Spanish Lookout
An upscale & modern Mennonite Community in Belize, Central America.PH: (501) 823-0111 · WhatsApp: (501) 223-9999 ·
About Us
In a country full of hidden gems, the community of Spanish Lookout in Belize stands out. This farming municipality with a population of 2,900 is a wonderful place to visit. Spanish Lookout is in the Cayo District. It is about nine miles northeast of San Ignacio, the eco-tourism capital of the district. It’s an enjoyable, easy day trip from San Ignacio, Bullet Tree Falls Village, Santa Familia Village or other nearby towns.
What Makes Spanish Lookout Special?Spanish Lookout is in the middle of cleared expanses of jungle. Although it’s in Central America, it looks like a rural agricultural town in the American Midwest. As you enter, the jungle gives way to elaborate farms, soaring grain silos, orchards, manicured lawns and two-storey farmhouses set back from the road. Contented sheep and cattle graze on the farmland alongside modern stores, a bank, post office, many hardware, electronics stores, supermarkets, restaurants, a water park and other amenities.It feels like stepping back in time. Spanish Lookout is a Mennonite city. Like the Amish, the Mennonites use old-fashioned farming techniques and wear traditional clothing. However, the Mennonites in Spanish Lookout are progressive. Although you may see very few horse-drawn carriages, many of them drive trucks and tractors. The Mennonites speak German among themselves, but Spanish and English with others.Spanish Lookout stretches over an area of 20,978 acres, consisting of four Kleine Gemeinde Mennonite districts. Each district has its own minister and deacon. On the secular level the community is led by the Vorsteher committee or the colony administration. This committee of three men is elected for a period of three years. Spanish Lookout has around 1600 inhabitants and is known in Belize as a progressive Mennonite settlement because these Mennonites use a differentiated economic system of commercial agriculture and agribusiness in their community. The beans, dairy and chicken companies of this community for instance, are important businesses in the country. Their transport and distribution network is based on well-organised system, which runs beyond the borders of the community (Roessingh and Schoonderwoerd, 2005).
Services
There were Mennonite communities living in Mexico. In the 1950s and 1960s, they began looking for a new place to live. At that time, Belize was planning to become independent from the UK. The Mennonites are pacifists, and they wanted to live in a country that didn’t have compulsory military service. Belize had to develop its own sustainable sources of food. The Mennonites were expert farmers who agreed to bring their agricultural knowledge to Belize. In exchange, they toiled the land and were promised that their children would never go to war.Today, the Mennonite communities supply most of Belize’s poultry, hardware and building supplies, vegetables, cattle and dairy products. The once cloistered community has expanded with some Mennonites intermarrying with other cultures. They have helped Belize develop a solid, sustainable agricultural industry that was key to its independence. In the orthodox Mennonite communities they have become well known as carpenters and house builders.Things to Do In Spanish LookoutExpatriates and locals in Belize flock to the town to shop at the grocery stores, hardware outlets and bakeries. There are other Mennonite communities in Belize, but Spanish Lookout is the largest. It’s a great place to stop for lunch. Don’t miss the delicious ice cream at Western Dairies or classic American fare at Midwest, Golden Corral and other diners. You can also buy fresh produce, honey, eggs, peanuts and cheese from farmers’ stands or the local grocery. The Mennonites are a small but important group in Belize. Visiting their beautiful farms and modern developments in the midst of the tropics is an unforgettable experience.
Thank You
THANK YOU! Your message has been submitted. You should hear from us shortly.
