Miraflores Locks
Esclusas de Miraflores
The two-stage lock on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal. From the observation deck at the visitor centre you can watch giant ships being lifted through, and it is Panama's top attraction.
The Miraflores Locks are the double-stage locks on the Pacific side of the canal. Ships rise or descend about 16.5 metres here. Huge container ships and cruise liners often pass with only a few tens of centimetres to spare between their hulls and the lock walls. They are pulled slowly through by electric locomotives on tracks, known as "mules," and a single transit takes anywhere from several dozen minutes to over an hour. The visitor centre has four levels: a multi-storey observation deck (the best views are from the top floor), a museum on canal history and engineering, a 3D and IMAX film, and a restaurant where you can eat while watching the ships. In the morning most ships are heading in from the Pacific, and the direction switches in the afternoon. The official website publishes the day's transit schedule, and during transits the announcements are made in English and Spanish, describing each ship. Foreign visitors pay about US$20, which includes the museum and film, though you should confirm the current price with the official site. The locks are about a 20-minute drive from the old town, so take a taxi or a ride-hailing car. For a deeper experience, you can join a boat tour of the canal's transit route, which takes about half a day.
Opening hours
Daily 8:00–17:00 (last entry around 16:15; check the canal authority's notices)
Nearby sights
- Panama Canal Railway
- Metropolitan Natural Park
- Ancon Hill
- Bridge of the Americas
- Mi Pueblito
- Mercado de Mariscos
- Cinta Costera
- Palacio de las Garzas