Travel ideas for Panama - unique sights, worth Guinness records

Soberania National Park in Panama features the green hotel Canopy Tower. This is where one of the most famous and attractive panoramic sites in the world can be found. The hotel occupies an old radar tower, which was used by the authorities of the United States to observe the Panama Canal. Today, travelers and scientists from around the world use its rooftop as an observation deck for admiring the surrounding scenery. The radar tower is surrounded by lush tropical forests all around.
These places have a huge number of rare birds, so biologists and ornithologists make a significant part of the hotel visitors. The unique observation deck overlooking the thick canopy of trees allows scientists to observe rare birds nesting; as they are very close, it's enough to get binoculars or a telescope.
The observation deck is equipped with chairs and tables; it’s noteworthy that the platform, as well as other environmental elements of decoration, is made of construction waste, including marble, wood and steel. Canopy Tower observation deck is located at an altitude of 275 meters above sea level. It has a rounded shape and resembles a huge nest. The center of a 'nest' is occupied with an egg of impressive size - a specially designed layout that makes the appearance of the old radar tower even more symbolic and attractive. ... Complete sights collection

The Panama Canal, which is often called the "Bridge of the Americas", is a true masterpiece in an engineering way. It connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and represents a complicated system of water intake works and locks. Its length is approximately 77 km. The Panama Canal was officially opened in 1920 and was the most grandiose construction project of those times. It is still one of the largest global engineering projects over the past 100 years.
The canal is pretty sizable which creates a convenient waterway to various vessels from huge tankers to tiny private yachts. It is important to be noted that in recent years the Panama Canal has been universally recognized as an outstanding tourist location. Sailing on yachts and cruise ships is very popular. The history of its creation has presented significant challenges and several attempts and dates back to the 18th century. The construction work has been postponed several times. The discovery of gold mines in California has motivated workers to proceed with the construction.
Altogether, the grand project has required huge amounts of money, human effort, dealing with natural disasters and disastrous epidemics. More than 20000 people died under the heavy conditions during the years of work. Nowadays those scary stories are just a distant memory and the Panama Canal has become an essential component in the global economy, international transport system and tourism. ... Complete sights collection

One of the most amazing and spectacular twisting towers can be seen in the capital of Panama, Panama City. The height of the Revolution Tower is 243 meters, and the angle of its rotation reaches 360 degrees. The construction of the office skyscraper was completed in 2011, its official name is The F&F Tower. The tower has 52 floors, its facade is lined with a very beautiful mirror tile, so in the daytime the building looks fantastic.
The construction of the skyscraper began in 2003 and was completed by 2008, but the skyscraper was commissioned three years later. The construction of the tower is very complex, based on the principle of geometric rotation of the prism. Initially, the project was a purely theoretical concept, which, thanks to the talent of local architects, has been realized.
The location of the skyscraper has been chosen one of the busiest commercial streets of the city. Originally, for the skyscraper project, a very small area of about 2000 square meters has been allocated. The budget allocated for the construction of the Tower of Revolution has also been strictly limited and amounted to 50 million US dollars. Initially, the architects did not have the right to make a mistake, they managed to realize an amazing project on the first attempt, without extra time and material costs. Nowadays, a skyscraper erected from reinforced concrete with a spectacular facade of emerald colour is one of the main decorations of the city. ... Complete sights collection

Over Water hotels have long been popular with modern tourists, among the most interesting and famous hotels of this category Punta Caracol hotel is especially worth noting. This hotel is located in Panama, on the Bocas del Toro Archipelago. It is a complex of nine individual thatched-roofed villas that have been built on stilts above the water. The villas are interconnected by a convenient system of wooden bridges. The over water hotel is popular with fans of relaxation in exotic places, as well as tourists who are in search of seclusion.
Tree served the main building material for the construction of the hotel, as well as bamboo. All the villas are characterized by an incredibly beautiful design in a national style. In some villas a huge four-poster bed has been installed, they are in demand among lovers. It will not be difficult to find a suitable villa and for a large company; for a family holiday, two-level villas with colorful decoration are ideal.
Tourists who choose the unusual over water hotel for recreation will have an opportunity to enjoy a wide range of entertainments. They can rest every day on the beautiful beaches of Panama, ride a yacht and explore natural attractions of the islands, go diving and snorkeling, and get acquainted with extreme sports. It is also worth noting that the Punta Caracol is an ecological hotel. Each cottage is provided with electricity, which is produced by solar panels. ... Complete sights collection

Panama, the capital of the eponymous state, has a picturesque historic district. Panama Viejo is a great old city that was once destroyed by pirates. The city was founded on the Pacific coast as far back as 1517. At that time, it was the utmost European city of the continent. Since its founding, Panama Viejo had a single meaning. It was an important defensive point of the trade route from Peru to the Old World. It was used for transporting precious metals and treasures of the Incas.
Two years after the founding, Panama Viejo gained the status of a city. At that time, the population was about one hundred people. For many years, the city valiantly defended against pirate attacks. Only Henry Morgan managed to conquer it. He captured the Panama Viejo in 1671. The city was completely plundered and destroyed. Today, only preserved ruins of the 15th-16th centuries are reminiscent about the period of prosperity.
However, despite the intervention, some buildings of pre-Columbian period managed to survive quite well. Among them, it’s worth noting several churches and a square tower which is the surviving part of the Catedral Viejo. The old building of the university, as well as the ruins of monasteries and cathedral were also preserved in the historic district. Its deserted streets feature the historical building of the Museum of History that will be interesting to anyone. It is noteworthy that very close to the ruins of the old town there is a new district of the capital. About 8 000 people are living in the immediate vicinity of the unique historical sites. ... Complete sights collection

Albrook Mall is the space’s leader in the North and South America. It was opened in 2003 and its trading area is near 380 thousand square meters. There you can find over 550 shops. The mall has a very interesting history. It was built at the place of the old useless base of Air Force of the USA. No less than thirty thousand people visit the shopping mall yearly. A quarter of them is foreigners.
The staff of the mall consists of 10 thousand people. Apart from the shops, it offers a great number of interesting entertainment areas. There you can also find restaurants, a modern cinema, beauty salons, and several play centres for children of all age. People, who once visited "Albrook Mall", say that the mall has huge halls, that resemble busy streets.
The halls have a thematic design, each is devoted to one animal. In the center of the hall you will see a figure of the animal. There you can make a lot of unusual photos on the background of bright figures of dinosaurs and exotic animals. Such design helps people to navigate easier in the mall. The best way to come to the shopping mall is by taxi. All taxi drivers know about the mall architecture and drove people to the right and appropriate exit. ... Complete sights collection