Have you ever wanted to kiss a crocodile? You can in Acapulco.

Perhaps that is not the typical tropical image one conjures when imagining a visit to the Mexican coastal city, but behind the retro façade, soaring cliff sides and never-ending nightlife, adventure is on hand in Acapulco.

Where exactly can one go to kiss the crocodile? Paraíso de los Manglares, or Paradise of Mangroves, is an ecological development on Coyuca Lagoon, a freshwater lagoon about six miles north of the city, and Montosa Island, developed into a resort area by the owner of the mangrove park. In addition to preserving the mangroves, the sanctuary functions as a wild animal refuge, one of only three in Mexico.

It was here I began my adventure in Acapulco. Ill-prepared, I might add. In an amateur move, I only packed flip-flops and sandals in my carry-on, neither of which were appropriate shoes for the nearly 1,600-foot suspension bridge through the mangroves I was about to navigate.

Appropriate shoes or not, I set off into the mangrove paradise with resident guide Juan Manuel. A more significant amount of the Acapulco coastline would be littered with similar mangrove swamps, but the trees were eliminated as the area built up. At Paraíso de los Manglares, the area is sustained, and most of the construction in the lagoon area and across the water at Montosa Island uses renewable materials. The suspension bridge was constructed from palm.

While carefully treading my way through the mangroves, I listened to the sounds of nature alive all around me. Birdsong rang out. Bugs buzzed by. The dank, hot air made its own hum as it hung heavily around us. Stopping by a tree covered in a termite colony, I watched with bewilderment as Juan Manuel broke the pocked surface with his finger, pulled out a termite and offered it to me — to eat. I demurred, and he popped the insect, apparently high in nutritional value, into his mouth. “Tastes like carrots,” he responded.

At the end of the bridge rose a tower, which I learned was a replica of the Guardian of the Iguana statue originally found in this region during the Toltec culture, pre-dating the Aztecs. Below us, enormous, endangered iguanas poked their heads out of brush. I felt comfortable gazing from a safe distance.

Making my way down from the tower, I entered the endangered animal sanctuary. During my visit, Paraíso de los Manglares housed two tigers, two jaguars, two wolves, a coyote, monkeys, a warthog and a “big” snake. The warthog roamed past us as we made our way through; we watched the monkeys sip Pepsi. And then it was time for the grander animals to come out and play. Apprehension mixed with curiosity as Juan Manuel entered the tiger’s cage with a huge chunk of raw meat. Better him than me, I thought.

I watched man and nature engage with one another in a playful manner. After Juan Manuel brought the animal out on a chain, they grappled together. I was too nervous to pet the beautiful feline after watching him nip at his trainer’s ankles; I was simply in awe of my proximity to the animal, having never expected a run-in with these types of creatures in Acapulco.

I did have one caveat — under no circumstances was I prepared or adventurous enough for the “big” snake to make a close-up appearance. Snakes strike fear in my heart, and I spent quite some time nervously glancing at the snake habitat. From here, we made our way to the crocodile sanctuary.

Did I kiss a crocodile? I did not actually put my lips to the chompers of a crocodile, but I impressed myself by reaching out a hand and tentatively stroking the belly of a baby amphibian. It was disheartening to listen to the stories of abuse the crocodiles and other sanctuary animals endured before becoming wards of the Mexican government and being sent to the reserve.

Paraíso de los Manglares’ busy season is from April to July, but the reserve is open year-round, with two tours per day. Simple accommodations are available on both the lagoon side and on Montosa Island. There are also two restaurants and a spa.

After a lunch of sopas and camarones, my driver (another Juan Manuel) and I headed back to the center of Acapulco. On the way back down the cliffs, we passed Pie de la Cuesta, which he informed me is the most beautiful beach in Acapulco and the best place to catch the sunset.

From Paraíso de los Manglares, which sits on the outskirts of the city, we drove through the traditional area of the city. Acapulco is divided into three main sections. Aside from the Traditional Zone, tourists flock to the Golden Zone and find shops, activities, restaurants, hotels and clubs. Judging by the pulsating music and flashing lights of the buses driving the main drag at night, good times are abundant in this district. While I did not have the opportunity to experience it for myself, Acapulco’s all-night nightlife has a reputation for being an adventure in itself. The Diamond Zone, or new area, recently developed with upscale shopping centers and luxury hotels, is located toward the airport.

Acapulco’s 1950s heyday still breathes in the traditional district, especially in the architecture. One can almost picture Elvis Presley shaking his hips and crooning. I made a detour visit to the Hotel Los Flamingos, once owned and operated by Tarzan ’s Johnny Weissmuller, for a taste of Acapulco’s nostalgic history. I was immediately transported to a time before activities like the next one on my itinerary were even a thought.

The following day, I slipped into the calm, warm waters of the bay at 8 a.m. As I paddled farther from the beach on my surfboard, legs swinging over the sides, I wondered how exactly I was going to pull myself up to standing without going overboard.

Súbete al Mar, which roughly translates to “get on the sea,” is Acapulco’s first stand-up paddle-surfing company. Brought to the country by a Mexican transplant to San Diego upon his return from the States, the sport has become extremely popular. For visitors to Acapulco during a full moon, Súbete al Mar hosts nighttime paddle-boarding sessions.

I watched as regulars, out on the water every morning, whizzed past me, gliding serenely across the water. Once I reached deeper water, I made several feeble attempts to stand up on my surfboard. Step one, moving from my seated position to a kneeling one, was relatively seamless. But from there to vertical was shaky; I couldn’t stop my knees from knocking. To adjust further to the sport, I sliced through the waters in the kneeling position, shocked by how hard it was to propel and turn myself even in this position. I was tiring quickly — paddle surfers burn nearly 1,000 calories in one hour. I felt the exertion in my arm and thigh muscles for days to follow.

My successful attempts to stand on the board and glide through the water like an angel equaled the number of crocodiles I kissed on my visit.

Making a bigger splash in the Acapulcan waters were the La Quebrada Cliff Divers, a group of professional high divers performing several shows daily (both day and night) for the public. One of Acapulco’s oldest traditions, the group has been performing since 1934.

I was envious of the group, wishing I could try cliff-diving myself, until I saw the heights from which the men dive — and the craggy, slick surface they climb to get there. The La Quebrada Cliffs reach heights of 125 feet, and the water below measures a mere 12 feet deep, requiring perfect timing and precision for each dive.

Each individual dive was more spectacular than the one before. From straight dives to twisty ones, each splash was bigger and more elaborate than the last — much like Acapulco itself.

Info To Go

Flights are available from the United States to Acapulco’s General Juan N. Álvarez International Airport (ACA), with a connection in Mexico City (MEX). From Mexico City, Acapulco is accessible via a three-hour car ride. Taxis provide the fastest access to downtown from the airport, about 14 miles outside of city center. Instantly recognizable, the old-style, two-door Volkswagen bugs are readily available and relatively inexpensive. Buses are also available.

Mexico Tourism Board