Baños de Agua Santa is one of Ecuador's most popular destinations for independent travellers, a small town built dramatically on a shelf beneath the active Tungurahua volcano. The name means "baths of holy water" — hot springs fed by volcanic activity have drawn visitors for centuries, and the town's basilica is dedicated to the Virgen del Agua Santa, credited with protecting the town from eruptions and other calamities.
The setting is spectacular: steep green mountains on all sides, waterfalls cascading down the valleys, and the gateway to the Oriente — Ecuador's Amazon region — just down the road. The Ruta de las Cascadas — a 17-kilometre downhill bicycle ride through a gorge lined with waterfalls, ending at the spectacular Pailón del Diablo — is one of the best half-day trips in Ecuador. Up on the hillside above town, the Casa del Árbol swing dangles over a view of the volcano crater and has become Ecuador's most viral photograph. The thermal baths are worth an evening, and watching the melcocha candy being pulled on iron hooks along Calle Ambato is a Baños ritual.
The town itself is geared towards backpackers and adventure travellers, with guesthouses, tour operators and restaurants lining the main streets. It has a lively, slightly chaotic energy that makes it easy to stay longer than planned.