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Santa Rosa de Cabal is famous all over Colombia for two things – chorizo and hot springs. Both are worth the trip! Santa Rosa is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia.
Getting to Santa Rosa de Cabal
Santa Rosa de Cabal makes for a great day trip from the nearby city of Pereira. There are several buses from the Pereira bus terminal to the center of Santa Rosa. Buses leave from the second floor. Hop on any bus marked “Santa Rosa”. It’s just 20 minutes away on a beautiful yet dizzying ride through the mountains.
When you arrive in Santa Rosa, the bus will make a right turn and go a couple blocks before stopping. Many people will get off the bus there. Follow them – this is only a few blocks from the main plaza. You can pay the driver when you get off.
To catch the bus back to Pereira, walk a couple blocks down the hill from the plaza and wait for one to pass. Buses on the way to Manizales also stop there.
Where to Stay in Santa Rosa de Cabal
If you’re not splurging to stay at the hot springs, there are plenty of places to stay in Santa Rosa de Cabal. I’ve stayed at one budget hotel.
Hotel Colonial Real (Permanently Closed)
Budget travelers and backpackers will be very happy to stay at Hotel Colonial Real. This small hotel, set in a historic colonial building, is just two blocks from the main plaza and has rooms for bargain basement prices.
It had great WiFi and lukewarm water and the bed was a bit stiff, but what do you expect for such a low price? The owner was a very friendly man who also gave us a 10% discount on a day pass to Termales Santa Rosa (which most hotels will offer). One very big negative – there were a few cockroaches scurrying around at night.
Where to Eat in Santa Rosa de Cabal
Most people come for the town’s famous chorizo, and there’s no shortage of restaurants selling it. You can find other types of food as well.
ChoriSant
On the plaza are some great places to try the town’s famous chorizo. I ate at ChoriSant with some friends. It’s a restaurant that likes to get creative with their chorizo dishes. They create a lot of fusion dishes incorporating international flavors, such as French, Japanese, Mexican, and more.
I tried the chori-exótico (chorizo with a tropical fruit sauce) washed down with a drink called mistela de maracuyá (a passion fruit iced tea). Abe had the self-explanatory choriburrito, while Natalia tried to choriyaki (chorizo in teriyaki sauce). All of us enjoyed our meals.
Choripaco
There are several more places to try chorizo on the road leading to the hot springs. In my opinion, the best of these is Choripaco. Meals are served on a beautiful outdoor terrace and there’s a craft market across the street.
There’s a lot of variety on the menu. You can get a simple chorizo dish to sample both the boiled and grilled chorizo, or try a bandeja paisa. They also have delicious chorizo burgers.
Restaurante Típico
For an amazing breakfast, just a couple blocks from the plaza is Restaurante Típico. They have one of the most delicious calentaos I’ve had in Colombia.
Plaza in Santa Rosa de Cabal
On the main plaza of Santa Rosa, there’s a beautiful white church. The plaza itself is very wide with small paths and plenty of seats.
Santa Rosa also has some good nightlife. It’s possible to find lots of bars and clubs in the town’s entertainment zone (Zona Rosa).
Map of Santa Rosa de Cabal
Hot Springs near Santa Rosa de Cabal
The real draw to Santa Rosa are the hot springs (termales). There are two different hot springs to visit. Termales Santa Rosa de Cabal is about 20 minutes out of the town center, while Termales San Vicente is about an hour away.
Termales Santa Rosa de Cabal
The closest hot springs to Santa Rosa is Termales Santa Rosa de Cabal. There are two options – the balneario and the hotel, which are both located near each other.
Transportation to Termales Santa Rosa de Cabal
Most people use their own cars to get to Termales Santa Rosa, but it’s possible to get there by an infrequent and slow public bus service, taxi, or by hiring a jeep. You can find the latter two in the main plaza of Santa Rosa and negotiate a price.
The road to the hot springs has lots of antique shops and countless chorizo restaurants along the way, many which were jam packed as we drove by. The last stretch before reaching the facilities is down an unpaved road.
Leaving Termales Santa Rosa can be difficult at night or when it’s crowded. It’s best to arrange a pick-up with a taxi or jeep before leaving. Waiting too long for the public bus is also a risk because they can fill up quickly and they don’t run after a certain time.
