Panama

The Panama Canal is an artificial 82 km waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a conduit for maritime trade.

The Panama Canal is a wonder of the engineering world and is a conduit between the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean. It is one of the largest engineering projects on earth and took 33 years to complete.

The Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks, located at either end of the canal, lift ships a staggering 26 meters above sea level before lowering them again on the other side.

With the fascinating locks, the man-made Gatun Lake, Gamboa rainforest, and Monkey Island, this canal and the surrounding areas are indeed worth a visit at least once in your life.

Below are the best Panama Canal tours to help you make the most of your visit.

1. Panama Canal, Colón Rainforest and San Lorenzo Fort Tour

Panama Canal, Colón Rainforest And San Lorenzo Fort Tour

On this 7-hour guided tour, you can discover a plethora of sites in addition to the Panama Canal. You will be picked up from your hotel in Panama City and taken to the Colon Rainforest in an air-conditioned vehicle. Here, tourists get on board a ferry and enjoy nature from a minibus. Tourists love to take pictures here, and this place is an amazing spot to discover wildlife.

After exploring Colon, tourists get to visit the historical San Lorenzo Fort and learn about its history. This guided tour then takes you to the last destination, the Panama Canal’s expansion at Agua Clara.

The tour includes pick-up and drop-off service, transportation to the sites, fresh local fruit, and a selection of drinks. It is a really good option if you enjoy the mystic scenery of nature and wildlife, and also love to visit or learn about significant historical sites.

2. Monkey Island and the Indian Village Tour

Monkey Island and Indian Village Tour

Discover Monkey Island and a real Indian village on this fascinating eco-tour, whilst traveling through the waters of the Gatun Lake and the Panama Canal.

You will be picked up from your hotel and taken to the River Chagres for a 2-hour cruise in the Gatun Lake and the Panama Canal. Here, tourists love to look out for wildlife and capture pictures of themselves amongst the natural beauty and the nearby bays. Next, get an opportunity to visit the famous Monkey Island, which is home to white-faced monkeys. Here, you may encounter other species of animals as well.

You will also visit a real Indian village where you can learn about the culture, traditions, and history of the inhabitants there.

This tour is a great option for you if you wish to interact and learn about new cultures while getting to experience unique things on the way.

This tour is a 7-hour guided tour. The price includes taxes and the boat tour price and offers a pickup service as well.

3. Private Miraflores Visitor Center Panama Canal Tour

Panama Canal: Miraflores Visitor Center Tour

Get to see the Panama Canal busy at work, from the Miraflores Locks at the Miraflores Visitor Center on this private guided tour.

Enjoy the view of the Panama Canal and watch the ships traveling to and fro between the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean.

This tour is a 3-hour guided tour and includes a pick-up and drop-off service, along with other transportation and water.

4. 6-Hour Panama Canal Cruising Tour

6-Hour Panama Canal Ship Cruise

Get the most of the Panama Canal by cruising on a ship through the waters for 6 hours. This tour is guided and will let you experience the Panama Canal in a very realistic way.

This tour will take you through a section of the Panama Canal, to the world-famous Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks. Here, you get to see the engineering wonder close up, and marvel at the sight of the huge ships.

The tour further takes you to the Pacific Ocean marina at Flamenco and also lets you see the Centennial Bridge.

This tour includes drinks and lunch as well.

5. Jungle and Gatun Lake at the Panama Canal Tour

Jungle And Gatun Safari Tour On The Panama Canal

Discover the Panama Canal from a very different aspect and take a look at a plethora of sites whilst cruising in a huge ocean vessel.

Depart from Lake Gatun and get a motorboat for traveling around. Tourists here get to see fauna and flora, the expansion of the canal, and will even learn about the history of this place.

This tour then leads you past the jungle to Monkey Island. Lastly, there is a floating house on the lake where you can enjoy traditional cuisine and then sit back to unravel the marvels of this place at your own pace.

This is a one-day guided tour.

6. Panama Canal Tour including a variety of sites

San Lorenzo Fort

Discover the beauty of the rainforest on an old-fashioned train and see the San Lorenzo Fort and the National Park’s focal points.

Here, you can also sightsee and learn about wildlife in the area. Tourists love to capture pictures here and look out for different kinds of animals.

This is a 7-hour guided tour and includes transportation. A pick-up and drop-off service is also offered.

