Only an hour and a half out of Quito along a spectacularly green, mountainside road sits the quiet little town of Papallacta. Aside from its magnificent setting, nestled amongst the rolling, green, cloud-forested hills, Papallacta draws in tourists with it's main attraction - the thermal springs.
As one of the country's most tastefully organised thermal baths, this outdoor complex Termas de Papallacta is a beautifully designed series of pools which guarantees to relax even the most stressed of travellers and soothe those weary bones! The baths are open into the evening as well and an excellent way to enjoy the experience is to pick a clear night, lay back in that health-giving water and watch the stars peek over the surrounding hills.
For those who feel they need to earn this pampering, there are several great treks in the area of varying lengths and difficulty levels. If attempting anything longer than half a day however, take good clothes and equipment as it's easy to get lost and the weather is very changeable.
Papallacta is one of the main providers of fresh water to Quito and purification plants can be seen across town as can several dairy farms as these are the town's main products aside from the hot-springs.
Papallacta is not a big place and to be fair, there is little to see and do in the town itself. There are however some great little restaurants on the main road which serve deliciously fresh trout dishes.
Camino al Amazonas
Tel: 062 895 027
via Las Termas
Tel: 06 230 624
There are also several restaurants further into town which offer rooms although expect to sacrifice on comfort and facilities.
There are also a collection of hotels surrounding the Termas de Papallacta although these are generally well outside of a backpackers budget!
Internet - There is no internet connection in Papallacta and in fact very few places where you can even make phone calls - prepare yourself for being cut off from the rest of the world for a couple of days!
Banks - Take all the funds you'll need from Quito as there is no way of getting cash advances in Papallacta.
Restaurants - Trout is definitely the dish of the day and is deliciously fresh and great value. There are many restaurants in town and some also offer cheap yet basic rooms.
