Colón, Panama to Santa Catalina is about 255 road miles (411 km): roughly 6 h 47 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
Full advisory: Panama. Advisory issued: Panama August 19, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Panama: “Driving at night can be dangerous, especially on the old Panama City–Colon highway.”
| Total distance | 255 mi (411 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 47 min |
| Provinces on the route | Colón, Panama, Coclé, Herrera, Veraguas |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
What the drive from Colón to Santa Catalina is like
It runs through 5 provinces: Colón, Panama, Coclé, Herrera, Veraguas. Of the 7 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Colón and Santa Catalina
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Province |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–255 | 255 | Colón, Panama, Coclé, Herrera, Veraguas |
- Mile 27 of this route: Colón → Panama (province line)
- Mile 99 of this route: Panama → Coclé (province line)
- Mile 166 of this route: Coclé → Herrera (province line)
- Mile 171 of this route: Herrera → Veraguas (province line)
Stops between Colón and Santa Catalina
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Municipal Summit (mile 35), St. John Baptist Cathedral, Penonomé (mile 126), St. James the Apostle Cathedral, Santiago de Veraguas (mile 188)
- Nature and outdoors: Soberanía National Park (mile 35), Altos de Campana National Park (mile 69), El Caño Archaeological Park (mile 139)
- Museums and history: St. John Baptist Cathedral, Penonomé (mile 126), El Caño Archaeological Park (mile 139), St. James the Apostle Cathedral, Santiago de Veraguas (mile 188)
- With kids: Parque Municipal Summit (mile 35)
Soberanía National Park
Soberanía National Park lies along the Panama Canal in Panamá and Colón provinces, roughly 25 km from Panama City, with the Chagres River flowing through it.
Parque Municipal Summit
Parque Municipal Summit in central Panama combines a botanical garden with a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility. Rescued native and exotic animals that cannot be released back into the wild are displayed to visitors in its zoo.
Casco Viejo
Casco Viejo (Casco Antiguo or San Felipe) is Panama City's historic district, settled in 1673 after pirates nearly destroyed the original city, Panamá Viejo, in 1671.
Altos de Campana National Park
About 50 km west of Panama City in Panamá Oeste province, Altos de Campana National Park was established in 1966 and covers 11,901 acres of mountain terrain.
St. John Baptist Cathedral, Penonomé
Also called Penonomé Cathedral, St. John Baptist Cathedral is a Catholic church in the city of Penonomé, in Panama's Coclé Province.
El Caño Archaeological Park
In Panama's Coclé province, El Caño is a pre-Columbian funerary complex with stone monuments and burial mounds, where gold artifacts of the Gran Coclé culture have been found.
St. James the Apostle Cathedral, Santiago de Veraguas
Santiago de Veraguas Cathedral, dedicated to St. James the Apostle, is the Catholic cathedral of Santiago, a city in Panama's Veraguas province.
More drives to Santa Catalina
- Panama City to Santa Catalina
- Heredia to Santa Catalina, Panama
- Playa Grande to Santa Catalina, Panama
From Colón to other places in Panama
- Colón, Panama to Coronado
- Colón, Panama to Santiago de Veraguas
- Colón, Panama to Las Lajas
- Colón, Panama to Limón, Costa Rica
- Colón, Panama to San Isidro, Costa Rica
- Colón, Panama to Alajuela, Costa Rica
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Colón, Panama to Santa Catalina?
About 6 h 47 min of driving without stops, over 255 miles.
How far is Santa Catalina from Colón, Panama by car?
About 255 miles (411 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Colón to Santa Catalina drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Panama Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Where can you stop on the way from Colón to Santa Catalina?
Closest to the road: Parque Municipal Summit (zoo, mile 35, 0.7 mi from the route); St. John Baptist Cathedral, Penonomé (cathedral, mile 126, 0.6 mi from the route); St. James the Apostle Cathedral, Santiago de Veraguas (cathedral, mile 188, 0.1 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.