Panama City & The Panama Canal

Bordered by the Caribbean on the north, the Pacific on the south, Columbia on the east, and Costa Rica on the west, Panama is a natural crossroads. Panama City was founded in 1519 and made wealthy by the plundered treasures of Peru. Evidence of its turbulent history can be seen in the city’s historic districts, but the modern Panama City of soaring glass skyscrapers is its most striking feature. On its doorstep are dense rainforests and the eighth wonder of the modern world, the Panama Canal. Visit the Miraflores locks to watch enormous ships pass by, or make a short transit through the locks to Gatun Lake. Excursions into the rainforest take you to a village of the Embera tribe for lunch, a dance ceremony, and a display of tribal crafts.