7. 5-hour Panama Canal and Monkey Island Tour

Monkey Island Panama Canal

Brace yourselves to set out on an exciting full-day tour at the Panama Canal. Avail yourself of the pickup service and depart from your hotel to the Panama Canal Visitors Center. Here, tourists can learn about the Canal and how it works. You can also visit the museum here.

The tour then leads you through the Miraflores and Pedro Locks to Lake Gatun. After spending some time there, tourists are taken to Monkey Island and then back to their respective hotels.

This is a 5-hour fully guided tour.

8. Panama Canal Partial Transit Tour

Panama Canal Partial Transit

This tour takes tourists on a boat through the waters along the Panama Canal to the Pacific entrance, where you are then moved to pleasure boats. From there, the boats take you to the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks. You also get a chance to discover the Gaillard Cut, which is the narrowest section of the canal. Tourists are disembarked at Gamboa.

Amidst all this, a commentator is available that tells you every detail about the places you visit.

The tour lasts for about 5 hours and is guided.

9. Panama Canal and City Day tour

Panama City Day Tour

Discover not only the Panama Canal but Panama City as well. This tour enables you to visit the Panama Canal and see the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks.

It then leads you to the top of Ancon Hill to admire the scenery. Furthermore, tourists also get to see the Punta Culebra museum and the Casco Viejo site.

This tour lasts about for 8 hours and is guided.

10. Panama Canal Tour from the Airport

Panama Canal Tour From Airport

Make the best of your layover by heading to the Panama Canal right from Tocumen International Airport.

This is a private guided tour lasting for about 3 hours. You will get a chance to marvel at the wonder of engineering and explore the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks.

On your way back to the airport, you can enjoy the sights of Panama City from the comfort of a private car.

11. Panama Canal and the Jungle Experience Tour

Panama City Jungle Experience Full Day Tour

Take the opportunity to escape Panama City and discover the amazing sights beyond. Visit the world-famous Panama Canal, and also see the National Park along with Monkey Island.

This tour is perfect for people who wish to visit the Panama Canal, the National Park, Gamboa Rainforest, Lake Gatun, and Monkey Island, all in one go. The tour also takes you to an Indian village where you can learn about the customs and culture of the people there.

This guided tour lasts for about 7.5 hours.

12. Panama Canal and the City Walking Tour With Your Local Guide

Panama Canal and City Walking Tour with a Local

Visit the Panama Visitors Center at the Miraflores Lock and unravel some of the mystery of this engineering wonder. Your local guide can teach you a lot about the history and the modern day, and even help you envision the future of the Panama Canal.

After this, your local guide will take you to sites awaiting your presence in the city. From the Ancon Hill, Casca Viejo, and Punta Culebra to the Bridge of the Americas, tourists will be able to enjoy everything like locals and at their own pace.

This guided tour takes about 7 hours to complete.

13. Panama City and Panama Canal Half-day tour

Panama City & Canal Half-Day Tour

Experience a visit to the world-famous Panama Canal, and Panama City for a lifelong memory.

This tour first takes you towards the Panama Canal, and then to the area called Casco Antiguo. It then gives the tourists the amazing opportunity to view the canal and the city from the Amador Causeway.

This guided tour lasts for about 4 hours.

14. 5-hour Eco-Cruise in the Gatun Lake on the Panama Canal

5-Hour Eco-Cruise on Gatun Lake

This five-star tour enables you to visit the world-famous Panama Canal and go on a boat adventure, taking pictures of the beautiful scenery and wildlife in the rainforest and discovering the history and present of the canal at Miraflores Locks.

This tour then heads towards Gatun Lake which is also manmade, and this tour will help you learn about the ecological and scenic aspects of it. You might want to click pictures here.

This guided tour lasts about for 5 hours.

15. Panama City and Panama Canal Railway Half-day Tour

Panama Canal Railway & Gatun Locks Half-Day Tour

Travel from Panama City to the world famous Panama Canal on an old-fashioned train that will lead you from Panama City to Colon along the Canal. During this half-day tour, you can enjoy the view of the mystic canal and click pictures for a keepsake.

This tour takes you through the Isthmus of Panama from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Amidst this, you can enjoy the beauty of the lush green rainforest around you. Tourists will also get a chance to unravel the mystery of the Gatun Locks and learn about the history of the place.

This tour is guided and lasts about for 5 hours.

