The surprising natural gems hiding in Dubai

Think of Dubai and the first thing that comes to mind is probably not flamingos, but a far-reaching skyline, endless shopping and plenty of nightlife. The Burj Khalifa has held the "tallest building" title since 2010, while the Dubai Mall is the biggest retail space on the planet. The most spacious indoor theme park (IMG Worlds of Adventure), tallest Ferris wheel (the soon-to-be-completed Ain Dubai) and a host of other superlative structures call this wealthy emirate home. But stunning examples of nature do exist in this Persian Gulf city-state where desert bumps up against water, right alongside some of the world's largest man-made structures.