How to Visit Panama Canal Viewing Deck (FOR FREE)

One of the best travel hacks I found during my trip to Panama was learning how to visit the Panama Canal for FREE. Yes, that’s right you get to save on 20 Panamanian Balboa (That’s equal to USD 20) and get the best deck view of what’s happening at the Miraflores visitor center.

Now, to be honest, that’s not a whole lot of dough but if you are a group of youngsters who are backpacking and unsure if the Panama canal is for you? Well, then here’s a perfectly “legal” way to watch the ships pass by, without breaking your budget for the day. 20 Balboa can easily last you 2 days in Panama if you budget right.

Visit Panama Canal for Free – Travel Hack

Okay so here’s the deal, at the ticket counter you simply need to tell them you need to go to “Atlantic and Pacific co. restaurant”. That’s it! 

Edit 2023 – Comment from a reader who visited recently – The Atlantic and Pacific Co Restaurant was closed in April 2023 when we visited and remains permanently closed still! You now have to buy a ticket, even just to visit the small movie-theatre cafe they now have.

Super easy, wasn’t it? You get a separate ticket that says restaurant entry only. You enter the restaurant and lo behold – there’s a big terrace that doubles up as the Panama Canal observation deck with unparalleled views of the Panama canal.

You can even hear when they announce the arrival of ships and the best part was waving to the passenger cruises. Fun all the way and definitely an unmissable attraction of Panama City.

This is pretty much my only top tip on how to see Panama Canal for free.

My Experience of Visiting The Panama Canal

To be honest, while I was in Bocas del toro,  I heard that the Panama canal is the single most interesting thing to do in Panama City. However, once I checked into the Selina hostel we had booked, everyone told me that the canal is quite boring and pretty much an “old people thing”. Plus you might have to wait for an hour or two and even then not even see a ship pass by – which is what all the hype is about really.

Since I wasn’t sure if I would like it either, my travel mate Summer and I waited till the very last day to decide on visiting. Luckily, we met some locals via Couchsurfing and they told us they could drive us there “and” take us in for free. That didn’t sound too shabby so we jumped on the opportunity to take a look at the Panama canal and make up our mind.

We had a few other people from the hostel join us since pretty much everyone was anxious about seeing the canal and in two minds about paying the entry fee.

Upon arrival, our entry was smooth and we ordered coffee, tea, beer, and Panamanian snacks at the restaurant just to be polite (and its surely recommended to do so). This only set us back a couple of bucks with coffee starting at USD 3 and cocktails for USD 7.

If you want to indulge a bit, opt for the buffet which is indeed delicious and costs around USD 35 – More than the entry to the Panama canal, but dining to this view is totally worth it.

As soon as we settled with our drinks we saw a huge passenger cruise pass by with all passengers on deck waving at – US! It was such a thrill and we all went to the terrace and waved right back – I totally enjoyed this “old person thing” as they say – maybe I am getting old 😉 Surely, the best way to see Panama canal by far.

Next was a huge freight ship from China which got my Chinese friend quite excited. We ended up taking loads of pictures and had a blast.

Tip – While you are there check out the Panama Canal museum. 

Visiting Panama Canal – November 2022 update from a Blog Reader

I was so happy to see this comment on my blog today which inspired me to update my post and include this latest bit of information.

A blog reader, Gina, shared her experience of visiting Panama canal in 2022 November and it seems like a lot has changed since I wrote this post several years ago. So here’s the lowdown on what’s it like now in Gina’s words –

“Today, November 7, 2022 at approx 9:40am, I went to the MiraFlores Visitor Center.

1. As of a week ago, the restaurant and other areas are closed until 2024. Pretty much mostly under construction.

2. The last ship this morning sailed at 9AM. I was informed the morning ship schedule is unrealizable and the best time to catch the ships is from 2-4PM.

3. The only place to view the ships (preferably in the afternoon), is from the bleachers, in a certain location of the visitor center area, which is $10 for adult foreigners.”

Visiting Panama Canal for Free – Hack from Fellow Traveler

When I published this travel hack, I got a very interesting hack in the comments section and I invited fellow traveler Amy to share this unique hack to visit Panama canal for free, with my readers.

Here’s Amy’s tip for all of us to bank on –

Every private sailboat that goes through the canal has to have four crew members in addition to the captain.  Boats on either side of the canal are looking for volunteer crew members to ride through the canal.  Boats on the Caribbean side wait at Shelter Bay Marina and boats on the Pacific side might be at Flamenco Marina.  In both places, you can walk the dock talking to sailors and post your information on notice boards.  

The key is to have flexible timing.  Your captain will expect you to be able to handle the lines, but it is not hard – and you might not even need to do anything during the transit!  Your captain will provide you with a place to sleep for the one night in the canal, and all your meals.  It’s a unique experience to see the canal from eye level, and looking up at a ship towering over you can be unsettling.  But transiting the canal is definitely an immersive experience that an adventurous person should not miss!

Best Time to Visit Panama Canal

The best time to visit Panama in general are the months of Jan to April. This is the driest time of the year to explore this tropical land. So obviously we also rate it as the best time to visit Panama Canal.

Panama Canal Tours

If you are not really interested in how to see the Panama Canal for free and don’t mind shelling out some dough, then I would highly recommend some of the guided tours of the Panama Canal.

They can give you a great insight on the history and significance of the Panama Canal.

Plus these tours generally include food or other half day city tours/ attractions. Here are few top picks –

Panama Canal and Monkey Island tour – This is a top rated guided half day tour covering not one but two top attractions of Panama, is a must try. You will have an English and Spanish speaking tour guide.

Half day city and Panama Canal Tour – Another great way to explore Panama and then rope in the Canal as well in one single day tour. Check out details and book here now.

Pro tip – If you want to get a residency for Panama via investment, try on of the many Panama CBI programs. 

How to get to Panama Canal from Panama City

The best way is to just drive and since we were with locals (via Couchsurfing), it made complete sense to just go in our car. You will arrive at the Panama Canal visitor center – Miraflores in just about 15 mins from downtown.

Getting to Panama Canal on your own is pretty easy and cheap. Unless you have a rental car or want to spend $15 on an Uber, you can simply take the local bus. Each trip costs around 50 cents and you need a small top up.

There are regular buses going from Albrook station (And its easy to get there by literally any local bus too) right to the Miraflores visitor center. So this is surely the cheapest way to go to Panama Canal.

And here’s the visitor center jotted on the Google Maps – 

All in all, it was a fun-filled outing. I would highly recommend adding a visit to the Panama canal to your itinerary.

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Jo

Jo has been putting pen to paper from an early age when she started her "Dear Diary" and letters to her pen friends across the globe.
This alongside regular visits to Indian jungles in search of the Royal Bengal Tiger, fueled her zest for adventure, nature and wildlife.
Now she is a renowned travel blogger, outreach expert and has worked with over 500 travel brands in the last 15 years.

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