n2cartography

heading down next month, really want to check out the "innards" via the PCRR. I keep hearing bad things about Colon and have become slightly skeptical about spending the day there (the passenger train gets into Colon early and doesn't head back to Panama City until late afternoon). Can anyone verify the bad things about Colon or suggest that it is not that bad in addition to something exciting and safe to do there?

AndrewSSH

There's really nothing to see in Colon - unfortunately for many political reasons it has been left alone and therefore has become very rundown...
I sent my folks over on the train last month when they were here and contracted Nattur Panama to guide them around the locks at Gatun and Portobelo. We had taken them to that area every year but never stopped to see the "sights".. They loved the day and had a great guide just for the two of them. It was $80 per person but they felt it was well worth the cost.
If you are more into nature they can do Fort San Lorenzo and some great birdwatching areas instead of Portobelo which is more for history/culture minded folks.

The train trip is one of my favorite trips in Panama...

Cheers,
Andrew

faithie

Hi, we were in Panama in February and loved it. We took local buses and met a family from Colon, and also 2 of our cab drivers were from Colon. We questioned them about the seriousness of all the warnings about Colon. They said to heed them.... it's a very dangerous place according to them. Where the train stops is close to the cruise ship area I believe, and considered fine. As suggested, have a guide or driver waiting for you to take you on a day trip to Portobelo etc.

basalt

We are heading to panama on Carnival Liberty (in Colon on the 17th) and have booked the "Panama coast to coast railway tour" We have a friend Living in Panama who would like to go on the trip with us. We cannot book him through Carnival because he's not a guest... he's having problems finding the trip from his end. Anyone out there know anything or anyone to contact?

TomMiller33760

When we got off the train last week, Austin, the guide who met us, spotted a non-Panamanian walking toward a dangerous neighborhood across the street. He said he had tried to get the man to get into his cab, but the man kept walking. As we drove off Austin breathed a sigh of relief as the man got picked up by some little bus. Austin was going to make one more attempt. He said Colon was getting better, but there were some really bad parts.

Colon was much dirtier than the rest of what we saw in Panama. We stopped at the very nice, old Washington Hotel and drove thru the giant duty-free zone. Portbelo was worthwhile. BTW, you can probably reach Austin, a fine guide, thru katstours.com