Sarteneja

This small Mestizo and Creole community enjoys a bay setting that makes it one of the most relaxed and appealing in all of Belize. Lobster fishing and pineapple farming are the town's two main industries, though Sarteneja is also a center for building wooden boats. Most residents speak Spanish as a first language, but many also speak English.

Visitors and real estate buyers are beginning to discover Sarteneja, and while tourism services are still minimalist, several small guesthouses are now open, and there are several places to get a simple, inexpensive bite to eat.

Driving to Sarteneja from Corozal Town takes about 1½ hours via the New River ferry and a second, bayside ferry across the mouth of the river. The road is unpaved and can be very muddy after heavy rains. You can also drive to Sarteneja from Orange Walk Town, a trip of about 40 mi (67 km) and 1½ hours. There are several Perez Bus Line buses a day, except Sunday, from Belize City via Orange Walk Town. The trip from Belize City takes 3½ to 4 hours and costs BZ$10.

The twice-daily water taxi between Corozal Town and San Pedro will drop you at Sarteneja, on request (BZ$25 from Corozal, around 45 minutes, and BZ$45 from San Pedro, about 75 minutes). You also can hire a private boat in Corozal to take you and your party to Sarteneja; the cost is negotiable but likely will be BZ$200 or more. You may be able to hitch a ride on one of the skiffs that travels between Corozal and Sarteneja or between Chetumal, Mexico, and Sarteneja.

There is no immigration office in Sarteneja, so if you're coming from Mexico, you can go to the Sarteneja police station to get your Belize entry permit. Sarteneja has a recently opened airstrip, with two flights daily on Tropic Air from San Pedro (BZ$164 round-trip).