Not to be confused with Banos de Agua Santa in eastern Ecuador, which is known as the gateway to the Amazon and home to over 60 waterfalls. This Banos is a small village just outside Cuenca that is known for its hot springs. When I arrived in Cuenca I had a touch of the flu and initially looked for somewhere with a simple sauna or steam room to sweat off the bug. Banos turned out to offer a lot more.

The first thermal spa I tried was Novaqua (www.novaqua.com.ec/en/spa-novaqua-home/), a US$4.00 taxi ride from the centre of Cuenca.

The mineral water used in the spas comes from a geological fault called la loma de los hervideros. It produces the hottest thermal water in Ecuador at about 75’C. It is then cooled to between 36’C and 42’C for use in the spas. The main feature of Novaqua is its thermal pool which is nearer 36’C. Also included in the US$15 day pass is access to the contrast thermal waters (hot and cold pools for alternate use), natural steam bath and sauna. There is also a nice café next to the main pool.

For an additional US$5, you can get access to the volcanic mud cave. I didn’t try this but felt a bit better after a long soak I the thermal pools.

Whilst talking to my fellow soakers at Novaqua, I learnt that there was another thermal spa across the road and that both the No 12 and 100 buses go from central Cuenca to Banos for a fare of US$0.25.  The following day I returned on the bus to try out the other thermal spa – Piedra de Agua (www.piedradeagua.com.ec).

The day fee here for the “spa circuit” was US$35.00 but you get a lot more for your money. The circuits starts off with the red volcanic mud hot spring followed by the blue mud one.

I found it rather hard to take a selfie whilst covered in mud so I took a picture of the couple that followed me once I was mud free. The basic idea is that you cover yourself in mud, sit out on the deck chairs in the sun for 20 mins and then wash it all off. Repeat with blue mud.

Next was the underground contrast pools. 10 mins in the hot (42’C) one and 2 mins in the cold one.

After that were the steam boxes. Once helped into the box, with a towel around your neck to keep the steam in, you have a tap to control the steam level. Sit there until thoroughly super heated.

Finish off in the Japanese pool which has a couple of contrast pools at the rear. There is also a small thermal springs museum and a spa in this area.

There is also another thermal pool with sun bathing area.

And a much larger set of contrast pools.

There is a great restaurant\café.

My favourite part was the hidden contrast pools in the spa which can be accessed via a secret doorway in the garden…

which leads you through a tunnel…

to another set of contrast pools. I think you were only supposed to use them if you had paid for additional spa treatments but it was quiet and the staff didn’t seem to mind me in there.

All around are beautifully manicured gardens.

Novaqua was great for the price but Piedra de Agua was well worth the extra money and the best in my opinion. After two days sat in thermal pools, I felt revived and ready to continue.