Colón travel guide: Panama's starting point
Top things to do & see
Columbus Cathedral
Columbus Cathedral is beautiful Catholic church that's worth a picture, but don't leave the taxi and walk around there. Roll down the window and take the picture, then quickly roll it back up again.
Nearby attractions
Now get out of town. Visit the Gatún Locks where the ships enter and leave on the Caribbean side of the canal. Portobelo is a picturesque bayside town about a 5-minute boat ride from the small village of La Guayra. Lush verdant landscape, crystal clear waters, a laid-back Caribbean atmosphere and friendly locals make Isla Grande Panama's most popular island vacation spot. The best beaches in the whole country of Panama are in Colón, the most famous being Playa La Angosta.
San Lorenzo is a protected nature area that offers guided tours for visitors to the forests. Wildlife in this area includes over 270 species of birds, such as the cattle egret, ruddy ground-dove, orange-chinned parakeet, blue-headed parrot, rainbow-billed toucan and the blue-gray tanager. Mammals such as jaguars, boars, ocelots and tapirs as well as reptiles like crocodiles, boas and iguanas also reside in San Lorenzo alongside the insects and foliage.
Shopping
La Zona Libre is a walled compound within Colón, and the second largest free-trade zone in the world after Hong Kong. Unfortunately it is not aimed at tourists but rather to wholesalers, so it's not the shopping paradise you might imagine. Anything bought here is shipped to the airport and can be picked up only when you leave Panama, with the exception of small items you can carry out. If you're a foreign tourist and just buy a bottle of perfume or an iPod or something like that while you're in the Zona Libre, that's fine, but you will not be allowed to leave with big bags full of stuff.
When you arrive
Docking information
Colón's main cruise terminal is Colón 2000. A second cruise dock, Cristobal Pier, is seldom used these days.
Getting around
A taxi ride anywhere in the city costs about $3. Taxi prices are fixed at the central desk and your ride details are documented for safety reasons. Tourism taxis are only allowed to enter the port once the cruise line tours have left.
Need to know
Documents: U.S. and Canadian citizens will need a valid passport.
Language: Spanish is the official language.
Currency: The official currency of Panama is the U.S. dollar (USD), known as the Balboa. Many stores and restaurants also accept major credit cards, which usually offer you a good exchange rate.
Store hours: Shop opening hours vary but you can generally expect them to be open from 8 am to 6 pm Monday to Sunday, some even until 10 pm.
Tipping: In Panama, it is not customary to tip taxi drivers but you always can round-up the price. In a restaurant, a 10% tip is appreciated.
Safety: Colón is considered a dangerous city, and its crime rate is high. While there are some safer areas, walking around the city is not advisable for tourists.
ShoreFox contributed to this review.
Your take
Have you been to Colón? What struck you about it? Have any suggested highlights for first-time visitors?
See anything wrong? What did we overlook? Be a co-creator!
Updated September 5, 2015
