Nearly 100 years after the Panama canal opened, it continues to be one of the worlds most famous sights. But there is more to see than just the canal, says Judith Baker
The first ship sailed from the Atlantic to the Pacific via the Panama Canal on August 15, 1914. Exactly a century later, the Canal remains one of the principal navigation routes in the world for all kinds of vessel.
The Panama Canal is on the bucket list of many a traveller. Sailors had dreamed of a short cut between the Atlantic and the Pacific for centuries, as an alternative to the long circumnavigation of South America. This dream was finally realised in 1914, with the official opening of the Panama Canal. The French had been the first, in 1873, to try to construct this 77km navigable waterway, but some 22,000 workers lost their lives during this effort to malaria and yellow fever and the company behind the vision went bust. The Americans finished the construction by 1914, after Panama ceded 1,400 sq km of its territory either side of the canal ‘indefinitely’ to American control. The area was administered by the United States but following a treaty signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1977, was handed back to Panama on December 31, 1999 and is today run by the Panama Canal Administration.
CRUISE THERE
Star Clippers has two Panama Canal voyages :
• Star Flyer sails from Barbados to Balboa on November 9, calling at the Grenadines, Grenada, Venezuela, Curacao, Bonaire, Aruba, Cartagena and the San Blas archipelago, before entering the Canal as far as San Cristobal; from £2,795 for 14 nights, including full board on the ship and port taxes. Flights extra.
• Star Flyer then returns to her winter cruising base of Cienfuegos, Cuba, departing Balboa on November 23, sailing into the Panama Canal and then calling at ports in Colombia and the Cayman Islands as well as Casilda in Cuba (for the historic city of Trinidad). From £1,765 for nine nights, including full board on the ship and port taxes. Flights extra.
www.starclippers.co.uk.
PANAMA FOR LAND LUBBERS
Although most people think of the world famous canal when the country is mentioned, Panama is a destination of rich diversity with multiple atmospheres and cultures, making it a fascinating place for those looking for a range of adventures. As it is relatively small (about 78,200 sq km) it can be crossed by land in a few hours, allowing visitors to enjoy different experiences in a short time.
Where else can you see the sun rise over one ocean and set over another? With the Pacific on one side and the Caribbean on the other, Panama is a unique destination which is rapidly gaining in popularity with travellers keen to experience its Central American combination of carnivals, culture and tropical climate.
Unlike some of its more developed neighbours such as Costa Rica, Panama is still relatively unspoilt by mass tourism, and the country is ripe for exploration
With two coasts and more than a 1000 islands, Panama has beaches, rainforests, highlands and lively city life.
Panama is also the only country in Central America that is hurricane free and also does not suffer any of the earthquakes that plague some of its neighbours, making it a year round destination
Carnival
. Like Rio in Brazil, Panama parties like there’s no tomorrow on the days surrounding Shrove Tuesday with dancing in the streets, parades of colourful floats and the crowning of beautiful leggy carnival queens dressed in sequins, fishnets and feathers.
Panama’s carnival dates back to colonial times and is celebrated in several provinces including Coclé, Herrera and Los Santos
Panama Canal
Open every day of the year, it is possible to see 5,000,000 ton vessels rise and drop more than 50 feet in the locks as they make their way over the isthmus from one ocean to the other. The Miraflores Visitors’ Centre is only 15 minutes from downtown Panama City and has interactive exhibits explaining the workings of the canal and its history.
A boat trip from the canal across Gatun Lake provided a glimpse of local flora and fauna including monkeys and crocodiles, and the opportunity to cruise out to visit some indigenous peoples who live here such as the Embera Indians who welcomed us with traditional dances and music.
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Portobelo
Portobelo, in Colon, once the greatest Spanish port in the region, is where one can still see the remains of forts which preserve the memory of attacks from famous pirates such as Henry Morgan and Francis Drake, who is buried beneath the sea here.. Step inside the church, Iglesia San Felipe, which now houses the Black Christ statue. Nobody knows exactly how or when it arrived in the tiny community of Portobelo on the Caribbean coast. Some put the date at around 1658. But the stories of miracles surrounding the eight-foot wooden statue of the Black Christ are enough to overwhelm the village with tens of thousands of pilgrims every October 21.
Back in the city,visit the innovative Frank Gehry-designed Bio Museo, a space celebrating ecological diversity which opened recently. Panama City’s new Cinta Costera (Coastal Belt) creates a green stripe of waterfront paths that finishes in Casco Viejo, a stunning historic neighbourhood rebuilt after decades of neglect. The old town vies with old Havana and San Juan for authentic colonial Spanish charm and the architecture of Casco Viejo which was once left to fade and crumble is now attracting artists, writers and former ambassadors who have homes here.
Flying there
There are no direct flights to Panama from the UK. Although BA & Virgin in conjunction with American Airlines, Delta and United Airlines fly daily via various US gateways, flying with either KLM or Iberia through Europe avoids the trauma of clearing US immigration and customs.
KLM Dutch Airlines fly daily to Panama City from all UK regional airports via Amsterdam. www.klm.com 0871 231 0000
Iberia flies from Heathrow to Panama City via Madrid 5 times a week, www.iberia.com 0870 609 0500