Shopping in the Colon Free Zone.  Although dedicated to bulk sales many businesses will sell individual items to visitors, at duty free prices.  These items will be delivered, usually the next day, to Tocumen airport where the visitor has to pick them up before leaving the country. Leave plenty of time for this on the day of your departure.  

Visit the ruins of the ancient Spanish fort of San Lorenzo, about 45 minute's drive from Colon across the Gatun Lock gates. The locks and spillway on the Gatun dam make an interesting stop on the way.  This fort was built near the mouth of the Chagres river  to guard  the entrance to the gold route across  the isthmus.  

Portobelo is about an hour's drive from Colon.  This was once the Spaniard's richest treasure port.  The Counting House has been rebuilt and holds an interesting museum of Spanish artifacts.  The ruins of the port's fortifications are impressive when you imagine the bay filled with Spanish galleons waiting to load their bullion. Once a year in October there is an impressive religious ceremony for The Black Christ which attracts thousands of pilgrims from all over the country.  

Isla Grande is 30 minutes past Portobelo.  It is a popular beach resort for Panamanians and has a number of cabins for rent and a couple of small hotels.  Bananas Village, an elegant beach resort, is situated on the seaward side of the island. Isla Grande is famous for its surfing and has hosted a number of international events.  

Beaches: the coastline east of Colon, on the way to Portobelo, is known as Costa Arriba. There are a number of beaches, some of them with black sand.  One of them, Maria Chiquita, has tourist facilities.  Snorkeling and diving facilities can also be found in this area, especially on Isla Mamey.