The UAE often immediately brings to mind images of luxury: towering skyscrapers, shiny cars, and shopping malls where everything is just a little bigger, more expensive, and more spectacular. Dubai boasts the world’s tallest building, the largest shopping mall, and a skyline that seems to change at lightning speed. But behind this impressive façade lies another world—one less visible to the average tourist.

We wanted to get to know that side of the UAE better. In Dubai, we stayed with friends’ family who have lived here for years as expats. Thanks to their stories and tips, we were able to see the city from a different perspective. With a rental car, we set out toward Abu Dhabi and the oasis town of Al Ain, where the hyper-modern world gradually gives way to tradition, heritage, and the calm of the desert.