Sand dunes meet steel skyscrapers, camels share Instagram fame with Lamborghinis, and mosques and megamalls co-exist in a surreal, hyper-polished harmony. It’s a place where you can ski indoors in the morning, visit a spice souk by lunch, and dine in the world’s tallest building by night — all while your taxi driver shares his favorite biryani spot.

 

Though it’s often called flashy, there’s depth here if you look beyond the glitter.

 

Dubai is one of the safest cities in the world, incredibly multicultural (over 85% of residents are expats), and surprisingly organized for a place that didn’t have paved roads 50 years ago.

 

It's a young city with old roots — shaped by Bedouin heritage, pearl diving history, and a royal family that dreams in architectural renderings.