Overview Colon is not really one of the more popular tourist spots in Central America, as it's mostly an industrial area. However, it's a great port of call to gain access to the Panama Canal from.
Aside from some duty-free shopping, restaurants, and city tours, there's not much for tourists to do in Colon. Since Colon is a very industrial area, it's not recommended for tourists to wander around aimlessly or to walk around side streets (especially at night).
Although Colon is not among the more frequently used cruise ports for cruise departures, Royal Caribbean does offer several Southern Caribbean cruises throughout the year leaving round trip from Colon. Cruise West, a "small ship" cruise line offers unique cruise itineraries departing from Colon, heavily focusing on ports of call in Costa Rica.
Destinations The following destinations can be visited on a cruise leaving from Colon, Panama:
Caribbean (Southern)
Costa Rica
Currency The official currency of Panama is the Balboa (PAB). 1 Balboa is always kept as equal to 1 US Dollar, and US Dollars are readily accepted everywhere. Using a credit card whenever possible is a great way to avoid having to exchange currency.
Language The official language of Panama is Spanish. A decent amount of the locals will speak at least some English as well, but don't count on the majority of them being fluent.
Tourist Attractions There are several duty-free shopping options available in Colon. There are also a few restaurants in the area.
One of the more popular things to do in Colon, since there's not really a ton for tourists to do, is to take a cruise line offered shore excursion. A city tour is a nice way to get an overview of the area.
Port Location There are two cruise terminals that may be used by cruise ships in Colon, Panama:
The Cristobal Cruise Terminal is the cruise terminal typically used by cruise ships that are going through the Panama Canal. There is a shopping area, and usually some locals performing native dances, right in the cruise terminal.
The Colon 2000 Cruise Terminal is located within walking distance of a duty-free shopping centre. This is the terminal typically used by cruise ships that aren't going through the Panama Canal. There is also an internet cafe and several restaurants in this area.
