Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is both an engineering marvel and one of the most significant waterways on earth. Stretching 50 miles (80 km) from Panama City on the Pacific coast to Colon on the Caribbean coast, the Canal of Panama provides passage for over 12,000 oceangoing vessels and panama canal cruises per year. It is considered one of the 7 wonders in the world!
The first firm effort to build an all-water route through Panama began with the French in 1880, but financial troubles and diseases made the initiative fail. After its independence in 1903, Panama negotiated an agreement with the United States for the construction of the Canal which the U.S. would finish on August 15, 1914 and then manage the waterway until 1999. The waterway is now managed by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP for its Spanish acronym), an autonomous government entity. The Panama Canal is an easy day trip from Panama City.

Things to do in Panama Canal

Miraflores Visitor Center
The Miraflores Visitors Center is a place where you can live a unique experience of the Panama Canal. The building has a terrace on ground level and bleachers on the 1st level for observing the Canal’s operation, the passage of ships through the locks and how they move. It is the ideal place to take pictures and to hold memories of this engineering marvel. Transits of ships may vary depending on schedule.

Agua Clara Visitor Center
This center offers a breathtaking panoramic view that contrasts two particular scenarios. On one side you will find the famous Gatun Lake, where cargo ships or other vessels transit every day, while on the other side you will be amazed by the view of how the expansion works.

The Administration Building
The Panama Canal Administration Building was inaugurated on July 15, 1914
as a landmark for Panamanian history. This veritable legacy from the past is an important part of Canal history. This building has an “E” shape to maximize the efficient use of natural light. Its high-domed rotunda, the dramatic murals which adorn the cupola, along with the stately marble columns and floor, offer a stunning view to visitors, and transport them to the past.

Amador Causeway
This is the perfect place to learn about history while going for a walk and enjoying the beautiful view of the city. Built in 1913, with rocks from the excavation of the Culebra Cut during construction of the Panama Canal, the Causeway joins Panama City with four islands: Naos, Perico, Culebra and Flamenco.With the transformation of the area into a tourist attraction, the promenade has become one of the most popular and visited places of Panama.

Location and Map

To visit the Canal, the Miraflores Visitor Center is just a 15-minute drive from downtown Panama City. The Agua Clara Locks are a 1-hour drive from the capital, nearby to Colon city in the Atlantic.