Orange Walk Town

Orange Walk runs on sugar: cane trucks queue through the town in season and the mill at Tower Hill processes most of the country's crop. It is the centre of Belize's Mestizo north, and the food follows, with tacos, salbutes, garnaches and panades sold from stands around the central park in the evenings. Boats to Lamanai leave from the New River just outside town, which is what brings most visitors through.

What you actually see

• The New River dock - where boats leave for the run up to Lamanai.
• The evening food stands - tacos, salbutes and panades around the central park.
• The sugar industry - cane trucks and the mill that the town runs on.
• The Banquitas House of Culture - a small museum on the district's history.

When to go

December to April is the dry season and the most comfortable. Cane harvest runs roughly from December to July and puts heavy truck traffic on the roads. Evenings are when the food stands open.

Honest expectations

The town itself has little sightseeing and most visitors pass through for Lamanai. Cane truck traffic in season is heavy and slow. Accommodation is limited and basic.

Nearby

Lamanai is up the New River, and Rio Bravo is west.