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The Panama Canal is a manmade 82 km waterway which cuts across the isthmus of Panama to connect the world’s two largest oceans. This engineering marvel serves as an important conduit for global maritime trade, earning it a spot on ASCE’s list of Seven Wonders of the Modern World. Thousands of Caribbean people, including Jamaicans, were instrumental to the construction of the Panama Canal and even lost their lives as a result. As such, visiting the Panama Canal is a dream come true for me, allowing me to pay homage to my Caribbean ancestors. With that said, let’s talk about the history of the Canal and how to plan a visit in 2024 & beyond.
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History of the Panama Canal
Millions of years ago, Panama emerged as an isthmus connecting North and South America following a series of underwater volcano eruptions. With the emergence of European conquest and colonization in the 1500s, the desire of building a canal across the isthmus of Panama emerged. In 1534, the King of Spain ordered a survey for the construction of this canal to ease the voyage for ships traveling between Spain and Peru. However, the thick, almost impenetrable jungle thwarted their efforts for centuries.
In 1850, the USA began construction of the Panama Railroad to cross the isthmus; it opened in 1855. This vital piece of infrastructure made overland trade easier but the dream of shortening sea trade one day never faded. After the French achieved success in building the Suez Canal in the Middle East, they vowed to take their expertise to Panama and construct the long-awaited Panama Canal. French construction attempts on the Canal lasted between 1881 and 1899. In the end, they realized that the Panama Canal was more of an engineering challenge than the Suez Canal due to the tropical rainforests, debilitating climate, the need for canal locks, and the lack of any ancient route to follow- not to mention the deadly yellow fever, malaria and other tropical diseases. Under French control of the canal project, their 12,875 labourers consisted of 10,844 British West Indians: 9,005 Jamaicans, 1,344 Barbadians and 495 St. Lucians.
Fast forward to 5 years– the USA took control of the canal following Panamanian independence and the discovery that tropical diseases were being transmitted by mosquitoes. With a 2 year investment into public health education, fumigation, installation of mosquito netting and window screens, and the elimination of stagnant water, mosquito-borne diseases were virtually eradicated. A healthier labour force and improved working conditions led to the canal’s completion in 1914, 401 years after Panama was first crossed overland by European conquistadores. And finally at noon on December 31, 1999, the Panama Canal was handed over to the Panamanian people who have maintained and expanded it to continue meeting the needs for world trade across 170 countries and 1920 ports.
Planning A Trip to the Panama Canal
What a mouthful! But, the history of the Panama Canal needs to be told. The canal is a remarkable achievement of mankind, and I’m proud that my Jamaican ancestors played a vital role in its construction. So, how does one visit the Panama Canal?
There are two main ways that tourists can visit the Panama Canal:
- Taking a boat ride with the Panama Canal Tours. They set sail at either 6am or 10am, but the exact time isn’t confirmed until 24 hours before the trip when the Panama Canal Authority issues authorization to the captain. Partial tours last 5-6 hours and occur around 10 days per month, while full transit lasts 10 hours and only occurs 1-2 times per month. As such, it is recommended to book these tours months in advance. The cost of Panama Canal boat tours start at $180USD + 7% tax in 2024.
- Heading to the Miraflores Visitors Centre for a birds-eye view of the Canal and its ingenious water locks. The best time to visit the Miraflores Visitors Centre is before 9am or after 2pm, as this increases the probability of witnessing a ship going through the locks which is very exciting. This option is perfect for stopover and layover travelers like myself who are pressed for time. Miraflores is also great for budget travelers and tickets cost $17.22USD per person in 2024.
Miraflores Visitors Centre
From our hotel in Casco Viejo, we took an Uber to Miraflores. Uber is cheaper than taxis in Panama. Miraflores offers several viewing platforms from which you can observe the ingenious locks which open and close to send ships through the canal using gravity and the power of water. They open daily from 8am to 5pm, but it’s best to visit before 9am or after 2pm to increase your chances of seeing a ship cross the canal. We arrived closer to 10am and were still fortunate enough to catch a ship finishing its transit, but stick to the recommended times for best results.
Miraflores also offers a gift shop, playground, cafeteria and IMAX 3D cinema where a 45-minute movie included in your entrance fee explains the history of the Canal. The movie is narrated by Morgan Freeman in English with Spanish subtitles. I absolutely loved watching a cargo ship exit the canal then exploring the grounds and reading all the signs. Even better, I came across a plaque donated by the UK government in July 2014 which commemorates the unsung British West Indian heroes who gave their lives and expertise in making this modern engineering marvel a reality. The movie was filmed really nicely and covered all the salient points from the Canal’s earliest conception to its execution 400 years later.
Wrap Up
I hope you enjoyed learning about the Panama Canal today. Have you ever visited or is it on your bucket list? Did you know about the Canal’s West Indian connection? Sound off in the comments section below. Visiting the Panama Canal was a dream come true for me as I’ve heard about the Jamaican connection for years and wanted to witness it in person for myself.
After the Canal’s construction was completed, many Jamaicans moved on to other countries in search of better opportunities while some chose to stay. I met two such descendants on this trip who are bilingual and cling strong to their Jamaican heritage despite having never visited Jamaica. My 70-hour stopover in Panama City was everything I envisioned & more. Next week’s article will cover my other Panamanian adventures– feel free to steal that itinerary and subscribe to stay in the loop! ‘Til next time.
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