When you book one of our Panama Canal Cruises you know you will tick off one of those bucket list cruise destinations.
It has all the gritty vibe of Miami, “the laissez faire” of Vegas and the colonial soul of Cuba.
Originally Panama was the major conduit for gold and silver through the Americas. More recently a lot of funny money ended up transiting Panama city with the explosion of banks in the 70’s and 80’s until George Bush decided to have a crack at Manuel Noriega in 1989. Today Panama is an eco-tourism paradise mixed with urban chic skyscrapers and all the trappings of old world deluxe coffee bars and genuine Panama sombreros. Of course the “ocean to ocean” Panama Canal cruises have roared in popularity and are not to be missed on any bucket list of cruisers.
Famous the world over for its canal, Panama has so much more to offer. If crossing the structure is a highlight of a cruise in Central America , the country also has natural sites of major interest where the discovery of wildlife and encounters with indigenous communities are moving memories.
Miraflores Locks
Now is you turn to see the canal in action as the ships pass and cruise from coast to coast.
From the walkways of the Miraflores Locks, located on the Pacific Ocean side, travelers on a cruise to Panama witness the incessant traffic of ships joining the either side of the American continent. The adjacent visitor center allows you to learn about the history of the construction of the canal, but also to discover in a playful way the biodiversity and the environment that borders the whole area.
The Biomuseum
Absorb the local wisdom when you visit the Biomuseo, as biodiversity is also the subject of this museum, the first designed in Latin America by architect Frank Gehry. Open since 2004 and located south of the Panama Canal, the Biomuseo highlights the natural and cultural heritage of the Isthmus of Panama and its incredible formation three million years ago, instead of the sea of 'Central America. A land submerged between two continents, separating the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, the isthmus has influenced the distribution of underwater species, as shown by the museum's two large aquariums. It has also impacted exchanges between people and countries for hundreds of years.
Darien National Park
This is the largest protected area in Panama, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. Darién National Park brings together a diversity of fauna and flora unique in the world. During your cruise in Panama you will be able to approach one of the 169 species of mammals and 530 species of birds. Many endemic species have been recorded on the 575,000 hectares of coasts (beaches, coves, mangroves), plains (rivers, rainforests) and mountains (palm forests) that make up the park.
Darien National Park also draws its particularity from the inclusion of indigenous populations and their way of life in this protected area. Indigenous populations such as the Emberá Indians thus perpetuate their traditions on their lands.
The Pearl Archipelago
Cast your eye back in time, for in the 16th century, the most beautiful sets of natural pearls worn in Europe were extracted from this group of islets where oysters once proliferated. The vein exhausted, the archipelago of the Pearls has nevertheless kept its reputation as an earthly paradise. The white sand beaches lined with palm trees delight travellers, the schools of fish and the turquoise water enchant divers, the cabins on stilts leave you dreaming.
The San Blas Archipelago
Located along the northeast coast of Panama, the San Blas archipelago dots its coral islands in the heart of the Caribbean Sea. More than 300 islets are spread over nearly 300 kilometers, offering a multitude of treasures. Sheltered behind a long coral reef, the San Blas Islands are full of anchorages, each one more heavenly than the next. The long stretches of white sand fringed with crystal clear waters allow travelers to relax and admire incredible marine fauna, before heading out to meet the Kuna Indian community. Still living from hunting and fishing, they reserve a warm welcome in their villages with bamboo dwellings grouped near the beaches.
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