2023-24 Panama Canal Shore Excursions and Tours

By Mark Carr

Are you planning a cruise to Panama? If so, this ebook is for you! You won't find a more complete and up-to-date travel guide about Panama Canal shore excursions!

 

My 2023-2024 Panama Canal Tours and Excursions ebook includes current and relevant information about the thirteen most popular excursions, including two new excursions  — the Gamboa Resort Aerial Tram and the Rainforest Discovery Center. It also includes several new photographs and information about the new Amador Cruise Terminal on the Amador Causeway.

 

 

The excursions include Agua Clara Locks Visitor Center, Biodiversity Museum, Casco Antiguo (San Felipe - Old City), Forts San Lorenzo and Portobelo, Miraflores Locks Visitor Center, Monkey Island, Panama Canal Transit,, Panama Canal Railway/Train, and the Panama Viejo Ruins & Museum. 

The excursion chapters share a similar structure. Below the title is a single image (tap on it to enlarge it) with a caption and descriptive text about the tour. In addition, I have included more than 20 hyperlinks pointing to external websites about the Panama Canal and shore excursions, e.g., Google Maps, Panama Canal Visitor Centers, etc.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mark G. Carr
• Release date: Nov 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223899129

Book preview

PANAMA CANAL EXCURSIONS

The Panama Canal is Central America’s premier cruise ship destination, and hundreds of thousands of passengers disembark to partake in excursions.

Your excursions in Panama hinge on many factors, of which most are out of your control, e.g., arrival and departure times, weather, vehicle traffic, Panama Canal transit schedules, etc. Nevertheless, individually and collectively, they will influence your experience.

Every cruise line plans and markets a unique set of itineraries; knowing the specifics is necessary to predict what your excursions will include and how long they will last. For that information, I highly recommend you consult your cruise line. In the following pages, I highlight all there is to see and do and leave the rest up to you.

I’ve divided the excursions into three groups and listed them in the following order:

1) Atlantic Coast – includes Forts San Lorenzo and Portobelo.

2) Panama Canal – includes the Agua Clara Locks Visitor Center, Gamboa Resort’s Aerial Tram, Panama Canal Transit Tour, Panama Canal Railway Tour, Miraflores Locks Visitor Center, Monkey Island Tour, and the Rainforest Discovery Center.

3) Pacific Coast – includes Biodiversity Museum, Casco Antiguo (San Felipe - Old City), Flamenco and Perico Islands, and Panama Viejo Ruins & Museum.

AN OVERVIEW OF

FORTS PORTOBELO & SAN LORENZO

The ruins at Forts Portobelo and San Lorenzo are remnants of military forts constructed by the Spanish during the 17th and 18th centuries. San Lorenzo to protect the mouth of the Chagres River and Portobelo to defend Portobelo Bay and the adjacent settlement.

Both forts contain everything you expect to find at a 17-18th century Spanish fort, including cannons, moats, fortification walls, caverns, and lookouts. Their differences are limited to their geographic location, size, and formation.

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In 1981, both Forts San Lorenzo and Portobelo were declared World Heritage sites by UNECO.

At the time of this writing, Fort San Lorenzo is undergoing an extensive restoration project, expected to last until early 2024. Despite their ongoing efforts, visitors have full access to the historical site and incur only a few inconveniences, if any. It does make picture-taking challenging, however.

Sadly, Fort Portobelo’s restoration was to commence in early 2023 but has yet to start. An estimated $25 million was designated to restore both forts, partially funded by the Inter-American Development Bank.

FORT PORTOBELO

Fort Portobelo – a view of the lookout and cannons that reside atop the long fortification wall at Portobelo's first section of ruins. The lush verdant forest serves as a beautiful backdrop for photographs.

The historical site of Portobelo is one of the oldest Spanish settlements along the Caribbean coast.

There are three sections of ruins over an expanded area. Two of them — those most commonly visited — entwine with the community. The third section, which resides on the hillside across Portobelo Bay, is less frequented and not included in your excursion.

The First Section

The first and largest section — Fort Santiago El Viejo — overlooks Portobelo Bay and straddles the main road as you enter the town. Along the left side is a shallow moat that runs the entire length of the fortification wall, which is in surprisingly good condition. It culminates at a lookout tower situated along the shoreline. To the right and atop the wall is a long row of cannons. Further to the right, you will find a large, open courtyard with fragments of ruins dispersed throughout the sod. There is a single cavern containing three long, rectangular chambers. The opening faces the courtyard and resides midway along the fortification wall. It is the only entrance along the wall, making it easy to find.

The terrain in and around the courtyard is flat and accessible, though it can be a bit muddy/soggy when wet. Generally speaking, you should have no problem walking around and seeing what interests you.

The Lookout

Across from the ruins is a short, unmarked path that leads to a lookout