Watch boats from around the world navigate the locks of the engineering marvel known as the “Eighth Wonder of the World.”

One of the greatest engineering feats of all time runs 50 miles across Panama, linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and serving 160 countries around the world. After a tumultuous history—the French tried and failed to build the canal in the 1880s; the U.S. succeeded, but tragically lost 20,000 workers in the process—the canal came under Panamanian control in 1999. The terrace at Miraflores Visitor Center is a good place to watch the ships come in. Show up after 2 p.m., when a higher number of ships pass through the locks.