Part 2 – Hale Manna Beach Resort & Coastal Gardens: A Gift from Heaven

 

           After my fervent admiration of the sardines at Panagsama Beach during our scuba diving, we checked out of Pacita Resort and directly headed to Hale Manna Beach Resort and Coastal Gardens. All I know was that my company and I were invited for a pool blessing, so I did not bother to check  on Google what other amenities Hale Manna has to offer. I heard was that it is beautiful serene resort, with a well loved coral garden. And believe me, after I heard of what they said, I just kept mum and muffled my excitement. I wanted to suspend my curiosity and find out if there was really something to be amazed at. So let see…

       In  about 15 minutes from Panagsama, we reached Hale Manna taking the roads towards Sitio Bas Dako. Upon arriving I was immediately fascinated by the vicinity:  the vastness of the place was like a secret garden that amazed and charmed my sight. A little bit farther, the breeze that came from the rushing waves of the sea soothed my inner soul. The tropical surroundings delighted my being for I was, once again, with nature.

         As I continued my fascination with the Hale Manna Resort, I wondered about the meaning of Hale Manna because the sound of the name  was intriguing, and this was what I found out.

         At the door of the resort was an inscription of the meaning of the place, to quote.

“Hale Manna (ha-le-ma-na) means house of good energy.”In Hawaiian, “Hale”means house or home, and “Manna”means “good energy”. The word “Manna” was used to add to the dimension of “gift from heaven’ as well as the Filipino connotation of “an enduring inheritance or legacy”. Hale Manna is a retreat where the magical effects of fresh air, sea, sun, sand and coastal gardens serve as a perfect setting to balance one’s mind, body and spirit.We are most happy to share this private home with environmentally-conscious and respectful people like you. We hope you enjoy your stay and have an incomparable vacation at the house of good energy!”

          Wow, HALE MANNA is truly magical not only in its meaning but more in its area and location! Indeed it’s really a perfect setting for those who want to have fun, to have adventure, to relax and to unwind. It’s a quiet,  quaint and perfect place for a vacation or for an unforgettable escape.

          So here is a record  of the  activities  we did in  Hale Manna:

1. SCUBA DIVING

         At  4:30  in the afternoon when the sun was starting to descend and to gradually change its spectrum in more than an hour on the mountains of Negros, I saw  the Tañon Strait that was so serene and pristine that the sight  enticed me to explore its beauty underneath. 🙂

          I was glad I joined the scuba diving.  There were six of us, Kuya Val and his father, Ate Jown, Kuya Rain, Ate Jai and I. After drinking a lot of water we finally stepped on the seawater, and then sank ourselves deeper and deeper. We stayed at the level of 30-40 ft.

          The  coastal garden of Hale Manna had been beautifully engineered by nature.There were a lot of healthy  corals flaunting their majestic structural designs. Their majesty was beyond compare. The diving sites I had gone to before could never compare with the beauty of this place.

          The coral reefs here in Hale Manna are really healthy that’s why they blossom abundantly.  The sea creatures seem to exude joy as they actively move about in their habitat. And witnessing these enjoyable marine creatures  in their vibrant environment,  divers like me feel extremely  awed.

          As I continued my feat in diving in Hale Manna Resort,my scuba mask started to flood, my vision became blurry! I remembered Kuya Val’s instructions  on how to clear a scuba mask, and I did it by exhaling while looking up. But again it kept on flooding and flooding and I got exhausted in exhaling. Then suddenly a huge turtle swam by. One last blow and I was able to capture and look at the turtle swimming. It was so near me. And then my vision became unclear again due to water flooding in my mask, so I just slowly ascended up to the surface. 😦

          The turtle is like an alien spaceship flying gracefully and it didn’t even give any attention to us. It just kept on swimming and swimming until it disappeared from view.

          And when everyone finally ascended to the surface, the sun had reached its end for the day. Till we see each other again,  Mr. SUN.

          I was extremely happy because I have dived again. In fact this is my 10^th dive. The more I dive the more I get hooked with this untradeable experience. I am really grateful to all the people who made my diving experiences possible. 🙂 (Thank you so much, you know who you are. )

2. SNORKELING

         At the  time when the sun had started to rise again, I just couldn’t let go of the opportunity of swimming again in the sea. This time I was just snorkeling.

          Yes, AteJai and I snorkeled at the  same location where we dived, but this was totally a different experience. The fishes,through observation , were having their meal. It was their feeding time. A variety of big and small fishes were actively searching for food.  The sight was really beautiful because so many fishy beings   appeared showing off their beauty.
           One thing, I noticed was that juvenile swordfishes were  patrolling us and seemed to say something about me,  “Who is that fat human being swimming in our neighbourhood?” They kept on circling us with curiosity until they seemed to report me to their chief, lol.,  “Chief, two human beings are swimming in our area and  one is fat.  You got to check them out.!!!” Hahaha! YES, when I noticed that the swordfishes were gone, I saw a huge barracuda. It was watching us with rage in its eyes. On the other hand, I might have interpreted the swordfishes and the barracuda wrongly. The barracuda was perhaps just saluting us with early morning greetings. 😀

          Then whooops, the turtle also checked us out. Then I shouted to Ate Jai that there was the resident turtle of Hale Manna. Then due  to my noise,  the turtle swam away.  Oh…well.

          We were almost 2 hours in the water…Woooh! I was really in awe. Thanks, Hale Manna for this one kind of experience. Oh wait. I have a question for you. Can I live here forever? 😉

3. POOL BLESSING

          Hale Manna just not-so-recently finished its wide swimming pool and it was to be blessed by Fr. Tito on that day. After the blessing, all of us went into the pool. Hooray!

          The pool is more than beautiful. It is surrounded by trees and various ornamental plants. The ambiance feels like you are in the middle of a forest swimming in a bluish lake.  In the pool, there stood artificial giant mushrooms where water flowed and drizzled like rain drops.Even if we were just wading or “crawling” in the 3 ft. deep water, we enjoyed ourselves. The other side of the pool had two slides and 5 ft. level of water but the construction was still going on. Nevertheless we still enjoyed staying in the 3 ft. deep water.  I bet if the construction and the finishing touches were all done,  there would be lots and lots of fun.

          My amazement and surprise at the beauty of Hale Manna Coastal Garden  are beyond words.

         I am still clinging to the idea of having another experience in the place.  Truly, it’s a gift from heaven.

       So, I really recommend Hale Manna for those who wants to go away from the hustle and bustle of the city life.  There, you’ll find peace and an awesome increase in positive energy.

My only TIP : Please don’t ever forget your scuba diving or snorkeling gears.

To contact Hale Manna, visit their website or Facebook page in these links.

http://www.halemanna.com

https://www.facebook.com/halemanna

Thanks for visiting. 🙂