How to Visit the Panama Canal from Panama City: Day Trip to the Panama Canal
Planning a trip to Panama? You won’t want to miss visiting the Panama Canal – one of the top tourist sites in Panama. Fortunately, it’s a simple visit from Panama City or Colon, and you’ll get to learn more about this important piece of history and its impact on trade and engineering.
Let’s take a look at the many great ways to visit the Panama Canal!
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Panama Canal Tourism
The Panama Canal is one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World and a Monument of the Millennium by the American Society of Civil Engineers. It is also the most popular tourist attraction in Panama City.
First built back in 1914, the canal made trade faster, easier, and cheaper by enabling ships to pass from Panama City on the Pacific Ocean side to Colon on the Atlantic Ocean side using the 48-mile long canal. Previously, the journey would have been almost 8,000 miles longer as ships were forced to sail around the tip of South America.
When planning a visit to the Panama Canal, you have three different sets of locks to choose from. In case you’re not sure what a lock is, they help change the level of the water. For example, the locks of the Panama Canal are required to help raise ships about 85 feet to raise them over the Continental Divide.
Choose from any of the 3 lock locations at the Panama Canal to watch this modern marvel at work.
Miraflores Locks & Cocoli Locks
Located just 9 miles away from Panama City, the Miraflores Locks are the easiest to visit from the city. These famous locks are considered the Pacific Ocean entrance of the Panama Canal and are made up of two steps raising the water 54 ft (16 m). Although, the tidal changes of the Pacific Ocean means it actually varies from 43 ft (13 m) at extreme high tide to 64.5 ft (20 m) at extreme low tide.
In 2016, the Miraflores Locks were expanded to include the Cocoli Locks. This expansion enables them to accommodate larger ships and increased transit volume.
Pedro Miguel Locks
The middle set of locks at the Panama Canal is Pedro Miguel. This single step lock has a lift of 31 ft (9.4 m). To visit the Pedro Miguel Locks, you’ll need to continue just 3 miles up the road from Miraflores Locks. You’ll be able to see them from the highway to Gamboa and will find a parking lot just beyond the locks. From here, you can watch ships transit the Panama Canal.
Gatun Locks & Agua Clara Locks
The last set of locks at the Panama Canal are at the entrance to the Atlantic Ocean, the Gatun Locks. These locks offer a triple step to help change the water level by a whopping 85 feet. These locks are almost 50 miles from Panama City taking over an hour to reach. However, they are the closest Panama Canal locks to Colon, sitting just about 8 miles away – less than a 25 minute drive.
Similarly to the Miraflores Locks, the Gatun Locks were expanded to include the Agua Clara Locks in 2016 to accommodate larger ships and increased volume. When you visit the Gatun Locks, you will find a covered observation deck, but no museum like at Miraflores. However, the Agua Clara Locks offer a Panama Canal Visitor Centre similar to the Miraflores Locks Visitor Center.
Learn how the locks of the Panama Canal work.
Do It Yourself Trip to the Panama Canal
One of the easiest and cheapest ways to visit the Panama Canal is to do it yourself. This can be easily done if you’re staying in Panama City. Let’s take a look at the step-by-step journey for visiting the Miraflores Locks from Panama City.
How to Get from Panama City to the Miraflores Locks, Panama Canal
The easiest way to visit the Panama Canal is to head to the Miraflores Locks. It’s just a 15 minute drive from downtown Panama City, and therefore the most common place to see the Panama Canal in action. Simply grab a taxi or an Uber from Panama City to get to the Miraflores Visitors Center on your own. It will only cost about $6 USD.
Pay the Entrance Fee
Upon arrival, stop by the ticket office to grab your ticket. Fortunately, even though the Panama Canal is the most popular tourist attraction in Panama, it is affordable to visit.
Locals and residents
- Seniors with ID: $1.50
- Adults: $3.00
- Students with ID up to 17: $1.50
- Minors between 6 and 12: $1.50
- Children under 6: Free
Non-residents
- Adults: $10.00
- Minors between 6 and 12: $5.00
- Children under 6: Free
Explore the Miraflores Locks Visitor Center
The hours of operation at the Miraflores Panama Canal Visitor Center are currently Tuesday-Sunday from 8:00am – 6:00pm. You’ll want to give yourself some time to explore the museum and the exhibition hall and maybe view the Panama Canal in 3D in the IMAX theater.
You’ll also find a cafe, two restaurants, and a gift shop at Miraflores.
