Soroa
Soroa is a village belonging to the town of Candelaria in Western Cuba. It is associated with the Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra del Rosario National Park.
Get in
There’s no Viazul buses stopping in Soroa, however since the village starts at the highway junction and there’s an easy stop at the gas station, it's probably ok for the driver to drop you off there. Check with the driver first and then buy your ticket to Pinar del Rio (which is the next stop). The same hold when coming from Las Terrazas, although from there you can also take a cab for US$15.
Alternatively take a collectivo from Havana. You’ll find drivers around the Viazul bus station there, but may need to pay the full price to Viñales (US$15 per person).
Get around
For the most part, Soroa consists of just one street, however since the village stretches along that street from the highway in the south to the mountains in the north for more than 8km, getting around is a bit of a challenge.
By taxi
Certainly the most convenient option for many travelers. Your casa can organize drivers for your day trips. A one-way trip to Las Terrazas costs US$15.
By bus
There’s local buses that can take you from the mountains down to 🌍 Candelaria (the next city, slightly south of the highway). and back for no notable fee. Just queue with the locals at one of the designated bus stops.
By bike
It's mostly easy to bike, but all the sights are located at the northern end of the village which is about 200m higher. Check with your casa if it’s possible to rent a bike. Typical rates would be around US$10 per day.
See
- 🌍 Orquideario. until around 17:00. The Orquideario is the world's second-biggest orchid garden, with 700 species. It’s well kept and great to wander around or sit down enjoying the environment. You can also hike up the road behind the Orquideario to a ruined mansion and a view of the valley. US$3.
- 🌍 Cascadas El Salto (Waterfall). until around 18:00. The Cascadas El Salto is a beautiful 35-meter waterfall. From the parking lot, you cross the river and a paved trail leads down to the top of the waterfall and then further down to the base, where you can also swim. In the dry season there’s not a lot of water coming down, but the trail and surroundings are pretty nonetheless. There’s also a state-run restaurant at the entrance. US$3.
Do
- Go for a hike in the mountains. A good base is the area around the waterfall. There’s a trail to a viewpoint starting there. As of 2015, OpenStreetMap has only very basic map coverage of the trails.
Buy
There’s not really shops in Soroa itself. There’s a bakery and a small fruit stand near the highway junction, also the gas station should have some of the bare necessities.
For a real supermarket, as well as a fruit and vegetable market, you’ll need to head to Candelaria.
- 🌍 Supermarket (Tienda) (in Candelaria near the park). A normal supermarket. There’s a fruit and vegetable market just one street north.
Banks
There’s no bank or Cadeca in Soroa, but there’s a bank in Candelaria.
Eat
There are a few paladars that serve creolian kitchen. Eating in your casa may be the better deal.
Sleep
There’s plenty of casas particulares in all parts of Soroa. Most concentrate along the lower village. There’s also some casas north of the sights and in the adjoing village. The going rate for a double room is US$25 per night, US$4 per person for breakfast and US$10 for dinner.
Since the village stretches quite far, choose your location wisely. The mountain region is prettier, slightly calmer and provides easy access to the main sights. But it's also further away from the highway junction and Candelaria.
Hotels
- 🌍 Hotel Villa Soroa.
Connect
There’s no internet available in Soroa. Also no ETECSA office.