Calzada Amador

The Calzada Amador (Amador Causeway) is the place to go when you tire of the city's cement and traffic jams. The sprawling views and refreshing breezes coming off the ocean seem a world apart from the hustle and bustle of Panama City, yet this oasis is less than 20 minutes from most downtown hotels. Located directly to the southeast of Balboa, the Calzada was originally constructed as a breakwater, when the canal's builders were looking for places to deposit the trainloads of debris that the digging produced. The resulting causeway, which is topped with a palm-lined road and promenade, stretches almost 2 mi (3 km) into the Pacific Ocean to connect the mainland to three islands: Isla Naos, Isla Perico, and Isla Flamenco. The causeway and islands have views of the canal's Pacific entrance, the city's gleaming skyline, Isla Taboga, and the dozens of ships that anchor offshore on any given day. Flocks of pelicans and magnificent frigate birds can often be seen on the forested islands. Long a popular destination for Panamanians, the Calzada has become busier than ever in recent years, thanks to the construction of several shopping centers with dozens of bars and restaurants and even hotels on the islands. The city's residents flock here on Sundays and holidays, when traffic on the two-lane road creeps along and the promenade fills with joggers, bikers, and roller skaters.