In Panama for business? Take a side trip to the canal

Dozens of spectators gawk from an observation deck as a bulk freighter carrying a variety of grains from the United States to China inches its way closer. Forty-ton locomotives known as mules latch onto the massive vessel with cables and guide it inside the Miraflores locks, employing a mechanical precision that keeps it from banging into the concrete walls despite the tight fit.

The ship's crossing through the Panama Canal is nearly complete as the 700-ton steel doors swing shut. While most of their bulk is hidden underneath the water, they're as tall as an eight-story building and the same ones that have been doing the job for over a century.

As a major Latin American hub of finance, commerce and transportation, the Panamanian capital is a growing destination for business travelers. For anyone looking to duck out of a convention center for a few hours, fill a gap between meetings or even if you've just got a long layover at the airport, a visit to Panama City's No 1 attraction and its newly expanded locks makes for the perfect side excursion.