Panama
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Forested hills among banks of mist with Panama City buildings in the distance.

Panama · Panama Canal & Gamboa

On the water

The canal, Gatún Lake and the Chagres River seen from a boat. Choose operators that do not feed wildlife.

4 places1 closed or restricted, flagged

  1. 1

    WaterOpen

    Panama Canal partial transit by boat

    Starts or ends at Flamenco Marina on the Amador Causeway; the other end is Gamboa.30.3 km from the centre

    Entry
    $155
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    Boat trip run by private operators through part of the canal, including locks, between Flamenco Marina (Amador Causeway) and Gamboa.

    Source: Partial transit tour – Panama Marine Adventures · 2026 · +2

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Operator data, not ACP (checked October 2026). Panama Marine Adventures: adults US$155, children 3–12 US$105. Ancon Expeditions, per person by group size (4+, 2–3 or 1), plus 7% tax: until 30 Nov 2026, US$200, US$210 or US$240, children 3–11 US$115; from 1 Dec 2026, US$210, US$225 or US$260, children US$120.
    Booking
    Only on dates scheduled by operators. Check-in times depend on ACP operating conditions (Panama Marine Adventures). Includes bilingual guide, meals and transfer from selected hotels.
    Time needed
    5–6 hours according to Panama Marine Adventures and 5–7 according to Ancon Expeditions, which says it depends on canal traffic (checked October 2026).

    Nearby: Smithsonian Punta Culebra Nature Center (0.8 km) · Amador Causeway (1.6 km) · Biomuseo (Biodiversity Museum) (3.5 km)

    Sources: Partial transit tour – Panama Marine Adventures · Panama Canal Partial Transit – Ancon Expeditions · The Panama Canal – Visit Panamá

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  2. 2

    WaterOpen

    Gatún Lake boat tour ('Monkey Island')

    Gatún Lake, with departures from Gamboa.27.2 km from the centre

    Entry
    Not confirmed
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    Speedboat trips from Gamboa to Gatún Lake islands with capuchin, tamarin and howler monkeys. MiAmbiente and a primatologist have warned that feeding the monkeys harms them.

    Source: Analizan el impacto del turismo en los monos del lago Gatún – Metro Libre · 2025 · +2

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Not confirmed: depends on the operator.

    Tip: Choose an operator that does not feed the animals. At a January 2025 forum with MiAmbiente, primatologist Pedro Méndez explained that feeding the monkeys alters their natural diet and the ecosystem balance. Do not touch the monkeys or offer them food.

    Nearby: Barro Colorado Island (Smithsonian) (10.9 km) · Agua Clara Visitor Center (11.6 km)

    Sources: Analizan el impacto del turismo en los monos del lago Gatún – Metro Libre · All you need to know: Monkey Island – Take Two PTY · The Panama Canal – Visit Panamá

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  3. 3

    NatureRestricted access

    Barro Colorado Island (Smithsonian)

    Gatún Lake; the boat leaves from the STRI dock in Gamboa.16.4 km from the centre

    Entry
    Not confirmed
    Hours
    5 to 3
    Booking
    Not stated

    Gatún Lake island with a Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute station. Visits include a boat from Gamboa, a guided forest hike and lunch.

    Visits only with advance booking, on full-day tours led by Smithsonian (STRI) staff. No overnight stays except for researchers. Without a booking, Pipeline Road offers similar forest with no special permit.

    Source: Barro Colorado Island – Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute · 2026 · +3

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Not confirmed on STRI's official site at the time of review (Oct 2026). Published references from STRI and Wikivoyage: about US$125 for foreign adults, US$75 for foreign students and US$30 for local students; another STRI reference mentions US$55 for Panamanians or residents. Confirm the price when you book.
    Hours
    Schedule published by STRI (not confirmed on its site at the time of review): leaves Gamboa at 6:50 a.m. on weekdays and 7:40 a.m. at weekends; returns from the island at 3:40 p.m. on weekdays and 2:00 p.m. at weekends. The hike takes 2.5 to 3 hours.
    Booking
    Book at stri.si.edu/visit/barro-colorado. Spots fill quickly. Minimum age: 12 per STRI; operator Ancon Expeditions states 8 for its package (discrepancy). Ancon Expeditions sells the trip with transfer from US$220 + 7% per person and says there are no Monday, Friday or holiday departures (operator data).

    Tip: Closed shoes and long trousers are required on the trail (operator).

    Nearby: Gatún Lake boat tour ('Monkey Island') (10.9 km) · Pipeline Road (Camino del Oleoducto) (12.5 km) · Panama Rainforest Discovery Center (13.9 km)

    Sources: Barro Colorado Island – Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute · Planifique su visita – STRI · Barro Colorado Island – Wikivoyage · Smithsonian Barro Colorado Island – Ancon Expeditions

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  4. 4

    CultureOpen

    Emberá community of Parará Purú

    Chagres River, about 15 minutes by motorized canoe from Puerto Corotú (Lake Alajuela).22.2 km from the centre

    Entry
    Not confirmed
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    Emberá community in Chagres National Park offering community tourism: dances, crafts, a walk to a waterfall and a traditional lunch. Reached by dugout canoe from Puerto Corotú.

    Source: Embera Parara Puru S.A. – web oficial de la comunidad · 2026 · +3

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Direct contact with the community: from about US$55 per person for groups over 5, including the boat from Puerto Corotú (Panorama of the Americas, 2022). Agencies charge more; a 2014 blog (updated 2023) cites about US$125 per person. 2026 rates not confirmed. Chagres National Park entry is extra.
    Booking
    The community runs a community-tourism company, Embera Parara Puru S.A., which takes bookings through the phone numbers and e-mail on its official site (Monday to Sunday, 9:00 to 14:00). It offers day visits and overnight stays. Agencies also sell the trip.

    Tip: This is a lived-in community, not a show. Ask before photographing people, buy crafts directly and follow your hosts' guidance. Jagua body paint is optional.

    Nearby: Emberá Drúa community (4 km)

    Sources: Embera Parara Puru S.A. – web oficial de la comunidad · Del río Chagres a la comunidad Emberá – TVN (26 jun. 2026) · Emberá: the children of the river – Panorama of the Americas · ATP avanza planes de turismo comunitario con los Emberá de la Cuenca del Canal

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