Best Places to Eat ¨Maracas Bar &

Restaurant (p133)

¨Nahil Mayab (p134)

¨ Patty’s Bistro (p145)

¨Cocina Sabo (p134)

¨ Venky’s Kabab Corner (p145)

Best Places to Sleep

¨Cerros Beach Resort (p148)

¨ Serenity Sands (p143)

¨Chan Chich Lodge (p133)

¨ Almond Tree Resort (p145)

¨Backpackers Paradise (p150)

Northern BelizeWhy Go?Many travelers save a chunk of change by flying into Can-cún and bussing or driving down to their final destination. Passing through the flat farmland and provincial towns of Northern Belize, they may not be inspired to linger.

But what are they missing? This is a chilled-out stretch of Belize that is entirely void of crowds, with unbeaten paths, abundant wildlife and prices a fraction of those in the rest of Belize.

Northern Belize comprises two districts: Corozal and Orange Walk, both traversed by the straight, flat Philip Goldson Hwy. Off the main road, adventurous travelers will find pretty fishing villages, pristine jungles, ancient Maya cities and anachronistic Mennonite communities.

Then there’s the food. Exhibiting influences from Mex-ico, Northern Belizean cuisine is more diverse and more daring than its southern counterpart. If you’re ready to trade rice and beans for seafood ceviche, you’ve come to the right place.

When to Go ¨ Jan–Apr The dry season opens up top trekking

opportunities throughout the region.

¨Mar–Jun Spot flocks of water birds while cruising in a canoe on stunning Shipstern Lagoon.

¨Sep Residents from all over Belize come to party at Orange Walk’s famous Carnival.

Includes ¨ Orange Walk Town . . .129Lamanai . . . . . . . . . . . . 135Rí o Bravo Conservation & Management Area . . . .139Corozal Town . . . . . . . . 141Cerro Maya & Copper Bank . . . . . . . . 147Sarteneja . . . . . . . . . . . 149

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Corozal Bay

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Belize

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DISTRICTCOROZAL

DISTRICTBELIZE

DISTRICTWALK

ORANGE

Little Belize

Chunox

Pine RidgeAugust

Elena

Leguas

Yalbac

San Jose

Tres

Lucky Strike

Copper Bank

Consejo

LópezSubteniente

TreeCrooked

CITYBELIZE

CasasButrónSergio

VistaBuena

San Pablo

AntonioSan

ChurchIndian

BoomBurrell

LandingBermudian

DoloresRancho

VillageCreekBlue

Progresso

Hattieville

Louisville

Maskall

Santana

San Felipe

Douglas

San Estevan

Yo Creek

Shipyard

Gallon Jug Ladyville

Santa

Sand Hill

Libertad

Francisco Villa

La Unión

CHETUMAL

88º30'W88º00'W

18º00'N

Station

LodgeChan Chich

RitaSanta

Field StationHill Bank

FieldLa Milpa

Nohmul

Cuello

Altun Ha

Kohunlich

88º30'W89º00'W

17º30'N

Wildlife SanctuaryCrooked Tree

SanctuaryBaboon

Community

ParkNationalTurbiasAguas

18º00'N

17º30'N

LagoonRiverNorthern

LagoonMidwinters

LagoonShipstern

LagoonNew River

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Northern

Old

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Gold

Maya

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ReserveNature

Shipstern

Walk TownOrange

SartenejaCerro

Lamanai

Corozal

Management AreaConservation &

Río Bravo

10 miles020 km0

1 Lamanai (p136) Taking a riverboat tour along the New River to these magnificent Maya ruins .

2 Shipstern Nature Reserve (p149) Spotting crocs and other lagoon inhabitants .

3 Orange Walk Town (p129) Chowing down on Belize’s best tacos.

4 Sarteneja (p149) Chilling in this laid-back fishing town.

5 Cerro Maya (p147) Enjoying panoramic ocean views from this waterfront Maya temple .

6 Río Bravo Conservation & Management Area (p139) Discovering unexcavated ruins and undisturbed wildlife .

7 Corozal Town (p141) Soaking up the saltwater breezes while sipping cocktails.

Northern Belize Highlights