In December 1971, seven independent sheikhdoms in the southeasternmost tip of the Persian Gulf were brought together into the new country of the United Arab Emirates. The festival celebrating this founding was still ongoing during our visit in February 2015 — and we were pleased to have been part of it.

We arrived as part of a photo expedition team, so we didn’t get the chance to assess the country fully for long-term roving. But we can tell you it’s absolutely worth a visit to snag some remarkable photographs and get a real feel for whether a longer stay belongs on your list.

“The police drive around in Lamborghinis. Some of the wealthy collect speeding tickets like trophies. You can’t make this stuff up.”

Two Cities, One Country — Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Ride an elevator to the top of the Burj Khalifa — the tallest building in the world — in Dubai, and you’ll look out over a glittering modern skyline that springs straight out of the desert. Head south to Abu Dhabi, the capital, and you’ll find a different kind of grandeur: wider boulevards, a more measured pace, and architecture that blends Islamic tradition with contemporary ambition. These are two distinct cities with distinct personalities, and the UAE rewards travelers who take time to experience both.

New, clean, bright, shiny, and modern abounds here. The waters are azure and the beaches lily white. And there’s sand — lots of it — as far as the eye can see, uniformly tan in color. Only a few decades ago, tribes fought over this territory. Today, the police drive around in Mercedes and Lamborghinis. Photo-radar cameras are everywhere. Some of the wealthy engage in an unofficial, unspoken contest: accumulate as many speeding tickets as possible for the highest possible fines — and then head to court to see if they can get the case dismissed. You truly can’t make this stuff up.

The People: Emiratis and Residents

Emiratis are proud of their country and culture. They are welcoming, open, and genuinely eager to share their way of life with visitors from the West. They want the world to understand who they are — a people who have built one of the most remarkable economic transformations in modern history — and they are enthusiastic participants in the global community.

It’s worth understanding the distinction between Emiratis and residents. Emirati status is hereditary — it belongs to those born as descendants of the founding families. The vast majority of people living in the UAE are expatriate residents: South Asians, East Asians, Arabs from other countries, and Westerners, among others. They contribute enormously to the country’s workforce and character, but they cannot become Emirati citizens. It’s a social structure unlike anything most Western visitors have encountered, and understanding it adds real depth to the experience of being there.

Photography in the UAE: Tips and Cautions

Photographing the UAE is a genuine thrill — but it comes with important ground rules. There are clear restrictions on what can and cannot be photographed around mosques and in certain cultural settings, out of respect for the beliefs of the people. Not everyone is eager to be photographed, either — a different dynamic than you’ll find in much of East or Southeast Asia.

The rule is simple: always ask permission before you photograph people. A smile and a gesture go a long way. We found that when we took the time to engage respectfully, people were often delighted to be included.

The real photographic jewel of the UAE was the desert at night. We spent evenings experimenting with long-exposure light painting — using handheld lights to “paint” shapes and streaks into photographs during multi-second exposures under a sky blazing with stars. The results were unlike anything we’d captured anywhere. If you’re a photographer traveling to the UAE, get out into the desert after dark. You won’t regret it.

Beyond the Cities: Desert, Camels, and Stars

We had a grand time in this country. From the mosques — among the most architecturally stunning we’ve seen anywhere — to nights sleeping under the stars in the open desert, watching camel races, and those long evenings with cameras and lights, the UAE surprised us at every turn.

The camel races deserve a special mention. This is not a tourist show — it’s a genuine local sport with deep cultural roots, and watching it unfold is one of those travel moments that stays with you. The camels are faster than you’d expect, the atmosphere is festive, and you feel like you’ve stumbled onto something wonderfully real.