The Caribbean Province of Colon has a very colorful history, beginning with the arrival of the Spanish closely followed by Caribbean pirates and the gold rush 49er's from the East Coast of the United States making the trek to California through the humid jungles of Panama. The first ever railroad to span a continent was built to accommodate these travelers and send them on their merry way. The 20th century saw the building of the famous Panama Canal.

There are two famous Spanish forts to visit here; first the one at Portobelo and the other at San Lorenzo. The easiest to get to is the one at Portobelo, which is a 2 hour drive from Panama City. The Spanish sent gold and silver from their colonies there to await shipment to Europe, however, the continuous attacks of Sir Francis Drake, Henry Morgan and Edward Vernon quickly broke down their defenses. Because of this, the Spanish chose alternate, safer routes and methods to transport their wealth and Portobello has been a small fishing village with some interesting ruins ever since. Scattered around Portobello are several different sets of ruins, some in surprisingly good condition, complete with cannons pointing out to sea, large stone walls, etc. Some of the ruins are visible from the main road as you enter this beautiful bay that cuts deep inland. On the right side up on the hill, there are other small ruins. A second set of ruins is in the middle of the village itself. The customs house has recently been restored and contains exhibitions on the area's history. There are actually three different forts straddling the hillside, with the two upper sections offering terrific views of the bay and town of Portobelo. To visit the highest fort, you'll have to hike along a wide, steep trail. This upper fort has no views of the lower sections, but has stunning views of Portobelo and surrounding areas. Visiting this last set of ruins across the bay is well worth the trip. There is a water taxi service, which departs from just after the roadside ruins. They charge $2.00 per person for 3+ passengers, or $5.00 per person. They offer guides, or you can visit the ruins at your leisure. They will pick you up when you are ready to return. While in Portoblo stop off at one of the open-air restaurants on the main road to try good value Caribbean-style seafood conch, crab, octopus, lobster or fried fish, served with coconut rice or patacones (deep-fried green plantains). There are also several dive centers nearby where you can hire equipment. The ruins of Fort San Lorenzo are perched high on a cliff overlooking the mouth of the Chagres River. These ruins are quite different from those at Portobelo, and well worth a visit. There are numerous interior caverns to explore, as well as spectacular coastal views.

Isla Grande is a weekend destination for urban Panamanians and tourists that winds through the cattle fields and hills past Portobelo. The beaches are serviceable rather than spectacular but there are plenty of palm trees, sparkling blue clear waters, coral reefs for snorkeling and a relaxed Caribbean atmosphere. The island's couple hundred inhabitants make a living from fishing and growing coconuts. This is an extremely peaceful place to spend a couple of days swimming, snorkeling, swinging in a hammock, eating seafood and drinking coconut milk.