This interactive zoo, about 25 minutes outside Cancun proper, is especially captivating for children, but the up-close and sometimes hands-on encounters with iguanas, spider monkeys, a boa constrictor, immense tarantulas, native deer, and crocs disarm visitors of every age. Once a crocodile farm, CrocoCun now runs a breeding program that has helped replenish the toothy reptiles’ local population and extends its protection to all animals native to the Yucatán. It even has some Xoloitzcuintles, the native “hairless” dog revered by the Maya, Aztec, and Toltec civilizations at least 3,000 years ago. A guided tour with one of the knowledgeable and enthusiastic veterinary students who volunteer here lasts 60 to 75 minutes. Entrance fees are high, but the memories will last. Take bug repellant.