8 Things to Do in Banos Ecuador (Travel Guide 2024)

We’ve never quite been to a place like Banos. You wake up in the morning and it feels like you’re in the clouds. They’re at your level, right in front of you. Kind of like in Iceland, hot springs here are ubiquitous. Because of thermal energy, hot water is never a problem.

Banos is often referred to as the adventure capital of the world. In Banos, you can visit local thermal baths for $4 a day, you can see unbelievable waterfalls, and do some extreme water sports. (white-water rafting, canyoneering, …)

Coming from Quito, Banos was a massive breath of fresh air. Quito is very not safe in 2024, but Banos felt very safe to us. We could walk around at any hour of the day and feel completely fine. All of the locals said the same. The town is very walkable, and the locals are very friendly.

Read on to find our everything you need to know about visiting Banos Ecuador, including our list of the best things to do in Banos.

How to Get to Banos

The buses to Banos leave from ‘Bus Station Quito Sur’. In February 2024, we paid $5 for the ~4 hour ride. There are people getting on/off constantly for the whole journey, be prepared. Guard your bags with your life. We met a bunch of people whose bags were stolen on buses headed to and from Quito. Be super-aware. Theft seems to be very common on these journeys.

We took an Uber to the station from the Centro Historico which costed us $7.

If you want, you can take the Metro/Subway underground from the Centro Historico right to the Bus Station. (less than $1) This would probably be the quickest way to get to the station, as there is a ton of traffic getting to the station.

We didn’t feel the need to risk our stuff getting stolen on the Metro so we Ubered directly to the Bus Station. If you’re with a few people you should be fine to save some money and take the metro directly to the station. Bus Station Quito Sur.

The bus to Banos drops you off along the highway, which is North of the town. You are going to have to walk South to get to the town and your hotel. We stayed in the far Southeast corner, nestled up against the mountains, and it took us 15 minutes to walk to our hotel.

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Things to Do in Banos in 2024

There are a ton of things to do in this town. But out of all the spots we visited here, I would say the one that sticks with us is enjoying the local thermal baths at ‘Termas de la Virgen’ for $4 per day. Relaxing, cheap, and a local experience. Don’t miss this!

Here are our top things to do in Banos!

1 – Visit El Pailon del Diablo (The Devil’s Cauldron)

El Pailon del Diablo (Devil’s Cauldron) is the reason we came to Banos. I mean … just look at the thing. We saw it in a Fernweh Chronicles Youtube Video on Ecuador and were blown away.

You can take the local bus here for 50 cents from Banos, or a taxi for $8. Your choice. In our experience, the buses come quite frequently, and if you tell the driver you’re going to ‘Pailon del Diablo’, he’ll tell you where to get off. But just in case, you’ll want to get off in front of Hotel Spa Miramelindo.

From here, the walk down along the river is about 5 minutes to the entrance. Then you’ll have another 10-15 minute walk to the viewpoint where you can see the beast.

The entrance fee is $3 per person. The trail is very well maintained. There are a bunch of people selling food/fruit near the entrance.

This is a must-see when in Banos.

READ 👉 Is Ecuador Safe to Visit in 2024?

If you are feeling adventurous, you can rent a mountain bike in town and complete the ‘Ruta de Las Cascadas‘, which is a series of 7 waterfalls that can all be reached within a few hours. Once you finish the route, you can hop on one of the big trucks that are heading back to Banos.

Another way to visit the Ruta de Las Cascadas is by chiva (open-air bus). Basically every guy in the center of town tries to sell trips on one of these buses, so it won’t be hard to organize. The “chiva” will stop at each waterfall and give you time to enjoy the sights.

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2 – Swing off the end of the world at La Casa de Arbol

You’ve probably seen the picture already. Hop on the swing and snap a picture so it looks like you are swinging off a cliff. This is a cool spot to visit and explore. There’s a nice garden to walk around in, and a restaurant to have some fresh juice. Don’t worry about running out of water as there are plenty of stores up here.

Entrance fee is $1.

