Kuredu is continuing its Celebrities series by putting the resort’s Excursions Supervisor in the spotlight.
We are pleased to feature Abdul Wahhab Abdul Rahman, known to colleagues and guests as Wahhab.
Wahhab joined Kuredu in 1990 and before becoming the resort’s Excursion Coordinator and later Excursions Supervisor, he had kicked off his Kuredu career by working in the kitchen and as a waiter.
Twenty-seven years later and Wahhab ensures the smooth running of all excursions that our guests join to explore beyond Kuredu. Whether you fancy romantic excursions, fishing ventures, atoll cruises or island hopping trips, Wahhab is the right person to turn to for advice on which excursion would be the most suitable for your desired holiday pace and interests. According to Wahhab, the excursion that guests enjoy the most is the full day sailing as it is really the Maldives in a nutshell; you get to see picture-perfect lagoons, sugar-white beaches, you pass by local islands, plus the odds of seeing dolphins in the wild are high. With a bit of luck, manta rays make an appearance and top off your snorkelling experience. Wahhab still reminisces on two extraordinary manta ray events: ‘I saw a massive manta, it was about 4 meters from wingtip to wingtip! And this time last year, my snorkellers and myself were surrounded by 32 mantas, I will never forget that day!’ One of Wahhab’s favourite snorkelling sites is Kuredu Caves, which is famous for its resident green sea turtle community.
‘I saw a massive manta, it was about 4 meters from wingtip to wingtip! And this time last year, my snorkellers and myself were surrounded by 32 mantas, I will never forget that day!’
Wahhab enjoys the peace and quiet that the evenings blanket the atoll with: ‘My favourite time to sail across the atoll at sunset, especially at full moon. Everyone who spends their holiday at Kuredu should join us for the Sunset Cruise, it’s such a pleasant trip, not to mention the pods of spinner dolphins that regularly come to show off their talents.’
When Wahhab is not cruising the atoll and guiding snorkellers across nearby coral reefs, he can be seen playing badminton or volleyball. ‘I love everything about Kuredu, but especially the good-quality accommodation, management and owners’ endeavours at making the resort a pleasant place to work, as well as the delicious food and the various recreation options.’
To thank him for his years-long dedication, Wahhab was invited by the management to attend the World Travel Market in London, to Singapore and to Bangkok, where the team got to expand their horizons in the various fields of hospitality, experience big city life and bond with colleagues from Kuredu and other CCR resorts.
Wahhab is one of Kuredu’s longest-serving team members, yet his personality traits haven’t changed all that much in these twenty-seven years. He remains modest and humble, with a great appreciation of the little things that make Kuredu a truly special place for guests and team alike: ‘If I only had twenty-four hours at the resort, I’d like to stay in one of the Garden Bungalows, go on a Sunset Cruise, indulge in rice and curry at Bonthi Restaurant and enjoy the peacefulness at Sai Kotari.