Two years ago to the day, we took a plane headed to Belize City. After taking a rest on paradise island Caye Caulker for a few days, we ended up volunteering on an organic farm outside of San Antonio.
A dusty Maya village deep in the interior jungle of Belize, San Antonio only boasted one (poorly) paved road and two adjacent village shops, one of which sold Belikin beer and the other, on lucky days, freshly-made lemon pie. Under a roof of palm leaves, the village barber shaved haircuts after the latest fashion amongst European football players. In San Antonio’s bars, you could play pool with tattooed men who proudly claimed gang membership and who raised their dogs on a healthy diet of stout beer. KORN, a shack selling milkshakes and snacks, only opened on weekends. The owner of the place, unsurprisingly, was a fan of nu-metal.
Located two kilometres from the Stardust Sanctuary Farm, we visited San Antonio only on select days. When we wanted to eat rice and beans or fast food and drink large Coca-Cola bottles in the bamboo restaurant. Or when we needed access to the world wide web and landed ourselves in the one and only internet café of the village. Owned by an ever-grumpy lady, we heard young boys playing FIFA in the next room. Once, when we stood in front of closed doors, a neighbour dragged a table out and installed it under an almond tree, she fetched us some juices and handed us her own wifi password. That’s the kind of village San Antonio is. [Related: 7 Things to do in and around San Ignacio, Belize]
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It was a quiet place, most of the time, until, on one fine Sunday, we attended the village party. Multicoloured cyclists, clad in multicoloured jerseys, represented the different ethnicities of Belize during a race, an epic man-to-man fight on the potholed slopes between San Antonio and Cristo Rey. An old man sold me a bag of sweet fruit as he told me he had six daughters, five of whom were married. Some of them worked in the little shack serving rice and beans. He casually pointed out the one that hadn’t tied the knot, as if to fan my potential interest.
Unlike Guatemalans, Belizeans seem more disconnected from their Maya past. It looked to me that way, at least. Almost no one dons traditional clothes, the lack thereof became apparent to me only when I saw so many in Guatemala. One local enthusiast, who had carved a modern Maya temple in a nearby hillside, told us that everything is lost, save for the knowledge of the language. (Which, he added, was dwindling amongst young people.)
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During the village party, things seemed different. A lot of the focus was on San Antonio’s Maya heritage. American archaeologists showed their findings from the excavation site a walk away from the farm. Traditional marimba music, extremely popular in Central America, filled the village square. We also found out that a man we oftentimes met, the one who hung out in the bamboo restaurant, moonlighted as a shaman. He proudly showed us his bowls and other equipment.
The excitement turned palpable when a group of players from Honduras performed an exhibition game of the old Maya ball game. Everyone cheered as the players bounced the ball to one another with hips and shins. All of a sudden, the whole village of San Antonio felt Maya again.
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(Practical information after the pictures)
Practical information about San Antonio, Belize
Be aware that two San Antonio’s exist in Belize, one in the southern Toledo District, the other in the Cayo District. Although the former is more on the tourist trail, this post is about the latter.
What to do in San Antonio, Belize?
There isn’t much to do in San Antonio in the traditional touristic sense, but it’s still a nice place to breath in some local life. If you’re on your way from San Ignacio to the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, you might as well make a stop.
Visit Sak Tunich if you want to learn about the region’s Maya heritage. A local has turned a hillside into a modern Maya temple. He can also teach you about medicinal plants and take you to a hilltop viewpoint.
Where to stay in San Antonio, Belize?
There are no hotels in San Antonio. San Ignacio, the closest bigger city has plenty of options, such as J & R Guest House, a place for budget-conscious travellers which we thoroughly enjoyed. Nearby Cristo Rey offers a possibility as well.
Alternatively, ask around or inform ahead and locals can arrange camping gear and take you up the hill to Ca-Anah-Mul. We spent a brilliant night up there. [Read more about that experience in our blog post about San Ignacio.]
Where to eat and drink in San Antonio, Belize?
San Antonio has two nameless restaurants, one of which only opens in the weekend. You’ll find them easily. Likewise, there are two bars. We really liked the South Side Cool Spot. Snack shack KORN sells snacks and milkshakes on weekends. O, and don’t forget to check if Marleny’s Store has any lemon pies.
How to get to San Antonio, Belize?
Take a bus from San Ignacio (3 BZD). The bumpy ride through the countryside in itself is already worth it. The last bus leaves town around 5 pm.
