Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sarteneja peninsula
Jutting out towards Yucatán in the northeast of Belize, the Sarteneja peninsula is
covered with dense forests, swamps and lagoons that support an amazing array of
wildlife. Though the area is largely unpopulated and could once be reached only by
boat, the fishing village of Sarteneja , the peninsula's main settlement, has been
attracting tourism over the last decade. Sarteneja and the shoreline are pretty
enough, but the region's main attraction is Shipstern Nature Reserve , three miles
south of Sarteneja.
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Sarteneja
The epitome of small-town coastal Belize, SARTENEJA offers the chance to chill out for
a few days, with leisurely walks along the water followed by cheap seafood dinners at
the backpacker-style lodgings. Named after the Yucatec Maya word Tzaten-a-ha
(meaning “water among the rocks”), Sarteneja was largely settled in 1854 by refugees
from the Caste Wars of Yucatán. Due to its historic isolation from the rest of Belize, it
still retains close ties to Mexico , and its inhabitants are primarily Spanish-speaking
mestizos.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
SARTENEJA
By bus Buses from Belize City travel regularly to Sarteneja
via Orange Walk, dropping off in the centre of town.
Destinations Belize City (usually 2-3 daily Mon-Sat; 3hr
30min); Chetumal (2-3 weekly; days vary; 3hr).
By boat The Thunderbolt , a daily skiff running between
Corozal and San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, stops at
Sarteneja (1hr 30min, Bz$50) upon request.
By car You can access Sarteneja from Belize City via the
Philip Goldson Hwy, through Orange Walk. You can also get
here from Corozal; this trip has the added bonus of crossing
the New River and Laguna Seca at Copper Bank via hand-
cranked ferry (daily 6am-9pm; free).
By plane Daily Tropic Air flights between Corozal and San
Pedro will stop on request in Sarteneja. The airstrip lies
about half a mile east of town.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Backpackers Paradise Bandera Rd T 423 2016
W backpackers.bluegreenbelize.com. Run by the
friendly Nathalie and Ed, this rustic spot has simple but
comfortable cabañas and camping and a communal
kitchen. Also on offer are tasty organic vegetarian meals
and seafood, including, uniquely, lionfish, an invasive
species that's destroying the reef (so, eat up). Camping
US$4 , cabañas US$14
Fernando's Seaside Guesthouse North Front St
T 423 2085 E sartenejabelize@hotmail.com. This small
waterfront house has basic but clean rooms with ceiling fan
and private balcony, most with views out to sea.
Knowledgeable Fernando can help set up a ra nge of local
tours, including snorkelling and fishing. US$45
Shipstern Conservation & Management Area
3 miles south of Sarteneja • Daily 8am-5pm, but hours vary depending on tours offered; call ahead • Entrance Bz$10; 90min tour Bz$10,
early-morning tour Bz$50; night tour (minimum two people) Bz$150 for two; prices vary, but generally from Bz$75 for each additional
person • T 632 7467, W csfi.bz
he Shipstern Conservation & Management Area , which is run by the Corozal
Sustainable Future Initiative, was of cially designated in 2012 as part of the
National Protected Areas System Plan of Belize, which further ensures its
protection under the law. Named for an unexcavated Maya centre in its forested
depths, the nature reserve covers approximately 27,000 acres, dotted with small
mangrove islands, saline swamps and wetlands. Roughly a third of the reserve is
tropical moist forest, which includes over a hundred plant species, though the
effects of Hurricane Janet, which whipped through in 1955, still show in the
absence of mature growth. Elsewhere are wide belts of savannah, covered in coarse
grasses, palms and broadleaf trees.
 
 
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