El Valle de Antón Hot Springs: Prices, Hours, Getting There

Q: How much does it cost to enter the El Valle de Antón hot springs?

About $4 for adults and $2 for children aged 6 to 12 at the public Balneario Termal as of 2026. Some guides quote $3-5, and one lists $7, so bring $5 per adult in small bills. Payment is in cash at the gate.

Q: What time do the El Valle hot springs open and close?

Daily, from about 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Some listings give 8:30 am to 4:00 pm on weekdays and until 5:00 pm on weekends. Arrive by 3:30 pm so you are not caught out by an early closing, and expect possible changes on national holidays.

Q: Can you walk to the hot springs from El Valle town?

Yes, it is about a 20-minute walk from the market. Walk past the church, take the second street on the left and follow it to the end. Distance estimates range from about 700 meters to 1.5 km depending on where you start.

Q: How much is a taxi to the El Valle hot springs?

Around $2-4 from the town center as of 2026. Taxis in El Valle use either a meter or a fixed fare, so agree on the price before you get in. If you want a ride back, arrange it with the same driver.

Q: Does the bus from Albrook stop at the hot springs?

No, it stops in the town center near the market. From there it is a 20-minute walk or a short taxi ride to the pools. The bus leaves from Platform 48 at Albrook and costs about $4.25-5. See our El Valle day trip guide for times.

Q: Are the El Valle hot springs worth visiting?

Worth an hour, not a half-day. The pools are small, rustic and warm (around 38 °C) rather than hot, and the volcanic mud is the main draw. They work best as a cheap soak after a hike, and less well as the main reason to come to El Valle.

Q: Is the volcanic mud at the hot springs free?

Mud is included with entry. At least one visitor account says the free mud is meant for the face, and covering your whole body cost a few dollars more. Ask at the ticket window before you start.

Q: Can I combine the hot springs with Chorro El Macho in one day?

Yes, easily. Do the waterfall in the morning and soak after lunch, since both are a short ride or walk from the center. Our El Valle waterfalls guide covers fees and trail times.

The El Valle de Antón hot springs are the community-run Balneario Termal, better known as Pozos Termales, about a 20-minute walk south of the town market. Entry costs around $4 for adults and $2 for children aged 6 to 12, paid in cash, and the pools open daily from about 8:00 am to 4:30 pm as of November 2026.^[1] Plan on an hour or two there, not a half-day.

The hot springs in El Valle go by several names. Their official name is Balneario Termal, but locals and taxi drivers call them Pozos Termales or Aguas Termales. English listings use names like "Anton Valley hot springs" or simply "El Valle hot springs." All of these refer to the same small complex, run by the Comité Pro-Mejoras de El Valle, so the entry fee goes back to the town.^[2] It sits on the slopes of Cerro Cara Iguana, at the southern edge of the crater.^[3]

Expect a rustic soak among trees, with no spa treatments or loungers. The water is warm rather than hot, and the volcanic mud is the main attraction. If you are still planning the wider trip, our complete El Valle de Antón travel guide covers the town, the trails and how many days to spend.

Quick answer

El Valle hot springs: which pools to visit and what they cost

For nearly every visitor, the answer is the public Balneario Termal. It has warm mineral pools and volcanic mud for your face, and entry costs a few dollars. It is close enough to the market to walk. The only real alternative open to the public is the day pass at El Valle Resort & Spa, which costs more than twice as much.

A large tree stands on a grassy lawn in late afternoon light, with a mountain ridge rising behind the trees. Randy Navarro B. · CC BY-SA 4.0

Option	Adult price	Hours	Volcanic mud	Best for
Balneario Termal (Pozos Termales), public pools	About $4 (reports range $3-7); children 6-12 about $2	Daily, about 8:00 am-4:30 pm	Included	Best value
El Valle Resort & Spa thermal day pass	About $8-10; children about $5	Daily; listings vary between 8:00 am-5:00 pm and 9:00 am-6:00 pm	Not stated	Travelers who want a hotel setting
Thermal bath at your lodging (for example La Casa de los Patos)	Part of your stay	Guests only	Varies	Soaking without leaving your hotel
Packaged private tours (sold on booking sites)	Tour price, set by the operator	Set by the operator	Varies	No car and no wish to plan

Prices per adult as of November 2026. The public pools take cash only and cannot be booked ahead.

Are the El Valle hot springs worth it?

They are worth an hour, especially after a hike, but they will not fill a half-day. The water is around 38 °C, about as warm as a hot bath at home.^[4] The pools are small and simple, and the main draw is smearing on volcanic mud, letting it dry and rinsing it off. The Spanish edition of this guide puts it plainly: one or two hours is enough.

Reviews are mixed. Some visitors find the setting relaxing, while others expected more for the trip out. One Tripadvisor review is headlined "La estafa" (the scam). If you picture steaming volcanic pools or a landscaped spa, you will be disappointed. Go for a cheap, short soak and the reviews are much kinder.

