The Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is one of the greatest engineering achievements in human history, an 82-kilometre waterway completed in 1914 that cuts across the narrow isthmus of Panama to join the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, transforming global trade. Watching from the visitor centre at the Miraflores Locks near Panama City, visitors can see the awesome spectacle up close as colossal cargo ships are raised and lowered through the giant locks by millions of litres of water, a mesmerising display of scale and precision.

History

The idea goes back to 1513, when Vasco Núñez de Balboa first crossed the isthmus and noted the possibility of a canal, and in 1534 the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V ordered a survey for a route. Scotland's Darien scheme of 1698-1700 failed in the jungle, Alexander von Humboldt weighed five canal routes in an essay of 1811, and the California gold rush of 1848 made the crossing of Panama a busy route between the oceans (Wikipedia, Panama Canal).

Highlights

• The Miraflores Locks - the visitor centre watching ships transit the locks.
• The giant ships - the huge cargo vessels passing through.
• The lock mechanism - the ingenious raising and lowering by water.
• The museum - the exhibits on the canal's epic history.

When to go

Year-round; ships transit throughout the day, but they are most frequent in the morning and late afternoon, so time a visit for those windows to see the locks in action. Check the schedule to catch a large vessel passing through.

Things to know

It is a working waterway, not a show, so ship transits follow the shipping schedule; the busiest and best viewing is usually morning and late afternoon, and quiet periods can mean waiting. The Miraflores centre near the city is the most popular, but can be crowded. Seeing a giant ship squeeze through the locks is genuinely awe-inspiring; a partial transit boat trip is another way to experience it.

Nearby

Panama City, the Casco Viejo and the Soberania rainforest are close.

Key facts