The river then flows through a gorge until it reaches an alluvial floodplain, where citrus and cacao plantations exist.

Here the river valley is flanked by karst topography featuring Maya cave sites.

[5] The current internationally accepted southern Belizean–Guatemalan border is the Sarstoon River.

Since then, Mexico has stated that it would revive the claim only if Guatemala were successful in obtaining all or part of the nation.

The lower reaches of the river are prominent in scenes from the 1986 film The Mosquito Coast.