Travel to Colón
Colón is the most notorious city in Panama. With a population of about 200,000 people, it is a sprawling slum of decaying colonial grandeur.
The city was founded by American entrepreneurs in 1850 as the Atlantic terminus of the Panama Railroad, then under construction to meet the gold rush demand for a fast route to California. During its heyday, Colón was home to dozens of night clubs, cabarets and movie theaters. It was known for its citizens' civic pride, orderly appearance and outstanding native sons and daughters.
When the US completed is interamerican railroad and the Panama canal was completed, the city's economy collapsed and hasn't recovered ever since. Unemployment and poverty are widespread.
What to do in Colón
- Go shopping in the Colón free-trade zone. It's a huge area of international stores selling items duty free. Note that most stores sell only in bulk. Whatever you buy will be sent to Tocumen Airport and you will get it right before leaving the country. You need your passport to get in.
- Visit Colón 2000 - a Carribean cruise port of shopping and entertainment. It has a good selection of restaurants and souvenir shops.
- Check out Gatun Locks, just 10 km south from Colón. It raises southbound ships from Carribean waters to the level of Lake Gatun. It is the largest of the 3 locks in Panama Canal, and it's sheer size is jaw-dropping.
- Proceed to Gatun Dam, one of the largest dams in the world. Although the sight of the Dam is already impressive, try to go there when the spillway is open and watch millions of gallons of water rushing out. You can ask the staff at the Gatun Locks whether the spillway is open.