加通水闸

This is a much more up close and personal observatory of the operations of the Panama Canal lock systems than you get at the Miraflores Locks in Panama City. Very awe inspiring.

This was very interesting view of the canal. We got to see a medium-sized cargo ship passing through the canal with a sail boat. Very cool!!!

I went with a Caravan tour group last summer. We were able to come as a group, so it wasn't overcrowded. There are two places that you can observe the locks. The first is downstairs for those who cannot make the trek up lots of stairs. However, the view is much better if you're willing to climb a few flights of stairs.The tour guide Bambi was very informative, friendly and bilingual. Although it was a hot summer day, it was breezy from the observation deck. It is very family friendly and it's amazing to the craftsmanship that was put into the locks. We were up close and personal with the largest ships I've ever seen. Our group had a good time.

Bucket list item and so worth it, fulfilling a lifetime dream, which might also become your dream if you first better learn the history of its construction. Our cruise ship enlisted the help of an English-speaking guide for our trip through these locks, and certainly that was nice. But nothing could beat the experience of our quiet contemplation and awe of these locks and to see the massive lake built to handle the traffic through the area. I won't bore you here with that history or of the workings of the canals, but suggest that before you would ever take this trip, do view a wonderful documentary that will make you as awestruck as we were. You may see the documentary on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOu8aqE5GN0. And when you are looking at photographs of these Gatun Locks, don't be deceived by their appearance being smaller than you imagined. In fact, each lock is 1,050 feet long and 110 feet wide. And once you appreciate that, realize that the tops of the lamps on the poles that light the way through the locks were even with the 10th floor of our cruise ship. And once you imagine all that for grasping the size, imagine what the new lock being built parallel and just a short distance away will be like because it will be much bigger than these originals.

Easy to get to but no signs so best to go on a tour or really, really know the maps. Navigation is poor. You are right on top of the locks. You see everything up close and its very interesting.

Fantastic view of the locks in action - like it. The guide give the history and speaks english. He had coloring books for the children

This was the highlight of the Panama Canal cruise. Be sure to get a tour guide who can explain the engineering of the locks if you enjoy that kind of thing. It's simply a marvel and it's a fun place to watch the large ships come through.

You get a good perspective of how the canal system works to raise the ships up from sea level to Gatun Lake. Also you see how the local people have to live with the canal operation and getting from one side of the area to the other as the ships pass thru the locks.

We were dropped off in front of the Gatun Locks entrance Gate where there where many tour buses parked. On the opposite side of the street from the gate was a covered bus stop with a lady selling local produce and drinks. The commotion at the bus stop was due to a group of white-nosed coati (Nasua narica), also known as coatimundi. Coatimundi are a member of the raccoon family, sharing the ringed tail and the inquisitive nature. They live in groups, made up mostly of females and young, since the males are the loners of the species.The Gatun Locks are a true engineering marvel to behold as we walked across the mulas rack tracks to get to the observation area. it was considered an important safety feature that ships be guided through the lock chambers by electric locomotives, known as mulas (mules, named after the animals traditionally used to cross the isthmus of Panama), running on the lock walls. Watching the miter gates swing open and shut as they have for decades based upon the design used by romans makes one wonder at the marvels of our time.At the new Third Set of Locks Project we are introduced to the wider deeper canal locks of a system that we are told will allow high performance, efficient operation and maintenance, They are installing the rolling gates instead of miter gates, which are used by the existing locks. Rolling gates are used in the larger locks such as Berendrecht Lock the world's largest lock. The new third locks will use tugboats to position the vessels instead of mulas. Tugs are successfully and widely used for these purposes in locks of this size. Soon the cruise ships transiting the canal can use the old locks on one side and the new locks on the other.

Our guide, Jerin, owner and operator of Panama Day Trips, took us to these locks to avoid the crowds at Mira Flores locks. We are so glad he did. Reviews of Mira Flores talk about crowds and not being able to see the ships! How disappointing that would be! We basically had the observation deck to ourselves. It was amazing! Definitely a highlight of our stay in Panama!

You can spend about 2hrs here watching these giant ships being pulled through this canal locks , little trains pull them along with tugs bringing up the rear.

The Mira Flores locks are great but the Gatun lock complex knocks their socks offs any day! The viewing area gets you right up close so close u can also touch the ships as they transit. Ask your guide to take you across the East to west link road on the north side of the locks!

This is a must thing to see if large construction projects is your thing. Perhaps the easiest way to do it is on a cruise, but well worth a visit!

By all means if you have the opportunity to visit the Panama Canal on land, make it a trip to visit the Gatun Locks Visitor Center (Eclusas de Gatun) . There is a $5.00 admission fee well worth the price. Before climbing up the 90 steps to the top level where the Observation Tower is located, head to the restrooms on the ground floor as the wait for the ships to pass the locks can be slow and lengthy due to the process involved ~30 min. for the complete crossing. There are many school groups that come visit the Gatun Locks but there is plenty of room on the Observation level for viewing. The small tugboats guide the ship in and the ropes with a tractor on both sides of the locks help pull the ship in-- water level lifts to the Gatun Lake height. You can view the double locks at the Observation Deck as two ships can come and go simultaneously.There is a commentary person speaking in both English and Spanish to explain how the whole process is for a ship to pass through one of the canals in the Panama. An experience for sure if you have never seen the locks in action from the land. Being on a ship to see the locks open is another experience. There is also a small gift shop in the front entrance. On the way in/out, you can see the new set of locks being dug out and the huge doors for the anticipated date of completion sometime end of 2015, Supposedly this new set of locks will enable bigger ships to make the passage through the Panama Canal.An experience by itself. Must see while in Panama City and vicinity. Hopefully there would be a ship scheduled to pass the Gatun Locks during your visit; therefore, it may be advisable to check the website for such updates so you do not have to wait too long.

Just went through the Gatun locks on a cruise ship. It seems as if the ship was just being squeezed through. I swear there was not 5 inches of play on either side. The ship uses it's own power to go through and those big locomotives on the sides just keep it steady from getting damaged. What an amazing adventure. Everyone thinks the oceans are at two different levels hence the locks.... not so. Very fun experience