Soroa, 7 kilometres north of the Havana-Pinar del Río Freeway is a village known for both its waterfall and orchid garden. As fans of orchids the latter attracted Rocío and me and we made a detour to Soroa between Viñales and Havana.
Getting to Soroa from Viñales without private transport took two colectivos and then a Jeep organised by a tout from the mechanic near the Candelaria/Soroa junction. The travel logistics and costs are listed below this post.
Soroa Waterfall (Salto del Arco Iris)
The Soroa Waterfall has two entrances. The Jeep dropped us off adjacent the lower, southern one where we paid the 3 CUC (US$3) entry fee.
Entry signs to waterfall Salto del Arco Iris; cascada is Spanish for waterfall; entry costs Cubans 10 CUP (US$0.40) and foreigners 3 CUC (US$3)
January is well outside the May to October wet season so the waterfall was a relative trickle. Despite this, the overhang and surrounding greenery still made a beautiful setting.
Visitors enjoying Soroa’s waterfall
Standing in front of waterfall Salto del Arco Iris
From the waterfall base a path leads around and up stairs to the view at the top.
View from the top of the waterfall
Around Soroa including near the waterfall, the rubbish bins are ingeniously made from palm leaves, sticks and rope.
This rubbish bin is made using palm leaves, sticks and rope
Orquideario Soroa Botanic Garden (Jardín botánico Orquideario Soroa)
Orquideario Soroa is a botanic garden focused on orchids. With hundreds of species and thousands of plants, it is worth the detour, especially for garden lovers.
This Orquideario Soroa sign is an impressive metal sculpture depicting orchids
Botanic garden entry cost 3 CUC (US$3) plus 1 CUC each for the photography fee. Near the entrance is the primary orchid display, a shadehouse exhibiting beautiful flowers of various colours and shapes.
Orchid flower in the Orquideario Soroa shadehouse
Orchid flower and bud at Orquideario Soroa
Rocío photographing orchids in the display shadehouse
Spread out over 35,000 square metres of hilly land, Orquideario Soroa’s path leads up to a higher section with views of the surrounding countryside.
Orquideario Soroa workers on a break
The view from the top of Orquideario Soroa
In addition to the garden’s plants and flowers, we enjoyed observing birds and butterflies.
A woodpecker on a palm tree trunk
The path, wall and bromeliads all curve around like a boomerang
A less frequented part of the garden contains the orchid nursery where plants are bred and maintained while not flowering.
A tiny bromeliad on chicken wire protecting the orchid nursery
A cream hibiscus flower with two crows blurred in the lower background
Bromeliads and orchids growing on an Australian native callistemon (bottlebrush) tree
Purple-flowering orchids lining the Orquideario Soroa path
After two enjoyable hours and many photos we farewelled Orquideario Soroa and continued our journey.
The Jeep we took to Soroa after dropping us off at the Soroa/Candelaria junction
Back at the junction we waited for a ride to Havana, eventually hitch-hiking a lift in a small private Fiat sedan.
Our Transport from Viñales to Havana via Soroa
- Viñales to Pinar del Río: colectivo (1 CUC/US$1 each)
- Pinar del Río to the Soroa/Candelaria highway junction: colectivo (5 CUC each)
- Soroa/Candelaria highway junction to Soroa and return including waiting time: Jeep (20 CUC total)
- Soroa/Candelaria highway junction to central Havana: hitch-hiked in private Fiat (10 CUC total)
What beautiful gardens
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