Baños Termales San Vincente

At 6:30am one morning this week,  I met our friends Monica and John and we headed for the thermal baths.  After a few taxi rides we arrived at San Vicente.

If you are looking for fancy and fussy with lots of ambiance, this is not the place for you.  This is a basic thermal bath that has the addition of the mud pool and massages and a steam room.

It was very inexpensive. A $2 entrance fee gave you the option to use any of the basic facilities which include the thermal bath, swimming pool, mud pool and showers, bathrooms and changing areas.

Here Monica, John and I have just gotten out of the warm, bubbling, mineral laden spa after spending about 20 minutes. Those with high blood pressure are advised to only stay in for 10 minutes at a time.

They also have massages available at $4 for either the volcanic mud or the aloe.  They also offer a steam bath called vapor for $3 which had several wonderful herbs including rosemary and eucalyptus.

What a fun time. When we first got there we changed, showered and then took the first dip in the warm, mineral filled bubbling pool.  It was very difficult getting out — so soothing and relaxing!

After 9am the massage staff arrives and we were surely warmed up for a good deep massage.  I asked for the volcanic mud massage. It is a 30 minute, pretty intense massage. I used Lucy in room #7. Hands of steel.  After, you move to the outside area and lounge on chairs until the mud dries.

John & I decked out in MUD

Both John and I got the mud massage – then you sit for 15 minutes to allow the mud to dry and then “try to get it all off”.  I must have been in the showers for 20 minutes, I had more in my hair and my ears than on the rest of my body combined!

After we were showered we went back to the mineral spa. By the time we got back, there were about 15 people using it.  Come early because the place fills up.

The mud pool is much larger than I had expected.

All the facilities have separate buildings. The above structure houses the swimming pool, which also has the mineral waters.

There was a display at the entrance walkway showing the bones of an extinct bear once found in this part of Ecuador.

It was a wonderful day and I would love to do this once a week. It was so relaxing and my skin felt like silk after the treatment.