Check the latest hours of operation of Miraflores before you go!
Watch the Miraflores Locks in Action
While you’re there, you’ll obviously want to see ships actively going through the locks to see the canal in action. There are 3 levels of observation decks to watch the ships come and go – and best of all, they’re covered!
To see the most ships, plan your visit to Miraflores during the peak transit hours. These tend to fall before 8:00am and after 1:00pm.
In the morning, you’ll see ships passing through the Panama Canal traveling south to north, from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean. In the afternoon, the direction reverses, with ships going from north to south.
View the live webcam of the Panama Canal Miraflores Locks.
Take a Tour to the Panama Canal
If you’re interested in more commentary, less logistics, or just adding more fun into your Panama adventure, consider taking a tour to the Panama Canal.
There are a number of tour options available that allow you to see not only the locks of the Panama Canal and how they work, but also some of the incredible natural surroundings of the canal. Choose from jungle adventures to visiting indigenous tribes.
Here are four of the best Panama Canal tour options.
Ocean to Ocean Panama Canal and Jungle Tour
The #1 trip to Panama Canal, Panama!
Get the best of both worlds by visiting the Panama Canal by sea and on foot while also exploring the nearby jungle. The popular Ocean to Ocean Panama Canal and Jungle Tour is one of the best ways to see a lot of Panama in a short time.
From Panama City, you’ll explore the Panama Canal from the Atlantic to the Pacific in this awesome day trip. It includes a 90 minute boat ride on the canal, visiting the Agua Clara Locks, picnicking in and exploring San Lorenzo National Park, admiring Monkey Island and Gatun Lake, experiencing Fort San Lorenzo, and more!
Panama City & Panama Canal Tour
See the highlights of Panama City and the Panama Canal with a 5-6 hour guided tour. You’ll learn the ins and outs of not just the canal but also the city with a knowledgeable local guide.
First, you’ll visit the Miraflores Locks to learn all about how the Panama Canal operates. From there, you’ll head to Casco Viejo, the Old Town of Panama City, to see the history of the city through churches, colonial squares, elegant restaurants, and more.
Wrap up the day with a visit to Amador Causeway to see the Bio Museum, Naos Islands, Perico and Flamenco, and of course, the giant Panama sign – a perfect photo opp.
Monkey Island & Panama Canal Tour
Cruise the Panama Canal and visit the Monkey Islands with an awesome day tour from Panama City. This epic 5 hour day trip offers you a chance to get up close to learn about the Panama Canal and its full ecosystem.
You’ll start the day with a 90 minute boat ride on the Panama Canal and exploring Gatun Lake and its wildlife-rich shoreline. You’ll also get to see the islands that were cut off from mainland during the construction of the Panama Canal. These are now known as the Monkey Isles due to their thriving population of monkeys. Keep your eyes open for monkeys, iguanas, capybaras, crocodiles, and more!
Panama Canal Eco Cruise & Embera Village Tour
Get to know a different side of Panama by taking an in-depth look at the indigenous cultures of the Chagres River and the famous Panama Canal. This 8 hour eco-day trip to the Panama Canal provides a perfect mix of sightseeing, learning, wildlife, and traditional Panamanian culture.
This eco-adventure cruises the waterways, lakes, and islands of the Panama Canal before stopping at the Parara Puru Village. Here you’ll have lunch and meet the Embera tribe. While in the village, you’ll also get the opportunity to get a temporary tattoo from an Embera artist and shop authentic indigenous handicrafts before reboarding your dugout canoe to return to Panama City.
Transit through the Panama Canal by Boat
One of the most popular ways to experience the canal is to take a transit or boat through the Panama Canal locks. On these transit tours, you’ll travel through the locks of the Panama Canal to learn the ins and outs of how they work plus you’ll get to see the locks from a unique perspective.
If you’ve always dreamed of traveling through the Panama Canal by boat, you’re in luck. There are two different types of transit tours through the Panama Canal: Partial Transit Tours and Full Transit Tours. Both of which will give you the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity you’re looking for.
Partial Transit Tours
Visit the Panama Canal with a partial transit tour. These 6 hour tours travel both northbound and southbound through the Panama Canal’s Pedro Miguel Locks and Miraflores Locks – depending which time of day you want to go. You’ll be traveling with a local guide to learn more about the impressive engineering feats that have made this journey possible.
When booking a partial transit tour of the Panama Canal, ensure it includes transportation to and from Panama City, meals, and of course a guide to learn about what you’re experiencing.
