20+ Photos That Reveal the Hidden Side of the United Arab Emirates

Many people associate the United Arab Emirates with sheikhs, white beaches, and luxurious hotels. But not all that glitters is gold. Sometimes, it’s so much more interesting to see the hidden side of the country that isn’t described in the tourist guide books.

At Bright Side, we love traveling, even if it’s virtual. Have a look at this collection of photos directly from the United Arab Emirates that will show you what is often hidden from outsiders.

“They installed a street sign in the desert at an intersection of 2 sand lanes.”

• Wait about 5 years and you might get some high-rises along those streets. © anon-ques / Reddit

Do you want a luxurious taxi? Say no more, here’s your McLaren.

McLaren is a racing supercar of a premium class. They are believed to be one of the most prestigious and expensive cars in the world.

“Let me back in! I forgot it’s Dubai, and it’s 10 a.m. and 104°F outside.”

Nothing unusual, just a sandstorm in Dubai...

“I’m not like the others, I like exotic places. So my hotel is located in a non-tourist area of Dubai.”

This is the annular solar eclipse. This photo was taken right after the sunrise.

“Keep your distance, my mom is waiting at home. This is a dash cam photo from the streets in Al Qusais.”

“I was passing by a street café and one of its employees began to merrily invite me. He said they had the best prices.”

“Then the man walked away and came back with a plate of vegetables. He said that it was a compliment from the venue while I was waiting for my order. Fresh vegetables after a hot day are something special. I never loved veggies as much as I did in the UAE.”

“This is an abandoned car dealership in Dubai. I’m the first one to enter in 8 years.”

Alas, sometimes the UAE isn’t all about clean beaches and white sand.

Stations at Dubai beaches that distribute sunscreen

“There are a lot of places without pedestrian walkways, just sand and soil. You just have to walk on a separate lane off of the main road. It’s a bit scary.”

“I saw a cat politely waiting for the elevator to open.”

And this bird is politely waiting to enter the metro.

A regular day at a local beach with the biggest observation wheel in the background

This Starbucks in Dubai is quite an exotic-looking place.

Meeting a hen or a rooster in the street? Why not?

“My cousin, the kayaker, took the best photo of Dubai that I have ever seen.”

“I had a 24-hour layover and $40 for a room. This is why everyone should try Airbnb.”

“I was about to get mad until...”

The note says: “I’m so sorry, I’m really bad at parking.”

Walking trips around Dubai are so different but always picturesque.

The Burj Khalifa outlook at nighttime in Dubai

“It was snowing and hailing in the United Arab Emirates today. I’ve never seen anything like this here.”

“My boss cleans houses for rich people on the side for a living.”

“She just brought me a trash bag full of what she called ’cheap incense someone left in a house; just throw out what you don’t want.’ It was 8 jars/bags full of Arabic/Iranian/Dubai oud woods plus a burner!” (This is one of the most expensive natural raw materials in the world. — Note by Bright Side)

The city view from a bird’s perspective — see you soon, beautiful Dubai!

Would you ever want to visit the United Arab Emirates? Or maybe you’ve been lucky enough to visit it already! Tell us in the comments below.