Panama City or Monkey Island Tour from Playa Blanca

Two routes from the beach: colonial streets and engineering, or jungle waterways and wildlife.

Choose a full-day tour from Playa Blanca hotels to either Panama City (with the Panama Sign, Old Town, craft market and canal), or Monkey Island on Lake Gatun, where you'll spot three monkey species from a boat. Both include hotel pickup and a Spanish-speaking guide. The Panama City option runs roughly seven hours, Monkey Island roughly six. Lunch is your choice at local restaurants or markets.

Step-by-step itinerary

Panama City or Monkey Island Tour

• Pick-up from hotel
• Travel to tour destination
• Panama City: Visit Amador and Panama Sign
• Panama City: Walk Old Town streets
• Panama City: Shop for souvenirs
• Panama City: Visit Panama Canal
• Panama City: Lunch at chosen location
• Monkey Island: Boat tour on Lake Gatun
• Monkey Island: Observe monkeys and jungle
• Monkey Island: Lunch or supermarket stop
• Return to hotel

The experience

Hotel pickup starts the day from Riu Playa Blanca, The Buenaventura, Grand Decameron or Gran Evenia Bijao. The two-hour drive to either destination gives you time to settle in before the main event. Once you choose your route (Panama City or Monkey Island), the day unfolds around that single focus, so you're not splitting attention between competing stops.

The Panama City option takes you through Amador to the Panama Sign for photos, then into El Casco Viejo's colorful colonial streets where you can browse the Mercado de Crafts for souvenirs. The final stop is the Panama Canal itself, where the guide walks you through its history and how it actually works. You pick where to eat lunch, and the return drive is another two hours back to the hotel. The Monkey Island route instead heads to Gamboa and a boat tour across Lake Gatun, where the forested shoreline and water give way to sightings of three monkey species living in the Panamanian jungle. After the boat returns to the pier, you can choose lunch at a restaurant or grab supplies at a supermarket before heading back.

The boat ticket for Monkey Island ($30 USD per person) is separate from the tour price. Both routes are led by a guide who speaks Spanish, and both work for families with infants and small children, though strollers are practical only on the city streets, not the boat.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from your resort.
• private transportation to Panama City or Gamboa.
• Spanish-speaking guide for the full day.
• access to the Panama Sign, Old Town streets and craft market (Panama City option) or boat tour across Lake Gatun (Monkey Island option).

Options for this experience

2 options

Monkey Island TourGuide in Spanish · No fixed timeOption #1: Boat ticket is not part of the price. ($30 USD per person) Pickup is included.

Trip to Panama City.Guide in Spanish · No fixed timeOption #2: Entry to the Panama Canal is not part of the price. (Adults $17.22 / Children $7.22) Pickup is included.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (12 to 90 years) · Child (5 to 11 years): free · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideSpanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 22 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by National Tours Panamá

Is this one for you?Choose Panama City if you want to walk colonial streets, see the canal's engineering and pick up souvenirs in one morning and afternoon. Choose Monkey Island if you'd rather spend the day on the water spotting wildlife and moving through the jungle landscape. The boat is the main event, not a side stop.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years): free; Infant (under 4): free.

What's the actual difference between the Panama City tour and the Monkey Island tour?

Panama City focuses on colonial architecture, the famous Panama Sign, the craft market and the canal itself with its history and operations. Monkey Island is a boat tour on Lake Gatun where you watch three monkey species in their natural habitat. Pick Panama City for urban sights and engineering, Monkey Island for wildlife and water.

How long does each tour take from hotel pickup to return?

The Panama City tour runs approximately seven hours total, including the two-hour drive each way. The Monkey Island tour runs approximately six hours total, also with two hours of driving each direction.

Do I need to pay anything extra beyond the tour price?

Yes, the Monkey Island boat ticket costs $30 USD per person and is paid separately at the pier. Lunch is not included on either tour, so you'll choose and pay for a meal at a restaurant or market.

Which hotels does the pickup serve?

Pickup is available from Riu Playa Blanca, The Buenaventura Golf & Beach Resort, Grand Decameron Resort, Playa Blanca Resort and Gran Evenia Bijao.

Can I bring a stroller or car seat for my infant?

Infants and small children can ride in a stroller or pram, and infants can sit on an adult's lap. Strollers work well on the Panama City streets and shops, but the Monkey Island boat tour is less practical with one.

What language does the guide speak?

The guide leads the tour in Spanish.