Plan on about 6 h 18 min of driving for the 263-mile (424 km) trip from Salinas to Baños, before any stops.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Ecuador: Duran, in Guayas province.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Ecuador: In Guayaquil: Nueva Prosperina and Pascuales districts, and all areas south of Portete de Tarqui Avenue (areas north of the avenue are Level 3).
- Level 3: Reconsider Travel in Ecuador: Sucumbios, Manabi, Santa Elena, and Santo Domingo provinces.
This route passes through or near an area the State Department rates Do Not Travel. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive: Ecuador. Advisory issued: Ecuador August 18, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Ecuador: “Some roads are poorly maintained. They may lack crash barriers, guard rails, signs, and streetlights.”
| Distance by road | 263 mi (424 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 18 min |
| Main roads, in order | E40 → E487 → E35 → E490 → E30 |
| Provinces on the route | Santa Elena, Guayas, Cañar, Chimborazo, Napo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
How the Salinas to Baños drive plays out
E40 (117 mi) and E487 (86 mi) carry about 77% of the 263 miles. It runs through 5 provinces: Santa Elena, Guayas, Cañar, Chimborazo, Napo. Of the 6 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Salinas to Baños
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Province |
|---|---|---|---|
| E40 | 0–81 | 81 | Santa Elena, Guayas |
| local roads | 81–89 | 8 | Guayas |
| E40 | 89–125 | 36 | Guayas |
| local roads | 125–130 | 5 | Guayas, Cañar |
| E487 | 130–216 | 86 | Cañar, Guayas, Chimborazo |
| connecting roads | 216–219 | 3 | Chimborazo |
| E35 | 219–226 | 7 | Chimborazo |
| local roads | 226–235 | 9 | Chimborazo |
| E490 | 235–250 | 15 | Chimborazo |
| local roads | 250–260 | 10 | Chimborazo, Napo |
| E30 | 260–263 | 3 | Napo |
- Mile 43 of this route: Santa Elena → Guayas (province line)
- Mile 46 of this route: Guayas → Santa Elena (province line)
- Mile 60 of this route: Santa Elena → Guayas (province line)
- Mile 127 of this route: Guayas → Cañar (province line)
- Mile 142 of this route: Cañar → Guayas (province line)
- Mile 151 of this route: Guayas → Chimborazo (province line)
- Mile 253 of this route: Chimborazo → Napo (province line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Salinas and Baños
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cerro Blanco Forest (mile 77), Museo Nacional del Cacao - Guayaquil (mile 86), Parque Histórico de Guayaquil (mile 90), Sacred Heart Basilica (Riobamba) (mile 231)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro Blanco Forest (mile 77), Parque Histórico de Guayaquil (mile 90), Laguna de Colta (mile 216)
- Museums and history: Museo Nacional del Cacao - Guayaquil (mile 86), Sacred Heart Basilica (Riobamba) (mile 231)
Cerro Blanco Forest
Owned by Holcim Ecuador and managed by Fundación Pro-Bosque, Cerro Blanco Forest is a tropical dry forest reserve in Guayas Province, Ecuador.
Teatro Centro Cívico Eloy Alfaro
Teatro Centro Cívico Eloy Alfaro sits in Guayaquil's Parque Forestal; construction began in 1970, and it opened in 1990 while still unfinished.
Museo Nacional del Cacao - Guayaquil
Ecuador's cacao takes center stage at Museo Nacional del Cacao in Guayaquil, a cultural institution devoted to the history, culture and international reach of the country's cocoa.
Parque Histórico de Guayaquil
Parque Histórico de Guayaquil combines a wildlife area showing local plants and animals with old city houses that were taken down from their original sites and rebuilt here.
Laguna de Colta
Laguna de Colta is a lake of about 275 hectares in Colta canton, Chimborazo province, in Ecuador's central highlands, home to native birds and many kinds of colorful fish.
Sacred Heart Basilica (Riobamba)
Facing Parque Libertad in Riobamba, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Basílica del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús) was begun in 1883, took 32 years to finish and was consecrated in 1915.
More drives to Baños
From Salinas to other places in Ecuador
- Salinas to San Luis de Pambil
- Salinas to Guaranda
- Salinas to Alausi
- Salinas to Guano
- Salinas to Chugchilán
- Salinas to Puyo
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Salinas to Baños?
About 6 h 18 min of driving without stops, over 263 miles.
What is the driving distance from Salinas to Baños?
About 263 miles (424 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Salinas to Baños drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Ecuador Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Parts of this route are in or near areas rated Level 4: Do Not Travel (Ecuador: Duran, in Guayas province; Ecuador: In Guayaquil: Nueva Prosperina and Pascuales districts, and all areas south of Portete de Tarqui Avenue (areas north of the avenue are Level 3)). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Salinas to Baños?
In order: E40, E487, E35, E490 and E30. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Salinas to Baños?
Closest to the road: Cerro Blanco Forest (forest, mile 77, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo Nacional del Cacao - Guayaquil (museum, mile 86, 0.7 mi from the route); Parque Histórico de Guayaquil (park, mile 90, 0.6 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.