Melia Panama Canal

Not a nice town, but great sites outside

by sireesha

Colon is pretty run down. However, San Lorenzo and Portobelo are about a 45 minute drive from the city, in either direction. We worked with Gold Coast tours, http://goldcoastpanama.homestead.com/Atlanticside.html. Provide good kayaking tour. They are very friendly, knowledgable and helpful.

2011 Valentine's Day Cruise Stop

by windoweb

"Gatun Locks and Canal Zone"

Gatun Locks: The biggest locks in the Panama Canal are impressive and give great insight into the workings of this fabulous piece of engineering.

Due to the fact that all three chambers are connecting, you'll have the opportunity to see the entire process completed at one location, rather than in two different stages such as case with Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks. It takes approximately 2 hours for a vessel to complete the transit at Gatun Locks, regardless of whether it's heading northbound or southbound.

"Colon Panama"

As the capital of Colón Province on Panama's central Caribbean coast, Colón lies at the very heart of the country's rich history and innovation.

This important port town is less than an hour's drive from Panama's most historical attractions, so it's easy to fit in visits to sites like the Panama Gatun Locks.

Colon, Panama

by Stephen-KarenConn

Colon, named for Christopher Columbus, is a seaport town on the Caribbean coast of Panama, near the eastern entrance to the Panama Canal. We sailed into Colon on March 28, 2007, on the anniversary of our first date and two days before our fifth wedding anniversary.

Since this was the first time either Karen or I had been to Panama, we spent little time in the city of Colon itself, but passed through it twice on a bus tour across the Isthmus of Panama where we saw a portion of the Panama Canal and the nation's capitol, Panama City. Still, we spent a short while in Colon looking in shops and viewing the city streets.

Colon

by bpwarne

We have been to Colon twice, each time for just a short 1 day visit. It is not a pretty place. If there is any city in Panma that we have been to where poverty hits you hard in the face, Colon is it. On our last visit there, we went with Panamanian friends, who drove. When we got near the city proper they locked all the doors in the car. There are safe places within the city, we went to one and had a nice lunch overlooking the bay. There are also some really scary areas of the city where you will be glad you have car doors with locks.

Not the A-hole of the planet as is often referred

by Wanderboy43

I stayed in Colon about 5 days and got to appreciate the city. There are blocks you want to avoid, but it´s important to differentiate between what´s poor and what´s dangerous. Colon is definitely a poor city, and the dilapitated buildings more than show that. But, families live there and I met some very friendly people. I didn´t feel safe walking around too much at night however.

"Stroll the main drag"

You can walk all through the city. It has a nice layout. Apparently things were a bit better when the Americans were still running the canal. The place has seen better days.

"Old buildings"

Colon is the poorest looking place I´ve ever been. There are scores of buildings that look almost as bad as this one. Just right downtown.
Anyway, you can visit the Yacht club for a nice meal or a drink, and get onto a yacht going through the Canal (as a line handler)