Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
By car
Head east along the Corredor Sur from Panama City; 6km past the airport turn-off,
you enter the nondescript town of 24 de Diciembre, where Cerro Azul is signposted off to the
left, just before Supermercado Xtra. The park office is at the end of the main road.
ACCOMMODATION
ANAM camping
at Lago Alajuela and Cerro Azul offer camping space with bathrooms,
cold-water showers and shared kitchen facilities with the wardens but you'll need to bring
all you
r f
ood. Both prefer advance notice; contact the central office in Panama City (
500
0877).
$5
/person
Ginger House
Altos de Cerro Azul 297 7037,
gingerhouse-panama.com
.
Well-appoin-
ted guest-house providing home comforts set in lovely gardens offering three spacious, spot-
less rooms (private or shared bathroom
) plu
s communal lounge, patio and hammock areas,
affording wonderful views. Full board.
$152
Colón
Situated at the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal, with a population of around 42,000,
COLÓN
makes it into few holiday brochures; for most Panamanians its name is a byword for
poverty, violence and urban decay. Yet vestiges of its former grandeur remain, worth explor-
ing by taxi (for safety reasons) for an hour before heading out to several tourist destinations
of note which lie within striking distance. Moreover, the people of Colón, mostly descend-
ants of West Indians who came here to build the canal, are as warm and friendly as anywhere
in the country and just as fond of partying. Sadly, most visitors come here solely to shop at
the
Colón Free Zone
, a walled enclave on the edge of the city, where goods from all over the
world can be bought at very low prices.