Fun, relaxing and unexpensive. We visited twice, just to enjoy the view, the relaxing atmosphere. A must when you visit El Valle. Massages are offered, but prices seemed a little high.
After reading the reviews we entered with trepidation however we had a great time. On first impression it does look grubby but its a natural setting, forest floor, yes the water is yellow but that's all the goodness. If you relax & give it a go you'll have a great time! The warm pool at the end was so relaxing. We did however go at 9 am and there was only 4 other people there. Had we went during carnival I suspect it would have been a nightmare! For $3 it was great!
This place was fairly busy on a Sunday afternoon. The venue really centres around deposits of volcanic mud which is reputed to have beneficial effects upon your skin so people go and slap the stuff mostly on their face. Children and teenagers like it as it's fun though plenty of adults were there too. There's also a thermal pool - yes reviewers are correct it's not very hot, more warm but then the air temperature is 80F + so you don't want a scalding bath, do you? The staff told us about 5 minutes in the pool is enough as the minerals can be quite caustic on some skin.I found the most interesting bit was an explanation (in Spanish) of how the local geology works to produce this mud and water; there was a diagram to follow so I could follow the talk even though I'm not a Spanish speaker. (Basically El Valle is a caldera i.e. the bowl shaped landform left over from a volcano blowing itself up.)Apart from the mud and water there is not a lot else here - most people seemed to be there just to relax. If that's what you're after plus a smooth skin then this is the place to go.
Old, needs massive new investment. Probably unsanitary. Nothing would have made me get in those hot tubs. Avoid.
I went in some pozos thermal in costa rica...a while ago...and it was much more what I was expecting. They had 5-10 hot bath really on the top up to just a warm one in the bottom...This one is ok, I mean that it's not bad but if you saw other one in your life, you may be disappointed. For a first experience, it's ok. They had 2 bath...one for the feet and an other larger one that that was not an off warm for me to have a dip...The have some pot of mud that you can put in your face...When you will enter, on your right, they have 2 half sphere...I was wondering what it was until that I realize that it was a kind of phone that you can talk to watch other on a 30 feet distance. It was interesting. There are well organize, with some guide. It a king of attraction that it's good to see on a tour, I will not go there twice and if you are thinking to rent a cab from Playa Blanca to go see only that...change your plan...
If you go just for kicks, this place is great. But if you want a sanitary spa experience, don't go. We visited early on a weekday morning, arriving before the leaves were fished out of the large soaking pool. The water is only warm, not hot, and even though there are multiple pools, the water seems to be only one temperature in all. However, the volcanic mud masks made our faces smooth as silk, and once we had the nerve to enter the dubious soaking tub (after an attendant fished out the leaves) we relaxed and felt quite refreshed. There are separate pools for babies and children. We didn't have any young ones in our party, but absolutely would not have risked the possible sanitation issues with little people--especially babies!. It costs $2.25 per person and it's probably worth that just to talk in and see the place or have a picnic! My husband and I both thought it was fun.
Is not a big deal. There isn't much to do and the pool is pretty small. The day we went there were several people and the pool was full quickly. Not such a bad experience but definitely not going back next time
Really, just warm baths and not much mud involved but a nice way to while away an hour. Needs upgrading.
We paid to enter...Walked in and were shocked at how filthy and disgusting it was.One of our group summed it up perfectly "I wouldn't put my dog in those pools"We immediately left and were told by a very rude staff member that there were no refunds.This is basically robbery.This disgusting dump should be shut down by the authorities.
Like everybody else, I don't know why they called hot baths, the wateer is lukewarm and too much hoopla over the mud.I have been in Costa Rica at the Baldi hot springs, that's the place to go, absolutely owesomeexpensive but beautiful.