Panama History & Island Tour

Welcome to Panama City, the vibrant capital city of Panama, and home to the famous Panama Canal and amazing tropical sceneries! Our driver will meet you at Tocumen International Airport according to your flight schedule and then transfer you to a comfortable and stylish hotel for check in. You can have a rest in the hotel or walk around Punta Pacifica for dinner or shopping.

Travel Tips:
1. Money: Panama’s official currency Balboa (PAB) is pegged at par to the USD dollar, and it mainly uses dollars as paper money in circulation. So exchanging your pounds or euros to dollars is necessary before arriving at Panama. If you’re an American citizen, there is no need to exchange money. The locals also use Balboa coins and PAB 1 equals USD 1.

2. SIM Card: Upon arrival at the Tocumen International Airport, visitors can buy a local SIM card here. The price is surely much higher, and even the cheapest card costs around USD 30. More cost-effective options are offered in mobile provider stores of Claro, Digicel, +móvil, or Airalo and convenience stores, and the same card only takes about USD 6. They are scattered in the city center and your guide will show you the direction if you need. Please note that the cards in convenience stores cannot be activated to foreigners now, so you are suggested to buy cards at mobile provider stores.

Accommodation: Holiday Inn Panama Distrito Financiero (4 stars)

Today is to explore Panama’s most well-known attraction, the Panama Canal, which is one of the most important canals in the world. The lock-type canal connects the Pacific and Atlantic seas, creating an engineering miracle. More than observing it from a distance, we will have a Panama cruise tour to experience the ship being lifted by two ship locks.

In the early morning, you will be sent to Flamenco Marina, from where the ship will sail through the Bridge of the Americas. When arriving at Miraflores Locks, the ship will be lifted and enter Miraflores Lake, and then arrive at Pedro Miguel Locks. Afterward, it will sail through the south end of Gaillard Cut, the entrance of the Chagres River flows into the Panama Canal. Later, you can see another important bridge spanning over the Panama Canal, the Centennial Bridge. The final stop of the 6-hour northbound canal tour is Gamboa Dredging Division in the middle of the canal. After getting off, you will be transferred back to the downtown area.

On board, a bilingual guide will be at your service. Breakfast, lunch, and non-alcoholic drinks are also included, but we kindly suggest you take some of your own food.

Please Note:
The northbound canal tour generally departs in the early morning but the actual time is decided by the Panama Canal Authority based on the canal operation. If you consider it is too early for you, you can contact us to change it to a southbound one departing at noon.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Holiday Inn Panama Distrito Financiero (4 stars)

Today’s itinerary starts with a morning stroll at Amador Causeway, which is located at the south entrance of the Panama Canal and extends into the Pacific Sea. With a lot of shops and restaurants surrounding it, this is an iconic attraction to stroll around and you can also take in beautiful city views and scenic canal scenes. Then you will be guided to see the Bridge of the Americas and then walk around the Casco Viejo (San Felipe), an atmospheric district housing a lot of colonial architecture. Wander around the narrow cobbled streets to feel the local vibrant vibe and drop by ancient cathedrals and France Square.

After lunch, continue the visit to Miraflores Locks, the closest canal locks from the downtown area. At the Miraflores Visitor Center, you can climb to the observation deck and catch the impressive scene of mega cruises and cargo ships transiting through the locks if the time is right. Your guide will check the ship transit schedule in advance and arrange a suitable visit time for you. And you can also see a short 3D movie narrating the canal’s overall condition and history.

Then we will drive to see the first colonial city, Panama Viejo. As the first city settled by Spanish in Panama and even the whole Pacific area, it was built in the 1500s. It is a pity that the old city was sacked by pirates in 1671 and now you can only see ruins. This is the best place for history buffs to feel past. At the end of the day, we will go back to modern Panama City to have a glimpse of its prosperous business district.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Holiday Inn Panama Distrito Financiero (4 stars)

Today we'll transfer by train through the Panama Canal railway to visit Portobelo. The Panama Canal railway is built along Panama Canal and travel through the lush and green rainforest. We'll arrive at Colon in 1 hour and then drive 1 hour to Portobelo. We'll then visit Black Christ of Portobelo Church, Portobelo Museum with a movie, and Spanish Fort Ruins. After lunch, you will relax on Isla Grande Beach of the Caribbean coast on your own, you may go snorkeling or have sunbath. After the tour, transfer you check in the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: La Casa Congo

Today we'll take a boat to San Blas Islands. It is recommended to buy some bottled water and snacks in advance, as it is not convenient to buy daily necessities on the island. Upon arrival, we are going to visit Guna Yala community to learn about the ancient culture and local life style. You can also buy exquisite handicrafts here if you like. Finally, check in the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Yandup Lodge

You are free for the entire day. If you need, the guide will be willing to recommend some projects or book some for you. We recommend Fragata Island, Diablo Island, Starfish Island, Chichime Island, and Perro Island also called Dog Island, one of the top snorkeling sites where you can see the remains of an old Navy gunboat. You can go snorkeling or just relax on the beach.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Yandup Lodge

This morning is free on your own on the island. You can walk around to explore the island by yourself or just relax on the beach. In the afternoon, we'll back to Panama City.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Holiday Inn Panama Distrito Financiero (4 stars)

Today your private tours of Panama come to an end. The driver will pick you up from the hotel and send you to Tocumen International Airport. Wish you a happy journey home!

Meals: Breakfast