Agua Blanca
Agua Blanca
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4.0
177 reviews
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74
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tropmem
Quito, Ecuador277 contributions
Mar 2012 • Couples
Agua Blanca, located in the Machallila National Park near Puerto Lopez, is a unique attraction well worth visiting. It's a living community comprised of approx. 72 families with 300 people total. The original settlers there were the Montana Cultura, from 800 - 1532 AD. You'll find a lovely small museum filled with arqueological artefacts that have been discovered on the site, and you'll be guided through the museum by a local guide - tours are in Spanish, so a little knowledge of the language is helpful, although not absolutely necessary, to appreciate the workmanship of these early craftsmen. The burial pots, complete with skeletons, are real eye-openers. Photos are permitted, so be sure to take your camera. Following the museum tour is a hike through the area - the guide will tell you it's 20 minutes, but it's really closer to 1-1/2 hours. You'll walk along the river to the sulphur spring and the guide will point out the natural elements still used by the community, such as a soap shrub - they wash their clothes in the sulphur water, but the soap totally removes the smell. After the spring you walk up to a mirador where you have a view of the entire area, which is fairly breath-taking. The path is excellent for walking, and anyone in decent condition can comfortably make the hike.You'll encounter a large number of goats during the walk - most are tame, friendly and curious, and love to pose for photos. Be sure and carry water with you - it's hot on the coast!
Next door to the museum is a small open-air market where members of the community sell jewelry, handicrafts, and the locally ubiquitous Palo Santo, both in wood and oil form. This is widely used to dispel mosquitos, and is also believed to relieve arthritis - it makes a great gift to take home. Prices are very low, so try to part with a few dollars to help support the community. There is also a restaurant on site. and you can arrange for horseback riding - we didn't do this, so I can't comment.
If you're visiting the coast, take a few hours away from the beach to visit Agua Blanca - you'll thoroughly enjoy it! Any cab from Puerto Lopez can take you there - it's about a 10 minute drive from town.
Next door to the museum is a small open-air market where members of the community sell jewelry, handicrafts, and the locally ubiquitous Palo Santo, both in wood and oil form. This is widely used to dispel mosquitos, and is also believed to relieve arthritis - it makes a great gift to take home. Prices are very low, so try to part with a few dollars to help support the community. There is also a restaurant on site. and you can arrange for horseback riding - we didn't do this, so I can't comment.
If you're visiting the coast, take a few hours away from the beach to visit Agua Blanca - you'll thoroughly enjoy it! Any cab from Puerto Lopez can take you there - it's about a 10 minute drive from town.
Written April 4, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
marcopolo111
Cleveland, Oh2,736 contributions
Jan 2015 • Solo
This is a proud small community of Monteno, a very ancien civilization of South America, that try to survive and maintain a cultural heritage in spite of many adversities, including long periods of lack of rain and lack of government support. It is located a few miles away north from Puerto Lopez. There is a sign, a gate where you pay 5 $ per person, which includes everything and it goes to the community,, and you follow a paved road to the church and the museum. You will be assigned a guide, a member of the community serving on rotation. He/she will take to the museum, which is located in a primitive and modest setting but it is fascinating: you can follow thousand years of civilization ending with the Montenos being annihilated after the arrival of the conquistadores in the 16th century. From there the guide (mine was enthusiastic, knowledgeable of history, and any plant and bird) take you to a easy walking tour: you can select a short one or a few hours climbing to the mountains. You will see impressive flora and fauna, especially birds, ruins, remains of temples, burial sites and local farms. At the end you can dip on a sulphur natural pond and even spread yourself with mud to allegedly improve your skin. You can also have a simple but wonderful lunch and purchase some inexpensive but well made crafts out of local pearl, coral and spondylus. Overall a terrific experience, highly recommended.
Written February 3, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dwily311
Charlotte, NC8 contributions
Jan 2013 • Couples
Very nice, small museum with bi-lingual guides explaining the history and culture of Ecuador over various periods of time. Take a nice walk/hike through the Park seeing various plants and wildlife, then cover yourself in mud and bathe in the relaxing sulfuric waters in the park. Cool and different, the Park offers a little of everything.
Written August 7, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
clpayne
Missouri City, TX1,670 contributions
Nov 2016 • Couples
No need to book as a tour. Can easily do on your own. We took the local green bus for $1 to Puerto Lopez. Then took a cab for $4/person each way ($16 total for 2 rt) and were delivered right to the front door. $5/person park admission. Some mention "hiking" in from the main road. Wouldn't call this a hike other than bc it's a LONG ways. It's just a long relatively boring walk along a road with not much to see. We are fit/active and could have done it. Glad we didn't. Spent 4 hrs total and we didn't pay cab driver until he returned.
Hiked for 2.5 hrs. Easy hike. Relatively flat except for a few stairs down to the river bed. We visited during dry season so could hike along the river bed most of the way. Opted to hike some of the trails merely for shade. Saw lots of goats, a few donkeys and pigs and some birds. Came back to the main area where we enjoyed our picnic lunch. They do have a small "local" restaurant, but not sure what they serve and whether kids would enjoy the food or not? We weren't sure if food was available and thus why we brought a picnic.
Then hiked to the lagoon. Not well marked to get there and you are hiking up which doesn't feel right to get to a lagoon. Just keep going! It eventually goes down and opens up to the lagoon.
I chose to do the mud bath which consists of them handing you a very small cup of mud to spread on your body. You can then swim in the sulphur pool. Life jkts available for kids. Beware....sulphur pool smells like swimming in a tub of rotten eggs! But hey, try everything in life once! Mud and lagoon no addtl charge.
