Author: Ella Békési

In my last post, I mentioned the obstacles, Indian Church residents have to face to get into the tourism industry. This small village is located next to the site of Lamanai, which is one of the most significant archaeological reserves in Belize. The residents are not only surrounded by Maya archaeology, but, more than that, their livelihoods depend on the tourism benefits of their location.

However, for the residents, participating in the tourism industry comes with its challenges. Due to the lack of infrastructure (roads, electricity, internet), it is difficult to connect with potential tourists and to run a business. On top of this, major tour operators do not take the time to integrate Indian Church Village in their tours. The village is somewhat pushed to the background and rarely mentioned. Sadly, it is often the case that small communities only get minor benefits from tourism, as they have little control over how the industry is developed.

This is precisely the case with Indian Church Village, amongst many other small towns and villages that are simply just “off the tourist track”. Nevertheless, there is loads of history and things to do in this small village, while its location next to Lamanai makes it an idyllic spot to spend a few days.

Having spent many summers in Indian Church, here are my top 5 things to do in the village:

1) Staying at Marvie’s Green Guest House.

Once you make the trip to the village via public transportation (buses go from the nearby town of Orange Walk on Mondays and Fridays at 4pm sharp) or by rental car, the first thing you have to do is find your accommodation. Marvie’s guest house is a small building with four twin bedrooms, and two shared bathrooms. I am mentioning this as “a thing to do” because staying with Marvie is an adventure on its own. She is the cheerful lady, who takes you in as her own if you stay at her place. I should know this, I have stayed at her house for years, and she functions as a second mother to me. You will instantly have a friend in the village, and you will find yourself invited to her dinner parties.

To book a place at Marvie’s, you can reach her on her Facebook business page called; The Green Guest House.

2) Hire a local guide and spend a whole day at Lamanai Reserve.

As one of the largest sites open to the public, Lamanai can be a one-two day program. It is only a mile away from the village, and you can ask for a guide from Indian Church at the entrance. The knowledge of the guides in the village is fantastic! They are very experienced and passionate about teaching you all there is to know on Maya history, Belize, nature and their village as well.

3) Play football (soccer) with the people in the village.

Every single afternoon (if it is not raining), when the sun is about to go down, many people gather to play football on the village’s field. Everyone is always welcome, and this is a great way to get to know people in the village and hang out with them after the game ends. If you are not into playing, you can go to watch, and check your emails on the one spot that has working data coverage by the football field. You will find many people doing the same, and you can make friends easily, even if you are not playing.

4) Watch the sunrise or sunset from the top of the Maya ruins.

You might need to call your local guide back because I wouldn’t recommend to wander around the reserve alone in the dark… However, watching the sunrise from the top of the high temple is a beautiful experience.

5) Visit local bars and restaurants

The best way to eat home-cooked Belizean food is to go to one of the three restaurants in the village. At Las Orquideas, you can have the best tamales or Belizean rice and beans, freshly made every day. (You can also come here for breakfast, though Marvie will cook for you, even if you never asked. At Greg’s (or officially called Camino Maya) you have to try the ceviche (it is the best in the village). And at La Cabana, you can try fried chicken and tostadas.

If you decide to visit Indian Church Village, you will empower the people who rely on tourism, allowing them to tell their stories and share their traditions. You will also be able to see a remote snippet of Belize that most travel agencies and operators don’t pay attention to.

If you are interested in sustainable heritage tours to unseen areas of Belize, contact my agency called Craboo Creative at info@craboocreative.com. We work with licensed Belizean tour operators and guides and aim to create ethical and sustainable trips to give back to the communities we visit. If you don’t plan on traveling any time soon, through its upcoming StoryMaps project ARCH will make virtual trips possible, expect beautiful photos and interesting insider information.