コロンパナマのポルトベロ歴史＆ビーチプライベートツアー

If interested in Afro Caribbean history. This tour is a great option. Great tour trough great history

We were very excited for this tour. When the driver picked us up, we learned that he would also be our guide. Which is cool, but he did t speak very much English. We had no communication ahead of time on what to bring or what order we would be doing things. We ended up going on the boat tour and to the beach first. It was awesome but the boat driver was talking Spanish to our guide and telling him the history of the area but the driver didn’t relay any of this to us. The beach didn’t have a clean area to change. It was a beautiful beach and we had a great time but it would have been nice if the guide could communicate better (the tour did say English speaking guide). After the beach, we returned to Portobello where the guide struggled to tell us the sites we were seeing. My husband and I made the best of it and looked things up on Google. We did enjoy ourselves and would recommend it for the things we did.

From the moment he walked up to introduce himself, Alfonso made us feel comfortable. He has that kind of personality, I can’t describe it. My husband and I almost never go on organized tours, and not private tours at all, but given that we know so little about this part of the world and didn’t want to drive here, it made sense. Alfonso knows a lot about his country, not only the touristic aspects, and is an interesting person himself. He was very flexible in terms of adjusting our itinerary and to the very rainy weather which made beach conditions unviable. He was an excellent driver in the very wet and windy road conditions. I have been told and seen reviews that many tour drivers don’t drive safely, and we felt entirely safe with Alfonso the entire day. I hope to use his tour services again next time we are in Panama.

A great tour. Wonderful balance of history and beach time. I was particularly impressed with the choice of Playa Blanca. It was a beach with a local vibe and not crowded. The guide seemed to have really thought about the overall experience of the tour and did not just take you to tourist traps. This is definitely not a cruise ship style shore excursion with hordes of tourists. I really appreciated that.

We really enjoyed this tour. Jose was absolutely amazing! He took us to some really interesting places . Was very kind and patient. Answered all our questions. The beach was very nice and somewhat private. We had a great time! Would highly recommend this tour.

We had a truly unforgettable trip to Portobelo, with our fantastic guide José. Fascinating history of the forts built along the coast to combat pirates plundering the towns, learning about the Afro-Caribbean culture including the church of the Black Christ, a surprise encounter festival of Congos, then a glorious boat ride to swim in clear waters of mangroves and Playa Blanca. Highly recommend Jose, so friendly and so knowledgeable about Panama history and culture, and the area.

+1

My trip to Portobelo and the nearby beaches was AMAZING. It was everything I was looking for. Angel, my tour guide and driver for the day, was professional and he communicated with me the night before about what to bring and what we would do that day. Portobello is a small community on the Caribbean side of Panama. It sits at the base of a beautiful natural harbor. It’s a drive of ann about an hour and a half from Panama City. We stopped to get something to eat on our way over there. When we got into Portobelo he showed us the first Spanish fort, which is right beside the road on the left hand side. He also showed us the second one, which is in the middle of town right in the water’s edge and much, much bigger. It’s next to the Royal Customs House, which is where Spain garrisoned soldiers and stored the gold they mined in South America before they sent it to Spain. Its it completely restored and is now a beautiful museum dedicated to the Congo people of Portobelo, their customs, and their struggle against slavery. After I visited the museum and toured the forts, we hopped on a speedboat and went to Venas Azules and then to Playa Blanca. Venas Azules is an estuary with beautiful clear water that’s about 3-4 feet deep where you can snorkel and see straight to the bottom. I didn’t see a lot that day-I only saw a turtle but that’s okay. After that, we hopped back in and we passed by Playa Huerta, another absolutely beautiful beach, before reaching our destination of Playa Blanca. Btw, these are only accessible by boat and it takes about 20 min to get to Playa Blanca. It’s a beautiful white sand beach with blue water and colorful shacks on the beach. It was like a view out of a movie. We spent about an our and a half out there. I snorkeled, swam, and lay on the beach soaking up lots of sun. After our time was up, we headed back, I was given a place to shower myself off and change my clothes. We then headed back to Panama City. Angel offered to stop somewhere for lunch (breakfast and lunch are out of your own pockets) but I declined (I still had some snacks left over from breakfast). If you’re looking to learn about and experience a piece of Spanish history, learn about the history of the Afro Panamanian people of Panama, and visit one of the most beautiful beaches in the country then this tour is definitely for you!

+2

Had a great time seeing Colón after spending most of my time with friends in Panama City. Nice car and safe driving, I recommend this tour with Angel!

We had a wonderful experience traveling to Portobelo/Colon with Angel. He was prompt, professional, and knowledgeable. He offered us options for the day, including stops, lunch, etc. We didn't just go to the beach; we learned about the culture surrounding where we were. The history of Panama was an excellent starting point for the day. The beach was amazing, quiet, tranquil, and not full of the usual business. We really enjoyed our time, a true highlight of our vacation.