Baños to Same

You'll need bus to Quito, then change for bus to Esmereldas on the coast, and then get a local bus to Same. The bus change in Quito is hard to say; some buses wind up in the southern Quitumbe terminal, and others go to small private terminals in the center city.

For info on the connection in Quito, try this transport link: [http://www.ecuadorschedules.com/]. I don't think you need to book online, just use it to get schedule info, unless you're planning to travel on a busy holiday weekend.

You can go through Quito but it is a little out of the way. A faster route is to find a bus to Ambato (they run every 10-15 minutes and the bus ride is 45-60 minutes) and at the terminal in Ambato you can catch a bus to Esmeraldas on Cita Express. The bus ride takes 7-8 hours (depending on whether it is day or night). From Esmeraldas buses run every 10-15 minutes on either Costanita or Pacifico. You can also catch a taxi to Same from the Esmeraldas Terminal for $12-15 (more if you don't speak Spanish or look super American...like me :P)

My friend recently told me that they now have service from Puyo to Atacames (15 minutes from Same) on San Francisco Latinoamericana. She has taken the bus but I haven't and can't verify it's arrival and departure times. If they have an office in Banos you could check and see if this bus does exist.

I hope this information helps!