The tropical deciduous forests of Mexico's pacific coast run along the entire span of the Mexican coastline. Since the Mexican winter is not particularly cold, the loss of leaves by most of the species in these forests is triggered by the dryness of the winter season.

During the spring and summer, the rainy season comes and many of the trees and bushes of the forest flower. Cardinal Sage, Spider Lily, Mala Raton, and pink Trumpet are among the more common flowering plants you'll see in the area. Among the more interesting of trees in these zones is the strangler fig, known to Mexicans as matapalo, the killer tree. These trees often wrap around other trees for support, and eventually "choke" the tree to death by cutting off nutrients to their victim tree. These forests support a wide variety of exotic animals, including the small, armored armadillo, the rust colored spider monkey, and the ever romanticised Jaguar.

In the area surrounding Mazátlan, areas just south of Puerto Vallarta, and areas between Manzanillo and Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, thorn forests dominate the landscape. Lower rainfalls in these areas only allow for sturdier species of trees which are able to out compete the common species in the tropical deciduous forests. Acacias and Mimosas are among the most common of plants in the thorn forests, but the most famous would have to be the morning glory tree. The tree has a bad reputation among Mexicans, who know it either as Palo Bobo (Food Tree), or Palo del muerto (Tree of the Dead).

Legend has it that if you drink from the waters near a morning glory tree, you will go crazy, although no evidence exists to support the claim. Many of the animals which reside in the Southwest United States live well in the thorn forests, including coyotes and rabbits, as well as more exotic species such as the armadillo.

The area surrounding Acapulco or Manzanillo consists primarily of savannahs. The savannah is essentially a grassland, consisting of slightly marshy pasture grasses. However, there are several dominant species of trees living here. The coconut palm should be the most familiar to visitors, as it tends to be an international symbol of tropical paradise locations. However, the trees are very useful in Mexican society as they are used for lumber, candy-making, and, of course, coconuts. Also of note is the Fan palm, which grows tall, but orients its branches horizontally, not unlike a hand-held fan.