READ 👉 The Best Backpacking Colombia Route 🇨🇴

How to Get to La Casa de Arbol

1. Hike – This is what we did. Very steep! About a 90 minute hike to get up there, starting from the Southwest corner of Banos. The hike is concrete steps until you get to the Virgin Mary statue, and then from there it’s climbing up dirt and grass.
2. Tour – For $5 – $10 you can go there and back with a tour. The problem here is that you will be up there with a lot of people and the swing will have long lines.
3. Taxi – About $10 each way. Benefit to this is you will have your solitude at the top and be able to enjoy the experience.
4. Local Bus – 50 cents each way. Bus leaves Banos at 11 AM and comes back down at 1 PM, 4 PM, and 6 PM. Downside here is you’re limited when you can leave and come back.

Our recommendation would be to hike up, then take the local bus back down at 1 PM or 4 PM. The hike up is very hard and steep, but it’s a good workout and not too long. We wouldn’t recommend hiking down as it is very steep and the risk of injury is definitely a lot higher. Once you’re done at the swing, catch the local bus back into town. (30 minute ride, 50 cents)

3 – Visit the Thermal Baths – Termas de la Virgen

One of the premier things to do in Banos is visit one of the various Thermal Baths in town, which are the result of geothermal heat from the Earth’s crust. Banos is an a volcanic area, kind of like La Fortuna in Costa Rica, if you have been there.

You will see a lot of blogs about Banos promoting Luna Volcan, Adventure Spa, where you can visit their nice thermals baths overlooking Banos for a steep price.

There is no need for this. Termas de la Virgen is a local thermal baths place located in the Southeast corner of Banos. It is $4 to enter + 50 cents to borrow a swim cap. Yes, you have to wear a swim cap. If you are going to come here multiple times like we did, then it is worth it to buy a cap from the store right outside the baths for 50 cents. (same cost as to rent one at the baths)

The baths are open from 5 AM – 9:30 PM. They get very crowded on the weekends, so try to avoid this if possible. There is a very hot pool, a very cold pool, and a series of medium temperature pools. For us, the appeal of this place is the very hot and very cold pools. We love to go back and forth between the two. The adrenaline rush is addicting!

The locals here are very friendly, and there is no need to worry about feeling “out-of-place”. This was our favorite thing to do while we were in Banos as we visited each day we were in town.

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4 – White-Water Rafting

Go rafting on the Rio Pastaza. These are Class 3 and Class 4 rapids, which is very unique. You probably won’t be in many places in the world with rapids this good. We’re normally not ones to pay for tours, but this definitely a special opportunity.

If you are going to do White-Water Rafting, this is the place to do it. Very good rapids, and very cheap! (lunch included)

🛶 Book your white-water rafting tour in Banos here!

5 – Go Canyoning

Rapel down the Chamana Waterfall. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and Banos is definitely the place to do it. Amazing scenery and only $30 for a 3.5 hour adventure. You can take a look at this experience here.

6 – Try Some Ecuadorian Hot Chocolate

The premier coffee shop in Banos is Honey Coffee & Tea. They serve amazing food, coffee, and hot chocolate. The hot chocolate I had here has to be some of the best I have ever had, second only to San Cristobal de Las Casas in Mexico. Ecuador is famous for their hot-chocolate as it is made and grown locally.

You can also get a wonderful breakfast with coffee and juice included for $7. A very high-quality meal for a very good price.

If you’re looking to venture back into the real of first-world coffee shops, this is your spot.

➡️ Read: Secret Garden Cotopaxi – Complete Review 🦙

7 – Visit the Mercado

We had a wonderful experience in the Mercado. Even if you aren’t buying anything, it’s cool to walk through in the morning. Tons of Indigenous ladies trying to sell you stuff. Good local experience.

8 – Head to the Amazon

Take a day trip to Puyo. Most people visit the Amazon at Cuyabeno, which is pretty far from Quito. (11 hour bus ride) If you don’t want to do this, Puyo is close to Banos and can be visited with a Day Trip. You’ll see Caimans and Monkeys, paddle a canoe on the river, and visit with a local Quechua community. Tours include lunch and a waterfall swim as well.

🛌 Here are all your hotel options in Banos

Summary – Things to Do in Banos

Banos is a wonderful place to visit in Ecuador. There is a ton to do here, and it’s very safe! This was definitely our favorite place that we visited in Ecuador!

Where to go after Banos??

If you’ve already done Cotopaxi National Park, then we recommend heading up North to visit the charming little town of Mindo.

🇨🇴 Checkout out our detailed 2 Week and 3 Week Colombia Itineraries!

We hope you found this guide to Banos useful!