Lamanai
A Maya city reached by boat up the New River through the jungle, with a 33-metre temple and a mask temple, and wildlife such as crocodiles, spider monkeys and birds along the way.
Lamanai means 'submerged crocodile', and the city was occupied from around 1500 BCE through the 17th century CE, making it one of the Maya city-states with the longest continuous occupation. The classic way to visit is to take a speedboat from Orange Walk and cruise up the New River for about 1.5 hours, spotting crocodiles, spider monkeys and many waterbirds along the way. The High Temple inside the site is about 33 metres tall, and you can climb to the top for views over the jungle. On either side of the Mask Temple are huge carved stone faces. A full-day tour from San Pedro costs roughly US$150 to 200 and includes boat, transport and lunch.
Opening hours
08:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Altun Ha
- Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary
- Caye Caulker
- Marco Gonzalez Maya Site
- Hol Chan Marine Reserve
- Shark Ray Alley
- San Pedro Town
- Secret Beach