35 Best Sights in The Canal and Central Panama, Panama

Hidden in the island's southeast corner, at the end of the road that runs east from Villa Romantica, Playa Sueca (Swedish Beach) is Contadora's officially sanctioned nude beach. It is relatively small, backed by forest, with tan sand sloping into calm, aquamarine waters. At low tide, there are some exposed rocks in front of the beach. Be sure to use plenty of sunscreen on those pale parts! Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; nudists; swimming.

One of the country's oldest towns, San Pedro was founded in 1524, though its whitewashed church is the only surviving structure from the colonial era; folks here claim it is the second-oldest still-operating church in the Americas. The conquistador Francisco Pizarro embarked from Taboga in 1530 on his voyage to crush the Inca Empire, and it remained an important port until the 20th century. Because of the extreme variation of Panama's Pacific tides, ships were unable to moor near the coast of Panama, so the deep bay on Taboga's eastern shore was the perfect alternative. The Spanish built a fortress on Taboga in an attempt to defend the bay from pirates, the Pacific Steamship Company was based there during the 19th century, and the French built a sanatorium on the island during their attempt to build a canal. Upon completion of the canal, with its various docks and marinas, Taboga became what it is today, a sleepy fishing village that wakes up on weekends and holidays, when visitors from the capital arrive en masse.

There are few vehicles on the island, and most of its streets resemble extra-wide sidewalks. The main road runs along the town beach, Playa Honda, which lines a small bay holding dozens of fishing boats. Many of the bougainvillea-lined streets pass shrines to the Virgen del Carmen, considered the protector of fishermen throughout Latin America, who is celebrated every July 16 here.

A small but educational menagerie can be found at the Serpentario Maravillas Tropicales, an exhibit of a dozen snake species, frogs, iguanas, tarantulas, and scorpions a couple of blocks north of Avenida Principal. It belongs to Mario Urriola, one of the valley's top nature guides, who is often on hand to tell about the creatures on display.

Barro Colorado can be visited on full-day tours run by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), which depart the STRI dock in Gamboa at 7:15 on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, and 8 on weekends. The $80 tour is well worth the money, since the English-speaking guides do an excellent job of pointing out flora and fauna and explaining the rain forest's complex ecology. Lunch in the research station's cafeteria and boat transportation to and from Gamboa are included. Tours should be booked and paid for a minimum of two months in advance through the STRI website. Reservations that haven't been paid for 15 days before the tour will be canceled. If you failed to reserve, they sometimes have spaces available; it's worth calling the STRI office and asking.

Many South American merchants go to Colón to shop at the Zona Libre de Colón (Colón Free Zone), which handles about $6 million worth of wholesale and retail sales per year. Northern visitors likely won't be wowed by the prices and won't recognize the brand names here. It is also downright ugly. If you do visit, remember that this is a free port. Your purchases must be exported. The Zona Libre delivers what you buy for pick-up upon your departure at Tocumen International Airport. Allow a minimum of two days for the arrangements. If you're hankering for some shopping, it's generally easier to stick to the mega-malls in Panama City, since the Free Zone is focused almost completely on wholesale.