[1] The name Sarteneja is a Castilian distortion of its original Mayan name Tza-ten-a-ha, which means 'water between the rocks'.

Sarteneja is on the Sarteneja Peninsula, approximately forty miles by road from Orange Walk Town and is near the privately owned Shipstern Conservation & Management Area.

The village's economy is based primarily on fishing for lobster, conch, and finfish.

Tourism is becoming increasingly significant as a source of income or at least as another alternative livelihood for those who no longer fish.

[2] Sarteneja is home to shipwrights who are still active, having built most of the traditional fishing boat fleet (visible in Haulover Creek in Belize city) and many of the tourist sailing boats, most notably: Sirena Azul (San Pedro), Ragga King, Ragga Gial, Blackhawk (Caye Caulker), Brujula (Hopkins), and Zayann.