From Cartagena to Cabo San Lucas, cruise the Panama Canal.
The Panama Canal is one of the most astonishing human-made wonders, a sliver of ingenuity that allows ships to move from one ocean to another. Cruise from the Pacific to the Atlantic, or vice versa, and take in the scenery as you move through this engineering marvel built in 1914. Along with the tropical views and modern design of the canal, there's also great opportunity for adventures on land and by the shore, where you can get in touch with the indigenous culture at the Museum of Oaxacan Art in Huatulco, Mexico, or go kayaking in Nicoya Bay at Puntarenas, Costa Rica.
Journey Between Worlds
From Cartagena to Cabo San Lucas, cruise the Panama Canal
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DIVERSE DESTINATIONS
Descend on some of the most exciting travel destinations in Central America during a Panama Canal cruise. Stops in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; and Colón, Panama, means appreciating countless natural landscapes on top of traversing through the famous shortcut itself.
HOME OF THE CANAL
A stop in Colón, Panama, lets you lay on the sand at serene Maria Chiquita beach or hike your way through Portobelo National Park to reach the 17th-century San Lorenzo Fort. And if you're in the mood for the city life, head to Panama City, the Caribbean's most urban cluster that's only an hour away by car.
ROCK THE BOAT
Accessible only by water taxi, El Arco at Land's End in Cabo San Lucas is a natural rock arch that frames a powdery beach. It's the perfect backdroparagraphCopy for a jaw-dropping photograph — just watch out for the sea lions that like to photobomb while sunbathing on the rocks.
HEAD IN THE CLOUDS
Cross foggy suspended bridges or zip-line along the treetops at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve near Puntarenas, Costa Rica, where local travel guides take you deep within the forest as you learn about its precious ecosystems.
CROSS-CANAL CULTURE
Along with crossing the impressive Panama Canal during your vacation, you can also get in touch with the local cultures of different countries, where indigenous peoples still live and where heritage and history are treasured and preserved.
COLORS OF FOLKLORE
About a 90-minute drive from Puntarenas, the artisan village of Sarchi, Costa Rica, is known for the quality of its arts and crafts, especially the beautiful construction of the colorful oxcarts, the folkloric carriages that are a symbol of Costa Rican culture.
EAT LIKE A LOCAL
Mercado de Bazurto in Cartagena, Colombia, is home to stand after stand of local fruits like mamey, a sweet tropical fruit with a creamy texture, as well as cooked-food kiosks serving generous plates of seafood like crab, rice and veggies, for just a few dollars.
HISTORIC HUES
Step into the past as you stroll down the Spanish Colonial lanes of Antigua in Guatemala, a picturesque town with pastel buildings and balconies filled with pink flowers. A short trip from the port at Puerto Quetzal, the city is home to museums like Casa de los Sueños, where the history of this town is depicted through art.
CRISS CROSS TO A NEW WORLD
ON THE PANAMA CANAL
A cruise to the Panama Canal is filled with country-hopping adventures that take you to Mexico's Mayan ruins, white beaches in Cabo San Lucas or Colonial treasures in Colombia.
ONE TRIP, MANY ADVENTURES
As part of your grand crossing of the Panama Canal, you can also laze on beaches and trek lush mountains in places like Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia and Grand Cayman.
MAN-MADE FOR YOU
Cruise from Los Angeles or Miami and pick the trips that make your favorite stops. Prefer more of Mexico? There's a cruise with stops in Manzanillo, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas. Want to include some Caribbean islands? Finish your cruise in Puerto Rico or stop in Grand Cayman.
WHAT TO KNOW
BEFORE YOU GO
Plan-ama Canal
Panama enjoys a gentle tropical weather almost every day of the year. This translates into the easy planning of a crossing anytime is convenient for you.
Moving around in the different ports is simple, just choose the authorized taxi services or hop on the local public buses. You can also rent a car and be your own guide.
The best time to go on a Panama Canal cruise is anytime. The canal never stops working and you will traverse along with other ships and boats and witness the swift movement of these vessels.
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Once you're crossing the canal, head to the front of the ship for the best view.
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You'll get to see other ships as they cross, too, giving you a different vantage point and a new way of learning how the canal works.
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The thrill is not over after you go through the canal locks, there's more to see as you travel through the canal, with tropical flora and fauna adorning the way.
LOCAL CUISINE
A WORLD OF FLAVORS
Stopping at different cruise ports during a Panama Canal crossing makes it easy to savor the varied flavors of these countries, each with its own signature spice and tang.
TASTES OF JALISCO
Jalisco, the state where Puerto Vallarta is found, is the definitive influence on this destination's cuisine. Go for the famous lemon-marinated grilled fish known as pescado embarazado, and ask for huichol sauce, a blend of chili peppers, cumin and vinegar.
SAVOR GUATEMALA
Enjoy a mouth-watering empanada in Antigua, Guatemala — these savory pastries are stuffed with potato and meat and topped with guacamole, cilantro and onions.
TAMALES AND THEN SOME
Famous for its tamales fajados (chicken tamales) and tamales guemes (pork, raisin and olive tamales), Cabo San Lucas also boasts a seafood stew known as comida de pobres, served with rice and beans and flour tortillas.
Related Ports
A cruise to the Panama Canal is a chance to land on amazing destinations during the same trip. Get in some beach time Oranjestad, Aruba. See traditional tapestry-making in Huatulco, Mexico. Or go snorkeling along the coral reef off the coast of Grand Cayman.
