Tips When Visiting Baños de Agua Santa Ecuador

An Overview of Baños de Agua Santa

This small town in Tungurahua Province serves as Ecuador’s most popular gateway into the Amazon Basin. Known for numerous adventure activities, such as active volcano hiking, zip-lining, canyon rafting, jungle trekking and rock climbing, Baños is a popular traveler’s destination. The region has several unique features, including the Tungurahua volcano, the Church of Our Lady of Holy Water, El Pailón del Diablo Waterfall and Agoyán waterfall as well as cliffside swings. As the adventure capital of Ecuador, there are many interesting things to do when visiting Baños de Agua Santa Ecuador.

Tips When Visiting Baños de Agua Santa

Lower Baños has numerous shops and stores that are far, far cheaper than those further up the mountain.  It is recommended to buy food and supplies here.

Cascada Pailón del Diablo has a small entry fee.

Prior to attending any tours in Baños, be sure to accurately account for what is covered.  For example, a booked tour might be only $40 USD per person, but adding in other pay-to-play activities may bring it closer to $165 USD. 

Fog and dense clouds are extremely common in Baños.  The weather is generally clearer in the morning, which is when most ranging activities are recommended.  Dense fog may stall or cancel some activities, depending on the time of year.  Though fog is common enough to foil photos, it’s rare that an event is canceled due to it. 

Baños is home to an enormous active volcano called Tungurahua.  This is a very climbable and large structure, but it’s important to be aware of active evacuation drills while spending time in Baños.

 Baños is fairly packed on weekends, especially the more popular tourist areas.  Certain places such as Cascada Pailón del Diablo have to separate access points which help cut down on foot traffic.

Parking in Baños is somewhat confusing.  There are lots of places where employees will wave boldly and confidently, trying to get a vehicle to park in a specific, competing lot.  You can ask the price for parking and generally the one a little further back is slightly cheaper. 

Sugar Cane Taffy (Melchocha) is a popular local treat in Baños.  Many people will use odd pegs in front of stores to pull the taffy and then sell it as a sort of gummy pastry. 

Baños has numerous pilgrims that arrive for certain water-based blessings (an ode to the town’s name.)  These blessings make the area around the main church extremely packed on weekends. 

Points of Interest in Baños de Agua Santa

Cascada Cascada Pailón del Diablo

Translated in English as Devil’s Cauldron Waterfall, this is an enormous waterfall launching into a steep canyon below with additional views of jungles and mountains from steel-cable and wooden bridges.

The Swing at the End of the World

Found underneath the famous mountainside treehouse La Casa del Arbol, these swings are strapped firmly to a cliffside tree which is launched boldly into open air. There are also scenic gardens and a small café nearby.

La Mana de la Pachamama

This is an adventure platform with more cliff swings and odd sculptures nearby. The most iconic feature is an enormous, blue artistic hand-shaped platform grasping out from the roots of a mountain.  The surrounding area has additional cliff swings and watchtowers.

Church of the Virgin of the Holy Water

Known in Spanish as Nuestra Señora del Agua Santa, this is a vital pilgrimage destination and church largely associated with the Virgin Mary. The basilica is made from dark stones with white spires and numerous pictures within depicting miracles attributed to the Virgin Mary.

Agoyán Waterfall

 This is the tallest waterfall found in the Ecuadorian Andes.

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