Banos de Agua Santa, the Gateway to the Amazon Basin in Ecuador.
Nature, sustainability development at the Banos de Agua Santa, Gateway to the Amazon Basin of Ecuador.
Exploring Banos and the surrounding nature reveals a diverse biosphere and amazing interaction of human beings with nature. Banos area is part of the Tungurahua province. Many traveling to the Amazon basin of Ecuador go through the city of Banos. This area is also known for hiking the 7-waterfalls to the area of Tungurahua volcano. The city of Banos is sitting underneath the mountains where you can enjoy the hot springs which are rich with minerals.
Mountains and waterfalls in Banos de Agua Santa, Ecuador.
Banos is a popular tourist destination. The locals enjoy the income from tourism. Additionally, this area is known for its agriculture and they sell the production of cane sugar and other vegetables and fruits, as Ecuador is known for its richness in fruit. Banos is named Banos de Agua Santa, meaning bath of holy waters. It is named after the hot springs that are located in the town, which are rich with various minerals and have the reputation of healing.
Hot springs with minerals, power of healing in Banos de Agua Santa, Ecuador.
We arrived at 5 am to Banos and we went directly to the hot springs to participate in the local bath and to enjoy the rich minerals. Between 5 - 6 in the morning, you can witness the amazing sunrise and the colors around the mountain are changing.
5 am in the hot springs, red color on the mountain underneath the hot springs in Banos, Ecuador.
Morning sunrise with local Ecuadorians bathing in the hot springs at Banos, Ecuador.
From the hot springs, we took the chiva, which is the local tourist bus. We toured the surroundings, including the candy factory, the panela factory, which are the symbol for this city. We witnessed different waterfalls and we enjoyed the local food of ceviche and platano y queso.
Touring the 7 waterfalls in the surrounding of Banos de Agua Santa, Ecuador.
Amazonas Ecuadorian typical dish of ceviche.
Amazonas Ecuadorian typical dish of platano y queso.
Typical production of candies from cane panela in the factory in Banos de Agua Santa, Ecuador.
The best and the most famous attraction is the Pailon de Diablo and Agoyan, which are the dramatic waterfalls in the Rio Pastaza. There are two different entrances to those waterfalls. We took the entrance from the lower side in order to climb to the top of the waterfall where we could witness the strong stream and the amazing power that they are representing.
Welcome to famous Pailon de Diablo waterfalls near Banos, Ecuador.
The dramatic Pailon de Diablo waterfalls on the Rio Pastaza near Banos, Ecuador.
Hiking to the top of the Pailon de Diablo waterfalls near Banos, Ecuador.
In the evening, we strolled in the city and we enjoyed visiting the main square where the court of La Iglesia de la Virgen de Agua Santa in Banos is located. Banos is a very religious Catholic area. The locals believe that the Virgin Mary appears near the waterfalls, therefore, you can find the sculpture of the Virgin in the church of the city center as well as other parts of the city.
Virgin Mary statue near the waterfalls in Banos de Agua Santa, Ecuador.
The population in Banos is a combination of Ecuadorian indigenous communities of the Amazonans and local Ecuadorian combined with some Europeans that stayed in the region while traveling.
Banos has rich wildlife in the surrounding area, in the mountains and near the waterfalls. In the local zoo, you can find the typical Amazonas animals including different kinds of parrots, wild cats and tigers.
Indigenous communities and biodiversity of wildlife, typical to the Amazon basin of Ecuador.
Typical parrot, scientific name “Psittaciformes” of the Amazon basin of Ecuador.
I enjoyed traveling in this area of Banos de Agua Santa, as it offers amazing nature co-mingling with local indigenous communities and a window to the Amazon Basin of Ecuador.
Ecuadorian flag on top of the Pailon de Diablo waterfalls near Banos de Agua Santa, Ecuador.
