Banos Ecuador is a charming little town tucked in a valley next to the volcano Tungurahua

This was our last stop in Ecuador and we chose to stay at La Casa Verde

An ecohostal run by Doug and Rebecca, two extremely conscientious and accommodating hosts dedicated to living green and providing food and furnishings that come from local vendors.

The hostal sits just outside the city limits and we had views of the mountainside right out our window.

While Banos is known for all manner of outdoor activities (canyoning, white water rafting, hiking, climbing), the waterfalls are the main attractions. Travelers can walk, ride or drive the “ruta la cascadas,” ride a tarabita (cable car) near the Manto de la Novia

And climb up into the Pailon del Diablo where the “trail” turns into a crawl space

And ends under a rock overhang with the millions of gallons of water falling all around and the most incredible views

The Pailon del Diablo translates as Devil’s Cauldron, so named because of the shape of the pool where the water falls and also because of the devil’s face in the rock. Can you see it?

The waterfalls coming off the volcano help heat the thermal baths in the center of town that supposedly have healing properties

Called Termas la Virgin because of a Virgin Mary sighting in the vicinity.

The other big landmark in town is the church, dedicated to the Virgin de Agua Santa

I loved Banos. It has a laid back vibe and there’s a lot to do in an around the city. I could have stayed for a week but unfortunately, we only had a few days here before heading back to Quito.

Tomorrow, Posada del Arte, the other notable place we ate in Banos