Shelter Bay Marina at the North End of the Panama Canal

The original plan was to visit the Gatun Locks of the Panama Canal near Colón. After reaching the destination a friend and I got hungry, and we wanted to have lunch. We followed the signs on the other side of the Gatun Locks to a restaurant which is at Shelter Bay Marina.

This is a beautiful place, where you can dock your boat, eat and even lodge at the hotel. It’s a nice area and you can see some nice boats. The people and personnel are very friendly. There is a lodge upstairs with a small library and tables to hang out and play tabletop games.

We drove from Panama City up to Colón and followed the signs to the Panama Canal. At the canal, you can cross the canal on top of one of the locks. From there you get a nice view of the locks and ships. If you are lucky there could be a ship right in reach of your fingers. It’s really amazing.

After that, you just keep going straight and follow the sign and road thru the “jungle” to the restaurant. When you get close to the restaurant and Shelter Bay Marina, you must pass a small security gate. If the security personal asks, just tell them you are going to the restaurant, and they will let you pass.
You will drive through an abandoned military base with old buildings.

Just follow the signs to the restaurant. Near the restaurant is also a small supermarket. You also can find a gym and a nice pool which is only for the people who either stay at the hotel or have their boat docked at the marina.

The restaurant has decent prices for the food, and they accept all major credit cards. Most of the personal also speaks English, so no big communication problem. If you are near the Canal and Gatun Locks, you might want to visit that place.

Peter

Peter has a passion for Traveling, Photography, and Geocaching. These are the best ingredients for amazing adventures all over the globe. “Traveling is fun, no matter if you stay in a luxury hotel or travel like a backpacker.” Peter shares his experiences on his Blog www.gatetoadventures.com
Some of Peter’s photos are published on corporate websites, in-flight magazines, travel guides, and much more.

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