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Water slides at the Acuamanía park in Termas del Daymán, Salto
Nature · Salto Department

Termas del Daymán, Salto

Thermal pools fed by the Guaraní Aquifer on the Daymán River near Salto, with a municipal spa park, water park and many hotels

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Ambient sound · similar settingBoiling, steaming hot spring
Photo: Flavia232 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Discover Termas del Daymán, Salto

Termas del Daymán lies on Route 3 in north-western Uruguay, on the banks of the Daymán River just south-east of Salto. The hot water comes from a well 2,000 metres deep, flowing at around 160,000 litres an hour at 46°C, and fills a series of open, covered and semi-covered pools that reach up to 44°C. The water is colourless in small amounts and bluish in large volumes, and contains minerals including iodine, iron, calcium, magnesium and fluorine.

Around the municipal thermal park a small town has grown up, with the Acuamanía water park, the La Chinita and Jardines neighbourhoods, and a wide range of accommodation from campsites and cabins to four-star hotels, many with private thermal pools. There are restaurants, thermal spas and a small bus terminal, and the hydrothermal medical centre offers treatments.

Don’t miss

  1. 01Thermal pools of up to 44°C in the municipal thermal park
  2. 02Water rising at 46°C from 2,000 metres in the Guaraní Aquifer
  3. 03Open, covered and semi-covered pools set among gardens
  4. 04The Acuamanía water park for families
  5. 05Hotels and cabins with their own thermal pools
  6. 06The Daymán River on the edge of the resort

History & culture

The story of Termas del Daymán, Salto

The springs were discovered by chance in 1957, when a well drilled by the state oil company ANCAP in search of petroleum struck hot water instead. The land belonged to the Diocese of Salto, and a first pool was fed directly from the well. A pavilion of individual baths opened on 2 April 1960, and that year the site passed to the Intendencia of Salto.

In the 1970s Daymán was developed into a full tourist centre with infrastructure and services. Investment has continued since, including new changing rooms and a multi-purpose space funded with support from the Inter-American Development Bank and, more recently, a roof over the semi-covered pool. The resort celebrated its 65th anniversary in 2022.

Local life & traditions

Daymán is a small settled community as well as a resort, with permanent residents in the La Chinita and Jardines neighbourhoods. Hotel and restaurant owners have their own association, and the resort draws visitors from across Uruguay and from neighbouring Argentina and Brazil. The city of Salto, 10 kilometres away, offers more shops, restaurants and services.

Things to do

Experience it like a local

Most visitors spend their days moving between pools of different temperatures in the municipal thermal park, with its gardens and shaded green spaces, and many stay in hotels with private thermal pools. Hydromassage jets, spa treatments and therapies at the hydrothermal medical centre are popular, and the water is traditionally used for balneotherapy. Families head to the Acuamanía water park, and an adventure park with zip lines and suspension bridges has been authorised on the bank of the Daymán River.

When to go

Daymán is a year-round destination: from December some hotels and thermal centres lower the temperature of their pools so that bathing stays comfortable in summer. Easter week is one of the busiest times, with thousands of visitors a day.

Plan your visit

Verified information

Location
Route 3 km 478, on the bank of the Daymán River, 10 km from the city of Salto. Source: salto.gub.uy ↗
Water
The spring rises from 2,000 metres at 46°C and about 160,000 litres an hour; pools in the thermal parks reach up to 44°C. Source: salto.gub.uy ↗
Facilities
Public and private thermal complexes, 1- to 4-star accommodation, cabins, camping, restaurants, thermal spas and a small bus terminal. Source: salto.gub.uy ↗

Checked against the sources on 31 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.

Travel tips

  • Drink plenty of water and take breaks between hot pools.
  • Stay in a hotel with its own thermal pool for evening soaks.
  • Book accommodation early for Easter week.
  • Combine a visit with the city of Salto, 10 km away.

General guidance from our specialists, not official information.

Around Termas del Daymán, Salto: food, markets & places to stay

The city of Salto is about 10 kilometres to the north-west, close to the Salto Grande international bridge to Argentina. Termas del Arapey, Uruguay's first thermal centre, lies about 80 kilometres north of Salto. A bridge over the Daymán River links the resort with Paysandú Department to the south.

Where Termas del Daymán, Salto is

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Sources & verification

This guide was researched from the sources below and reviewed by our team on 31 October 2026. Facts under “Verified information” link to the page they were checked on; travel tips are general guidance. Photos are credited on each image. The ambient recording’s author and licence are shown in the sound player.

  1. Termas del Daymán — Intendencia de Salto
  2. Termas — Intendencia de Salto
  3. Salto inauguró techo de piscina semicerrada en Termas del Daymán — Ministerio de Turismo
  4. Termas del Daymán recibirá a más de 2.500 visitantes diarios en Semana de Turismo — Presidencia de la República
  5. Destino Termas presenta su oferta de vacaciones — Ministerio de Turismo
  6. Salto celebra el 65° Aniversario de Termas de Daymán — Ministerio de Turismo
  7. Termas del Daymán — Wikipedia (Spanish)
  8. Termas del Daymán — Wikipedia

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