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Plaza de Francia
At the tip of the southern point of Casco Viejo, this beautiful plaza pays homage to the French role in the construction of the canal. Its large stone tablets and statues are dedicated to the memory of the 22,000 workers who died trying to create the canal. Most of the workers die
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Iglesia de San Atanacio
This church was granted national monument status by the government in 1938 and is truly a national treasure. Alongside Plaza Simón Bolívar, the church opened its doors to the public in 1782 after nearly nine years of construction. It’s a fine example of the baroque style, with lots
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Miraflores Visitors Center
The easiest and best way to visit the canal is to go to the Miraflores Visitors Center, located just outside Panama City. The recently inaugurated visitors center features a large, four-floor interactive museum, several viewing platforms and an excellent restaurant serving sumptuou
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Parque Nacional Volcán Barú
Volcán Barú is Panamas only volcano and the dominant geographical feature of western Panama. It has not one but seven craters. Its summit, at 3478m (11,410ft), is the highest point in Panama, and on a clear day it affords views of both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Volcán Barú
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Parque Nacional Soberanía
This 22,104ha (85 sq mi) park is one of the most accessible tropical rain-forest areas in Panama. It extends much of the way across the isthmus, from Limón on Lago Gatùn to just north of Paraíso. It features hiking trails, the Río Chagres, part of Lago Gatùn and a remarkable variet
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Tidal Flats
Located 9km from downtown Aguadulce, the tideland is quite expansive. When the tide is out, you can walk nearly 2km before reaching the ocean. But be careful; once the tide turns, it rises rather quickly, and it’s frighteningly easy to be swept out to sea if you’re caught in the ru
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Río Sambú
Traveling the wide, brown Sambú River is a heart-of-darkness experience: youll pass through spectacular jungle while gliding past traditional Emberá and Wounaan villages. Be forewarned: its not everyones cup of tea. If riding in a boat thats loaded down with leaking gasoline cans b
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Gatún Dam
The Gatún Dam, which was constructed in 1908 to shore up the Río Chagres and to create Lago Gatún, was the world’s largest earthen dam at the time. Before Lake Mead was formed by the 1936 completion of the Hoover Dam on the Nevada–Arizona (USA) border, Lago Gatún was the world’s la
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Parque Nacional Sarigua
This small national park is arguably the most important Pre-Columbian site in Panama - the Sarigua site has been dated back 11,000 years based on shell mounds and pottery fragments. In contrast to many of Panamas other national parks, this is not the place to encounter lush forests
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Panama Canal Murals
The story of the monumental effort to build the Panama Canal is powerfully depicted in murals by notable artist William B Van Ingen of New York. The murals are mounted in the rotunda of the Panama Canal Administration Building. The paintings have the distinction of being the larges
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Centro de Exhibiciones Marinas
Ideal for families, the CEM is operated by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI). This informative marine museum features two small aquariums and a nature trail through a patch of dry forest containing sloths and iguanas. Signs in English and Spanish. Separate aquarium
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Real Aduana de Portobelo
The handsome, two-story Royal Customs House of Portobelo was originally built in 1630 to serve as the contaduría (counting house) for the king’s gold. Treasure brought across the isthmus was recorded and stored here until it could be placed on galleons and sailed to Spain. Accordin
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Reserva Natural Punta Patiño
On the southern shore of the Golfo de San Miguel, this 26,315ha (65,025 acre) wildlife preserve is owned by the private conservation group ANCON. It contains species-rich primary and secondary forest, and is one of the best places in Panama to spot harpy eagles. Even if the big bir
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Fuerte San Lorenzo
Declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1980, Fuerte San Lorenzo is perched at the mouth of the Río Chagres on a promontory west of the canal. Despite its violent history, much of San Lorenzo is well preserved, including the moat, the cannons and the arched rooms. The fort also co
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Iglesia de San Félipe
Every October 21, pilgrims from all over Panama arrive in Portobelo to partake in the Festival de Cristo Negro (Black Christ Festival), which honors the 1.5m-high statue of the Black Christ housed in the Iglesia de San Félipe. The exact origins of the Black Christ statue are a matt
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Panama Rainforest Discovery Center
Geared towards ecotourism and environmental education, Panama Rainforest Discovery Center is an excellent facility for bird-watchers and nature lovers. Since you are probably coming to watch wildlife, it’s worth making an effort to roll out of bed early. You will be kindly rewarded
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Gatún Locks
The Gatún Locks, just 10km south of Colón city, raise southbound ships 29.5m from Caribbean waters to the level of Lago Gatún. From there, the ships travel 37km to the Pedro Miguel Locks, which lower southbound ships 9.3m to Lago Miraflores, a small body of water that separates the
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Parque Natural Metropolitano
Up on a hill to the north of downtown, the 265-hectare Parque Natural Metropolitano protects vast expanses of tropical semideciduous forest within the city limits, and serves as an incredible wilderness escape from the trappings of the capital. It has two main walking trails, the N
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Ingenio de Azúcar Santa Rosa
The Santa Rosa Sugar Refinery, located 15km west of Aguadulce, is a must-see if you’re in the area from mid-January to mid-March. During grinding season, the refinery processes over 6500 tons of raw sugarcane per day.Because the land here is hilly and rocky, the cane must be harves
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Panamá Viejo Ruins
The center of power resided at the Casas Reales (Royal House), a complex ringed by timber ramparts and separated from the city proper by a moat. Within the complex were the customs house, the royal treasury, a prison and the governors house. Despite the obvious historical importanc
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