Panama is a country on the isthmus linking Central and South America. The Panama Canal, a famous feat of human engineering, cuts through its center, linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to create an essential shipping route. In the capital, Panama City, modern skyscrapers, casinos and nightclubs contrast with colonial buildings in the Casco Viejo district and the rainforest of Natural Metropolitan Park.

Panama, a country of just four million inhabitants, is the link between North and South America. Its famous canal very much put Panama on the map. The Panama City Greater Metropolitan Region, which sits on the Pacific Ocean, has 40% of the country’s population, while on the other coast, the Caribbean bathes the shoreline. There are thousands of offshore islands and many spectacular beaches which have helped the growth of Panama’s tourist industry.

With such a huge array of choices, you will find amazing beaches everywhere you go in this spectacular country; however, many of our top picks face the Pacific.

Here is a list of the Best Beaches in Panama.

1. Isla Contadora, Pearl Islands

Source: Ricardo Canino

Contadora Island

Isla Contadora is the favorite beach escape for those wanting a break from Panama City.

It is one of the Pearl Islands – a Pacific Coast archipelago.

Contadora combines nature with sophistication; white sand beaches and pelicans with exclusive villas.

It covers less than 1.5 square kilometers, with Galeon Beach at one end and Camaron Beach at the other.

You can fly the 80 kilometers from Panama City; those who do, either own one of those villas or book into one of the island’s luxury hotels.

2. Isla del Rey, Las Perlas Archipelago, Panama

Isla del Rey is the largest of the Pearl Islands, covering 234 square kilometers.

It has a population a little over 1,500, living in four small towns, with the largest and most populated being San Miguel.

You can take a 20-minute flight from Panama City or a four-hour boat trip.

Your reward is a tranquil break on a beautiful white sand beach with warm seas.

One of the top activities is snorkeling – some of the best in the whole of Panama.

Fishing is fun and seafood a good choice in the basic restaurants on the island.

3. Santa Clara & Farallón, Pacific Coast

Source: Wollertz

Santa Clara Beach

When it comes to good swimming in Panama, these beaches on the Pacific Coast are great choices.

You can reach them by road in under two hours from Panama City.

The blue sea and white sand greet you as you arrive, to justify your decision to travel a little further out of the city.

There aren’t many people living here, but you will find simple accommodation – including the chance to camp – and restaurants.

Locals head here at weekends; you may find yourself in the middle of a party or watching a football match.

4. Isla Coiba, Gulf of Chiriqui, Veraguas

Source: Inspired By Maps

Isla Coiba

Isla Coiba – the largest island in Central America – is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Panama boasts a limited number of natural treasures but this is surely one of the most impressive.

The National Park on the Pacific has some wonderful marine life which snorkelers and scuba divers will enjoy.

You can join an organized tour if you wish.

Isla Coiba was once a penal colony but is now home to white-faced monkeys.

In the water, you may see hammerhead sharks, whales, and manta rays.

You are sure to find tranquility on these small, stunning stretches of beach.

5. Santa Catalina, Gulf of Chiriqui, Veraguas

Source: Kristina Vackova

Santa Catalina

Santa Catalina used to be nothing more than a small fishing village but things are changing.

Surfers have discovered the wonderful waves, while those looking to simply relax on an out of the way beach would do worse than this spot.

Fishing is a popular activity and seafood the first thing to seek out on a menu.

The diving is superb; many think they have found paradise.

There is basic accommodation but the nearest ATM and grocery store is around an hour away – come prepared.

6. Gavilla Beach, Boca Chica, Chiriquí

Boca Chica is a remote place offering lovely tropical seas, white beaches, and swaying palms.

It is another paradise for snorkelers, divers, and fishermen.

The lush green vegetation offers a sharp contrast with the shore and sea.

The outside world has discovered Boca Chica and there is an increasing amount of real estate springing up, so it will change.

For now, head to Boca Chica and enjoy yourself.

The kids will love it; the beach is full of shells and it is fun to chase the hermit crabs.

The water is perfectly safe and everyone will love seeing the monkeys in the trees.

7. Playa Las Lajas, Chiriquí

Source: Mabelin Santos

Playa Las Lajas, Chiriquí

This little-known beach in Panama on the Pacific Coast stretches for over 12 kilometers.

The waves have begun to attract body surfers, while others just prefer to stroll along the sand.

The palm trees sway in the gentle breezes and if you get too hot, you can just jump into the sea.

There are some huts for rent and palm shades on the beach.

Better quality accommodation is readily available as well.

