I love going to the Amador Causeway; the views are simply stunning.
It’s just a three-mile strip of palm-tree-lined roadway connecting the Pacific Ocean islands of Naos, Perico, Culebra, and Flamenco. The causeway snakes from the bustling urban streets of Panama City, into the Pacific Ocean, where it guards the southern entrance of the Panama Canal. Along the Amador roadway, mostly on the connected islands, there are stunning views and unparalleled options of activities for individuals of all ages.
The roadway connects four islands and those islands provide a perfect place for all kinds of fun activities, including restaurants, museums, nightlife, pauses from jogging, biking and rollerblading, and taking in the views of Panama Bay and the Panama Canal.
It wasn’t always a vibrant, inviting recreational mecca, open to everyone, but rather a US military complex, built when the Americans needed to find somewhere to dump the 258,000,000 cubic yards of dirt and rock cut out, to build the Panama Canal. The buildings were painted dull, nondescript colors, with fences and little boxes to accommodate guards who controlled the area around the clock. There are still a few military installations, but mostly the land has been reclaimed and turned into an activity mecca for Panamanians and tourists alike.
Two Major Projects
Soon, the Amador Causeway is going to become one of the most visited places in Panama. There are two projects under construction, which will deliver jobs and world-wide exposure to Panama. The two projects are costing more than 358 million USD, but they will result in a new convention center along with a double-pier cruise terminal capable of welcoming two mega-ships daily and up to 10,000 passengers. The convention center will accommodate 20,000 visitors daily and will be the largest convention facility in Central America.
New Cruise Terminal Brings More Tourists
Currently, thousands of passengers enjoy cruising through the Panama Canal, but not many stop to actually enter or visit our beautiful country.
The new terminal will not only be a full day stop for several cruise lines, it will also be a “home port” which means cruises will begin or end in Panama City. Consequently, many passengers will fly through Tocumen International Airport and probably tack on a couple of extra days to explore Panama.
The cruise terminal, located on the Amador Causeway will be able to accommodate two mega ships daily, carrying some 5,000 cruise passengers. A total of 6,000 jobs are estimated to be created to accommodate the influx of visitors.
The Convention Capital of Central America
In addition to the cruise ship pier, Amador Causeway is soon going to become the Convention Capital of Central America. A new convention center is scheduled to open later this year, with an area of 190,000 square feet of open space. Another 5,000 square feet will be available for smaller conferences and there will be 1,650 square feet dedicated to banquet halls and small meeting rooms. Adjacent to the center, will be parking for more than 1,700 vehicles. At full-capacity, there will be enough space to accommodate 20,000 people per day.
More Visitors in Panama
The other day, I was biking along the causeway and I started thinking what an additional 30,000 individuals, crowded onto this narrow strip of land, would mean to people like me. Did I want to dodge convention-goers and groups of tourists getting on buses to take some excursion? Of course, YES! It is going to mean millions of dollars and thousands of jobs. It will increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of every Panamanian and it will allow the world to see the beauty and safety of Panama.
Vehicle traffic is already restricted to one side of the causeway, allowing visitors and citizens alike, to enjoy leisurely walks, bike riding, jogging and even rollerblading There are buggies to rent, lots of vendors offering local food specialities, drinks and unique art. White table cloth restaurants beckon. I’ll still be able to eat fresh lobsters pulled hours earlier from the waters of Bocas del Toro. The views of the Bridge of Americas and the boats transiting the Panama Canal will still be stunning. Soon, I’ll just be able to share it with more people!
