Kaye Holland writes about Panama on The Telegraph and it is very comprehensive article.
Why go?
The waistline of the Americas, Panama is often overshadowed by its better known neighbours – Costa Rica and Colombia – much like a middle child sandwiched between an older and younger offspring.
Yet contrary to public perception, Panama offers cruise passengers more than merely a massive canal. The central America nation serves up palm-studded beaches, fabulous cuisine, UNESCO World Heritage sites, cloud forests and coffee farms, nightlife that’s as buzzy or as laidback as you’d like and adrenaline filled adventures (read: zipping through rainforest canopies).
Factor in warm hearted locals and you have, arguably, the most alluring of all the countries of Central America.
Cruise port location
Cruise ships dock in Colon, the second largest city in Panama which sits 60km (40 miles) northwest of Panama City at the Caribbean entrance to the famous canal. The two main cruise ship docking areas are the modern Colon 2000 (which, as its name suggests, was constructed at the start of the millennium) and the nearby Cristobal Pier.