Richly forested, the zone bordering the Panama Canal offers world-class birding, hiking and white-water rafting, while ancient fortresses, Embera Indian communities, and excursions on the canal are other attractions.

The route that changed the world, the Panama Canal is the nation’s most visible and recognized symbol. Extending from the city of Colon on the Caribbean Sea to Panama City on the Pacific Ocean, this 80 km long umbilical cord linking two oceans is both a feat of astonishing engineering and Panama’s main tourist draw. The lush hinterlands swarm with wildlife, while fortress ruins scattered along the Caribbean shores hark back to the days when Sir Francis Drake wreaked havoc along the Spanish Main.

The official Canal Zone that extends 16 kilometres to either side of the canal serves as a biological corridor of astonishing wealth. The need to guarantee a water supply for the canal has ensured that the forests have been protected. The watershed is enshrined within national parks whose lush rain forests provide hikers and birders with rewards aplenty.