San Vicente Thermal Reserve — Attraction in Santa Rosa de Cabal

Not worth the somewhat difficult trip.

The good:

This thermal spa and reserve is set into the natural surroundings preserving the wonderous creation that is the Andes Mountains in Colombia.

We visited both restaurants. The restaurant for prepaid meals / tours is typical Colombian fare and the staff both friendly and accommodating while the food was average or better.

The other restaurant serves non typical food, though it is a stretch. For instance grilled chicken breast with a yogurt curry sauce as one of 4 main entrees is out of place. To their credit they will serve off menu. The wait staff in this restaurant was exceptional!

The Average:

The bathrooms / changing rooms are clean and attended but a little more privacy is in order for a tourist destination drawing international clientele.

There are signs and maps posted to assist clients in Spanish and English. These, however, lack markings depicting where you are for a reference (a simple you are here sticker would improve these maps tremendously) and the average temperature markings were not at all indicative or accurate.

The Bad:

The Tienda is not well stocked. It is attended by 3 people, 2 women and a man. One woman was quiet, the other woman tried to help, but the man should not serve the public. He was sarcastic, and condescending...not at all typical of Colombian hospitality.

The spa pools are a bit crude. They do not generally have enough seating built in to accommodate the allowed occupancy of the given pool. The steps are sometimes very dangerous. The floors of some of the pools are extremely irregular with large rocks everywhere. Many of the hand railings are not sturdy at all. Any person with the slightest mobility problem will find these pools largely inhospitable and dangerous.

There is no or almost no seating outside the pools and you must put your towels and belongings on wet cement or in some cases on the mud because there is no place to place things when using the pools.

The Worst:

The temperature of all the pools, except one, is inadequately cool for a thermal spa - they mix too much cold water in with the hot. You go to the spa for hot water and it is entirely inadequate.

Final Thoughts:

This location is fairly beautiful but the springs in Santa Rosa are more beautiful. There are more food choices in the Santa Rosa Springs. The water is better in Santa Rosa. The pools in Santa Rosa are safer and more refined with adequate seating, and tables and chairs outside the pools. The bathrooms / changing areas in Santa Rosa are more private and just as clean. The trip to the Santa Rosa Thermals is shorter for everyone and far more pleasant.

The water in Santa Rosa ranges from very hot to that found in Saint Vincente, providing for the desire of all types of clients.

Avoid...

It took an hour from Santa Rosa de Cabal on an unpaved road but was fine in a regular sedan car. The place is very rustic with multiple pools of hot springs and two steam rooms. They have rustic cabins and nicer more updated ones. If you get the food plan they offer you juice, soup, pick one protein, and rice and potatoes or plantains. They are pretty stingy with the food not giving you any extra protein (chicken or steak) (eggs or meat). The spa was interesting they cover you a little with sand and it heats up quickly then exfoliating and mud treatment then the steam room. The massage was good except it is in a shared room with 4-5 other beds and the room is cold! The property is beautifully surrounded by mountains. The thermal pools are very natural with algae you can feel so sometimes very slippery. Bring warm clothes because the nights get...

We enjoyed our experience here very much. The long dirt road that leads up to this place was a little crazy but it was worth the trip. There are plenty of naturally heated pools to relax in and several naturally heated saunas (turcos). You can hike 8 minutes up a trail through the jungle to enjoy an amazing waterfall. The restaurant was good too. We had a chicken and rice dish that tasted great. We chose to purchase an extra activity called "Pealing therapy" or something to that effect. They bury you in hot sand for 5 minutes and then massage you with the same sand. The whole process took 15 - 20 minutes. It was relaxing and our skin definitely felt different afterwards. The whole property is surrounded by mountains on three sides giving it that perfect, secluded feel in my opinion. If you're in the area, this place should be on your...