Banos de Agua Santa between hot springs and waterfalls

Banos de Agua Santa in the Ecuadorian town of Banos sits between the Andean highlands and the fringe of the Amazon basin, framed by steep green slopes and the active volcano Tungurahua. The town’s hot springs and nearby waterfalls give Banos its name and have turned this small valley settlement into a place where pilgrimage, spa culture and adventure tourism share the same streets.

Thermal waters and a town shaped by hot springs

The name Banos de Agua Santa refers directly to the thermal waters that emerge around the town and feed several public bath complexes. In Spanish, “baños” evokes baths or springs, while “Agua Santa” points to the long-standing association of these waters with healing and devotion, a connection underlined by the presence of shrines and religious imagery at the pools themselves.Baños means springs and Agua Santa means holy water Visitors encounter different bath complexes around Banos, including pools supplied by springs near the foot of the surrounding cliffs and others closer to the edge of the town; each complex has its own layout of basins, changing areas and simple concrete terraces.The most popular public baths stand at the base of a waterfall called Cascada de la Virgen

At the centre of Banos, the Termas de la Virgen sit beside a waterfall that drops from the high ridge above the town, so that bathers swim in basins built directly beneath a sheet of falling mountain water.Cascada de la Virgen is the main waterfall near the city centre which empties near the thermal baths These pools use mineral-rich water heated by the volcanic underground, and their position at the end of a residential street makes them feel closely tied to the daily life of the town rather than a detached resort. Other hot springs such as El Salado and Santa Clara lie a short way outside the immediate centre, making it easy to combine a soak with a short walk or a trip towards the surrounding hills.Top thermal pools in Banos de Agua Santa include El Salado, Santa Clara, La Virgen and Santa Ana

A neo-Gothic basilica built in volcanic rock

Dominating the central square of Banos stands the Basilica of Our Lady of Holy Water, known in Spanish as the Basilica Reina del Rosario de Agua Santa. This church, built in a neo-Gothic style, takes its name from a Marian devotion linked to reported apparitions near the nearby waterfall and from the belief that the local waters possess healing qualities, which has made Banos a place of pilgrimage as well as recreation.The neo-Gothic Basilica Reina Del Rosario De Agua Santa was built to honour the Virgin and is constructed of volcanic rock from Tungurahua The basilica’s towers and pointed arches rise above the low-rise townscape, their dark stone contrasting with painted details and the bright facades of the surrounding streets.

The building’s fabric draws directly on the region’s geology, because the stone used in its construction comes from the slopes of Tungurahua, the volcano that rises above Banos and has shaped the broader landscape of the province.The church of the Virgin of the Holy Water in Banos is built with many volcanic rocks Inside, walls and ceilings carry painted panels that depict scenes associated with the Virgin of Agua Santa and episodes where local residents attribute protection or healing to her intercession, giving the interior the character of a visual record of the town’s religious memory.The basilica in Banos is known for paintings illustrating miracles linked to the Virgin and the waters For visitors from Western Europe, this combination of volcanic stone, Gothic lines and local devotional art provides a clear sense of how faith and landscape interlock in this part of Ecuador.

Waterfalls, canyons and the Ruta de las Cascadas

Beyond the hot springs and the basilica, Banos de Agua Santa is closely associated with a string of waterfalls that line the Pastaza River canyon. The town serves as the starting point for the Ruta de las Cascadas, a route that follows the road towards Puyo and traces the river as it cuts through the Andean foothills, passing several named falls along the way.The route from Banos to Puyo along the Rio Pastaza is known as the Ruta de las Cascadas and passes multiple waterfalls Among these are Agoyan, Manto de la Novia, Pailon del Diablo and Machay, each with its own viewpoint, access path and relationship to the surrounding cliffs and vegetation.Nearby waterfalls include Virgen de Agua Santa, Inés María, Agoyán, El Manto de la Novia, Pailón del Diablo and Machay

One of the best-known falls on this route is Pailon del Diablo, which sends water into a narrow gorge, creating a dense spray that rises around the viewing platforms and bridges built into the rock.Pailon del Diablo is described as an impressive waterfall near Banos with a drop of around 100 metres The Pastaza River itself forms part of the boundary between the Andes and the upper Amazon basin, so the route gives a tangible sense of the transition from higher, cooler valleys to warmer, more humid lowland forest, even on a short excursion from Banos.Banos de Agua Santa sits between the Andes and the Amazon basin, with dozens of waterfalls and lush green mountains around it These waterfalls, combined with suspension bridges and roadside miradors, make the area around Banos a landscape where moving water, steep rock and human-made paths intersect in close succession.

Visiting Banos de Agua Santa: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Banos lies in Tungurahua province in central Ecuador, south of Ambato, and is reached by road through the Andean highlands from major cities such as Quito or Guayaquil.
• The town sits in a steep-sided valley beneath the volcano Tungurahua, so streets can rise and fall noticeably and paths to viewpoints or waterfalls may involve steps or sloping concrete tracks.
• The Pastaza River runs just outside Banos, and approaches to waterfalls along the Ruta de las Cascadas involve paths near cliff edges, bridges over side gorges and occasionally damp rock underfoot.
• The official language is Spanish and the currency is the United States dollar.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Banos de Agua Santa

Where is Banos de Agua Santa?

Banos de Agua Santa is a town in Tungurahua province in central Ecuador, set in a valley between the Andes and the edge of the Amazon basin.

What can visitors expect in Banos?

Visitors encounter thermal baths fed by volcanic hot springs, a neo-Gothic basilica built from volcanic rock and easy access to waterfalls along the Pastaza River canyon.

What makes Banos de Agua Santa distinctive?

The close combination of hot springs, religious pilgrimage to the basilica and adventurous routes such as the Ruta de las Cascadas gives Banos a character shaped by both water and volcanic landscape.