Panama Potpourri – Miami to Panama City

People-watchers will enjoy South Beach’s Ocean Drive, while architecture buffs will love the Art Deco District. If you’re looking for something a bit different, there are world-class museums and shopping venues too. In Miami, there really is something for everyone.

Enjoy a day snorkeling, diving to fabulous reefs, exploring the jungle with an ATV,

relaxing beside the pool at a beach club, strolling a vast beach and visiting an ancient Mayan temple

The cruise port of Costa Maya in Mexico’s developing Costa Maya region is surrounded by dense jungle and turquoise waters and blessed with radiant sunshine. No wonder the ancient Maya lived nearby, building ceremonial centers like Chacchoben, where you can climb among the ruins, many of which are still being excavated. Look for raucous toucans in the trees.

Visit fascinating Quiriguá and its stunning Mayan stele. Take a boat ride along the Rio Dulce to Lake Izabal past riverside Mayan villages, lush tropical vegetation and Fort San Felipe. Or take a short flight to Flores for an unforgettable visit to incredible, mysterious Tikal, its soaring ancient temples rising from the jungle floor.

Featuring an enchanting range of environments such as tropical rainforests, marshes and coral reefs, Harvest Caye offers both relaxation and adventure amid lush landscapes. This 75-acre paradise invites you to explore its incredibly biodiverse surroundings, witnessing exotic wildlife or perhaps discovering the world’s second largest coral reef. Gain insight into the region’s Mayan and Garifuna roots, discover traditional arts and traditions at the local artisans’ village or simply soak up the abundant Belizean sunshine and relax.

Luxuriate on the magnificent beaches, snorkel or dive and explore the superb shallow reefs, or discover the island’s other natural wonders on a horseback ride on the beach and through a tropical forest past spectacular volcanic rocks.

Ride the aerial tram through the rainforest canopy at Braulio Carillo National Park. Take a boat ride through the Tortuguero Canals or the Estero Negro estuary, the rich jungle tapestry all around, while watching for colorful birds, monkeys, iguanas, sloths, crocodiles and the legendary, iridescent Blue Morpho butterfly.

The Panama Canal is approximately 50 miles long and joins the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The waterway was cut through one of the narrowest portions of land joining North and South America and took over 400 years to complete. The canal was started by the French and finished by the United States. During the course of this construction over 30,000 people lost their lives. The first ship to transit the Panama Canal was in 1914 and today about fourteen thousand vessels do so each year.

You probably can’t think of Panama City without conjuring images of the Panama Canal. But nearly 400 years before the Panama Canal opened its locks, Panama City was making its mark. From the vestiges of the original settlement to the modern skyscrapers, experience the history and culture of one of the Pacific Coast’s oldest continuously inhabited European settlements. After exploring the bustling local markets in search of fresh fish or artisan handicrafts, admire the restored Spanish Colonial architecture in Casco Viejo. Or you can head to the Miraflores Locks and watch one of the modern world’s most heroic feats of engineering in action.

You probably can’t think of Panama City without conjuring images of the Panama Canal. But nearly 400 years before the Panama Canal opened its locks, Panama City was making its mark. From the vestiges of the original settlement to the modern skyscrapers, experience the history and culture of one of the Pacific Coast’s oldest continuously inhabited European settlements. After exploring the bustling local markets in search of fresh fish or artisan handicrafts, admire the restored Spanish Colonial architecture in Casco Viejo. Or you can head to the Miraflores Locks and watch one of the modern world’s most heroic feats of engineering in action.