More than just diving:
As we live near the bayside town of Portobelo, the focus of things to do and places to go are for the northeastern province of Colon. Taking the new Highway (the North Corredor or Corredor Norte) that connects Panama City and Colon, Portobelo is an approximate hour – hour and ½ drive from the city.
The historic town of Portobelo offers remnants of fort ruins to explore and the customs house with a small museum to tour. Most weekends there are vendor booths set up selling a myriad of items ranging from food to souvenirs. Iglesia de San Felipe is a popular tourist attraction as well. This is the church where the Black Christ statue is housed. The Black Christ Festival, held every October 21 (the anniversary of it’s discovery), is in honor of this statue. Different stories explain the origin of the statue and the festival that honors it, but it’s definitely a fascinating event to witness!
Isla Grande, just east of Portobelo, is a popular weekend getaway for city dwellers. The island offers beaches, restaurants, hotels and a lighthouse where you can get a magnificent view of the Atlantic Ocean.
Nombre de Dios might be another spot for some to visit, if you have time to kill. Today, it honestly has not much to offer other than it’s history. It is known to be the first permanent settlement on the isthmus of Panama. The road that leads from Portobelo to Nombre de Dios is actually perfect for any motorcycle enthusiast though!
Panama Outdoor Adventures offers canopy zip-line tours, river tubing and nature trails.
Portobelo Adventures offers kayaking tours through the mangroves in the bay of Portobelo, hiking up to the ruins of Castillo San Fernando across the bay, hiking trails through the jungle and kayak trips to Buenaventura and Drake's Islands for snorkeling.
Horseback Riding tours are available from Franklin, one of our local neighbors in Buenaventura. He'll take you through the jungle, hillsides and streams - where you'll see much of the area's flora and fauna.
If you're in to Deep See Fishing, we've got your connection. Your boat captain, Bill, doesn't like to come back empty handed! He is a die-hard sport fisherman and his trips are a full day...not just a few hours.
Our newest activities offered are Air Boat Tours and Air Boat Fishing on Lake Gatun. Click on the Airboat Tours tab above for more information.
Most of the beaches along the coast are “natural” beach, however just past Maria Chiquita there is a sandy public beach, Playa La Angosta, frequented by the locals. If you want a little more seclusion, there are a few other sandy beaches to choose from (one at Buena Ventura and two near Drake’s Island) that are easy enough to get to by boat.
When it comes to the food choices, we prefer to stick with the “locals” – some typico, some not. Though there are chain restaurants near the Colon area, as well as area restaurants catering to tourism, the ‘Mom & Pop’ places are usually the best for the price. Some of our favorites are Los Rizos; typico food, Queso Judith; typico food (well known for their “white cheese”) and within the town of Portobelo the panadaria/refresqueria El Nazareno; for some great sandwiches or fresh made pizza on the weekends. The breads are baked daily by the Italian owner.
Though Portobelo is a sleepy area, away from the hustle and bustle of city life, modern conveniences can be found along the way from Sabanitas towards Colon with probably the best choice being the strip mall shopping center in 4 Altos.
