On a ridge above Arroyo de la Miel stands the largest Buddhist stupa in the Western world — a 33-metre-high white spire set against an unlikely backdrop of palm trees and apartment blocks. The Enlightenment Stupa was built by the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism and inaugurated in 2003.
The interior is a single calm room with a gilded buddha and walls painted with mandalas. Entry is free, the views from the terrace toward the sea and the Sierra de Mijas are excellent, and the contrast with the Costa del Sol kitsch below makes the visit memorable. Open daily except Mondays, mid-morning to early afternoon and again in the evening.