Panama Canal travel has grown into a mini-tourist industry all by itself. Many people come to the country just for this one attraction. It's not only because they get to soak in the tropical climate and beaches, and certainly not just because it's part of a luxury cruise itinerary. Rather, the main draw seems to be the chance to experience something unique and grand. It's an adventure that takes people from one ocean to another.
The Panama Canal was a historic project that barreled through the Isthmus of Panama and linked the Atlantic and Pacific oceans in 1914. This was previously a 9,000-mile journey all the way around the southern tip of South America. Now, it's just a quick eight-hour trip down the middle via the Caribbean Sea and the canal.
It wasn't just an engineering marvel, but also a seismic continental realignment that has contributed hugely to globalization. It fueled the rapid development of the U. S. West Coast and other coastal areas facing the Pacific. One of these developments was the cruise industry, which got a huge boost after it started picking up passengers at Atlantic seaports and taking them through the Caribbean Sea to the canal and then through to the Pacific.
Others who want to get up close to the canal will likely have to fly in through Tocumen International Airport. Visa application procedures will be different for people from various countries, but everyone will need to have a passport, a return ticket, some cash or traveler's checks, and a $5 tourist card. The only exception is for U. S. Citizens on a cruise ship, who do not have to get the tourist card.
Visitors who are already in Panama City and want to get a closer look at the canal should head for the Miraflores Visitor Center. Giant ships being shepherded through the locks are clearly visible from the observation deck. The visitor center also has a few other tourist facilities such as a restaurant, gift shop, exhibition hall, etc.
Some tours also take people out on Gatun Lake for day trips. This manmade lake feeds the locks with the millions of gallons of water needed to raise and lower massive ships. Visitors are taken out on motor boats to explore the lake and the lush tropical jungle around it. Apart from the gigantic ocean liners, people get to see everything from exotic birds and monkeys to iguanas and crocodiles.
A luxury cruise in these parts is definitely an experience not to be missed, but it does not come cheap and requires plenty of time. Every major cruise company has huge ships that can carry passengers and crew members numbering in the thousands . Some are dedicated to offering a complete transit on the canal from one ocean to the other, while other cruises may include partial transits as part of a larger Caribbean cruise itinerary.
There are so many facets to Panama Canal travel that it's hard to manage the itinerary unless it's planned properly and undertaken under the guidance of a tour operator. There's the amazing journey through the canal, and the prospect of being able to explore Panama City, Gatun Lake and the rest of the country. Throw in a cruise with stops at various ports of call on the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts, and it makes for a pretty much unforgettable trip.
The Panama Canal was a historic project that barreled through the Isthmus of Panama and linked the Atlantic and Pacific oceans in 1914. This was previously a 9,000-mile journey all the way around the southern tip of South America. Now, it's just a quick eight-hour trip down the middle via the Caribbean Sea and the canal.
It wasn't just an engineering marvel, but also a seismic continental realignment that has contributed hugely to globalization. It fueled the rapid development of the U. S. West Coast and other coastal areas facing the Pacific. One of these developments was the cruise industry, which got a huge boost after it started picking up passengers at Atlantic seaports and taking them through the Caribbean Sea to the canal and then through to the Pacific.
Others who want to get up close to the canal will likely have to fly in through Tocumen International Airport. Visa application procedures will be different for people from various countries, but everyone will need to have a passport, a return ticket, some cash or traveler's checks, and a $5 tourist card. The only exception is for U. S. Citizens on a cruise ship, who do not have to get the tourist card.
Visitors who are already in Panama City and want to get a closer look at the canal should head for the Miraflores Visitor Center. Giant ships being shepherded through the locks are clearly visible from the observation deck. The visitor center also has a few other tourist facilities such as a restaurant, gift shop, exhibition hall, etc.
Some tours also take people out on Gatun Lake for day trips. This manmade lake feeds the locks with the millions of gallons of water needed to raise and lower massive ships. Visitors are taken out on motor boats to explore the lake and the lush tropical jungle around it. Apart from the gigantic ocean liners, people get to see everything from exotic birds and monkeys to iguanas and crocodiles.
A luxury cruise in these parts is definitely an experience not to be missed, but it does not come cheap and requires plenty of time. Every major cruise company has huge ships that can carry passengers and crew members numbering in the thousands . Some are dedicated to offering a complete transit on the canal from one ocean to the other, while other cruises may include partial transits as part of a larger Caribbean cruise itinerary.
There are so many facets to Panama Canal travel that it's hard to manage the itinerary unless it's planned properly and undertaken under the guidance of a tour operator. There's the amazing journey through the canal, and the prospect of being able to explore Panama City, Gatun Lake and the rest of the country. Throw in a cruise with stops at various ports of call on the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts, and it makes for a pretty much unforgettable trip.
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