Puerto Vallarta is a tropical wonderland, with all the unique flora and fauna that suggests. So you can expect to feast your eyes on brilliant bougainvillea and hibiscus, mango trees and ficus. Oh, and watch where you walk—the area also has its share of fantastic animal life, including crocodiles and turtles.

Triassic Park

Don’t panic—unless your villa rental Puerto Vallarta is located in an especially interesting part of town, you’ll actually need to organize an expedition to seek out the crocs and turtles. Crocodiles can trace their lineage back to the Triassic period more than 200 million years ago, and today, it’s sometimes possible to see a river crocodile in the river . . . or on the beach or the golf course.

If you’re not into unplanned crocodile encounters, you can visit the critters in a more controlled environment. A variety of groups in Mexico are working hard to protect what is left of the country’s crocodile population and to conserve their habitat, as well. Join Ecotours de Mexico for a Crocodile Adventure to learn more about crocodile conservation, then pay a visit to the creatures at the Crocodile Farm El Cora.

Turtle Time

Every year, starting in early summer, sea turtles hit the beaches of Puerto Vallarta to lay their eggs. Once upon a time, this was a fine arrangement, but today, those beaches have become volleyball courts and landing fields, hardly a safe environment to raise a batch of turtle eggs. So folks from the beach resorts round up the turtle nests and relocate them to a safer locale to await the happy day.

A number of those same beach-front hotels participate in a local program to return baby sea turtles to the sea after they hatch. In Puerto Vallarta, the ceremony happens at dusk to reduce the risk of disorienting the hatchlings and to protect them from predators. You won’t have any trouble finding a place to take part.

Now that you know, you have no excuses – you’re unlikely to see crocs and turtles from the patio of your villa rental Puerto Vallarta. It’s time to get out there and mingle with the local amphibians. This is your chance to get in touch with your wild side in a natural way.