The Atlantic Locks

On the Caribbean side of the isthmus two sets of locks sit side by side and a century apart. Gatún, finished in 1914, lifts ships twenty-six metres in three steps using chambers just over thirty metres wide, and it still works with the original design. Agua Clara opened in 2016 as part of the expansion, with chambers half again as wide and a system of side basins that recycles a large share of the water rather than releasing it, allowing the neopanamax ships that would not fit the old locks. The visitor centre looks down on the new chambers with the old ones and Gatún Lake beyond.

What you actually see

• Agua Clara chambers - the 2016 locks and their water-saving side basins.
• The original Gatún locks - working since 1914 on the same design.
• A neopanamax transit - a ship filling the chamber almost completely.
• The scale comparison - old and new locks visible together.

When to go

December to April is the dry season. Transit times vary, so check when ships are expected before making the drive; the centre publishes rough schedules. Mornings generally have more traffic northbound.

Honest expectations

You may arrive and find no ship in the chamber, which makes the visit fairly flat; check timings first. It is ninety minutes from Panama City and Colón itself has a serious crime problem, so go directly and do not wander. Miraflores on the Pacific side is closer to the city and easier if you only want to see one.

Nearby

Portobelo and San Lorenzo are on the same coast; Colón is nearby.