Before the first guests step onto the sand, the island is already awake. The faint hum of a dhoni engine echoes across the lagoon, and somewhere near the palms, Abdulla Ibrahim is already at work. It is barely dawn at Sun Siyam Olhuveli, and the gardens glisten in the early light as he trims the edges of the walkways. For more than two decades, this rhythm has shaped his mornings, a routine not of repetition but of belonging.
Abdulla’s journey with Sun Siyam Resorts began in 1995, long before the brand became a household name in Maldivian hospitality. He joined as a supply dhoni captain at Vilu Reef, later moving to Olhuveli, where he learned the foundations of resort operations. From labour supervisor to landscaping manager, his career has grown in step with the company itself.
Sun Siyam Resorts feels like home, It has given us real opportunities to grow.
The same sense of home runs through the resort’s kitchens, where Executive Chef Hassan Didi has spent more than thirty years perfecting his craft. His story began in 1993, when Olhuveli was known as the Olhuveli View Hotel. Starting as a commis chef, he rose through the ranks with steady persistence, from Japanese and international kitchens to the top of the culinary team. Training in Japan, Malaysia and Thailand broadened his skill, but his roots have always remained here, among the islands.
The Maldivian spirit is warmth, humility, and hospitality. It’s about creating genuine connections.
That belief carries into every dish prepared under his watch. The clatter of the morning kitchen is a language of its own, knives meeting chopping boards, the fragrance of local spices filling the air, the laughter of young chefs he mentors. Many of those who once trained under him now lead kitchens across the Maldives. For Hassan, that is his proudest achievement: watching a new generation rise, just as he once did.
Across at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi, the same philosophy of growth and guidance echoes through the corridors. Ahmed Naseer began his journey there in 2011 as a villa attendant. Today, he serves as Assistant Executive Housekeeper, leading a team whose attention to detail defines a guest’s first impression of the resort.
When guests say they feel comfortable and at home, it reminds me why our work matters.
His rise has been shaped by a culture of trust, one where learning is constant and promotions come with mentorship, not mere titles. He speaks with genuine pride about how Sun Siyam Resorts creates space for ambition, even in entry-level roles.
The company’s openness to change and creativity keeps me motivated, we’ve grown together, and that shared progress is what makes this journey meaningful.
In the front office nearby, Assistant Front Office Manager Ibrahim Naufal Fariq carries the same sentiment. He joined the resort in 2010 as a telephone operator, known at the time as a MAGIC Attendant. When Sun Siyam began operating Iru Fushi, Naufal continued to grow through several roles, from WISH Supervisor to Guest Service Manager, and now to Assistant Front Office Manager.
I’ve had incredible superiors and mentors who believed in me, their trust helped me reach where I am today.
For Naufal, the phrase Home of the Maldivian Spirit is more than a slogan. It is a reminder that hospitality begins with sincerity. Every greeting at reception, every effort to resolve a guest’s concern, is an extension of that warmth.
We lead with positivity, by mentoring our team, we ensure guests experience true Maldivian hospitality.
At Sun Siyam Vilu Reef, Aminath Zeeba Saeed, known affectionately by her team as Anth, carries the same sense of warmth and constancy. Joining in 2010 as a Guest Relations Officer, she has grown through dedication and a deep belief in kindness. Now a Front Office Supervisor, her days are defined by the quiet joy of making guests feel at home.
We greet every guest with heartfelt warmth, our care and attentiveness are what make the Maldivian spirit come alive.
Her bond with her colleagues mirrors that of a family, strengthened through shared celebrations and team traditions. For Anth, the resort’s transformation over the years reflects not just progress, but shared pride, a place where growth and gratitude move together. Through Sun Siyam Care, she and her team have supported reef clean-ups, tree planting, and community outreach, embracing sustainability as part of everyday life.
In the kitchens nearby, Senior Sous Chef Ibrahim Saeed embodies another kind of legacy. Having spent 27 years with Sun Siyam he has watched the brand evolve from its earliest days. He recalls the camaraderie forged during challenges like the 2004 tsunami, when teamwork became survival.
This company is my home, we’ve grown together.
His philosophy is grounded in care, for his craft, his team, and the guests whose memories are shaped by the meals he helps create. Saeed sees his work as a way to share Maldivian warmth through flavour and experience, one plate at a time.
Across these stories, a common thread weaves through: patience, humility, and a sense of shared purpose. Each has built a career not only within a company but within a family, one that has grown from a single resort into a group of islands bound by the same values. When they speak about their work, their tone carries more gratitude than pride. Hassan calls it “a sense of belonging.” Abdulla says it is “faith and focus.” Naseer calls it “creativity rooted in culture.”
The beauty of Sun Siyam Resorts’ success lies not in its expansion, but in how it has kept its heart intact. The staff who began decades ago still see their roles as extensions of themselves, stewards of a culture that celebrates care, respect, and the environment that sustains it. Abdulla’s use of seagrass for soil fertilisation, Hassan’s plant-based initiatives in the kitchen, Naseer’s community outreach and mentoring, Naufal’s leadership in guest services, Anth’s sustainability efforts, and Saeed’s long-standing culinary mentorship all reflect that shared consciousness.
Together, they form a living portrait of a Maldivian company that has matured with its people. They have seen the resorts grow, the teams evolve, and new generations step forward, all without losing the humility that first drew them in.
As the morning brightens, Abdulla pauses to greet a passing guest who asks about a flowering tree. Hassan inspects the breakfast buffet before service. Naseer checks a villa one last time, ensuring everything feels as it should. Naufal smiles as a family checks out, their luggage ready for the journey home. Anth waves goodbye to a departing guest she had welcomed days earlier, while Saeed stands over a simmering pot, tasting the morning broth. Each moment, though small, holds the essence of something larger, a legacy built not only on hospitality but on heart.
For those who have spent their lives at Sun Siyam Resorts, the story is simple: the brand’s success is not written in marble or measured in milestones. It is found in the people who have kept its spirit alive for thirty-five years, the faces behind the smiles, the hands that welcome, the hearts that make guests feel at home in the islands they call their own.
