4 reviewed party hostels · from €5.38/night · verified ratings
Baños sits at the foot of the active Tungurahua volcano in central Ecuador, and its nightlife punches well above its weight for a town this small. Calle Oriente and the streets around it fill up with backpackers most nights of the week, with cheap cocktails, salsa beats, and travellers fresh off the Route of the Waterfalls comparing notes over a beer. The hostel scene is compact but lively, and you'll find social common rooms and rooftop terraces that keep the party going long before anyone heads out to a bar. Erupción Art Hotel and Hostel is one of the standout names for backpackers who want both comfort and a crowd. Mama Tungurahua is another regular favourite, known for its communal vibe and proximity to the main drag. Hostel dorm beds typically start around $8 to $12 a night, which leaves plenty left over for the local firewater, canelazo.
Ranked by verified guest rating · Prices per dorm bed per night
At €7 a night and rated 9.0, Erupcion Art Hotel & Hostel has a rooftop bar, a combination that narrows the field in Banos. Jack Rock Bar on Calle Oriente, Town Centre. One of the most reliably busy bars in Baños, Jack Rock draws backpackers and locals alike with its rock and reggaeton playlist and cheap local beer.
Baños sits at the foot of the active Tungurahua volcano in central Ecuador, and its nightlife punches well above its weight for a town this small. Great Hostels is in Town Centre (Parque Central area), which puts it at the start of that circuit. Jack Rock Bar on Calle Oriente, Town Centre. One of the most reliably busy bars in Baños, Jack Rock draws backpackers and locals alike with its rock and reggaeton playlist and cheap local beer. Leprechaun Bar on Calle Oriente, Town Centre is the fallback option if the first place is packed. At €7 a night and rated 9.2. At 9.2, it's near the top of Banos's hostel field without being the standout leader.
Baños sits at the foot of the active Tungurahua volcano in central Ecuador, and its nightlife punches well above its weight for a town this small. Mama Tungu Hostel is in Town Centre (Parque Central area), which puts it at the start of that circuit. Jack Rock Bar on Calle Oriente, Town Centre. One of the most reliably busy bars in Baños, Jack Rock draws backpackers and locals alike with its rock and reggaeton playlist and cheap local beer. Leprechaun Bar on Calle Oriente, Town Centre is the fallback option if the first place is packed. At €7 a night and rated 9.7. The 9.7 rating puts Mama Tungu Hostel among the best-reviewed hostels in Banos.
At €5 a night and rated 8.4, Papachos Hostel has a rooftop terrace, a combination that narrows the field in Banos. Jack Rock Bar on Calle Oriente, Town Centre. One of the most reliably busy bars in Baños, Jack Rock draws backpackers and locals alike with its rock and reggaeton playlist and cheap local beer. Leprechaun Bar on Calle Oriente, Town Centre is the fallback option if the first place is packed. The hostel runs group BBQ nights, useful for people arriving without a plan.
How Banos's nightlife zones break down
The grid of streets surrounding Parque Central is where most backpackers base themselves. Calle Oriente and Calle Ambato hold the majority of bars, hostels, and cheap restaurants within a few blocks of each other. Everything you need for a night out is walkable from here.
Running parallel to the main park, Eloy Alfaro has a slightly quieter feel during the day but comes alive at night with several of the town's most popular bars and live music venues. It's a short walk from the central hostels and sits close to the market area.
The eastern edge of Baños near the start of the Ruta de las Cascadas is more relaxed and better suited to travellers who want to combine day trips with social evenings back in town. A few guesthouses sit in this direction, and it's around a 10-minute walk back to the centre.
Bars, clubs and live music in Banos
One of the most reliably busy bars in Baños, Jack Rock draws backpackers and locals alike with its rock and reggaeton playlist and cheap local beer. The bar fills up fast on weekends and often keeps going well past midnight. Pitchers of beer are a solid deal and the bartenders are friendly with recommendations.
An Irish-style pub that has become something of a Baños institution for travellers. It's louder and more social than it looks from the outside, with pool tables, strong cocktails, and a crowd that mixes long-term travellers with fresh arrivals. Sports are screened regularly, and the bar stays open later than most spots in town.
A relaxed but social spot that picks up as the evening goes on. Buda Bar serves solid cocktails at fair prices and has a laid-back terrace area that's good for meeting other travellers early in the night before things move elsewhere. The caipirinha is a go-to.
Not the international chain, but a locally run bar with the same rock-heavy vibe. It's a good stop for live music nights and tends to attract a younger crowd looking to dance. Check with your hostel for which nights live bands play, as the schedule changes.
A simple but popular spot for cheap canelazo, the warm cinnamon and sugarcane spirit drink that Ecuador does best. This is where locals and travellers mix most naturally, and you'll pick up far better stories here than at a tourist-facing club. Go early to get a seat.
The closest thing Baños has to a proper club, Cascada plays a mix of salsa, cumbia, and reggaeton and stays open until the early hours on Friday and Saturday nights. The dance floor gets genuinely packed on weekends, and entry is usually a couple of dollars. Go after midnight when the crowd arrives.
What's on in Banos