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Our Panama Canal cruise will stop in Key West, Cartagena, Panama City, Quepos, Caldera, Acajutla, Cabo San Lucas and San Diego. The last two are familiar territory, and I think it will be easy to walk around Key West. For the others, we're trying to decide if it is best to book a cruise excursion, find local excursions/ours in each port, or cab it and explore on our own.

We're not interesting in zip lining, etc, but in general sightseeing of the highlights.

Recommendations and ideas appreciated!

Since the Canal and Panama are subjects I am much more familiar with, I will just point out some of the highlights if the other port calls. I go into much more detail for Panama (Colon) at the end.

 

I sort of took the day off in Puerta Vallarta and did not do much... but if you are feeling a little homesick across the street from the pier there is a pretty big Wal-Mart! I'm kidding about going there, but it does seem surreal.

 

There really is not a whole to do in Puerto Quetzal unless you take a tour. Going to Antigua near Guatemala City in the highlands is very popular. Wonderfully preserved old city with some cooler weather, something you really don't expect to find on a cruise to the tropics.

 

Puntarenas, I never took any of the longer tours into San Jose or into the Volcanic parks... stayed nearer to the coast, cruised the Tarcoles River where they had some the biggest crocodiles I have seen in the wild. On another cruise we went to a nice little town (I think it was Orotina) in the foothills and entertained by folkloric dances, music and such. Stopped in a fairly typical roadside restaurant that provided a great view of the ship in Puntarenas off in the distance. By the way the maduros (fried ripe plantain) fried yucca and tostones (or patacones depending on the country, which are double fried green plantain) were great as well! Don't worry... nothing healthy in any of those selections, but perhaps you can say it was all organic:D!

 

Cartagena, probably the old walled City will give you a great deal of history, going back to the Spanish Inquisition. Well preserved architecturally. You could also take in La Popa Monastery or the fortress of San Felipe which is certainly a very prominent fixture in Cartagena.

 

Colon; First the disclaimer... there is nothing for you to do in Colon. This particularly true if you would just like to hit the streets on your own. Other than the mall that is connected to the pier there is not anything for you to do or go on your own without the benefit of a tour or at least a taxi to take you somewhere. There are so many great things to do in Panama and it is a real shame Colon could not be more inviting.

 

Now that is out of the way, I'm not sure where to begin... I am going to assume that your stop in Colon is a full day stop either before or after your transit and not what is called a "technical" stop. Probably the tour that is going to be the most obvious choice would be the partial transit of the Pacific Locks and Gaillard Cut by "ferry." Unless you don't get enough Canal from your transit on your ship, then this tour is going to be a bit a repeat of your transit. You will be retracing a portion the exact route you were on during your transit. Now, for the Canal aficionado like me, that would not be a bad thing. However, I try to see things through other peoples likes and for some this could possibly be too much of the same thing.

 

Probably one of the most popular non-Canal related tour would be to the Embera Indians. Depending on which village that is visited, you can get really off the beaten path. For many this is as close to a National Geographic experience any of us ever get. I can't remember hearing anyone having significant negative comments about this tour.

 

There is another tour that depending on the cruise line is called the Shaping of Panama. This tour takes you to the Pacific side to Panama City where the ruins of Old Panama, Casco Antiguo along with modern Panama City are combined. Quite a contrast.

 

For the railroad buff there is always a ride on the first and the fastest... better make that first and the quickest transcontinental railroad in the Americas. A lot of history on those rails.

 

There are a number of other tours that are offered that you may be interested in, but the ones I mentioned are certainly the ones that attract the majority of cruisers. Be glad to elaborate the best I can on any of the Panama tours if you have any questions.

I have a similar question - our Panama tour will stop in Cartagena, Panama City, Quepos, Caldera and Acajutla - then on to the familiar territory of Cabo San Lucas and San Diego. But for those first cities I'm trying to learn which ones we can just do our own thing in a cab, whether there are good excursion opportunities available in the ports, and in which cases the cruise excursions are the best option. Thoughts appreciated!