Belize · Orange Walk District

Orange
Walk.

Lamanai and Crooked Tree

2 places
2 unconfirmed
checked Oct 2026
8 sources

Before you go,
understand the place.

Orange Walk gathers Lamanai, NICH’s Maya site on the banks of the New River, and Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, the country’s largest wetland, run by the Belize Audubon Society.

Best time to go: The Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, although a cyclone can form outside that period (Government Press Office, 28 May 2026). The United Kingdom advises following warnings from the National Meteorological Service of Belize and the NEMO emergency agency. Canada places the rainy season from May to November, with flooding that can cut roads; the United Kingdom mentions flooded temporary bridges in the south, particularly in Stann Creek and Toledo.
Getting there: This guide does not calculate road routes or travel times and offers no arrival points. Buses on the northern route link Belize City with Orange Walk and Corozal, according to Visit Dangriga; check times with the companies. Lamanai, on the banks of the New River, has a boat dock, according to NICH: ask operators about river trips.

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2 places with their status. Open a pin for details and sources, or use the list.

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Status unconfirmed

Groups: the number in the middle is the total of places; the ring shows their statuses. Open a group to see the breakdown.

The “Open and seasonal” filter covers open (0) and seasonal (0) places. Check dates and conditions on each place.

Map: © Stadia Maps © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap

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2 places
Lamanai and Crooked Tree
The Maya site of Lamanai, run by NICH, and the Crooked Tree bird sanctuary, run by Audubon; both with unconfirmed status.
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The place, in context

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Showing 2 of 2 · 2 unconfirmed, flagged

Nature and jungle · 1

WildlifeStatus unconfirmed
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
33 miles from Belize City, off the Phillip Goldson Highway; from the highway it is 3 miles on a dirt road to Crooked Tree village, according to Audubon. The pin is the sanctuary in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.6.9 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Entry
non-national, per day BZ$8
Hours
8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Booking
Not stated
The first wildlife sanctuary designated by the Government (1984) and the country’s first Ramsar site (1998): its lagoon system is the largest wetland in Belize and draws thousands of wading birds, including the jabiru, according to the Belize Audubon Society.
Status not confirmed: Audubon publishes fees and hours on undated pages. Check before you go.
Source: Belize Audubon Society – Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary (consultada oct. 2026) · 2026 · +1
Practical details and sources
Entry
Non-nationals BZ$8 per day and nationals BZ$2, according to the Belize Audubon Society; the sanctuary’s website gives BZ$2.50 for nationals.
Hours
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., according to Audubon and the sanctuary’s website.
Tip: Some buses run to Crooked Tree village (Monday to Saturday from Belize City, according to the sanctuary’s website); regular buses between Belize City and Orange Walk stop at the junction, a 3-mile walk from the village, so it is best to arrange transport from there, according to Audubon.
Nearby: Lamanai (13.9 km)
Sources: Belize Audubon Society – Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary (consultada oct. 2026) · Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary – Visitor Information (consultada oct. 2026)

Living culture · 1

CultureStatus unconfirmed
Lamanai
By Indian Church Village, Orange Walk District, according to NICH. The pin is the archaeological reserve in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.6.9 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Entry
non-resident adult BZ$25
Hours
Daily 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Booking
Not stated
A Maya site on the banks of the New River, whose name means «submerged crocodile», with monumental architecture and the remains of two Spanish churches and a sugar mill showing its occupation into colonial times, according to NICH.
Status not confirmed: NICH publishes its hours and fees in its shop, undated, and no dated confirmation of visits was read. Check before you go.
Source: NICH – Lamanai, entradas y horario (tienda oficial; consultada oct. 2026) · 2026 · +2
Practical details and sources
Entry
Non-residents: BZ$25 (the «minor» category too, with no age given) and free for children under 5; residents: BZ$10, free for children under 12 and for Belizeans aged 65 or over, according to NICH’s official shop.
Hours
Every day, including Sundays and public holidays, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; the last tour starts one hour before closing, according to NICH.
Tip: It has a boat dock, according to NICH, which asks for footwear for rough ground, to stay on the trails and not to jump on the monuments; each guide takes at most 15 visitors.
Nearby: Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary (13.9 km)
Sources: NICH – Lamanai, entradas y horario (tienda oficial; consultada oct. 2026) · NICH – Lamanai (2 jun. 2024) · NICH – Condiciones de venta y de visita (consultada oct. 2026)

Orange Walk · Practical guide

Practical tips

NICH tickets are paid in Belize dollars; each is valid for a single visit to the site named, within six months of purchase, and is non-refundable; NICH only considers exchanging it for another site or date in case of closures due to bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances, according to its terms.
Lamanai has a boat dock, according to NICH.
At Crooked Tree, in the dry season the water drops and concentrates fish and invertebrates, which draw thousands of wading birds, according to Audubon.

Safety and precautions

Emergencies: 911 (Belize Police Department); 922 for anonymous reports. The United Kingdom also lists 90 for ambulance, fire and police.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the entry to Lamanai?

According to NICH’s official shop: non-residents BZ$25 (the «minor» category too, with no age given) and free for children under 5; residents BZ$10.

How much is Crooked Tree?

BZ$8 per day for non-nationals, according to the Belize Audubon Society; for nationals, BZ$2 according to Audubon and BZ$2.50 according to the sanctuary’s website.

Where is Lamanai?

By Indian Church Village, in Orange Walk District, on the banks of the New River, according to NICH.

Orange Walk · Practical guide

Sources consulted

Information checked in October 2026. Prices, hours and rules change: confirm them with the official source before you travel.