Published on Apr, 2024
My family and I decided to kick off our trip to Panama with this tour. Not only did we want to see the Panama Canal, we thought the city tour portion will give us our bearings for future exploring. We booked through Viator. Our tourguide Eric picked us up at our Airbnb in Casco Viejo and brought us to the Canal in an air conditioned van. On the way, Eric gave an overview of the history of the canal. He also sold us tickets to the IMAX movie so that we were able to skip the initial line to get in.
The Panama Canal is truly a marval. Witnessing massive ships navigate through the locks, with just a foot of space to spare on each side was spectacular. The experience offered an appreciateion for the canal's role in global trade and it's impact on the regions development - Eric mentioned that the canal itself has over 10,000 employees!
After viewing the massive ship navigate throught the locks we went to the IMAX theater to see "A Land Divided, a World United". People often ask if this movie is worth the extra 20$ to see and the answer for me is absolutely! The movie is really well done, narated by Morgan Freeman. Totally go.
Before we went to on our walking tour, Eric drove us through the cruise ship port - lots of shops and restaurants. He made a stop at the iconic colorful PANAMA sign and we were lucky enough to see a slot in the wild near the entrance to the Smithsonian reserve.
Once the driving tour was complete, we set off on a walking tour through Panama's historic Old Town. We were taken through the cobblestone strees, colonial-era architeture and vibrant busy plazas. We went in an out of old churches. My favorite was the San Jose Church with the golden altar. He took us through “Paseo La Bovedas” - which is really pretty. On one side of this paseo is loads of booths selling crafts, hats, jewlery etc. On the other side is a great view of new Panama with beautiful pink flowers.
Every moment of this tour was filled with wonder and discovery. Whether you're a history buff, nature enthusiast, or simply seeking adventure, this excursion offers something for everyone. It's a must-do experience for anyone visiting Panama City.