Most popular Panama canal tour in 2023? The San Blas Islands are magical. With their pristine white sands and clear blue seas many people compare them to the Fiji Islands. I’ve met lots of very experienced travellers, who’ve been all around the world, who say that this multi-day adventure is one of their best travelling highlights. With 390 unique Islands you could visit an island each day of the year and you’ll still have some left over! Most of them are so small that you even have trouble finding them on Google Maps. What’s better is that travelling to this unspoiled natural wonder is actually very affordable. In this article I’d like to tell you the most important things you need to know to experience this amazing place as well! See extra info at Monkey Island.
I will never stop saying this: Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve is a hidden gem that you definitely shouldn’t miss when in Tulum. The Sian Kaan Lagoons and Cenote Escondido tour combines exploring the lagoons of Sian Kaan with the Mayan Ruins of Muyil, with a relaxing swim at beautiful cenote Escondido. Just the perfect combo. It’s pricey (all tours to Sian Ka’an generally are), but worth it IMO. This private cenote tour from Tulum brings you to Dos Ojos, one of the best (and most famous) cenotes in the area. By departing early in the morning, you’ll enjoy the two cenotes away from the tourist crowds – when I went as soon as it opened, I had Dos Ojos cenote all to myself and it was a unique experience! You’ll get lunch as well on this Dos Ojos cenote tour.
For fans of surfing, beaches like El Borrego, Matanchen Bay, Los Cocos, and Las Islitas are ideal for surfing, especially during the summer when the waves reach great heights. At the famous Ramadas (small restaurants) located at the edge of the beach you can find instructors and rent surfboards. Do not miss this opportunity!
The Miraflores Locks is the Panama Canal visitor center and viewing deck. The center is home to a museum and the best seat in the house to watch huge ships navigate the canal. You can visit the Miraflores Locks on tour or on your own. The entrance to the museum and viewing deck is $15 USD for adults and $10 USD for children. I personally visited the locks on this full-day guided tour that visited lots of other attractions around the city. A ship leaves the narrow canals of the Panama Canal and enters the man made Gatun Lake It takes a while for a ship to even pass one gate. If you don’t just want to watch the ships go through the canal then you can also do this partial Panama Canal cruise or this full cruise through the canal. These tours have you literally one a boat going through the canal. The partial cruise just takes you through on section of the narrow canal whereas the full tour takes you through all 3 canals and the man-made lake from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean.
Explore rowing on a kayak the beautiful Chagres River before it merges at the Gatun lake where the huge vessels and boats transit from Ocean to Ocean. The Chagres river is the main tributary of water of the Canal. A quite waterway, enjoying the sound of the wild life of this dense tropical forest. You might get the opportunity to see a sloth in a tree, a colorful bird peacefully living in the jungle or at the top the water plants, caimans, turtles among many others species of the local fauna. After a short hike to the small port used by the Embera indigenous at Gamboa, the tour last about 1 hour and 20 minutes (in the kayak) always accompanied by our bilingual guide and probably also by an Embera guide from the area who knows the place better than anyone. Discover additional information at https://taotravel365.tours/.
Having traveled around the world on their 45-foot sailboat “Kailani” and encountering various amazing destinations, cultures and adventures that impacted their perspectives on life, founders Michael and Paola resolved to create a platform that allowed other travelers from around the world to gain access to these experiences. It is our hope that we will connect travelers from different backgrounds, cultures and mindsets, allowing them to share their values and gaining a deeper respect and love for each other – as human beings and connected spirits.
Panama’s most famous attraction is by far the Panama Canal, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Watching a massive ship, piled high with colorful containers, gliding quietly into the locks reveals the true enormity of this great feat of engineering. Taking a boat tour through the canal gives you even more perspective. If you want to simply see the Panama Canal, the best place to do this is at the Miraflores Locks, about 25 minutes from downtown Panama City. You can see the canal from the five-story visitor center, complete with a small museum, a restaurant, and an IMAX theater in a separate building.