Panama Canal
Introduction
This Central American canal, completed by the United States in 1914, allows
ships to travel between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans without traveling around
South America. The canal consists of artificially created lakes, channels and a
series of locks, or water-filled chambers, that raise and lower ships through
the mountainous terrain of central Panama.
The entire trip through the canal takes between eight and 10 hours. About 14,000
ships, 400,000 crewmembers, and 300,000 passengers traveled through the canal in
1995. Each ship that travels through the canal pays a toll based on its
capacity. One exception is Richard Halliburton, who paid 36 cents for swimming
the canal in 1928.
One advantage to cruising the Panama Canal is its proximity to so many
countries. Ships often stop in South America, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala
and Mexico, so cruisers often have opportunities to embark upon fascinating
shore excursions in diverse regions.
Getting Around
Getting lost is a problem in itself, but getting lost amidst Central America's
mountains, caves, volcanoes and jungles is more than possible - which is why
guides on a Panama Canal cruise are indispensable. |
Cruise Tip
If you're cruising alone, inquire as to if your line
has a 'guaranteed share rate.' This program finds you a roommate of the same
sex, avoiding the addition of a 'single's supplement' to your fare.
...More Tips |
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Resourceful cruisers might be comfortable roaming within a city and visiting
sights that don't require extensive travel. However, even cultural attractions
shopping districts are located in unfamiliar outskirts, and any escapade that
takes a reasonable distance away from the docked ship should involve a guide.
Examples of shore excursion opportunities on Panama
Canal cruises include:
Sports Excursions
- Learn to snorkel on the waters of La Entrega
beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in Santa Cruz Huatulco, Mexico.
- Deep-sea fish for exotic catches of dorado,
marlin and sailfish off the coast of Guatemala.
- Take the helm as you sail past some of the most
splendid bays of Huatulco, Mexico with the daunting Sierra Madre mountains
serving as a breathtaking backdrop.
Adventure Expeditions
- Horseback ride along rugged beaches and off-the
beaten path trails on the Isla de Margarita, Venezuela.
- Hike through Aruba's Guadirikiri Caves,
mysterious caverns that contain stalactites and ancient drawings.
- Board an all-terrain 4x4 and trek to remote
fishing communities in Macanao, Venezuela.
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Nature Trips
- Explore Costa Rica's Carara, a biological
reserve with rich vegetation and astounding wildlife, including monkeys, macaws,
toucans, sloths, butterflies and reptiles.
- Navigate the Isla de Margarita's Tropical
Labyrinth, a fascinating garden of tropical plants arranged in unique naturally
appearing patterns.
- Witness Venezuela's Angel Falls, the highest
waterfall in the world (3,212 feet), and view the surrounding Tepuys Table
Mountains, the oldest geological formations on the planet.
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Cultural Attractions
- Visit the Murano Glass Factory in Caracas,
Venezuela and see artisans craft molten glass into imaginative figures.
- Travel to the land of the modern Maya near Lake
Atitlan in Guatemala, and pass through villages of great heritage and witness
the inhabitants' contemporary lifestyle.
- Journey to Puerto Quetzal's Ingenio Santa Ana,
one of the largest sugar cane mills in Guatemala, and learn how cane is sown,
grown and harvested.
Historical Tours
- Experience Cartagena, Columbia, a preferred
target for pirates until a constructed fortress made it the most impenetrable
city of the Spanish Main.
- Encounter the famed Mayan ruins of Tikal in
Guatemala, including the Great Plaza, the Central Acropolis and the North
Acropolis.
- Discover Granada's elegant Spanish churches,
which have survived centuries of wars, invasions and erosion.
Wildlife Interaction
- Observe an equestrian show performed by the
Spanish Pureblood Horse School in San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua.
- Embark on a bird watching eco-tour through the
trails of the Copalita River in Mexico and view orioles, woodpeckers, egrets,
falcons, hummingbirds, seagulls and hawks.
- Tour Willemstad, Curacao's unique ostrich farm
and encounter the world's largest bird.
Shopping Districts
- Purchase ceramics, leather, carvings, paints,
textiles, art and other mementos at the Indian Market in San Juan Del Sur,
Nicaragua.
- Uncover artistic treasures in Masaya, known as
the birthplace of Nicaragua's best painters, artists and craftspeople.
- Shop in Bocagrande, Columbia, a residential area
famous for emerald, handicraft and leather shops.
| Enhance
your travel to Panama by reading about its culture, people and history in these
novels: |
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It's Panama's Canal - Patricia Maloney Markun
How Wall Street Created a Nation: J.P. Morgan, Teddy Roosevelt, and the
Panama Canal - Ovidio Diaz Espino
The Building of the Panama Canal in Historic Photographs - Ulrich Keller,
Editor
The Panama Canal (Wonders of the World) - Elizabeth Mann
Mola Designs: 45 Authentic Indian Designs from Panama - Frederick W.
Shaffer
Panama: A Novel - Bill Boyd
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