Posted by Marian Vasilescu on May 11, 2023 in Travel
Top Panama canal tour today? You aren’t allowed to leave the boat and walk on Monkey Island, but the guides on the boat use special calls to get the monkeys’ attention. We saw 3 monkey species on our trip as well as a crocodile! I really enjoyed the tour and seeing so many monkeys was a great experience. Although we didn’t feed the monkeys, other people on our boat did and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. The monkeys here are supposed to be wild and I wasn’t aware before that tour groups feed them. This is one of those wildlife experiences that borders the line of being unethical. Yes, the island is protected and the monkeys are only fed bananas, but you’ll have to decide for yourself if this is the tour for you! We decided to take a tour to Monkey Island for $70 USD. From pickup to drop off it took just over 3 hours and the tour was really fun! You can book the tour I did here in advance. Discover extra info at San Lorenzo Fort.
I know, there are so many incredible historical sites in Mexico so it’s hard to choose which one to visit. However, Chichen Itza is the only one which is one of the 7 Wonders of the World and a UNESCO site, so it’s a safe choice! The Chichen Itza, Valladolid and Cenote Tour is the highest rated tour on Get Your Guide and it’s also very affordable. This full-day tour will bring you to Chichen Itza where you’ll have time to explore and take photos of the beautiful pyramid. The next stop will be at Cenote Hubiku for a refreshing swim, before a buffet meal. The last stop will be the charming colonial city of Valladolid.
To stay true to the technology detox, resting is essential. And in the San Blas Islands, naps are best taken under the shade of the palms. Local families that own the islands sell anything from fruits to beach towels, which you can purchase for a picnic lunch in the shade. The temperature averages at 90 degrees year round, so sunblock and shade will be essential to a relaxing time in the islands.
The San Blas trip is possible all year round. But you need to know one important thing: It’s windy season from December to March. This means there will be high waves, not necessarily around San Blas since it’s sheltered by a reef, but the journey over open seas can get rough (read more about the routes below). If you get seasick easily the sailing trip might not be for you. If you are adventurous and like the idea of sailing, then yes it’s for you!
Explore rowing on a kayak the beautiful Chagres River before it merges at the Gatun lake where the huge vessels and boats transit from Ocean to Ocean. The Chagres river is the main tributary of water of the Canal. A quite waterway, enjoying the sound of the wild life of this dense tropical forest. You might get the opportunity to see a sloth in a tree, a colorful bird peacefully living in the jungle or at the top the water plants, caimans, turtles among many others species of the local fauna. After a short hike to the small port used by the Embera indigenous at Gamboa, the tour last about 1 hour and 20 minutes (in the kayak) always accompanied by our bilingual guide and probably also by an Embera guide from the area who knows the place better than anyone. Find extra details at https://taotravel365.tours/.
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Panama’s most famous attraction is by far the Panama Canal, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Watching a massive ship, piled high with colorful containers, gliding quietly into the locks reveals the true enormity of this great feat of engineering. Taking a boat tour through the canal gives you even more perspective. If you want to simply see the Panama Canal, the best place to do this is at the Miraflores Locks, about 25 minutes from downtown Panama City. You can see the canal from the five-story visitor center, complete with a small museum, a restaurant, and an IMAX theater in a separate building.