Full Transit Tours
Cruise the Panama Canal in its entirety over 12 hours with a full transit tour of the Panama Canal. These tours run all the way from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean on small boats. You’ll travel through all three sets of locks, visit Gatun Lake, and explore the beautiful Chagres River.
While on the boat, you’ll also learn all about the canal, its’ construction, and its’ history. All transportation and meals are included on these epic day tours of the Panama Canal.
Alternate Panama Canal Tours
Looking for a different type of canal tours? Panama City offers tons of adventure activities, including some cool ways to experience this modern wonder. Don’t settle for the average tour – take it to the skies and seas for more fun!
Helicopter over the Panama Canal
Make your Panama Canal visit memorable by admiring its full scale from the skies! Helicopter tours of the Panama Canal fly you over the Pacific Side locks (old and new), Gaillard Cut, Gamboa Resort, Chagres River and the jungle, and Panama City. The pilots offer unmatched knowledge of Panamanian history, Panama Canal history, and up to date operational facts about the Panama Canal to get the complete experience.
While a heli-flight may be one of the more expensive ways to visit, Panama Canal tours by sky will leave you breathless! It’s the best way to get a unique view and understand the full scale of this engineering marvel.
Kayak the Panama Canal
Take a trip to the Panama Canal via the water! That’s right, you can kayak on the Panama Canal. Note that this tour will not take you through the locks of the canal, but you will get to spend half a day exploring the Monkey Islands on the Panama Canal in a kayak.
It’s an incredible way to experience the canal and its surrounding areas! After all, how many people get to paddle themselves around on the Panama Canal?
Basics about the Panama Canal
Make your trip to the Panama Canal special by knowing the basics about the canal, where it is, why it’s so popular, and more! With such fascinating facts under your belt, you’ll soon understand why Panama Canal tourism is so high.
Where is the Panama Canal?
The Panama Canal is a 48 mile long canal spanning the full width of the country of Panama, going from Panama City on the Pacific Ocean side to Colon on the Atlantic Ocean side.
What is the best way to see the Panama Canal?
There are many ways to visit the Panama Canal. The “best” will depend on what you want to get out of the experience and the time you want to commit to it. The easiest way to see the Panama Canal is to head to the Miraflores Locks via Uber or taxi from Panama City. Canal tours are also easy to catch from Panama City and offer many additional activities to make the most of your time in Panama.
How many visitors does the Panama Canal see each year?
As the most popular tourist attraction in Panama, the Panama Canal sees upwards of 1 million visitors per year!
When is the best time to visit the Panama Canal?
The Panama Canal is a perfect tourism destination any time of year. However, you’ll want to head there during peak transit hours to ensure you see boats transiting through the locks. These times vary at all of the locks, but typically you can see the Miraflores Locks hard at work around 8:00am and after 1:00pm.
How many ships go through the Panama Canal per day?
There are about 40 ships per day and 13,000 – 14,000 ships per year that transit the Panama Canal.
How much does a ship pay to go through the Panama Canal?
Ships are charged a toll to pass through the Panama Canal based on their weight. This toll averages around $150,000 per ship, but varies greatly. The highest toll ever paid was $450,000, while the smallest toll was just 36 cents, paid by a man who wanted to swim across the canal in 1928.
How long does it take a ship to pass through the Panama Canal?
It takes most ships on average 8 – 10 hours to fully transit the Panama Canal. This can vary based on ship traffic.
Explore More of Panama
Traveling to the Panama Canal is just scratching the surface of Panama and its potential. After all, Panama is one of the easiest and safest countries to travel in Central America.
While you’re there, check out downtown Panama City and head to the incredible Panamanian Islands of San Blas or Bocas del Toro. You won’t be disappointed!
Personally, I recommend spending a few days in the San Blas Islands. They are an untouched island paradise and unlike any place else I’ve ever been (which is saying something!).
Here are some helpful posts to get you started:
- Epic 5 Day Panama Itinerary: Panama City and San Blas Islands
- Ultimate Guide to Visiting the San Blas Islands
- 5 Ways to Visit the San Blas Islands in Panama
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If we come to Panama City is there a way to go through the 50 miles to see all of the locks. We are not able to take a many days cruise to get to Panama.
Hi Gretchen – There are definitely options for traveling the full canal from the Pacific to Atlantic Ocean. It will take a full day to do so but offers an unforgettable experience. I would check out the Panama Canal Full Transit Tour. Hope that helps!