HELLO FROM BAÑOS, ECUADOR...A HIDDEN TREASURE IN THE ANDES!

by CliffMickelson , Not in the United States!, Saturday, May 12, 2012, 16:13
edited by CliffMickelson, Saturday, May 12, 2012, 19:02

Today I write to you from a most delightful spot. I have discovered a little town high in the Ecuadorian Andes called Baños. It is named after the thermal hot springs that abound all around here. My hotel is right across the street from the main set of baths. Close behind the hotel is a waterfall plunging hundreds of feet to the ground. As you might imagine, the scenery is world class.

This town is a short 3 hour bus ride from Tena(in the Amazon jungle) and about 3.5 hours from Quito. The city is small. I would compare it to a town the size of Breckenridge Colorado and in fact it seems to have a lot in common with Breckenridge in that it has hundreds of small artisan type shops and restaurants with a very pleasant atmosphere. The town is clean and the sidewalks are wide.
I really like this place and recomend it highly. There are plenty of great hostels and hotels here and the average rate for a single room with a bath is $10 US. I went for a short walk after my arrival this afternoon and found a great pizza parlor. They even served Corona beer from Mexico! After lunch I walked through some of the shops and found some wonderfully made leather purses and handbags. The craftsmanship here is outstanding. When you come to Ecuador be sure to put Baños on your list of places to visit!

-Cliff Mickelson