Colón, Panama: travel guide
Caribbean port city at the Atlantic mouth of the Panama Canal, home to the Gatún and Agua Clara Locks and the historic Panama Canal Railway terminus, plus Fuerte San Lorenzo guarding the Chagres River mouth. Portobelo, ~20 km east, with its UNESCO-listed Spanish colonial forts and Cristo Negro church, is a separate catalog city.
- Country
- Panama
- Currency
- USD
- Time zone
- America/Panama
Top places to visit in Colón
Agua Clara Locks
Heritage · about 2 h · entry USD 10
The Atlantic-side visitor centre of the expanded Panama Canal, overlooking the giant neopanamax locks and Gatun Lake.
Gatun Locks
Heritage · about 1.5 h
The original three-step Atlantic locks of 1914 that lift ships up to Gatun Lake.
Fuerte San Lorenzo
Fort · about 2 h
UNESCO-listed Spanish fort on a cliff at the mouth of the Chagres River, guarding the old gold route.
Things to do
- Agua Clara Locks & Gatun Lake Tour Tour · 5 h · from USD 60 per person
- Fuerte San Lorenzo Day Trip Cultural · 6 h · from USD 70 per person
Day trips and tours
- Portobelo & Agua Clara Locks 8 h · from USD 70
Where to stay in Colón
Hotels
- Radisson Colon 2000 4-star · USD 100 to USD 170 per night
Getting around
- Minibus main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Taxi main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking
Every city has walking. 2.5 km ceiling is a placeholder default, not a researched per-city figure -- Singapore is sheltered and air-conditioned, Bangkok often has no pavement.
Safety and scams to avoid
Distraction theft in Colon city
Downtown Colon
Petty thieves work in pairs to distract and pickpocket visitors on the street.
How to avoid it: Avoid walking through central Colon with valuables; take a taxi door to door.