Shores of Panama

Most Central and North American countries have shores on both, the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean. This certainly is a privilege, since it opens many possibilities for tourism, cargo transportation and other money-producing activities.

At a glance, every country with shores on both oceans could be considered with equal opportunities for leveraging from this, but there is one small country where, given its position and narrow geography, the advantages have exploded out of the charts: this is the Republic of Panama.

As early as in 1513, just over 20 years after Europe discovered the American Continent, the "other ocean" was discovered by Vasco Nuñez de Balboa. To get from the Atlantic to the Pacific, he was guided by the native Indians, through the mountains and forests of Panama. As the reader can imagine the Indians knew that this was the narrowest part of the continent.

By 1519, Panama City, the first European City located in the Pacific shore of the new world, was founded, and since those times, the idea of facilitating transportation between the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans was already in the minds of the visionaries.

First there were trails in the forest connecting Pacific and Atlantic, then it was a railroad in the 1800's, after that, roads were built, but nothing is as effective or impressive as The Panama Canal.

The Canal was inaugurated in 1914, enabling a 24 hours crossing from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean….The Canal literally joined the shores of Panama.

Now, in modern days, there is a high speed highway that allows making the trip from one shore to the other in less than one hour, giving Panama the status of being the only country in the world where scuba divers can dive in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans in the same day.

Panama's Pacific shore is far more developed. Recently, several 5 stars resorts chains have established in the area. Panama City itself is located right at the pacific shore of the country. Most roads, highways and towns are facing the Pacific Ocean.

The country's Atlantic (Caribbean as it is known by some Panamanians), shore is far less visited or developed, but it is far more pristine and beautiful. In eastern Panama there is the Kuna Yala (formerly known as San Blas), archipelago with over 300 islands of white sand beaches and crystal clear waters. Also, in western Panama, there is the Bocas del Toro archipelago where many foreigners have bought properties making Panama their second home. And there is the Caribbean shore in central Panama, where there are very few towns, no resorts and beautiful beaches with hidden bays, just waiting to be discovered.

For the comfort type person the Pacific shores of Panama are the right fit. For the adventurous type, the Caribbean shores of Panama are the place to visit. The fact is that Panama is leveraging very well the fact of having shores in both oceans, and being the narrowest part of the American Continent.