Sarteneja

Sarteneja is a small coastal village in Northern Belize.

Sarteneja is at the mouth of the bay of Chetumal; the quiet little village lives mainly from fishing. Here you can enjoy nature away from the main tourist crowds.

There were likely Maya settlements here as early as the first millennium, and numerous structures still bear witness to this. The original Maya name for the town was Tza Ten-A-Ha, which means "water from the rock" and refers to the many wells found throughout the area. This Maya settlement lasted until the 18th century before it was abandoned.

In the mid-19th century, refugees from the Caste War resettled the area, and Tza Ten-A-Ha quickly became Sarteneja. In 1956, it was destroyed by a hurricane; only the church was spared, as the previous lightweight huts were no easy match for the storm. The village was subsequently rebuilt with sturdier, permanent buildings. Running water and electricity have been available here since the 1970s, and Sarteneja received telephone service in 1990.

Sarteneja recently got a small airport, or rather an airstrip. Tropic Air serves the airstrip on request along the Corozal / San Pedro route.

• From Orange Walk: A road leads directly to Sarteneja from Orange Walk via San Estevan and Little Belize.
• From Corozal: Alternatively, you can travel from Corozal. First, drive to Copper Bank, crossing the New River on a hand-operated cable ferry. From there, continue via another hand-operated ferry across a small lagoon inlet toward the small village of Chunox. Turn left there, heading straight for Sarteneja.

• From Orange Walk: A bus runs from Orange Walk to Sarteneja, Mon–Sat at 11:30AM.
• From Belize City: A bus (Sarteneja Bus Line) runs from Belize City to Sarteneja, Mon–Sat at 4PM.

The Thunderbolt water taxi runs daily to Corozal and San Pedro (Belize).

The centre is compact and easily explored on foot. To explore the surrounding area, you can rent bicycles from Fernando's Seaside Guesthouse (see Sleep).

Sarteneja is primarily a small, tranquil fishing village in a paradisiacal setting. Rainforest, lagoons, and the Caribbean Sea are the natural backdrop. Within the town, there are also a few other things to see.

• 18.354-88.13831 La Inmaculada. The oldest building, dating from 1946, and the only one that survived the hurricane.  
• 18.3541-88.14832 North Front Street. Here by the sea, you can experience the best sunsets, meet fishermen and boat builders, or simply stroll along the shore and enjoy the Caribbean. With a bit of luck, you might even spot a manatee.  
• Mayan ruins. These ruins, which have not been thoroughly investigated archaeologically and have not yet been excavated, are plentiful. One of the three likely cities in the immediate vicinity lies on the outskirts of the town and features three pyramids approximately 15 metres high. According to the villagers, this is a Preclassic city. Nearby is a water source, also believed to date back to the Preclassic or Classical period. The other two cities are said to be significantly smaller and further into the rainforest. If you're interested in visiting, inquire at the museum. 
• Guardians of History Nature and Culture Museum. Mon-Sat 8:30AM–noon, 1–5PM. This small museum in the centre of the village is truly unique: everyone in town contributed to the museum, resulting in a vast collection about the town's history. In a small room, you'll find a somewhat makeshift display of Mayan artifacts, anchors, saws, and even dead venomous snakes. The museum's highlight, however, is a 1911 map of Belize showing a large island off the coast of Sarteneja, which has since been washed away by hurricanes. 
• Cave. This is near the airport in the bush. The small entrance, which is almost impossible to miss, provides access to two chambers. While you have to crouch down quite a bit in the first one, the second is much more spacious and houses a small bat colony. 

• Wildlife watching - Manatees can frequently be spotted in the lagoons around Sarteneja. In addition, the rainforest and mangrove forests provide the ideal environment for almost every animal species found in Belize. If that is not enough, you have both the Bacalar Chico National Park and the Shipstern Nature Reserve right on your doorstep.
• Diving and snorkelling - Whether with scuba gear or just a snorkel, Belize's reputation as a diver's paradise is well reflected here. Numerous dive sites right on your doorstep or in the immediate surroundings will make any diving enthusiast's heartbeat faster.
• Swimming - A bit outside the town, at the level of the Shipstern Nature Reserve, a path leads toward the coast to the best swimming beach in the region.
• Boat tours - Take a boat out into the Caribbean and the Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve, or explore the lagoons and the Shipstern Nature Reserve. There is plenty to see and discover, or you can simply sit back and enjoy the ride.
• Hiking - The Shipstern Nature Reserve in particular features several short hiking trails winding through the rainforest.
• Fishing - Naturally, as you are in a fishing village, there are ample fishing opportunities

These guesthouses feature restaurants offering local cuisine:

• Fernando's Seaside Guesthouse, At the end of North Street, ☏ +501 423-2085, sartenejabelize@hotmail.com.  
• Krisami's Bayview Lodge, West side of town, ☏ +501 423-2283, krisamis@msn.com.  

• Fernando's Seaside Guesthouse, At the end of North Street, ☏ +501 423-2085, sartenejabelize@hotmail.com. 
• Krisami's Bayview Lodge, West side of town, ☏ +501 423-2283, krisamis@msn.com. Double rooms US$60. 
• Candelie's Sunset Cabañas and Bahia Verde Dinette, At the end of North Street, ☏ +501 423-2005. 
• Oasis Guesthouse, Near North Street, ☏ +501 403-2121. 
• Backpackers Paradise, Bandera Road, ☏ +501 403-2051. 

The surrounding Shipstern Nature Reserve, Bacalar Chico Marine and Cerros are not far from Sarteneja.