Few folks visiting Mexico to get a tan, shoot tequila and thumb a trashy novel realize they've arrived in one of the world's most remarkable biodiversity zones.

El Refugio de Potosi, a seven-hectare ecological park, opened in August 2009, aims to change that, and help raise some vital awareness about the tenuous plight the country's endangered animals and landscapes.

Exotic Animal Kingdom

English-speaking guides introduce visitors (40 pesos for adults; 20 pesos for kids) to the Refugio's range of resident species. Tours begin at the main pavilion with a look at local reptiles and insects, which include boa constrictors, rattlesnakes, geckos, stick bugs, spiders and scorpions.

Groups meet some pairs of outgoing, beautifully-coloured macaws, then marvel at a 60-foot sperm whale skeleton that washed ashore nearby (80 per cent of the massive bone structure was recovered).

The tour route encounters hummingbirds, owls and falcons, parrots and parakeets, racoons and coatimundis, a soon-to-be-expanded butterfly pavilion, and lingers at a large enclosure containing black and green iguanas and a lagoon filled with frolicking fresh-water sea turtles.

The Refugio's resident animals will tend to change over time, as one of the facility's goals is to reproduce, rehabilitate and (when possible) reintroduce species in the wild.

Vibrant Vegetation

Another element of the Refugio's appeal is its natural confines. This region is a tropical dry forest that contains 90 per cent deciduous plants, including many that produce gorgeous flowers or edible fruit, such as the piñuela (a smaller, far more acidic relative of the pineapple) and mango and papaya trees. Visitors can also get a fantastic overview of the landscape from atop a 50-foot tower.

Extra-Curricular Relaxation

The Refugio is also just minutes away Playa Blanca, one of the most stunning beaches within easy range of Zihuatanejo, replete with good bodysurfing waves and a handful of palapas serving food and drink.