Panama Canal Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience the Panama Canal. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Ocean to Ocean Combo: Canal Boat Ride, Locks, Fort San Lorenzo

• Panama Canal Wildlife Boat Safari & Panamanian Brunch

• Private or Small-Group Panama Canal & City Half-Day Tour

• Panama Canal Partial Tour—Southbound Direction

• Private Tour of the Historic Center of Panama and Canal

The cost to visit the Panama Canal varies depending on how you visit. Cruises that pass through the canal can run to thousands of dollars, especially international cruises, but most half-day or full-day tours that include a boat ride on the canal cost from US$60 to US$160. Admission to the Miraflores Visitor Center—which is a popular attraction on day tours from Panama City—costs US$3 for resident adults and $17.22 for non-resident adults.

Yes, the Panama Canal is definitely worth visiting. If you're on an international cruise that visits Panama, you will likely pass through the canal anyway. If you're visiting Panama City, it's worth taking a day or half-day trip out to the canal, either to the Miraflores Visitor Center, where you can learn all about the canal's engineering, or on a wildlife-spotting cruise through Soberania National Park.

Per one customer who booked the Panama Canal Partial Tour—Southbound Direction, "This all-day adventure is a must-do. Take the time, and better understand the Panama Canal from how it was engineered to future growth. Our guide was fantastic giving the history in multiple languages and answering all questions."

In general, most visitors try to avoid Panama’s rainy season, which typically lasts from April to December. The biggest crowds roll in from January to March. If you’d like to avoid them (and avoid paying high-season prices), visit in early April or late December, getting the best of both worlds.

The best time of year to do a Panama Canal cruise is January to March (aka the dry season). If you’re looking to avoid the crowds and save a pretty penny, cruise anytime between April and December—though that likely means rain. To test your luck with crowds and clouds, try the shoulder season.

Traveling from one ocean to another (from the Pacific to the Atlantic), transiting across the Panama Canal takes 8-10 hours, depending on traffic. That means only about 40 ships can cross the canal a day. And believe it or not, sometimes ships wait up to 3 days to even begin their passage.

There are tons of fun things to do when you're done visiting the Panama Canal. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in Panama City:

• Casco Viejo

• Amador Causeway (Calzada de Amador)

• Miraflores Locks

• Bridge of the Americas (Puente de las Americas)

• Gatún Lake (Lago Gatún)

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Panama City.