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Submitted by Rashida Murrell
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Panama is a popular Latin American tourist destination. This country offers
Unrivalled tourist attractions. A spectacularly rich biodiversity makes Panama a
Magnet for eco-travelers too. The country's name means "abundance of fish and
butterflies" -but howler monkeys, sloths, manatees, crocodiles and rare quetzals
share the jungles and lakes, too.
This is what makes people come back time and again to Panama.
Facts & Figures
Panama is a 75,990 square km land area. The official language is Spanish.
However, many Panamanians speak both Spanish and English.
Panamanian weather is pleasantly tropical, and uniform throughout the year.
Nights are usually cool. The average temperature is 27 degrees C.
Panama has two weather seasons: rainy and dry.
The former stretches from March to December.
The time in Panama all year long is the same as the EST (GMT -5).
Panama does not observe Daylight Savings Time.
Panama's Tourist Attractions
Islands and Beaches
Panama offers an exquisite view and experience of nature at its best. Panama has
Coasts on two oceans: the Pacific and the Caribbean Sea. These coasts, although
Different, are suited for all sorts of activities with the different beaches and
islands found in them. World famous beautiful beaches and islands will make your
visit unforgettable!
Caribbean Sea: On the Caribbean coast, the beaches on the provinces of Colon,
San Blas and Bocas del Toro and their neighbouring islands, are small to
mid-sized and all of them have coral reefs nearby,
They are often near other waterways and most have been formed by coral buildup.
These are the best beaches to do some scuba diving in.
Pacific Ocean: On this coast you'll find a series of beaches which are easily
Accessible from the Pan-American Road. Many water sports including windsurfing,
surfing and swimming are practiced here. The most popular of these are: Gorgona,
Coronado, San Carlos, El Palmar, Rio Mar, Corona, Sea Cliff, Santa Clara, Playa
Blanca and Farallon.
Panama Canal
Considered one of the Eight Wonders of the World, the Panama Canal is one of
the most fascinating places in the world, where human genius and skill join to
link two oceans and bring the world closer together.
The Panama Canal has a length of approximately 80 kilometers between the
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Between 13,000 and 14,000 ships use the Canal
yearly, thanks to the work of approximately 9,000 workers, working 24 hours
a day, 365 days a year, offering transit service to ships of all nations.
The Canal uses a locks system that act as water elevators raising the ships
from sea-level (Atlantic or Pacific) to 26 meters above sea-level (Gatun Lake).
Each set of locks carries the name of the town where it was built: Gatun
(on the Atlantic side), Pedro Miguel and Miraflores (on the Pacific).
The narrowest part of the Canal is Gaillard Cut and it stretches from the Pedro
Miguel Locks to the southern tip of Gatun Lake in Gamboa. This stretch is
approximately 13.7 kilometers long. Take a mini cruise through the Canal and
then check out the Visitor Center in Mira Flores, the ideal place to see the
Canal operating. This installation, recently open to the public, has large
balconies from which visitors can see the locks open and close as the ships
begin or end their transit. Four exhibition rooms, organized by themes, are the
main feature of the Visitor Center. Exhibitions are dedicated to Canal history,
the importance of water as a source of life, the Canal operation and it's place
in worldwide trading.
Tropical Rainforest
Panama is an ideal country for direct contact with the tropical rainforest.
The only capital in Latin America with a rainforest less than 10 minutes away
from downtown and with easy access to three national parks.
If you would like to go into the tropical rainforest, Panama offers national
parks declared Biosphere Reserves and World Heritage. Rainforests with the
widest variety of flora and fauna in the world (Darien) where we can find over
10,000 plant species and over 1,000 bird species.
Colon Free Zone
In a separated area of 400 hectares the Colon Free Zone is located at the
entrance of the Panama Canal in the Caribbean sector, in the province of Colo
and is considered the second largest of its kind in the world and the first in
the Western Hemisphere. Due to its unique geographic location and easy access
to four major ports, considered the most advanced in Latin America, this is
truly an International Shipping Center.
Also, located next to it, Visitors can find transportation services such as
France Field Airport, a Railroad Terminal, access to the Panama-Colon highway,
cruise terminals and a ground transportation terminal.
The Colon Free Zone is a Global Logistical Center. Its commercial transactions
generate US$ 11,000 million in imports and re-exports. With over 400 hectares
its more than 2,000 companies and more that 250,000 annual visitors reflect the
success of the Colon Free Zone.
Traders and investors can find: The existence for the International Banking
Center, the efficient maritime infrastructure, the largest center for collection
and redistribution in the Americas, the use of the US Dollar as currency,
security both within and around the area, great exhibition rooms,
warehouse and commercial outfits. A great workforce, both specialized and
low cost, a great number of tax incentives and a sophisticated communications
network are just some of the factors that contribute to ease the operations from
the Colon Free Zone and make this the ideal place for International Commerce.
Staying In Panama Made Easy
Getting to Panama is easy with all the transportation modes in this country.
There are land, water and air transportations operating in Panama. Staying in
Panama is also a burden off the shoulders of tourists. There is a wide array of
hotels and accommodations in Panama. These hotels suit any type of budget and
needs. They range from economy to luxury.
Indeed, there are countless reasons why tourists simply love Panama. With all
the attractions and complete comfort, there is no better "home away from home"
destination than Panama.
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