I had a 20 min massage which actually went for 30 min = $20. For $25 they offered a 50 min massage but we were running out of time! 😥
They have changing rooms and showers at the Laguna. They also have a little cantina selling drinks and snacks. Large beer = $2 and empanadas .50 cents I think. Husband opted for this rather than stinky mud and massage.
They also offered horse back riding, but not sure the price since we opted for hiking.
Fun afternoon!
Hiked for 2.5 hrs. Easy hike. Relatively flat except for a few stairs down to the river bed. We visited during dry season so could hike along the river bed most of the way. Opted to hike some of the trails merely for shade. Saw lots of goats, a few donkeys and pigs and some birds. Came back to the main area where we enjoyed our picnic lunch. They do have a small "local" restaurant, but not sure what they serve and whether kids would enjoy the food or not? We weren't sure if food was available and thus why we brought a picnic.
Then hiked to the lagoon. Not well marked to get there and you are hiking up which doesn't feel right to get to a lagoon. Just keep going! It eventually goes down and opens up to the lagoon.
I chose to do the mud bath which consists of them handing you a very small cup of mud to spread on your body. You can then swim in the sulphur pool. Life jkts available for kids. Beware....sulphur pool smells like swimming in a tub of rotten eggs! But hey, try everything in life once! Mud and lagoon no addtl charge.
I had a 20 min massage which actually went for 30 min = $20. For $25 they offered a 50 min massage but we were running out of time! 😥
They have changing rooms and showers at the Laguna. They also have a little cantina selling drinks and snacks. Large beer = $2 and empanadas .50 cents I think. Husband opted for this rather than stinky mud and massage.
They also offered horse back riding, but not sure the price since we opted for hiking.
Fun afternoon!
Written November 1, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MonkeyMelissa
Medellin, Colombia24 contributions
Jun 2014 • Couples
My husband and I found the tour here to be pretty interesting. If you're curious what modern day life is like for an indigenous community, it's worth it. If you're not a particularly curious person, you mind find it boring.
We paid $5 each for entrance, which goes to the small community's fund to support them. I wouldn't recommend it for non-Spanish speakers (unless you have a translator). After exploring some of the grounds, you can bathe in the spring (reeks of sulfur! Haha!).
It only takes about 1-2 hours - consider going after a day at Los Frailes (which closes at 4pm, and this place is open until 6pm or so). Not worth going too far out of your way, but if you're already there, try it out! Don't wear your favorite swimsuit - mine got stained from the clay.
We paid $5 each for entrance, which goes to the small community's fund to support them. I wouldn't recommend it for non-Spanish speakers (unless you have a translator). After exploring some of the grounds, you can bathe in the spring (reeks of sulfur! Haha!).
It only takes about 1-2 hours - consider going after a day at Los Frailes (which closes at 4pm, and this place is open until 6pm or so). Not worth going too far out of your way, but if you're already there, try it out! Don't wear your favorite swimsuit - mine got stained from the clay.
Written July 12, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yvette D
Ottawa, Canada245 contributions
Mar 2013 • Couples
Visiting the small museum in Agua Blanca sheds light on the ancient culture of the Manta people who still inhabit the area. Walking through the tropical forest with a guide is a real treat as you spot owls, hummingbirds, insects, termite nests, and ford streams until you reach the oasis of the "agua blanca", where you coat yourself in mud before a dip in the soft sulpher water, before heading back to the starting point.
Written April 1, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dale H
Darwin, Australia68 contributions
Jun 2019 • Couples
Kill a few hours in and around Puerto López
A little village, walk around a few digs and small museum. A dry forest with green river valley. A few restaurants.
Despite being a Saturday was not busy at all when we went around midday.
To get there...
$1.5 in a Mototaxi to the terminal.
$0.5 for a northbound bus to the entrance
$5 for entry including Springs, tour, etc.
5km walk, hitch a ride or hire a bike. Bikes available to hire at the entrance for $3, check them 1st.
A little village, walk around a few digs and small museum. A dry forest with green river valley. A few restaurants.
Despite being a Saturday was not busy at all when we went around midday.
To get there...
$1.5 in a Mototaxi to the terminal.
$0.5 for a northbound bus to the entrance
$5 for entry including Springs, tour, etc.
5km walk, hitch a ride or hire a bike. Bikes available to hire at the entrance for $3, check them 1st.
Written June 15, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Christophe K
vancouver171 contributions
Mar 2019 • Solo
Some reviews mention a poor experience because of an uninterested guide. I was lucky at the museum I was connected with a 30 year old woman who is not from the community but a university student doing an internship, well she new her stuff and had a clear Spanish ( no guides speak english) once we were done with the 20 min tour of the museum she walked me to the water another15 min walk and pointed to many things along the way. The pool of sulfuric water was almost empty, they give you mud to apply on you before letting it dry for 25 minutes and washing of in the pool. From terminal terestre it's a. 50c ride. 5 min to the entrance where you pay 5.00, then you wait for a 3.00 taxi or hop on a mototaxi for 1.00 , in the Village there are a few restaurants normal prices.
Written March 22, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gretchen s
Denver, CO32 contributions
Jun 2018
For about 5$, where else can you enjoy hot springs and a historical/archeological site? Very knowledgeable guides, a nice slow-paced afternoon.
Written June 18, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MiguelinaMishina
UK133 contributions
Aug 2017 • Family
Is great to see the community pulling together to protect the history and culture of the area. We enjoyed the visit and walk to the Sulphur Pool of healing water. Is perfect and cared for by the locals. Wonderful!
Written August 18, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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