I dislike malls. This may seem strange for someone who is no stranger to crowds − I have covered festivals and sporting events attended by hundreds of thousands of people without feeling troubled − but put me inside a busy shopping centre and panic can set in.
However, fatherhood has made some of my long-held grudges seem less important. My nine-month-old son wakes at 5.30am, an hour he considers perfectly reasonable for beginning the day. Keeping him entertained through a UAE summer requires imagination, especially when I still need to work afterwards.
The Dubai Mallathon has been a blessing in that sense. Participating malls open to walkers from 6am, before the shops and crowds take over. My son gets a pram ride, new surroundings and time with his father. I get to walk, think and prepare for work.
When you visit the same courses regularly, you begin to spot familiar faces. A nod becomes a smile and, after a few encounters, a conversation.
I have tested a bunch of the participating malls with my son, plus one unofficial extra. Here is how they compared in terms of vibe and, most importantly, buy-in from the little one.
Dubai Mall: Best for serious Mallathon energy
Lap distance: 1.5km
The most important thing to know about visiting Dubai Mall with a child is how to get there. I normally find parking at Dubai Mall stressful, so I took the easiest option and arrived by taxi.
I was dropped at Cinema Parking P3, went to the first floor and joined the Mallathon course within 10 minutes. When you join the crowd and see running clubs in matching colours, you immediately feel how large the place is. It is like walking through an indoor city.
The lap is 1.5km and I pass through Fashion Avenue, with its jewellery at eye-watering prices, and The District, an area of boutique cafes that looks like an Arabian courtyard. The route also passes the ice rink, which looks kind of majestic when empty.
At about 7.30am, some of the cafes open, so you can get your morning coffee before going to level P4 for a taxi home.
Dubai Hills Mall: Best for fitness with a pram
Lap distance: 2.5km
Dubai Hills Mall, according to the Mallathon website, has the longest circuit at 2.5km. Upon entering, you can tell it also caters to runners and people who take their fitness seriously.
It does not feel daunting, though, because the course is almost grid-like, with lots of long stretches and turns. This is useful because I used each turn as a hydration break for the little one.
The mall was very bright, which kept my son happy and engaged. He occasionally peered out from the pram, and it seemed as though all the speakers were playing the same music, so the place had a vibe.
The mall also probably has some of the best baby-changing rooms around. They feel luxe and almost spa-like.
By the end, I felt as though I had done a proper walk. The bright surroundings and music were endorphin-inducing. Common Grounds was open for coffee afterwards.
Mall of the Emirates: Best for making your own route
Lap distance: 1km
Mall of the Emirates is very spacious and you can join the Mallathon track or walk around and do your own thing.
The official 1km course begins beside Starbucks on the ground floor. I followed it for a couple of laps and then decided to leave the track to explore the second and third floors, walking through empty food courts and fashion strips.
The restaurant Parker's on the first floor was giving away free coffee as part of the Mallathon activation when I visited on a weekend, which was a great bonus.
City Centre Mirdif: Best for a sleeping baby
Lap distance: 1km
City Centre Mirdif was easy to access. I parked on P1, went to the ground floor and joined the 1km course outside PF Chang’s. It is a very family-orientated mall and easy to move around with a pram. I followed the course for a while, then left it and walked through other parts of the mall.
The shopping centre was calm, although it occasionally felt a little too quiet, which can be useful if the baby needs a nap. The further we moved from the beaten track, the quieter it became. My son grew bored, so my portable speaker helped, even if he had to listen to a true crime podcast.
City Centre Deira: Best for community atmosphere
Lap distance: 1km
You can safely assume this mall was never designed with a mall walk in mind because the route makes little sense.
The 1km course begins beside the internal entrance to the Aloft Hotel on the first floor. You walk along a few short stretches before entering what resembles a series of roundabouts. You then reach a dead end at the cinemas and turn around to finish the lap.
That aside, it is very enjoyable. City Centre Deira is probably the most neighbourhood-focused of the bunch. You feel as though you are among locals and that people know each other. A fitness instructor at the starting line offers stretches, while at the 500-metre U-turn, another instructor takes on the role of motivator.
“Move it, move it, move it. Keep up the energy,” she called.
Denny’s opens at 7am, the earliest option for coffee among the malls I visited.
Dubai Festival City Mall: Best for a relaxed pram walk
Lap distance: 1km
Dubai Festival City Mall is my local, so I already have a soft spot for it. This is where I normally go when I want to leave the house without travelling far.
The course has an almost square structure and takes you through repeated loops. The corridors are wide and easy to move through with a pram.
It was one of the quieter Mallathon venues, with little music playing, so it can be an option for a more meditative walk (if your child plays ball).
The only drawback was that parts of the mall felt a little too dark, which can dampen the mood. Some of the cafes began opening at about 7.30am, so I got a coffee after the walk.
Ibn Battuta Mall: Best Mallathon alternative
While not part of Dubai Mallathon, I went there early for a medical appointment and found the mall open was open for early morning walking until August 1.
Walking through it at that hour felt like exploring a theme park before it opened. You move from India to China-themed areas with almost nobody around.
It was quiet and quite dull in places, although that can work if you want a meditative walk. It is also a good place to go with a companion.
Dubai Mallathon is running from 6am until 10am daily until September 15; available at Dubai Mall; City Centre Deira; City Centre Mirdif; Dubai Festival City; Dubai Hills Mall; Mall of the Emirates; Gate Avenue; dubaimallathon.ae
