For Indian traveller Shubhangi Zanan, her first trip to Dubai turned into an unexpected lesson in people-watching. Sitting with her husband at Dubai Mall, she found herself paying more attention to the way people dressed, interacted and carried themselves than to the city’s famous architecture.
Dubai is often associated with spectacular skyscrapers, luxury shopping, grand malls and a highly modern urban landscape. But during her first visit to the city, Indian traveller Shubhangi Zanan said something else caught her attention: the people around her.
In a video shared on Instagram, Zanan described how she and her husband ended up spending more than an hour at Dubai Mall simply having coffee and observing their surroundings.
Rather than rushing between tourist attractions, the couple became interested in the everyday details of life around them.
‘I’m Amazed by the People in Dubai’
Zanan said that Dubai’s infrastructure was impressive, but the people made an even stronger impression on her.
Speaking from Dubai Mall, she highlighted the clothing, jewellery, footwear and handbags she noticed among women at the mall.
Her reaction was particularly striking because she had travelled to Dubai expecting to experience its well-known tourist attractions. Instead, simply observing people became an unexpected part of the trip.
A First Dubai Trip Turns Into People-Watching
Zanan explained that this was her and her husband’s first visit to Dubai.
Although sightseeing was part of their plans, they found themselves sitting together with coffee for more than an hour and watching how people behaved around them.
She said she was interested in the way people walked, spoke to one another and greeted each other.
For a first-time visitor, these everyday interactions offered a different perspective on the city — one that could not necessarily be captured through its famous landmarks.
‘It’s Way More Than’ the Bling
Dubai’s luxury image is one of the aspects frequently associated with the city, but Zanan said her experience made her feel that there was more to Dubai than its visible glamour.
She described the difference in lifestyle as particularly striking because she had travelled only a few hours from India.
According to Zanan, the contrast in how people live and carry themselves made the experience feel surprisingly different despite the relatively short journey.
She also acknowledged that subjects such as salaries, taxation and purchasing power are separate matters, but said she remained impressed by what she had observed.
Dubai’s Lifestyle Becomes Part of the Experience
The Instagram post reflected the same sentiment.
Zanan contrasted Dubai’s infrastructure with the impression made by its residents, rating the city’s infrastructure highly while playfully giving the people an even more enthusiastic score.
The post effectively shifted the focus away from Dubai’s skyline and towards the social experience of visiting a city with a highly international population.
For tourists, observations like these can become just as memorable as visits to landmarks. Fashion, etiquette, public interactions and everyday routines can provide a window into a destination’s culture and lifestyle.
Social Media Users Join the Conversation
Zanan’s observations also prompted other Instagram users to share their own views about Dubai.
Some commenters agreed that the city offers more than its skyscrapers and luxury developments. Others pointed specifically to the lifestyle and the way people present themselves in public.
Several users described Dubai as having a distinctive atmosphere and said that observing everyday life can be an important part of experiencing the city.
These comments represent individual reactions rather than a definitive assessment of life in Dubai.
Why First-Time Visitors Notice Everyday Details
Travellers often arrive in a new city with a list of landmarks and attractions to visit. But some of the strongest impressions can come from experiences that were never part of the itinerary.
For Zanan, that meant sitting in a mall with her husband, having coffee and observing the people around her.
Her experience also highlights how travel can change expectations. A destination initially known for buildings, shopping and luxury can become more interesting when visitors begin paying attention to its everyday social environment.
