Orange Walk Town is not a typical travel destination, but is a decent stay if you are moving between Belize and Mexico and need a layover stop. The town feels a bit odd actually.

The Melting Pot

One of the locals told me they call this town the Melting Pot and it totally makes sense. It's quite a mix! You have everything from Belizeans to Mestizos to a large Mennonite population who come into town to do their business. This town does not cater to tourists which can be a relief but I do have to say that we did not feel entirely welcome here. We got a ton of stares and had some negative feedback from a few bad seeds. But it was a quick visit so it's hard to make a judgement on it.

Bank

There is a Scotia bank in town with an ATM that takes chip cards by the big supermarket one block East of the main square.

Local Food Closes at 2pm

For whatever reason, all of the local eating establishments close for the day at 2pm. The only thing open after that are the Chinese restaurants and Chinese mini-markets. However, there are two little saviors out there.

Camie's fast food is the only local food open at night. It's 1 block South and 2 blocks East of Casa Ricky's. Close to the bus terminal. It has inexpensive casual local food and a very nice owner.

The other little gem is the bakery just south of the main square which had a decent selection of items to snack on, including pizza slices. Buy some muffins there to have for breakfast the next morning.

Stay at Casa Ricky's

I didn't check out any of the other budget accommodation in town but I did walk by Akihito's and it looked dreadful. Casa Ricky's, although most rooms are located above the sports bar on a concrete rooftop, really does have some charm. Ricky is absolutely wonderful and he works hard on his place trying to build his future. There's a lush garden area and a common room with sofas and kitchen where he supplies complimentary coffee and bananas.

It's also super close to the bus terminal, not far from the main square, and close to Camie's Fast Food. There's a small opening in the gate behind the bus terminal to get to Fonseca Street. But if you ask around the bus terminal where Fonseca Street is, nobody seems to know even though it's the next street over. Ask where the Black & White Bar is and you'll be quickly directed to Casa Ricky's!.

Book the Lamanai River Tour with Reyes & Sons

If you're going to book a tour to the ruins, this is the best option I found. Ricky at Casa Ricky's can do it for you. They are the less expensive than the other tour groups and you go on the exact same tour. Sometimes literally because they combine groups to fill up the boats. P.S. The tour is so worth the $45 US and I don't normally say something like that.