Munda Maya – Lamanai, Belize

My travel in Belize has taken me 53 miles north of Belize City, to the town of Orange Walk.  Orange Walk Town has a population in the vicinity of 13,400.  The people are a mix of Mestizo, Kriol, Mennonite, Chinese, Taiwanese, Indian and people from other Central American countries.
 

The economy here is fueled by the sugar cane industry.  This is evident this time of year (January), as the cane fields are burned and the cane is cut following the burn. The raw cane is loaded into wagons and hauled by  tractors to the Tower Hill Sugar Factory, that processes all the sugar cane in the country. Orange Walk Town comes by it’ s nickname “Sugar City` honestly.

 

The District of Orange Walk is home to the Pre-classic culture of the Maya and the site of the submerged crocodile, properly named Lamanai. Lamanai was inhabited as early as 1500 BC through Post-classic times of 950 – 1544 AD, and continuing through the Spanish Colonial times of AD 1544-1700.

 

My trek to Lamanai started from Orange Walk Town, with a boat ride up the New River. The voyage was 26 miles via a forty foot launch, pushed by two, 200 h.p. motors on the back. The jaunt was like an amusement park ride, gliding at what seem like high speeds around the frequent twists and turns of the river. It was sooo smooth, and I was at the back so I could get my hands wet from the spray. I could also watch the 34 year old driver, who was very skilled at seeing wildlife and not bad to look at.  The ride was frequently interrupted by sightings of varieties of egrets, herons, kingfishers, vultures and more.  Photo-ops abounded of crocodiles patiently waiting with their mouths open for hours, for the moment a bird would come to pick his teeth.  The highlight for some was the sighting of a large spider monkey, who is lured down to the boat by offering it a banana. That monkey has a steady food source.

The Mayan guide told us the history of present day Orange Walk District as we passed by the  Sugar Cane Factory and the large Mennonite community of Shipyard.   Continuing on,  we entered New River Lagoon   and sped across it to the site of Lamanai.
 

First things first..lunch is served:  stewed chicken, coconut rice and beans, potato salad, coleslaw, watermelon, ice cold Coca-Cola and hot peppers, if you dare. I saw more than one tourist sweating upon consumption.  Following lunch we were invited to visit the on-site museum explaining the history of the site and to view ancient artifacts housed there. 

Our guide led us to three of the major structures at Lamanai: Mask Temple, Jaguar Temple and High Temple. Visitors can climb the temples and at 33 metres, High Temple provides panoramic views of the surrounding savanna, lagoon and far beyond.  The steps are especially steep, however a rope is provided for support. The site also includes a small ball court.

  Our tour ended with some browsing through on-site gift shops, a glass of rum punch and a speedy 26 mile ride back to Orange Walk Town.