Agua Clara Locks Visitor Center
Centro de Visitantes de Agua Clara
The new canal locks, opened in 2016 as part of the canal expansion. The Atlantic-side observation deck lets you watch New Panamax giant ships moving slowly in and out, with Gatun Lake in the background.
The expanded locks use sliding gates and water-saving basins, and the container ships they accommodate are much larger than those of the old locks. The visitor center has exhibition halls and a restaurant. Admission for foreign visitors is about US$15 to 20. Ship transits do not follow a fixed schedule, so check the Panama Canal Authority website first. The site is in Gatun, Colón Province, about 1.5 hours from Panama City. You can take the Panama Canal Railway to Colón and then a taxi. It is often combined with Fort San Lorenzo and Portobelo in a day trip.
Opening hours
Daily 08:00–16:00 (check the official website)
Nearby sights
- Gatun Lake
- Fort San Lorenzo
- Barro Colorado Island
- Panama Rainforest Discovery Center
- Gamboa Rainforest
- Soberanía National Park
- Summit Municipal Park
- Portobelo Fortifications