[Trip Review] Election Afterparty: A stopover for Panama Canal
Planning a trip to South America? Why not take advantage of a stopover to visit the Panama Canal?
TRAVELPANAMA
For my journey to Lima, I had the opportunity to spend a few hours in Panama, and visited the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal is an engineering marvel; it is an artificial 82km waterway that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean.
I will detail the steps on how you can visit the Panama Canal without breaking a bank.
Booking a Panama Stopover
Copa Airlines is the flag carrier of Panama, and they offer a free Panama stopover. You can book a ticket on the website of Copa Airlines.
Key in your departure airport, and destination in the subsequent screen, and you will be able to book the flight. Visit this website for exclusive offers available to stopover passengers!
Panama Metro
You can get to the city center in about an hour by taking the metro from Tocumen International Airport. If you have a credit card, you can tap your credit card at the metro gantry; you do not need a separate metro card.
You can get to Panama canal by taking a cab from the airport, but if you are on a budget, I recommend taking the metro to the city center, before getting on a bus or a cab to the Panama canal. The metro is modern, clean, and affordable (USD 0.50). I highly recommend taking the metro.
Panama Canal - Miraflores Locks
Here's a tip for you. If you intent to visit the Panama Canal, check out the official website to understand the times where ships will be passing through the canal. I also recommend buying the tickets on the website prior to your visit.
Once you arrive at the visitor center, do remember to catch the movie at the IMAX theater; the movie is included in your ticket. The movie explains the origins of the canal, and its importance to global maritime trade. I won't spoil the movie for you, so do remember to catch the movie when you are visiting the canal.
Once you've finished watching the movie, head over to the viewing decks to catch the ships passing through the canal. It can be a long wait, so be prepared!
I was lucky enough to spot a Singapore-registered ship, Centaurus Leader, during my visit.
Conclusion
If you are considering a trip to South America, do consider taking advantage of Copa Airlines' free stopover to visit Panama (and Panama Canal). Copa Airlines has a wide network, and offers competitive fares, so do consider visiting Panama if you are in the region!