The prevailing northwesterly winds and littoral currents brought sand with such frequency and in such amounts that a dune ridge twenty kilometres long was formed. This has been somewhat reduced, leaving instead the Dunes of Artola Natural Monument, giving us some idea of what this area of the Malaga coast was once like.

There are three types of dune to be appreciated. On the beachfront, there are dunes with a certain mobility; easy to distinguish by their ripples. Further inland, like a barrier parallel to the coast, are the inactive mobile dunes, covered in vegetation. And in a more remote position, are the immobile fossil dunes, inhabited by a dense pine forest.

The dunes are home to interesting vegetation which has adapted to withstand the intense heat, scarcity of water and continuous interference of the wind. Among the most common species are marram grass and sea holly. Near the beach, you can see the pleasantly scented sea daffodil. Further from the coast, bushes such as caudada juniper are common. In order to get to know the area better, there is nothing better than walking the dunes. Make sure to follow one of the signposted trails, since trampling off-course could damage the natural surrounding.

Torre de los Ladrones, is nearby, a military and defensive building which has been declared a Cultural Property site. Its origin seems to date back to Roman times, later rebuilt upon by the Moors and Christians.