observation centre canal expansion

Ok, If you are not from Panama and don't know the area you are going to get lost. Get good directions beforehand and know where you are going. COLON CAN BE DANGEROUS. The center itself was nice but apart from looking at the new canal there isn't much in the way of a museum or information like at the Miraflores Locks. The nature trail is nice, open your eyes and you will see wildlife. The negative part of our experience is that we went with my two girls and my niece. All are Panamanian but because we are white the woman who sold the tickets didn't believe us. She actually interviewed the kids about where they go to school and asked questions about Panama. It was an embarassment. I finally paid the tourist price for myself because I was tired of the stupidity. The irony of it is that the father of my niece (who was with us) was the Director of Public Relations for the canal and designed the center as well as the film that they show. His name is the first in the credits. Really a silly experience.

The tour was $15 each and well worth the price. Very well organized and the simulation room where you go through the canal in fast motion was a highlight

The trail leading to the Observation Centre was not easy to find. The paved road from Colon had disappeared and I was on gravel and the GPS unit of my rental car was of no help. After passing the parking area for those working on the canal expansion, look for a gravel track heading south. There is a booth/kiosk and a gantry at the head of this track. There are a few blue signboards along the track to reassure you that you are on the right track. If you end up at the Gatun Locks visitor centre, you have gone too far and missed the left-turn. The long and bumpy track then cuts through jungle and it finally opens up onto a parking lot and landscaped grounds.I went on a Wednesday and arrived late in the afternoon. It could have been near closing time as there were no other visitor except for myself and I only saw a couple of staff. The cafeteria was closed and the restrooms were locked. There is a ticket booth and turnstile but these were not manned and I just walked in free although there is a tariff board above the ticket booth. The place was clean and well-kept but it is so out-of-the-way that probably it is not on the usual tour bus itinerary.The observation deck has a great view of the new locks under construction. The scale of the project is just awesome! However, that's all there is to do there - look the the construction site or catch a glimpse of ships approaching or departing from the Gatun Locks channel.Considering that it is well over 90km from Panama City, it may not be worthwhile for some to make the trek there. The attraction for me was the once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the "guts" of the locks in a dry state. Once they let the water in, that's it. The bulk of this engineering marvel will be under water and there will be nothing much to see.

I'm a well traveled soul of varied travel tastes. I transited the canal in a yacht so the surroundings were no surprise. I'd say travel by rental car was by far my most unpleasant experience in this bio diverse region. If you seek danger and squalor look no further than Colon. Driving is NOT for the faint of heart, and being able to blend-in is almost impossible.