Baños, Ecuador: From Treehouses to Thermal Pools
Day 1:
We arrived in Baños late at night on the bus from Cuenca and had to walk several blocks from the bus terminal to our Airbnb. My first impression of the town was that it felt sketchy. We were staying downtown, surrounded by bars and clubs. Outside our Airbnb, a few people appeared to be exchanging money in a suspicious transaction.
My friend and I were starving and went out to eat, but we decided to leave our wallets and cell phones in the room. As we walked down the road, about a dozen people called out for us to check their menus. We were spoiled for choice but settled on Soma Beer Garden, a restaurant located in a hostel. As we walked through the main entrance and the lobby, it opened into a large covered courtyard with tables. People were eating their meals, and guests from the hostel were playing games. I loved the environment. My friend suggested ordering a Michelada, a pitcher of beer with chili flakes and salt around the rim. We both loved spice and beer, so I was eager to give it a try. We finished the whole pitcher and vowed to return before leaving Baños. I ordered teriyaki chicken and rice, and my friend got a green curry with vegetable soup. Both were delicious, but my friend’s curry soup was much better. We felt nostalgic as it reminded us of Khao Soi, our favorite dish from Thailand. We were feeling a bit cold, so we decided to head directly back to our Airbnb for the night.
We had a rough idea of what we wanted to do in Baños, so we headed straight to a travel agency to book a tour. Luckily, we found a reputable agent who booked us a same-day tour at a reasonable price. While waiting, we grabbed a few items from a small bakery and then stopped by a grocery store to pick up food for our meals for the next few days. Eating out in Ecuador, especially in touristy areas, wasn’t particularly cheap, so we looked for ways to cut costs where we could. Back at the Airbnb, we prepared hard-boiled eggs, ham and cheese sandwiches, bananas, and tea.
When it came time for the tour, our agent led us to a different branch of his agency, where we waited for the rest of the group. We boarded a large truck with open seating in the back, reminiscent of the songthaews we rode in Thailand.
Our first stop was La Casa del Árbol (The Treehouse), on a mountaintop just outside of town. The truck dropped us at the entrance, where we were greeted with a complimentary shot of tasty blackberry liquor. We hiked to the top of the hill and were met with stunning 360° views of the mountains. The hilltop was dotted with vibrant blue and purple hydrangeas, and the grounds were beautifully maintained. It was a sunny day with clear blue skies, which made the experience even more delightful.
There were hardly any other visitors, so we took our time capturing photos of the treehouse and gardens, soaking in the peaceful setting. It was hot, so we found a shaded picnic table to relax and take in the views.
After 45 minutes, the truck drove us to La Cascada El Pailón (Pailón Waterfall). It was a relatively long, bumpy, and wet drive. The narrow road wound through the hills, and at times, water cascaded from the rocks above, drenching anyone sitting on the left side of the truck.
We arrived at the entrance and followed a trail along a rocky river to the waterfall. The river was turbulent but crystal clear. The path got steeper and steeper until we reached a wooden suspension bridge. From here, we got our first clear view of the waterfall, and it did not disappoint. The wind whipped through the canyon, causing the bridge to shake and our hair to fly everywhere.
Back at our Airbnb, the power went out like clockwork. We headed out into the dark streets to find somewhere to eat. Generators buzzed across town, filling the air with exhaust fumes. Most restaurants were lit by candlelight, but we chose to eat at a pizzeria with electricity because it was the busiest restaurant in town. It turned out to be the right restaurant choice because the pizza was excellent. At the adjacent table, we greeted a European couple from our tour.
After dinner, we took a short walk through town to finish the night. As there was no electricity at our Airbnb, we stayed out until it was pitch black.
This was the day I had been most excited for: the hot springs. Before leaving, we ate up the rest of our eggs, bananas, ham and cheese sandwiches, and panettone.
There were multiple hot springs, but locals were all telling us to visit “El Salado.” We paid a small fee to enter the hot springs and to rent towels.
The hot springs were not natural pools but swimming pools fed by piped-in geothermal water. The water was naturally heated and had a dark red hue due to high iron content.
There were several hot springs with varying temperatures and a few chlorinated swimming pools. The first pool was the hottest and most crowded. We couldn’t handle it for more than five minutes because it was uncomfortably hot. After about 45 minutes, we dried off and headed back to town.
That night, we returned to Soma Beer Garden, our first dinner spot in Baños. The food had been so good, we had to go back one more time. This time, we ordered burgers and curry soup. Later, we checked out Leprechaun Bar, an eccentric spot that caught our eye. We ordered our final Michelada, which unfortunately didn’t live up to the one at Soma. Still, the place had a fun ambiance.
As this was our last night in Baños, we took another evening stroll, looking at the church and the main square. Baños, while a rather touristy place, had turned out to be more fun than I had anticipated. It wasn’t the town itself that made the trip special, but rather the company. A great partner is truly what makes any travel experience exponentially better.
We checked out of our Airbnb and walked a few blocks down the road to the bus station. Before boarding, we managed to find a small street stand powered by a gas generator. They made us sandwiches just in time for our trip to the capital.