Balneario de Santa Rosa
The first hot springs you come to is called Balneario de Santa Rosa. It’s typically open until midnight but is much more crowded than the nearby hotel. Adult admission starts at COP$65,000 (as of June 2024) and increases depending on the time of day or season.
After purchasing tickets, there’s a long path to the actual hot springs. They pass by a series of cascades before reaching the buildings, which include a restaurant and changing rooms. In the changing room, there are coin-operated lockers available, or you can bring your own lock.
The setting is gorgeous with Cascada Santa Helena, a tall waterfall in the background. It’s possible to walk over to the waterfall and cool off in the plunge pool.
As far as the pools, ever since our first visit we’ve felt they weren’t as hot or as clean as we had imagined. Interestingly, the kiddie pool had the hottest water (makes you wonder why).
Termales Hotel
The second option is Termales Hotel. It was recommended by a local to go to the hotel because it’s nicer and cleaner than the Balneario. The only catch is you have to stay overnight (day passes were available in the past). Visit the official website for information on the hotels. (Note: I finally stayed the night in December 2022. I’ll add more photos and info when I have a chance.)
Termales Hotel includes three hotels set on a small river nestled between two mountains. There’s a restaurant, cafeteria, locker room facilities, and a very attentive staff if you choose to order food or drinks next to the pool.
The thermal pool is divided into three sections. Each section has a slightly different temperature. The hottest part of the pool can get very hot and it’s best not to stay in it too long. There’s also a cold shower at one end of the pool that’s very refreshing.
If you climb up the path near the locker rooms, you will see a beautiful waterfall, Cascada San Miguel, flowing down the mountain. It’s possible to swim in the plunge pool and the water is comfortable.
Termales San Vicente
About an hour from Santa Rosa de Cabal is Termales San Vicente. These secluded hot springs are in a beautiful natural setting with six different thermal pools.
The river that runs through the property is the only natural thermal river in the Coffee Region. The water contains a large number of minerals including potassium, magnesium, chlorine, sulfur, iron, silicon, selenium, nitrogen, calcium, fluoride, and sodium. The average temperature is 67 ºC with a pH of 7.6.
Other activities at Termales San Vicente include hiking, rappelling, and birdwatching. There’s also a spa offering wonderful relaxing massages, mud baths, aromatherapy, and more. These can all be booked at the front desk of the hotel at reasonable prices. It’s a much different experience than Termales Santa Rosa.
Getting to Termales San Vicente
Most people travel to Termales San Vicente in private vehicles. The road to the termales is mostly unpaved and rough in spots. If you’re in Pereira or Santa Rosa, you can purchase a day trip package including transportation to the termales. It costs COP$160,000 for adults (as of June 2024). Day trips leave Pereira at 8:30am while night trips leave at 5:30pm. Reservations are required at least a day in advance.
Day Trips to Termales San Vicente
Various day passes start at COP$40,000 for adults during low season and COP$75,000 other times (as of June 2024). They include admission to the public pools and a bottle of mineral water.
On my first visit, we spent a half day at the termales with Marisol’s family. After arriving, we went to the locker room to get changed. There are no locks but it’s possible to rent them from a small kiosk outside reception.
We crossed a small bridge over the river to access some of the pools available to guests. Some pools are hotter than others, and there’s also a kiddie pool with water jets.
A path downhill from the hotel leads to two natural thermal pools. One of them is the Bubble Pool (Piscina de Burbujas), which features several natural geysers under the water. Another natural pool is located a bit further down the path.
Overnight at Termales San Vicente
Termales San Vicente also has a good overnight package for guests who want to enjoy the peaceful natural setting for more than just a few hours. Packages are per person and prices vary based on accommodation preferences. There are rustic cabins as well as traditional hotel rooms. You can opt for a meal package including breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or you can order off the menu for more choices.
Overnight guests have access to two more private pools, accessible via a short trail. There’s also the added advantage of the pools being less crowded for a couple hours late at night or in the morning when the day trippers are gone.
Cabins at Termales San Vicente
The best cabins available are the Cabañas San Vicente and can sleep up to six people. The cabins even come with a private thermal pool.
Hotel Rooms at Termales San Vicente
The best traditional hotel rooms are the Habitaciones San Vicente. There are only a few of these rooms, and they’re spacious, cozy, and have large comfortable beds.
