By Aanika Sethi

The Burj Khalifa.

When I embarked on a 13-hour plane ride to Dubai from Dulles International Airport this past spring, I was unsure of what to expect. From what I gathered on social media, Dubai is the epitome of luxury, but in my one week in Dubai, I discovered a whole other side of the city. 

Dubai is one of the seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates and is the financial hub of the country. Abu Dhabi, geographically the largest emirate, is the center of the country’s multi-billion dollar oil industry. Until 1971, each of the emirates of the United Arab Emirates were all under British control and not yet formally united. On December 2, 1971, the UAE declared independence from Britain and was formally recognized by the United States the following day. 

Dubai was originally a fishing town in the 18th century and gradually became a port city. In the last 30 years, the coastal town has transformed into a city full of mega-skyscrapers. Before oil was discovered in the UAE in 1958, the population comprised mostly Bedouins, Arab-speaking nomads that hunted, fished, and farmed in the region. With urbanization and population growth, the Bedouin culture in the UAE has slowly diminished. While there are still some Bedouins who are nomadic and have preserved their lifestyle, the overall conditions of the Bedouin community has completely changed, with some taking modern jobs to keep up with the change of economy. 

The sheer amount of development the city has seen is astonishing. Abu Dhabi exported oil for the first time in 1962 and catalyzed the growth of the country’s wealth. However, there are other factors, such as the government and free zones of business development, which have all contributed to the staggering amount of wealth generated in the UAE. The American Trading National defines a Free Trade Zone as “an area within a country designated as a zone where goods can be imported and exported without the need to pay tariffs or undergo other trade restrictions,” meaning it is easier to conduct international trade in these zones. On the government side, as Isaac R. Ohrenstein of the Harvard International Review states, “Dubai could [not] have achieved significant levels of prosperity without widespread government oversight.” The Investment Corporation of Dubai backs development projects and is the owner of Emaar Properties, which has basically built all of Dubai. While in Dubai, I could not miss the name Emaar on the skyscrapers or any building. Emaar Properties built the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Marina, and countless other buildings. 

Palm Jumeirah. Photo credit: Jason Mrachina via flickr.

Even though you cannot miss the Burj Khalifa, the Palm Jumeirah is the other major attraction in the city. The Palm Jumeirah is an artificial archipelago which started being constructed in 2001. From a helicopter view above, it looks like the shape of a palm tree; hence the name, the Palm Jumeirah. With five-star hotels, restaurants, and entertainment, the Palm Jumeirah is the place to be, but it is also a residential area, with celebrities like Madonna owning a home on the Palm. Around 120 million cubic meters of sand was used for the construction, and around 7 million tons of rocks were mined from the Hajar mountains.

The prime minister of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, had the idea of the Palm to drive tourism and expand the coastline of Dubai. Since the oil reserves in the UAE will not last forever, tourism is a way for the UAE to expand its economy. The cost of building the Palm is reportedly around 12 billion dollars. Although there are plans for many other artificial islands, such as the The World Islands, the Dubai Islands, and the Palm Jebel Ali, they have yet to be built. The World Islands hope to be completed by 2026, and the other islands have become incorporated into the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan. 

My trip to Dubai was for a vacation with my parents, Ami and Nitin Sethi, and my siblings Ekta (‘29) and Aaruv (‘28). I arrived in Dubai at night, sleeping in the car from the airport to our AirBnB. I did not register that we were in Dubai until I woke up and saw the skyline, and towering over everything else was the Burj Khalifa. The Burj Khalifa is used as offices, residences, and a tourist attraction. More than 12,000 workers at a time work on the 2,722 foot building, which commemorates the former president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa ibn Zayed Al Nahyan, who oversaw the growth of the UAE. My family and I went all the way to the top of the Burj Khalifa, which was only about a one-minute elevator ride on one of the fastest elevators in the world, and saw all of downtown Dubai. However, the further out we looked, the more deserted parts of the city looked. While downtown Dubai included extreme skyscrapers coupled with the Dubai fountain, the outskirts were desolate. I did not realize that the development of the city was aggregated into one area.