The "Rainfall Hot Springs" private tour is a different thing

Booking sites sell a "Valle de Anton Rainfall Hot Springs and Nature" private tour. It is a packaged product with a guide and transport, not a separate public pool you can walk into. If you book one, check which pools it actually visits and compare the price with doing it yourself. On your own, the soak is a few dollars of cash at the gate plus a short walk or taxi ride.

Prices

El Valle de Antón hot springs entry prices and what is included

Adult entry to the public pools is about $4, and children aged 6 to 12 pay about $2, according to prices compiled in June 2026.^[1] Older guides still quote $3 or even $1. The price has risen over the years, so a figure from before 2025 is likely out of date.

Sources do not fully agree. One July 2026 guide gives a range of about $3-5 for adults and $1-2 for children, and says to confirm the price at the ticket window.^[2] Another guide lists a higher $7 for adults and $4 for children.^[5] Most current figures cluster around $4, so take $5 in small bills per adult and you will be covered. Retirees (jubilados) have been reported paying the reduced rate of around $2, so bring ID if you qualify.

Entry is paid in cash on arrival.^[6] Tickets are sold only at the window and cannot be reserved in advance.^[2] Some visitors mention paying by Yappy, Panama's mobile payment app, but do not rely on it. There is no ATM at the pools, so get cash in town first.

What your ticket includes

Pool access: Entry to the warm, spring-fed pools. There is no time limit printed on the ticket, but most people stay under an hour in the water.
Volcanic mud: Mud is included with entry. One visitor account says the free mud is meant for your face, and that covering your whole body cost a few dollars extra. Ask at the window before you start.
Showers and changing: Visitors describe basic changing rooms, restrooms and open-air cold showers. Expect to rinse off before getting into the pools and after the mud.
Lockers: Lockers are not confirmed. Bring as little as possible, and keep your phone and cash in a dry bag you can see from the pool.
Food and drink: No food or drink sales on site are confirmed. Carry water and a snack, and eat in town afterward.

El Valle Resort & Spa day pass

The resort's thermal day pass is listed at $10 for adults and $5 for children aged 1 to 12, with access from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm daily.^[1] Other listings give $8 for adults.^[5] One guide gives a range of $5-10 with hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.^[2] Call or check the price at the front desk on the day, because it is the less settled of the two sets of figures.

Hours

Opening hours and the best time of day

The public pools open every day, from about 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, and no source reports a weekly closing day.^[1] The exact hours depend on which guide you read. Another 2026 guide lists 8:30 am to 4:00 pm on weekdays and 8:30 am to 5:00 pm on weekends.^[2] An older local listing gives 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, with last entry at 4:30 pm.

Lights of a small town glow at dusk beneath a dark mountain ridge under a deep blue sky. Garrison Gunter from State College, Pa, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0

Because of that spread, plan to be at the gate by 3:30 pm on any day. That gives you enough time even if the earliest closing time applies. If you arrive at 4:15 pm on a weekday, you risk finding the gate shut.

Good to know · Holidays

The pools may close or shorten their hours on national public holidays. No dates are published in advance, so check locally before you go on a holiday weekend.^[2]

When to go

Weekday mornings are usually the quietest. El Valle is a popular weekend escape from Panama City, and weekends bring more day-trippers into town. A late-afternoon soak after a morning hike also works well, as long as you stay inside the 3:30 pm margin. If you are coming for the day by bus, the timing is tighter than it looks, because the last direct bus back leaves mid-afternoon (see below).

Getting there

How to get to the hot springs: walking, taxi, bike or bus

You can walk to the hot springs from the center of El Valle in about 20 minutes. They lie roughly 1 to 1.5 km south of town, and you can also take a taxi or drive.^[6] The center, the market, the hot springs and El Níspero zoo are all within about 20 minutes' walk of each other.^[5]

Walk Cheapest

~20 minfrom the marketFreeper person

Taxi

~5 minfrom the center$2-4per trip

Rental bike

Under 10 minfrom the center$10-15per day

Walking from the market

From the municipal market, walk past the church and take the second street on your left. Follow it to the end and you reach the balneario. One local guide puts that route at about 700 meters, while others say 1 to 1.5 km, depending on where in town you start. The surface and the state of the sidewalks along the way are not well documented. Wear proper shoes rather than flip-flops, and walk facing traffic where there is no sidewalk.

Taxi

Taxi trips within El Valle cost about $2-4 as of 2026.^[7] One booking site gives $2-3 for the ride to the springs.^[8] Local taxis run either on a meter or a fixed fare, so agree on the price before you get in.^[9] Taxis are easiest to find around the market. If you do not want to walk back, arrange the return trip with the same driver.

Bike

Bike rental in El Valle costs about $10-15 a day.^[7] Many hotels rent bikes, and visitors report there is bike parking inside the hot springs complex. Riding there makes it easy to add the springs to a loop around the crater. If you would rather ride with a guide, our guide to El Valle tours, from e-bikes to canopy compares prices.

