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Nicole's
Travelogues and Budget Travel Tips..
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BAÑOS, ECUADOR
Baños has a population of about 15,000 - which swells another couple of thousand on Sundays during church services - and sits at an altitude of 5,886 feet. Located about four hours South by bus from Quito, Baños offers a number of outdoor activities such as dipping in the hot springs, horseback riding, hiking, rafting, biking, and climbing. Banos also has a number of Spanish schools - which some prefer as an alternative to studying in Quito.
During the week, Baños is quite relaxed and quiet, however, during the weekends, Baños turns into a carnival. Boardwalk-type booths are set up outside of the church selling neon balloons and religious trinkets and a caterpillar train on wheels blasting disco music carries children and tourists on a city tour. The sidewalk cafes are packed as well. Taffy (called melcocha) shops line the street leading to the Iglesia — taffy makers pull the warm taffy over large wooden pegs built into the walls. Baños is famous for it's Iglesia de Nuestra Senora del Agua Santa, or Church of Our Lady of Holy Water, Sunday masses run every hour, as mostly locals flock from around the area and pack the church. The famous statue of the virgin is located in a room to the left of the church. Baños' main attraction is its Hot Springs bubbling out of the Tungurahua volcano. There are several public baths, in addition to a couple of private ones attached to hotels. Piscinas del la Virgin (70 cents) are the hottest baths and the most popular. The Piscina El Salado baths, are less crowded and about a mile out of town toward Ambato. Go down the main highway about 6 miles east toward Puyo and you will see gorgeous waterfalls of Agoyan. You can rent mules across the street from the bus station - though they were looking pretty sad and malnourished. Caballos con Cristian leads highly recommended horse trips ($18 for 3 hour trip). I did not go on them but heard that the animals are well cared for. During October and December festivals, Baños is alive with parades, dancing, and fireworks. In October there is a festival which honors the Virgin of Holy Water (Nuestra Senora de Agua Santa) and in December residents celebrate the date the town was appointed seat of its canon.
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I think Los Nevados is one of the best hostels in town. Of course, that's because Platanos y Blanco was booked. Located a block from the church, you get a clean modern room, private bath with hot shower, towel and a bed (rooms are $4.50). There is a communal kitchen guests can use upstairs. Platanos y Blanco (Martinez y 12 de Noviembre) is popular - though often times booked so call ahead. They have a rooftop terrace with great views of hot baths, waterfall, and the church. Their breakfasts are DELICIOUS and cheap - stack of pancakes with fresh fruit for $1.50. Guests are treated to a number of goodies including honor-system beer, board games, VCR, laundry, steam room, and storage (rooms are $5). Some have complained about the traffic noise at night - but others have loved it. Cafe Hood (Martinez y 16 de Deciembre) is a great vegetarian restaurant and Mediterranean Grill and Bar is good too. The Tequila Pub (Ambato near 16 de Deciembre) has darts, pool, and music videos and is fun at night. There's a Banco del Pacífico, with an ATM, on the corner of Montalvo and Eloy Alfaro. There are a number of Spanish Schools in Banos including: Centro de Espanol, Raices Spanish School, and Instituto del Espanol Alternative (next to Banco del Pacifico). There are also a number of good private tutors - check with SAEC for current recommendations.
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It's always a good idea to splash some water from her fountain on yourself for holy protection and good luck. Locals come with plastic jugs to fill and take home. There is a small museum (40 cents) upstairs that is worth the trip. It’s really a collection of testimonials about how the holy water cured peoples various ailments and is open daily until 7:00 pm. There's also a store with all the religious artifacts you need attached to the left side of the church. Might be a good idea to buy a wallet card of a saint or the virgin as the roads in and out of Baños are notorious for fatal bus accidents.
