hale manna part 2: afternoon bliss

since we arrived at the beach past 2PM, the water has receded by the time we got settled in our room. actually, our detached bungalow which housed 8 beds was a dream so we found ourselves rolling in our beds, eating and just having fun --- we almost forgot we were at the beach, so it took us more than an hour to get settled. what a waste of a beach right? well, it's our vacation and we call the shots. 

so we stepped out and just spent the rest of the afternoon lounging by the beach, waiting for the sunset. my sisters, my mom, dad, cousin and I stuffed ourselves in the cabana and played that app game with the icons. i think Harry even dozed off in one of the hammocks and my brother-in-law Warren still couldn't disconnect himself from his Mac. an afternoon by the beach, in our own version of afternoon bliss. 

polka dot ruffled maillot - cotton on | white denim cut-offs - thrifted | black wide-brimmed hat - cotton on, rubi shoes | oversized sunnies - urban outfitters, gifted by sister | bangles and bracelets - downtown finds 

hale manna part 1: tribal print x polka dots

it has really been awhile since i've enjoyed the beach. aside from having to maintain long hair to prepare for my wedding, i also promised myself last year to achieve my natural fair skin -- which we got a hint of from my mom. i've been avoiding the sun and have been wearing sunblock everyday. whenever i need to be outside, i cover myself with long-sleeved cotton tops and oversized hats. last year, i only visited the beach once and we were under the shade of the boat, most of the time. don't get me wrong, i have no regrets -- i wanted to be fair so i will stand out in my wedding dress but i'm sure you can all imagine my relief when we got to hit the beach this year. 

words can't describe how beautiful hale manna in moalboal is. pictures can't even do it justice because you need to be there for the experience. yes, the sand is not as fine as that of boracay's or bantayan's and 25% of the resort is by the cliff but the serenity you feel when you're in the place is beyond measure. the beach is lined with small huts that house mattresses, overlooking the ocean so we got to spend a whole afternoon relaxing. the service and amenities were amazing too. it didn't feel like we were in a resort, we felt like we were in tita's rest house. we were pampered beyond belief. 

hold on to your seats, this will be the first of 3 posts of our hale manna vacation. ♥

tribal printed swimsuit top - props | polka maxi wrap-around skirt - thrifted | elephant tusk necklace - bangkok find | oversized sunnies - urban outfitters, gifted by sister | bangles - braids and bonds & downtown finds