On our first few days in Dubai, we took our time exploring all that the city had to offer. I went on a local tour, which included stops at the landmark hotel the Burj Al Arab, the Dubai marina, the gold souks, or marketplaces, and a traditional Emirati lunch. What I noticed was the stark difference between the new and old parts of Dubai. In the Dubai Mall, you could find any designer and luxury brands, like Hermes, Van Cleef and Arpels, and Gucci, all congregated in one area. Whereas in the old parts of Dubai, we stopped by a local Emirati lunch spot, and I had a chebab, an Emirati pancake. With my mom and my sister, we saw the Dubai Miracle Gardens, the world’s largest natural flower garden. Featuring over 50 million flowers and 250 million plants over 72,000 square meters, and hundreds of larger than life sculptures, it was an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon.

Archway in the Dubai Miracle Gardens.

My parents were curious to see a gurdwara, a Sikh house of worship, and a mandir, a Hindu temple, in the city during our visit, considering the expatriate population. In a study of the country’s expats conducted by GMI Research Team in 2024, Indian nationals make up the largest group of foreign residents of Dubai. We had a local driver take us to the outskirts of the city, past the towering skyscrapers and luxury car dealerships, to a quiet neighborhood. The mandir and gurdwara were like any other one I would see in India. Seeing such a vibrant Indian community, it was like we had stepped into a little India. It was interesting to see a blend of so many cultures and people. I have previously visited India to see extended family, and the local gurdwara in New Delhi is similar to the one in Dubai. 

On a day trip to Abu Dhabi, we stopped by the Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque Center and the Qasr Al Watan. The Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque Center is the largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates and the third largest mosque in the world. Women must cover their heads when visiting, and I was given a traditional garment to wear. When I stepped into the Qasr Al Watan, I was amazed. It was a spectacular building to behold. With marble and gold-adorned walls and ceilings, the sheer wealth on display was astonishing. Acting as a presidential palace, is it a must-see landmark for any visitor. Infused with traditional Arabic art and traditions, it is a spectacle. But it is not just the beauty of the building that is worth seeing; there is history as well. The Qasr Al Watan functions as a museum, with different exhibits about UAE’s history.  

Main entrance of the Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque Center.

On one of our last days in Dubai, we went to the desert and gold souks, where hundreds of spices and other goods are exchanged. One of the most memorable parts of my trip was sitting on the sand dunes and watching the sunset. The peace and quiet of the desert was a stark contrast to the vibrant downtown area. Along with skyscrapers and oil wealth, Dubai is also known for its gold, even dubbed as the “city of gold.” The UAE is the world’s sixth-largest gold exporter. Currently, there are hundreds of gold shops in the souks, but the souks originally started as a few market stalls. With the rise in popularity of the city of Dubai in the late 20th century, the gold trade flourished with more investors and infrastructure built to support the growing economy.   

In a travel advisory in July 2023, the U.S. Department of State classified the UAE as Level 2: “Exercise Increased Caution.” However, the main reason why it was not a Level 1—“Exercise Normal Precautions”—is the threat of a possible terrorist attack. With increased tensions in the Middle East, even though terrorist attacks are not frequent, there is still always the possibility. 

The desert.

However, while I was in Dubai, I felt safe, even at night. This may be due to the city’s commitment to safety and harsh punishments for convicts, including deportation. In a major crime statistics report by the Dubai police, there was a .02% crime rate, last updated on September 3. In the UAE, there are multiple reasons for deportation as a foreigner, such as judicial, administrative, or lifting. The Federal Identity and Citizenship Authority can issue administrative deportation against a foreigner “for the sake of public interest, public security, or public morals.” And even though foreigners, or expatriates, make up over 85% of the population, “foreigners cannot apply for citizenship; however, they must be nominated by UAE royals or officials,” as reported by CNBC in 2021. 

Expatriates have become essential to the workforce in the UAE. The International Labour Organization details that “the majority of the private sector labor force is composed of expatriates.” There are a multitude of reasons for which people decide to move to the UAE, including tax-free income, safety, and opportunities. Even with a high cost of living and labor issues, with a booming job market, over 100,000 people moved to Dubai in 2023, according to an article in December 2023 by the Khaleej Times. 

In my one week in Dubai, I saw the facade of what Dubai appears on Instagram and dug deeper to learn more about the history and cultural parts of the city. Dubai felt like an opulent bubble, rich with both material wealth and history.

All photos by Aanika Sethi except where otherwise noted.