Our Favorite Secret Swimming Holes in Ecuador

We love combining adventure motorcycling with enriching and unusual off-bike activities.

One of our favorite things to do while scouting new routes is stop at local swimming holes for a swim. If a spot is outstanding, we add it to one of our guided or self-guided motorcycle tours.

Over the past ten years of riding and exploring Ecuador, we have found some of the best places to take a dip, cool off, and get back on the bike ready for the rest of the ride. Waterfalls, swimming holes, and hot springs have become an integral part of our tours, giving you the chance to discover places around the country that most visitors never find. We have plenty more that are even more secret, so join us on a tour and find your own favorite swimming hole in Ecuador.

Here are a few of the places we visit on our road trips that make the grade.

Cascada Verde and Blue Lagoon

On the western slope of Ecuador's cloudforest, en route to the coast, are Cascada Verde and Blue Lagoon, one of Ecuador's best-kept secrets. The cloudforest lies between the coast and the mountains, creating a lush environment where plants and birds thrive.

It is also a great place to ride. Winding roads weave through dense, cloud-covered terrain where the green canopy hides natural attractions far from the ordinary. To reach the swimming spots, we hike through thick foliage until the falls appear. The water is warm, the air is tropical, and the deep pools make a welcome break before getting back on the bike.

Cascada de las Latas

The town of Misahuallí sits at the end of the road between two Amazon rivers. It is one of the gateways to the jungle and appears on our Ecuador motorcycle trips as the place where we load bikes into canoes and continue deeper into the Amazon Basin.

A troop of monkeys visits the main square every day, mischievously taking food and water bottles from visitors. The lowland Quijos and Chibcha Indigenous groups are active in the region, and one of the favorite local swimming spots is Cascada de las Latas outside town.

After a boat trip and a hike through lush rainforest, the falls come into view. The water is pleasant for swimming, and you can cool off beneath the cascading stream. It is a natural pairing of motorcycle adventure and the jungle, giving you a chance to experience an area that has drawn explorers from around the world for centuries.

Río Sucio Falls

Between Valle Hermoso and the foothills leading toward Quito lies the Río Blanco valley, a region where rafting and kayaking are at their best when the river is high between January and May. The broad scenery and fun roads hide Río Sucio Falls, a local swimming hole where families and groups gather for a dip and a bite to eat at one of the local restaurants serving Ecuadorian favorites.

Huanduriaco River

The town of Cielo Verde sits alongside the Huanduriaco River in an out-of-the-way location that introduces you to an often overlooked side of Ecuador. The town may be small, but the warmth of the people is memorable.

The Huanduriaco River and the swimming spots along its banks are great places for a natural dip in clear water before starting, or after finishing, a day of crossing rivers and streams on two wheels.

Tufiño Hot Springs

A little-known hot spot in Ecuador's northern reaches and a great excuse to take one of our dirt bikes for a spin is Tufiño Hot Springs. Our self-guided tours in this area take you away from the usual tourist routes and into a seldom-seen side of Ecuadorian culture. The springs are in Tufiño, about 15 miles from the border town of Tulcán.

Barquilla Waterfalls

Also close to the Colombian border, and a tremendous out-of-the-way stop on a self-guided motorcycle tour in Ecuador, are the Barquilla Waterfalls. The falls can be hard to find and are not on every map, but they are well worth the trip for the scenery and the tranquil pool at the base.

We reach the falls by taking the Bonita Road, which skirts the border and offers a fun mix of dirt and pavement that brings out the adventurous side of riding in Ecuador.

Cascada Gallito de la Peña

The village of Pacto, in the cloudforest, lies in a region where the pre-Inca Yumbo people lived before a nearby volcano erupted and made farming difficult. Today, the rolling hills and green valleys are lush again, making motorcycle trips through the area especially scenic.

Remains of Yumbo culture, including petroglyphs, can be found deep in the forest near remote waterfalls. Closer to town are favorite local swimming holes, including waterfall-fed pools that offer a quiet break from the road.

Papallacta

A few hours from Quito and along many of the routes our tours follow, the small Andean village of Papallacta is best known for its hot springs.

The outdoor pools overlook nearby hills and valleys, with broader mountain views in the distance. A soak here makes an excellent break after time on the road, and getting there is part of the experience, with routes that skirt valleys and climb through dramatic Andean scenery.

Baños de Agua Santa

Baños de Agua Santa, in Ecuador's central highlands, is the country's outdoor adventure capital. Canyoning down waterfalls, rafting, climbing, and the Swing at the End of the World draw visitors from near and far.

The town is also famous for its hot springs. Public and private pools around Baños offer a chance to soak away the bumps from the road, with water heated by the nearby Tungurahua volcano. The ride into and out of town passes through dramatic changes in scenery, making this an especially memorable area to explore by adventure or dirt bike.

Piragua Waterfall

Piragua Waterfall in Ecuador's Nanegal region is another local spot where nature takes center stage both on and off the bike. Nearby is the Maquipucuna Reserve, at the base of the towering Santa Lucía mountain, where 340 species of birds, 50 species of mammals, and 250 species of butterflies have been identified.

Locals come here to spend a few hours relaxing, swimming in the waters of the Alambí River, and grabbing a snack of ceviche from a nearby food stand.

Nangulví Hot Springs

About an hour outside Cotacachi, near Cuicocha Lagoon in the Intag region, Nangulví Hot Springs appear after a ride through green landscapes and small villages where coffee is grown and processed.

The hot springs and riverside restaurant make a good stop for a soak and lunch, with friendly staff and hearty portions waiting at the end of the ride.

Tubing the Napo River

While it is not a swimming hole or hot spring, tubing down the Napo River with Misahuallí as a base puts you right in the middle of the Amazon.

The trip takes you through peaceful stretches of river where birds fly overhead and animals sometimes appear in the trees along the shore. Part of Ecuador Freedom's approach is taking our clients to places seldom visited by others, with experiences that offer a closer look at the country's natural beauty and living culture.

Discovering local favorites and unusual places around Ecuador is one of the ways we share the fun of traveling here. For more information about an adventure on two wheels or a 4x4 tour, contact a team member.