Visit the Ruins of Lamanai

The Ruins of Lamanai
via a
Trip up the New River

Wednesday 1st October – We missed the river cruise to the ruins of Lamanai! What a let down. We had waited all morning for this Belize river boat trip and because we left late at 11 o`clock it had left without us! There was no other boat now until the following day.

Jack gives us a tour with a difference

To our relief, somebody told us there was a man near the Tower Hill Bridge who would take us, so we hurried over there and found Donald Rhaburn, known as Crocodile Jack and his colleague Reg. They are great characters and Jack will amuse you while he spins a few yarns as you travel down the New River towards the ruins of Lamanai.

When he was younger, one of his occupations was hunting crocodiles, to sell the skins to craftsmen for shoes and handbags.

He certainly knows his history and captured Joseph and my attention for the full course of the journey. He knows the names of all the little creeks that run into the New River, where they lead to and how they were used for trading. People not long ago and the ancient Maya who lived in these parts would use the network of creeks to travel from one place to the other and do trading, more than they used roads.

Jack will show you the Mennonite settlements and name some of the wild life, fauna and flora, and a few stories thrown in.

We Reach Lamamai

We travelled down the New River for 21 miles to a very wide lagoon. Here is where we disembark for the ruins of Lamanai, which means submerged crocodile.

The air was filled with the distant roar of the howler monkeys; a sound that becomes very familiar anywhere you seem to go in the Belize mainland.

When we caught sight of the ruins we noticed it was only partially uncovered. It was exciting! These ruins were still inhabited as late as the 1890`s in comparison to other Mayan Temples that had been abandoned by the end of the classic period 900 AD.

Jack wandered off somewhere and left us with a guide. Now it was his turn; an expert in his subject of the Lamanai Mayan Ruins. He translated what was written on some of the many stelaes found there, and briefed us on how the ancient Maya would worship here. He made it clear that although it was a practice that was carried out at other Mayan Temples, there was no human sacrifices carried out at this one.

Here is where the famous Temple of Masks is to be found. The large mask carving you see in the picture, is of the sun god Kinich Ahau.

There is a little gift shop here where you can buy post cards and other items. Joseph left with a black t-shirt decorated with hieroglyphics.

When we arrived back in Orange Walk, Jack invited us for a midnight excursion to find and see crocodiles!!! But we chickened out of that one.

Sorry Jack! We`re not that adventurous!

Quick let`s get out of here! We are heading for Corozal town. Where`s the jeep?

Enjoy your visual excursion down the New River to the Ruins of Lamanai.

Exit the ruins of Lamanai if you want to see some more Mayan Temples in Belize!

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The Ruins of Lamanaivia aTrip up the New River

The Ruins of Lamanai
via a
Trip up the New River