Private Tour
Portobelo History & Beach Private Tour in Colon Panama
Overview
Available languages
8 hours
Mobile ticket
You want to spend a spectacular day in clear, calm waters. Also learn a little about the Afrocolonial culture and history of Panama on the Caribbean coast of Colon. This is the tour you should choose. A tour that includes the most important and paradisiacal places on the Caribbean coast of Portobelo, Colon with excellent guides and knowledgeable drivers to the best local sites on the Colón coast. This paradise it is located 1 hour and 30 minutes away from Panamá city. You will enjoy a smooth and conformtable ride in a spacious SUV car then you will arrive to Portobelo city a small fisherman town with a lot of our Colonial History to then enjoy the best beaches on the Caribbean side of Panamá. Don't miss this nice opportunity
Additional Info
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Fuerte San Jeronimo
This fort was the largest of the three in Portobelo. It is strategically located next to the Royal Customs House, which was the accounting house of the Spanish Treasury. It had more than 20 cannons and has beautiful views of the bay. The current fort was rebuilt in 1774, as the older structure was attacked by Henry Morgan before its completion, and then again in 1739 by Edward Vernon. Entry is free and you can stroll slowly and enjoy the beautiful views that the fort presents.
Complejo De Fuertes De Portobelo, Panama
When approaching Portobelo by road, the first thing you see is the Santiago de la Gloria Fort. These facilities are part of the monumental complex of Portobelo established as a world heritage site in 1980. You can tour the fort on foot and observe the structures that were reinforced in the 18th century. This fort, along with San Jerónimo, San Fernando and San Fernandino, are considered prototypes of the forts that followed them at that time.
What‘s Included
Private transportation
Bottled water
Air-conditioned vehicle
Lunch
Breakfast
Alcoholic Beverages
Snacks
Gratuities
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
Pickup up point in Panama City
Pickup included
Pickup Colon Cruise Terminal
Starting in Colon City
Pickup included
Playa Bonita PickUp
Playa Bonita & sorrounding
Pickup included
Reviews
9 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Not an English speaking guide
Janice O,Jan 28, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00We 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.
Friendly guide who drives safely as well
Helen L,Dec 1, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00From 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.
Wonderful off-the-beaten path tour!!
James A,Sep 22, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00A 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.
Best tour !
Marilyn N,Mar 7, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We 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.
Unforgettable day trip!
Laura S,Jan 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We 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.
If you want to learn about history, the culture, and visit a beautiful beach, this tour is for you!
I5366QUdalea,Oct 21, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My 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!
History & Beach Day
Savannah C,Aug 6, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00Had 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!
A perfect beach day!
Mike S,Jul 5, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00We 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.
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