Amador Causeway Reviews (Panama City, Panama)

Escape the Hustle and Bustle of Downtown

Indianapolis, Indiana

April 1, 2010

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Best of IgoUgo The Amador Causeway evokes images of what Panama City should be. Palm tree lined streets with bicyclists, rollerbladers, skateboarders, and joggers traveling down a recreational path while enjoying the ocean views and the Panama City skyline across ...Read more The Amador Causeway evokes images of what Panama City should be. Palm tree lined streets with bicyclists, rollerbladers, skateboarders, and joggers traveling down a recreational path while enjoying the ocean views and the Panama City skyline across the bay. An influx of restaurants, bars, and nightclubs has made the causeway a popular destination for tourists and Panamanians alike.

The Amador Causeway was created from excavated rock taken from the building of the canal. The purpose of the causeway was to calm the waters to the entrance of the Panama Canal to prevent silt from piling up and blocking the pathway to the canal. The causeway extends three miles from the Bridge of the Americas at the northern end to Isla Flamenco at the southern end. When the causeway was completed in 1913, it was known as Fort Amador, a US military base that was responsible for the protection of the southern end of the canal.

The causeway’s explosion into a popular tourist destination occurred shortly after the year 2000. Up until that time the causeway was off limits to anyone other than US military personnel and their families. In the late 70’s, President Jimmy Carter and President Omar Torrijos signed a treaty where the US would relinquish all control of the canal and withdraw our military forces in the year 2000. For the past ten years, Panamanians have been discovering a section of Panama that was off limits to them until just recently.

The entrance to the causeway is still going through a revitalization period as construction continues to redesign the old US military barracks. The highlight of this area when it is finished is the Museo de la Biodiversidad or Panama: Bridge of Life as it also called. The museum will showcase the diverse plant and ocean life that exist as well as the role that Panama plays in linking the two Americas together. The museum is being designed by Frank Gehry, who has designed the Guggenheim Museum, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and the Dancing House in Prague. Panama is touting that the finished product will be a country icon like the Opera House in Sydney, Australia.

The Causeway links three island together, Naos, Perico, and Flamenco. The island of Naos is home to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. There is also a large marina where ferries take passengers to Isla Taboga. Isla Culebra, although called an island is actually an extension of Isla Naos. It is here that you will find the Marine Exhibition Center. Although we did not stop here, I heard that although it doesn’t compare with other major cities aquariums, it is still worth a stop.

There are a few different restaurants on Isla Naos. The most popular restaurant is Mi Ranchito serving up the best in Panamanian cuisine. An interesting encounter occurred at the most unlikely of places, Bennigans. Being avid NFL fans, the playoffs happened to be on, so we set off in search of a place where we could drink some beers and watch the game before we had dinner. Benningans was the perfect spot equipped with an outdoor bar next to the water and twenty different televisions. There was only one problem. They all had soccer on them. I was about to ask if we could change the channel, but then all of a sudden, someone scored a goal and the entire place started clapping. Obviously, they were watching this game. Luckily for us, we found one television in the back with the football game on. When you are in a country where soccer rules supreme, having one television in the back of the restaurant was about all we could hope for.

Perico Island has a long strip mall, Brisas de Amador, which contains many different shops, restaurants, and bars, most having terraces facing the canal. The bars keep this area busy especially on the weekends and it has become a favorite nightspot for many of the locals. Between Perico Island and Isla Flamenco at the southern tip in the Bay of Panama, are an assortment of fishing ships, sailboats, and yachts anchored at the Flamenco Yacht Club.

Flamenco Island, which once served as bombproof strategic command center during World War II, is now filled with restaurants, shopping centers, and a cruise ship port. The cruise ship port houses the customs and immigration office as well one of the few duty free shopping centers on the causeway. There is a diverse selection of restaurants on Flamenco Island ranging from Italian, Japanese, and of course seafood. Our first night in Panama, the hotel recommended Bucaneros. It was an excellent seafood restaurant at a reasonable price with live music every night. We both ordered Prawns, with my wife picking the jumbo prawn and bacon shish kebabs and mine smothered in a Panamanian passion fruit sauce.
While we staying on the causeway, we stopped for lunch at a small restaurant. I noticed they had fried red snapper and it sounded good, so I ordered it. I was surprised when they brought me the meal. It was red snapper and it was fried, but what surprised me was that it was still whole. The head and eyes were still on it. I swear that it looked as if it was smiling at me. Just be aware that if you order fish, you will probably get the whole thing.

