DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — When Chilean-born photographer Ignacio Bandera explored Morocco several years ago, he had no clear plan to follow.

However, this did not stop him from documenting a series of surreal photographs of small towns scattered along the northwestern edge of the Sahara desert in Morocco.

Dazzling colors

In an interview with CNN Arabic, Bandera said, “My father, my grandfather and my grandmother were born in Tetouan, a part of Morocco that was part of Spain. So, I always heard about that country. I felt I had to see it for myself.”

The photographer visited Morocco for the first time as a tourist, but he was immediately captivated by the colors and landscapes, which inspired him to start working on a photo project called “The Promise” in 2015.

Yandra was keen to complete the project in 2018 and 2019.

“I have always focused on unfinished buildings in small towns because they are the main reason for my visits,” said the photographer.

Speaking about the project, Bandera explained, “These buildings and cities are in a state of incompleteness, which made me think about the development of these places,” explaining that “they promise something that might come, but never happens.”

According to the photographer, each city had its own characteristics, and it was fascinating to see how they changed as he traveled across the country.

Spontaneous experience

Bandera visited various places around the country including Ouarzazate, Rissani, Erfoud, Merzouga and other small towns.

His experience was spontaneous. “I didn’t have a plan,” he said, “I would travel on buses and visit cities on my way to the desert.”

Communicating with the residents was a huge challenge as he did not speak Arabic during the trip.

Still, Bandera learned about Moroccan culture, and “I met a lot of interesting and friendly people,” he said.