Malia Manuel Is Glamorous Surfing the Fiji Waves in Seafoam Green One-Piece

The athlete displayed her skills in an impressive social media recap from the trip.

Malia Manuel was photographed by James Macari in Turks and Caicos / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

It may be fall where we are, but for Malia Manuel, summer is a year-round affair. The professional surfer is a native of Hawai’i, and still calls the islands in the Pacific Ocean home.

But the nature of her job is such that she frequently has the opportunity to travel to far-flung tropical destinations with her surfboard and a suitcase full of swimsuits in tow. Her most recent surfing destination was Fiji, the group of islands in the South Pacific. Like Hawai’i, the destination is home to crystal blue waters, verdant green palm trees and, of course, good surfing conditions. And Manuel took advantage of it all.

In an Instagram recap of the trip, the one-time SI Swimsuit model gave a behind the scenes look at her island adventures. In addition to sweet evenings spent on the beach with friends, Manuel spent some valuable time with her black-and-white surfboard on the waves.

The carousel included a handful of photos and videos of the pro athlete surfing in Fiji. There was one clip, though, that was particularly powerful. Dressed in a stunning seafoam green one-piece, the 31-year-old put her skills atop a surfboard on display.

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It wasn’t the first time that we’ve had the opportunity to witness Manuel’s athletic skill. We we’re lucky that she showcased the same talent on the set of her SI Swimsuit photo shoot back in 2020. That year, the athlete traveled to Turks and Caicos to make her brand debut. While typical in some ways, the feature was also wildly unique. By that, we mean Manuel didn’t just pose on the beach in her bright swimwear. She likewise posed for a handful of photos both on the waves and underwater, board in hand.

In that way, the snapshots were truly one-of-a-kind, and we were thrilled to be firsthand witnesses to her athletic ability.

These days, Manuel isn’t in the habit of competing professionally quite as regularly. She last competed on the World Surf League Championship Tour in 2022. Early that year, she took second in the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach. She finished the season with one other top five finish and a handful of top 10s.

While Manuel focuses on other professional pursuits, she’s still very much so dedicated to her craft, as evidenced by her Fiji recap. And we wouldn’t have it any other way—we love the chance to watch her perform on the waves.