By bus from Panama City

Buses to El Valle leave from Platform 48 at Albrook terminal. Tickets are sold at window B-22 (operator T.U.V.A.S.A.) for about $4.25, cash only.^[10] Another guide rounds the fare to about $5.^[11] The first bus leaves around 6:30 am and the last from Albrook around 6:30-7:00 pm. Buses run every 30 minutes at peak times and about hourly at midday, and the trip takes 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes.^[10]

No bus goes to the hot springs themselves. The Albrook bus drops you in the town center near the municipal market, and from there you walk or take a taxi.^[10] Some travelers ask the driver to let them off closer to the balneario, which can save a few minutes. For the full timetable and a day plan, see our El Valle day trip from Panama City by bus.

Good to know · Getting back

The last direct bus from El Valle to Albrook leaves around 3:00-3:30 pm. After that you can reach Panama City by changing buses until about 7:00 pm.^[10] If you are coming for the day, soak earlier rather than later.

If you are staying on the Pacific beaches, the El Valle–San Carlos bus costs about $1.80 and takes around 40 minutes.^[10]

Compared

Public pools vs resort spa: atmosphere, crowds and facilities

The public Balneario Termal is the better choice for most people. It is cheaper, it is the original spring site, and it includes mud. The resort day pass mainly buys you a hotel setting.

Balneario Termal (Pozos Termales)

About $4 adultsDaily, ~8:00-4:30Mud included

Small, rustic pools set among trees on the banks of the Río Antón, with water around 38 °C. Facilities are basic, it is cash only, and weekends tend to be busier than weekday mornings.

Best for a cheap one-hour soak with volcanic mud

El Valle Resort & Spa

About $8-10 adultsChildren about $5Day pass

A thermal day pass at a hotel, for visitors who prefer resort facilities to a community-run site. Published prices and hours vary between listings, so confirm at the front desk.

Best for travelers who want a hotel setting

The water at the Balneario comes from springs on the bank of the Río Antón and sits around 38 °C.^[4] Visitors describe a simple, quiet place: stone paths, warm pools in the greenery and a mud area, with no music or bar. Crowds are rarely heavy, but the pools are small, so a tour group arriving at the same time as you changes the mood quickly.

Some lodgings have their own thermal bath. La Casa de los Patos, for example, offers a thermal bath to guests.^[12] If soaking matters more to you than the public pools, compare that kind of hotel in our guide to where to stay in El Valle de Antón.

Tips

What to bring, the rules and staying safe in hot water

Bring a swimsuit, a towel, cash and drinking water. Little else is provided. Visitors report that people without proper swimwear are turned away from the pools, so do not plan on soaking in shorts and a T-shirt.

What to pack

Swimsuit you do not mind staining. The mud washes out of most fabrics, but light colors can discolor.
Towel and a change of clothes. Do not count on towel rental.
Small bills for entry and the taxi, since there is no card payment at the gate.
Water, because soaking in warm water dehydrates you faster than you expect.
Sandals with grip for wet stone paths.
A dry bag for your phone and cash, as lockers are not confirmed.

Rules to expect

No full set of rules for the pools is published. Visitors report the following: swimsuits are required, you rinse off under the cold showers before getting in, and free mud may be limited to your face, with body mud costing extra. There is no published policy on alcohol. Leave beer and glass bottles behind, since this is a small community-run site. Children aged 6 to 12 pay the reduced rate. For family plans around town, see El Valle de Antón with kids.

Staying safe

At around 38 °C, the pools are gentle compared with many hot springs, but the usual hot-water precautions still apply. Get out after 15-20 minutes, cool off, drink water and go back in if you like. If you are pregnant, have a heart condition or blood-pressure problems, or are bringing a very young child, check with a doctor before soaking. The stone edges and paths get slippery with mud and water, so walk rather than hurry. Keep mud away from your eyes.

Good to know · Mud routine

Apply a thin layer, let it dry for 10-15 minutes until it tightens, then rinse it off fully at the showers before you get back into the pools. Thick layers take ages to dry and wash off.

Plan the day

How to combine the hot springs with the rest of your day

The hot springs work best as a short final stop after something more active, such as a waterfall walk, a crater-rim hike or a bike loop. Because they are within about 20 minutes' walk of the market and El Níspero zoo, they fit around almost anything in town.^[5]

Green forested hills rise behind a clipped hedge, with pine trees and a broad-leaved shrub under a partly cloudy blue sky. Adam Jones · CC BY-SA 2.0

The springs sit on the slopes of Cerro Cara Iguana, so a climb up that hill followed by a soak makes a natural pairing. Our Cerro Gaital and Cara Iguana hiking guide covers the trail. For a gentler morning, Chorro El Macho and Las Mozas are the usual picks, compared in our El Valle de Antón waterfalls guide. For the full list of options, including the Sunday market, the orchid center and the butterfly house, see 33 things to do in El Valle de Antón.

A day trip from Panama City that ends with a soak

This plan uses the first bus from Albrook and gets you back on the last direct bus. If you are staying overnight, push everything back and soak late in the afternoon instead.