The Panama Canal
Our Featured Destination today is the Panama Canal. This destination is on many bucket lists, and for good rason. Panama is nesteled between two oceans, and it boasts almost 1800 miles of coastline with some of the world's most secluded and pristine beaches. Panama is one of the world's top eco tourism destinations.
The Panama Canal was completed in 1914 under the administration of Teddy Roosevelt at a cost of $533 million, requiring 35,000 men and 10 years to build. An engineering marvel, no pumps are used in filling or emptying the locks or "steps" that rise and fall between the two mighty oceans on either side. The Canal saves 13,000 miles of ocean travel around the tip of South America for vessels that traverse the 51.7 mile course. It takes 58 million gallons of water for a single ship to descend the 85 feet from the Pacific to the Atlantic, and takes a mere 8 hours. Visiting the canal is a remarkable experience, and visitors to the canal are rarely disappointed.
A cruise to Panama will include multiple South American destinations in addition to the actual canal. Cruiselines that travel to the Panama Canal include Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruise, Holland America Line, Norweigan Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Windstar Cruises. You can also take a more adventurous tour with Zegrahm Expeditions, or a land tour with one of our tour operators.
Some highlights of a Panama Canal cruise may include Cartagena, the Corcovado National Park, Cristobal, Puntarenas, San Andres Island, and many others. Following are some brief descriptions of these amazing, beautiful destinations that are a part of a trip to the Panama Canal.
Cartagena
The fantasies and historical legacies of Cartagena invite the visitor to explore a smiling, open-handed city, where you can interact with nature and discover the culture, customs, memories and testimonies of a people who breathe the flavor of the Caribbean in their lives. Some of the attractions in and around Cartagena include walking or bicycle tours of the historic city center, popular museums, horse and carriage rides, snorkeling, water skiing, kayaking, diving, and game fishing.
Corcovado National Park
Corcovado National Park includes a huge range of habitats from wet, mainly impenetrable rain forest to dripping, steamy cloud forest, oak forest seashore and swamp. These diverse habitats support hundreds of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish, and over 6,000 insect species. It is also the only area where one might find four different species of monkey. The park is a sanctuary for rare scarlet macaws and several species of endemic birds such as the black-checked ant tanager and other tanagers. The deep forests also contain several endangered species of large cats and reptiles. Most travelers consider a visit to Corcovado National Park a mandatory visit when in Costa Rica.
Cristobal
Serving as the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal, Cristobal is one of the country's most important ports. For great bargains, shoppers should head to the Colón Free Zone. This duty-free shopping area offers great deals on almost anything you can imagine.
Puntarenas
Puntarenas is the Pacific coast gateway to Costa Rica. From Puntarenas visit the Rain Forest, Cloud Forest and Poas National Park. Also see San Jose, the capital city, located in the central valley at an altitude of 3,450 feet enjoying a "Spring-Like" average temperature of 72 degrees. With its tall mountains, forested slopes, green pasture lands and lush vegetation, Costa Rica is often referred to as the "Switzerland of Central America." Puntarenas is a paradise for eco-tourists. Explore the rain forest on a horseback ride through the enchanting Valley of the Monkeys, where hundred-year-old trees are draped with orchids, ferns and bromeliads. You might see howler monkeys, butterflies, parrots and other colorful birds.
San Andres Island
San Andres is 700 km from the Colombian mainland, a miniature paradise with influences from England and Spain, pirates and corsairs, blended into a rich culture which moves to the beat of reggae. Perfect beaches, excellent water-sports, diving and ecotourism. Your first glimpse of San Andres island is the sea of seven colors, home to many-hued fish and coral, working their magic on the visitor. After an afternoon on the beach or shopping duty-free, night falls and the air is alive with music and dancing.
Know Before You Go
U.S. citizens must bring a passport and a $5 tourist card, which Cruise the Seven Seas can easily facilitate for you. Visitors also are required to carry proof of a return ticket out of Panama and $500 in cash or traveler's checks. U.S. citizens traveling through the canal on board a cruise ship do not need tourist cards and are not required to report to customs as long as they don't leave the ship. You can learn more about traveling to Panama on the US Department of State website.
