When you are planning a vacation to Panama you will find there are many exciting things to do when you are visiting. To get the most informed introduction to Panama you should consider taking a city tour guided by a professional tour operator.

It is common for these tours to include a visit to the three Panama cities as well as the Miraflores Locks at the Panama Canal. Here you will be able to view ships passing through the locks of the Panama Canal. Look online for more detailed information about these tours.

The Panama Canal is only forty minutes from downtown. The only place to see it is called the Miraflores Locks which has a viewing deck and a visitor center. This center is a state of the art museum with interactive exhibits detailing the Canal’s history and ecosystem. The admission price is $10.

The Amador Causeway offers amazing views of the city’s skyline and the Panama Canal. The causeway is a mile long and was created by the Americans who connected four islands with rocks excavated from the Canal. These small connected islands are home to many fine restaurants, beautiful bicycle and walking paths, souvenir shops, yacht marina, and the Smithsonian Institute of Tropical Research aquarium.

You can visit the Summit Botanical Gardens and Zoo which was founded by the Americans back in 1923. The gardens have over 15,000 tropical plants and a zoo filled with animals and birds that are native to the tropics.

If you are interested in unique animals you can take a ride to the Harpy Eagle compound where you can see first hand the Harpy Eagle. The Harpy Eagle is known as the world’s largest predator bird standing about three feet tall and only is found in Panama. Unfortunately these birds are near extinction.