon road conditions, a visit to the site may require a two hour walk from the village known as Lucky Strike. Situated around twenty-five miles (17 kilometers) south of Orange Walk, Belize, the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary is a wonderful place to easily see some of the more prolific wildlife species that make Belize their home. The Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary near Orange Walk, Belize was established in 1984 to protect the nesting and feeding grounds of the Jabiru and hundreds of herons, egrets, ducks, Morelet’s Crocodiles, and other wildlife that reside in the wetlands. The most famous residents of the sanctuary are the Jabiru Storks. These huge, white wading birds with thick black and red necks have become rare in much of Central America but are still fairly common and easy to see in the Orange Walk area of Belize because of the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary. Since tourism does not play a major role in the local economy of Orange Walk this town doesn’t offer very much in terms of shopping for visitors. Although small souvenirs can be found in a few of the stores in Orange Walk, shopping time is better spent at other sites that have more of a focus on tourism. Nevertheless, for visitors who would like to bring home Belizean rums or sugar cane products. This is the place to purchase these items as the local economy is mostly dependent upon manufacturing such products.
