Panama Canal

As an engineer of any type, you will be amazed at this place. Truly gotta see it to appreciate it. The locks, man made lake, and 8 mile long canal through the rock are impressive.

Nice and great place to visit 👌🏼 knowing that 25 years ago it was unthinkable to visit this place for both tourists and Panamanians. This is a must see when you visit Panama.

This is the first time using the larger locks. We miss the mules in the smaller locks. Love seeing an alligator or crocodile swimming in the lock.

The Panama Canal is so unique! Such a beautiful place and it truly is a wonder how it works. I’d recommend watching the IMAX movie

Coming here was the main focus of our vacation. Learning about the history of the canal and the sacrifices made by the workers was something I didn't know about. We entered the canal from the Atlantic side. We didn't know that the water inside the locks was all fresh water. There was no mixing of water from the Atlantic to the Pacific for ecological reasons. Once you pass through the first set of locks, you enter the man made lake named Gatun. Once across, you enter the last set of locks into the Pacific Ocean. The crossing takes a total of several hours. We lloved it.

The Panama Canal is an artificial 82 km (51 mi) waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean, cutting across the Isthmus of Panama, and is a conduit for maritime trade. Canal locks at each end lift ships up to Gatun Lake, an artificial freshwater lake 26 meters (85 ft) above sea level, created by damming up the Chagres River and Lake Alajuela to reduce the amount of excavation work required for the canal, and then lower the ships at the other end. An average of 200,000,000 L (52,000,000 US gal) of fresh water are used in a single passing of a ship.

The Panama Canal shortcut greatly reduces the time for ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, enabling them to avoid the lengthy, hazardous Cape Horn route around the southernmost tip of South America via the Drake Passage or Strait of Magellan. It is one of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken.

The Panama Canal stands as a testament to human engineering prowess, seamlessly connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Its intricate lock system facilitates the transit of ships, reducing travel distances and reshaping global trade routes. The canal's impact on commerce and navigation is undeniable, making it a marvel of strategic infrastructure that continues to shape international trade dynamics.

The Panama Canal is an awe-inspiring engineering marvel! Witnessing the operation that connects two vast oceans is truly remarkable. The guided tour provided fascinating insights into the history and operations of this vital waterway that connects two seas.

At first sight, the Panama Canal visitor center doesn’t seem like much. There is a food court and viewing decks. The highlight was an INCREDIBLY well made 45 minute IMAX movie narrated by Morgan Freeman explaining the history of the canal and how it works. It helped us gain an appreciation of the incredible engineering and fascinating history of the canal. I recommend watching the movie before heading to the observation deck so you understand how it works! Definitely a must see.

beautiful slowww ride through the canal as they fill up and empty pushing your boat through. breath taking views with a quick wave from the hard working gentlemen making the passage possible.

An engineering marvel. It's amazing how the gates close and open and each section fills with water. Go to the museum so you can see the history and its importance to trade. If you like these things and have the opportunity to go see, do it.

A must do experience!! It was awesome to see.

Great experience to see the wonders of engineering. Took a tour of the Panama Canal which included a 3D movie that was narrated by Morgan Freeman. Great history of how it was designed and updated. The second part of the tour included watching a ship pass thru the 3rd lock of the canal. Amazing and glad I was able to witness it.

Amazing experience here. And Gotta admit the engineer did a great job. Such a big ship leaves. And the water that goes up and down with the ship is a sight to see. And panama forest also very nice and beautiful.

The Panama Canal  is an artificial 82 km (51 mi) waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America.

The canal passes through dense rainforests, tranquil lakes, and stunning landscapes, making the journey not only functional but also visually breathtaking.

This is a great place to have a view of the canal and understand all about the history of this iconic place. The views are great here too and the guides explain everything in detail.

Panama Canal locks, museum and imax movie are well worth a visit.
The movie is screened in 3D and is an impressive 45 minute documentary on the construction of the canal. Voice over by the ever popular Morgan Freeman, it’s part animation, part real footage and part photos from the 1800’s. Well worth watching but as an environmentalist, it concerned me how they skipped over the displacement of indigenous people and the affect on flora and fauna due to construction.
The museum is excellent and watching boats pass through the locks is an effort of engineering that has been improved over time as ships get bigger. Costs around $200,000 for the big ship in my video to pass through the canal!
The one at the rear is $600,000!
Thanks to Ivan who runs a brilliant commentary in Spanish and English as the boats / ships pass through.
Bonus - great place to order lunch or drinks.
Toilets clean. Staff very helpful.

The Panama Canal is a marvel, and my visits aboard cruise ships were nothing short of breathtaking. Walking over the locks provided a unique perspective, and capturing our ship gracefully navigating through was a highlight. The engineering feat is awe-inspiring, making it a must-visit destination for anyone seeking an unforgettable maritime adventure. The memories and photos I took are priceless – a journey through the heart of engineering genius and natural beauty. Truly an experience of a lifetime!

I'd recommend doing at least the partial transit tour which runs on the weekend (full transit once a month). That gives a good idea how it is to cruise through this miracle of engineering. Quite expensive but worth it.

A land divided, a world united, great place to visit! If you want to watch ships to pass, please check before coming, when we arrived around noon, there were no ships scheduled to pass, I wish we checked the times before coming, still was worth to come and visit.

Cruising through the full length of the Panama Canal was a once in a life time, top of my "while I still can" list experience for me. And it did not disappoint!!