A WOW Welcome Rooted in Tradition

Some traditions begin long before the first hello. At Sun Siyam, these customs are not reserved just for ceremonies and national celebrations. They are part of everyday moments and shared with every guest, long before they step onto the jetty. This familiar moment invited us to reflect on more than the freedom of our nation. It was also a celebration of our traditions that have travelled through generations and remain part of who we are today.

​The Sun Siyam WOW Welcome is one such tradition.

As the seaplane touches down on the lagoon or the speedboat glides towards the island, the steady beat of bodu beru begins to travel across the water, carrying a history shaped by connections between the Maldives, Africa and the wider Indian Ocean.

From afar, the island family is already waiting, standing together with warm smiles, ready to welcome every guest as though they are coming home.

As soon as guests step onto the jetty, a garland is placed around their necks before they are led beneath a ceremonial umbrella. Known locally as Haiykolhu, this procession was traditionally used to welcome royalty and honoured visitors arriving on the islands. As guests step off the jetty and onto the island, a conch shell is blown to announce their arrival, another custom reminiscent of how important announcements were once shared across island communities.

Every guest arriving at Sun Siyam is welcomed in the same way. It does not matter where a guest has travelled from, whether it is their first visit or their tenth, or whether they have arrived for a grand celebration or a quiet escape. It is our tribute to a tradition built on honour.

For many of our team members, this welcome is not simply a performance. It is a tradition they grew up with, now shared with guests from around the world.

The Maldives of today is very different from the islands known by our forefathers. Yet as our nation continues to grow and move forward, it remains important that we remember where we came from and continue sharing the traditions that keep us connected to our roots.

Every beat heard along our jetties, every Haiykolhu procession and every call of the conch connects our past with the present. Because the greatest luxury is often not found in what is built, but in the traditions that continue to be shared, generation after generation.