One of the 26 atolls that make up the Maldives.
An avid surfer, Mohamed Ryan Thoyyib is the manager of surf operations at the Adaaran Select Hudhuranfushi resort, where he is in charge of planning trips and coordinating a team of surf guides, instructors and photographers. He has also been the first and only Maldivian to complete a Bachelor of Science and Technology in Surfing from the University of Plymouth, UK.
This interview is part of "The World Made Local" , a global project of Condé Nast Traveler in the seven international editions , which gives voice to 100 people in 100 countries to discover why their own territory should be your next destination.
Most famous as a honeymoon destination, the Maldives is not particularly known for its surf spots. Tell us more…
No one really knew anything about surfing in the Maldives until Anthony Hussein Hinde (Tony) 'the Maldivian surf pioneer' was shipwrecked here in 1973 and started the first 'surfing operation' in 1980. Maldivians used to catch waves directly off shore on wooden planks called 'Malhu' long before this, but Tony was the first person to ride a proper board. And that's where it all started. A few years later, surf tourism started to grow and Maldives has become one of the most popular luxury surf destinations in the world.
Surfer Ryan Thoyyib.
How is the surf scene in the Maldives?
Surfers from all over the world spend a fortune to come surf in the Maldives for one reason: fewer crowds . That said, with the rise in popularity of the sport, the Maldives have started to become highly sought after by surfers in the high season, especially in the north male atoll . But quieter places can still be found in the central and southern atolls.
Surfing used to get a bad rap as an activity for drug addicts or school dropouts, but in the last two years it has grown rapidly within the local community, as children receive more support from their parents, who have realized that it is a professional sport and that people can make a living from it.
Where is your favorite place to surf in the Maldives?
sultans (in North Male Atoll) is my favourite. The name itself, a wave for the 'sultans', defines it: a nice easy launch, with a great bottom turn, great carving on the top and a fast inside section with tubes, when the swell is bigger. As a right-hander, I have surfed this wave in almost all conditions, so I know it pretty well. It is the most consistent and well known break in the Maldives and I have had the best surf sessions here.
Are there any secret surf spots that we should know about?
There are still many undiscovered surf spots in the Maldives . Sometimes if you have a big swell you catch waves at secret spots in the northern atolls and also in the southern ones. There are some, but obviously I can't name them!
What are your favorite restaurants in the Maldives?
There are many excellent restaurants in the capital, Male , where I'm from. One of my favorites is a little one called taste me , which serves the best breakfast in the Maldives, called mashuni: a mixture of tuna, coconut shavings, onion, chili and lime along with a type of naan bread made with coconut and flour. Male is now connected by a bridge to an island called Hulhumale , where I like to go to eat a good steak at Steak and Coffee Bar or an excellent sushi to Oishii.