Las Lajas has some restaurants, where seafood takes pride of place on the menu.

8. La Barqueta, Chiriquí

Source: Authentic travel

La Barqueta, Chiriquí

The beauty of La Barqueta is its length, giving plenty of space to wander and explore.

The sand is dark and gets hot quickly, so if you want to take a walk, have sandals with you.

Strong currents mean that swimming is not advisable.

The nearby nature reserve adds an extra element for those wanting a break from the hot sun and sand.

Playa La Barqueta is quiet during the week but can get busy at weekends.

There is a small café in the shade to enjoy a beer.

Often, later in the day, the waves gather strength and make quite an impressive sight.

There is looming development and a beach resort close by – so plan to visit this beach before it becomes overdeveloped.

9. Burica, Chiriquí

Burica is on a small peninsula in Panama.

Although there is some basic accommodation, Burica remains largely undeveloped.

You will find quiet beaches, palm trees, and deliciously warm waters, sometimes suitable for surfing.

The sand is grey but that has minimal effect on the lovely setting.

Because of the remoteness of Burica, there are rarely many people around, which suits those looking for somewhere off the beaten path.

Development seems certain over the next few years as Panama’s tourism industry grows.

10. Playa Los Destiladeros & Playa Venao, Azuero Peninsula

Source: Alfredo Maiquez

Playa Los Destiladeros, Panama

The Azuero Peninsula is full of beaches and these two are just a short distance apart, making it easy to visit them both.

If you surf, you will enjoy both bays, although the sheltered cove at Playa Venao is better for swimming.

It is an increasingly popular small resort, with accommodation available and an increasingly vibrant nightlife gearing up after a great sunset.

The peninsula is developing, with much to see and do.

The region has a rich history, so you can combine time on the beach with exploring the local history and culture.

11. Red Frog Beach, Bocas del Toro

Source: Daniel Lange

Red Frog Beach

This beach takes its name from the little red frogs that scramble along the shores of Isla Bastimento in Bocas del Toro.

This is a naturally beautiful setting, with lush vegetation just behind the sands.

Hiking is a favorite pastime inland.

Sloths and monkeys live in the trees, while the marine life offshore is colorful and impressive.

There are caves to explore and you can take to the ocean in a kayak.

There is usually a breeze and the waves in the clear blue waters make it a great spot for surfing.

12. Playa Estrella, Isla Colon, Bocas del Toro

Source: Dmitry Burlakov

Playa Estrella, Isla Colon

‘’Starfish Beach’’ is a bay where you will see colorful starfish in the clear blue waters.

The palm trees provide a further contrast in color and give much-needed shade as well.

This is the Caribbean Coast and a perfect place for a family holiday.

The water is calm and there is only a gentle slope into the waters.

You can rent kayaks, floating chairs, and water bikes by the hour to get you to the mangroves.

There are a couple of small restaurants close by.

The beach is accessible and hence popular – especially at weekends – but not as crowded as some other Panama beaches.

13. Cayos Zapatillas, Bocas del Toro

Source: Damsea

Cayos Zapatillas

The Bocas del Toro Archipelago includes the mangrove islands of Cayos Zapatillas.

These uninhabited islands are an important nesting site for endangered sea turtles, as well as offering great coral reefs for divers.

As well as colorful fish, you may see nurse sharks and moray eels.

The beach is lovely and you can just relax and take in the sun’s rays.

The name means ‘’Slipper Islands’’ – a name given to them by local legend due to their feet-like shape.

14. The San Blas Archipelago

Source: Simon Dannhauer

San Blas Archipelago

The beaches of San Blas in the Caribbean have often been described as among the best in the world.

Development has been limited because the archipelago is controlled by the native Gunas.

This means that mass tourism is unlikely – it is like being on a desert island.

Any accommodation is eco-friendly and there is total commitment in maintaining the wonderful natural environment.

The sands are lovely and white and it is difficult to leave once you have seen them.

15. Isla Grande, Province of Colón

Isla Grande

Isla Grande is just a short boat ride of 15 kilometers into the Caribbean from Portobelo, so it has become a popular weekend destination for people living in Panama City.

The local population is around 1,000 and villagers live in wooden houses on stilts and spend their time fishing.

Try it yourself, but certainly try the fish caught by professionals in the small restaurants.

Whether you just want to relax, swim or surf you will love the lovely sands of Playa de la Punta that sit in front of the lush vegetation.