The only hotel on the Causeway is the Country Inn and Suites. It is reasonably priced considering the location next to the Panama Canal. It is a short five minute drive to Balboa, home to the Panama Canal Administration building and a fifteen minute drive to the Miraflores Locks Visitor Center.

The Amador Causeway is a great place to get away from the congestion of the city. With water on all sides, beautiful views of the Panama Canal and the Panama City skyline, outdoor activities, restaurants, and bars, the Causeway is the perfect place to escape and relax.
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From journal Panama City - Exploring the city's rich and diverse history

Amador Causeway

by Jose Kevo

Middle-of-Nowhere, Missouri

March 5, 2007

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Best of IgoUgo Travel information and locals' advice regarded this leisure and recreational haven with such grandeur, I'd planned on spending my entire last day here as a reward. Big mistake, but that doesn't mean this place should be totally written-off. Coming ...Read more Travel information and locals' advice regarded this leisure and recreational haven with such grandeur, I'd planned on spending my entire last day here as a reward. Big mistake, but that doesn't mean this place should be totally written-off. Coming here in the daytime was miserable; especially on a weekday. Save this for the night or on weekends. Otherwise, don't bother.

The four small islands are connected and lined with upscale restaurants and bars that cater to large crowds of an evening. The Fuerte Amador Resort & Marina promised shops and activities mingled with historical significance within Front Grant, established by the U.S. in 1913 to guard the Canal entrance.

I quickly lost interest because during a weekday morning, the entire Causeway area was locked-up tight; completely abandoned with no indications that anywhere was even preparing to open for lunch. Cool respite from the city heat doesn't appear until later, either. As for sloth-ladened nature trails, I didn't even bother looking. Everywhere appeared parched and deserted, with no shade in sight.

Greatest disappointment was missing out on the Marine Exhibition Center, operated by the Smithsonian Tropcial Research Institute. I knew it didn't open until 1pm, but waiting around was out of the question with roasting the only thing to occupy time. Perhaps I didn't miss anything. Lonely Planet contradicts itself within the same description, referring to the pair of aquariums as "large" and "small"; I'd bet on the latter considering appearance of the building.

Actually, LP botched this entire section. The bicycle and inline skate rentals are no where near the entrance, and not even all that visible along Calle Amador well before the sprawls of parking lots. Los Diablos don't carouse the Causeway. There's taxi and carriage shuttles out to the islands of an evening and on weekends. I ended-up walking the distance thanks to a greedy taxi driver.

Catching a cab from nearby Mi Pueblitos, the driver quoted $3 until realizing that was simply to neighborhood border. He agreed on $2 more to the entrance, which got me to the parking lots. At those rates, I conceded to walk the remaining 2km+ roadway which forms the Causeway. Walking along the Canal was uneventful. Biking or skating would've been even more blistering.

Once reaching the tip and determining there was no point in sticking around, I haled a taxi for $3 back into the city. When asking about the Panama Canal Administration Building, located in Balboa Heights which LP groups with the Causeway, the driver gave an extended tour without requesting more.

Surrounded by sterile U.S. military bases, the stately building crowns a hill reached by elaborate staircases. The rotunda dome contains murals of the Canal's construction supposedly worth seeing between 10am and 2:30pm; "if you ask guards politely", according to LP. Considering how screwed-up information was regarding everything else in this section, I didn't want to bother. However, the driving tour through this area was interesting and a recommended daytime alternative. Close

From journal Panamá City; the Capital Offenses

Amador Causeway

by Little Ayun

Cambridge, Massachusetts

November 13, 2006

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This Panama City attraction has great views of the city and a handful of higher-end restaurants ($20-ish per-head meals, including alcohol) and shopping options, but isn't quite the hot spot you may expect based on what you've read in your ...Read more

From journal Last-Minute Trip to Panama

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