Joy Island, a resort in the Maldives, is marking its third birthday in style: a seven-day anniversary programme running from 28 September to 4 October 2026, open to any guest staying on the island that week.

Things kick off on 28 September with sunrise yoga, followed by fire shows and a tropical welcome party that evening. The centrepiece falls on 1 October, when the anniversary proper gets going with Golden Sunset Cocktails, a gala dinner cooked by visiting chef Koyi Tanabe — who runs the kitchens at Salvaje and Arrogante in Dubai — and a live-music anniversary party that stretches into the night.

The rest of the week is a grab-bag of low-key island fun: beach Olympics, a stand-up paddle relay, sunset DJ sets, a family fashion show, a mixology competition and a White Party. Kids get their own lineup too, with bracelet-making, kite flying, pizza tossing and beach games, plus a farewell tree-planting ceremony to close the week. On the wellness side, Imran Zulfikar, a lifestyle coach specialising in deep-tension release therapy, joins as visiting practitioner. Resort manager Bandula Thilakarathne framed the week as a thank-you to guests, partners and staff — with the resort's tagline, "Keep Calm and JOY Your Life", doing the rest.

It's been a busy news cycle for Maldivian resorts generally. OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI in South Malé Atoll has held onto its MICHELIN Key — one of only 15 in the country — while The Nautilus in Baa Atoll picked up Two MICHELIN Keys in its first year of eligibility, a nod to its schedule-free, no-fixed-check-in approach across just 26 villas. Over on Dhonakulhi, Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa hosted the second Maldives Hideaway Resort Run, drawing 68 runners for 5K and 10K races around the island as part of World Wellness Weekend, with a third edition planned for February 2027.

Why does this matter if you're planning a trip? Anniversary weeks like Joy Island's are essentially free entertainment layered onto a normal stay — you book the dates, and the resort throws in the chefs, DJs, parties and kids' activities at no extra cost. If you've been wavering on a late-September Maldives trip, the 28 September to 4 October window packs more into a week than a typical stay, and the shoulder-season timing often means softer rates than the December-to-March peak. Families are clearly part of the plan too, given the dedicated children's programme running alongside the cocktail evenings.