Shopping in Colon & Sol Melina

[kelligirl]

We're doing a 4 hour excursion kayaking at the Panama Canal watershed. Kayaking is in the town of Sol Melina. How is shopping there? Is it relatively safe (4 gown women) and how far would the taxi ride be back to Colon? Any insight would be appreciated.

 

Thanks.

[Richard in Panama]

I suspect the kayaking is from the Sol Melia hotel, which is a very nice resort hotel and has the typical shops you'd expect with touristy goods. It's not that far, but . . . are you taking a ship tour or wanting to do it on your own? In Colon I DEFINITELY would recommend sticking with the ship's tour. Regards, Richard

[kelligirl]

Hi Richard,

 

Thanks for the info. We just wanted to shop after, where is the "safest" place to shop on our own? I noticed lately you strongly recommend the ship tours.....is something happening we should know about in Colon?

 

Thank you!!!!!!!

[Richard in Panama]

Colon is primarily oriented to the Free Port, the world's second largest, which isn't cruise-type shopping, but buyers from around the world who buy containers of merchandise. It is not a "touristy" town. There is nothing to see in Colon and the cruise line WILL recommend that you don't leave the port, not even across the street. The reason to stop in Colon is all the neat tours and the Canal, all of which are some distance from Colon. There are traffic problems, etc., hassles that are best left to the tour operators. I don't know what kind of "shopping" you are looking for . . .

 

You can read my comments on Colon at http://richarddetrich.wordpress.com/2008/08/14/cruising-to-panama/ as well as some of my recommendations for what to do in Panama elsewhere on my blog http://richarddetrich.wordpress.com/qa-for-cruisers/ and elsewhere on this Cruise Critic board.

 

Regards, Richard

[rubeus]

Keligirl,

 

Did you end up doing the kayaking tour.

 

How did you like it.

How as the resort.

Did you have time to relax at the beach.