Live a unique dream experience, and let us, at the Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, show you yet another fantastic Asian spot that will transport you to another world. Today, we are going to tell you about the Zhangjiajie Mountains.

These stunning mountains are in China, in the province of Hunan, and have been declared Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. The mountains are part of a National Park by the same name, and have been the setting for one of the biggest box office hits in Hollywood.

This spectacular “THE SHILIN STONE FOREST”, also known as “The Southern Sky Columns”, has been out of tourist reach for many years. However, the hanging mountains of the movie Avatar were inspired by them and the forest has ever since received much tourist attention.

This place has become a must for film lovers who visit China. A fabulous walk on the Zhangjiajie Mountains makes you feel as if you were in the “Pandora Halleluiah Mountains”.

The National Zhangjiajie Forest Park includes more than 3,100 different-height stone pillars, some of them almost 800 metres high, next to exuberant valleys, forests, lakes, caves, cascades and streams over a 690 square metre surface.

There are five points of entry to the mountains, but only 2 main ones:

– The Zhangjiajie Valley, on the west side of the park.

– The Wulingyuan entry on the east.

Among all the magical parts of this park, the following are the most spectacular ones without a doubt:

– The Golden Whip Stream (Yuanjiajie), on the north.

– The Southern Sky Column.

– The Five-Finger Peak Park.

– The Bailong Elevator that surrounds one of the cliffs at the end of The Golden Whip Stream and brings you right to the summit, about 325 metres high.

– The Suoxi Valley, a very vast area where you can visit “The Ten-Mile Gallery”, “The Stone Sea or Eastern Sea”, and “The Bao Feng Lake” among others.

– The Tianzi Mountain or Son of Heaven Mountain, are the highest peaks reaching up to 1,200 metres above sea level.

If you also wish to live this out-of-this-world experience, come visit the 5-star Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, a resort that will transport you to the most unimaginable Asian luxury. Why watch the movie when you can star in it?

Today, at our 5-star hotel Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, we are travelling to another world, a world of fantasy, mythology and magic. Also, a world of tradition filled with Asian symbolism. Today we are going to reveal the meaning of the Dragon in Asia.

The dragon is one of the most important and popular symbols in Asia. This mythological animal is found in Asian ornaments, architecture and literature as an allegory of prosperity, strength and the mystical energies that rule the world.

The dragon in Asia represents the 4 elements (earth, wind, fire and water) and it holds the essence of life in it celestial breath, known as “Sheng Chi”. The “chi” it emits, is what “Feng Shui” bases all its theories upon.

In Asian culture, the dragon doesn’t represent the enemy as it does in western cultures, but wisdom, wealth, power and nobility.

The symbol of the dragon means that “something good will happen”, that is why it is so present in the daily lives of many Asian citizens.

The dragon has features of other animals: the body of a snake, the claws of an eagle, the legs of a tiger, the whiskers of a catfish, the horns of deer and the scale of fish. The dragon is also related to number 9 which in China is considered a lucky number.

These are the 3 most popular dragons in Asia:

– FUKU RIU: Is a legend in Japan, as this is the dragon of good fortune. It is said that it flies really high to be near the gods and carry out their wishes. This dragon has no wings, but it has powers that allow him to fly.

– LUNG DRAGONS: These are Chinese dragons which symbolize bravery and audacity, heroism, perseverance, nobility and divinity. In China, dragons are friendly and wise, that is why their people worship them with incense offerings, and pray to them. They are the ones who control the planet and look out for the balance in nature.

– KOREAN DRAGON: In Korea, dragons are called “Yong”, and are similar to Chinese dragons. However, they also have legends of their own. It is said that for a less important dragon, “Imugi”, to become a true Korean dragon, “Yong”, it had to catch a pearl called “Yeouiju” that fell from the sky.

If you are also into everything that’s fantastic, magical and extraordinary, we recommend a visit to the Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, our luxury resort in the Mediterranean where “something good will happen” for sure.

Some of the most significant things about Asia, are its impressive and stunning corners. Places where history is present as well as amazing landscapes and sensations that sometimes leave us speechless. At the Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, our luxury resort in the Mediterranean we offer a combination of Asian culture and philosophy of life.

Today, we are travelling to hasta Sri Lanka, to Sigiriya, an ancient fortress complex built in a rock as a result of a volcanic eruption 22 kilometres from Dambulla, a city north of the country which was declared Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 1982.

This rock, in the middle of an immense plain, was a 370-metre volcanic plug in ancient times. The remains of an eroded and hardened magma eruption make Sigiriya visible today from all directions from miles away.

“Lions Rock”, as it is commonly known, was a Buddhist monastery on the 5^th Century B.C. The monastery is built in the rock and there are caves that were used by monks as living quarters and meditation rooms.

The monastery eventually became a royal palace for King Kasyapa, due to its privileged location as a fortress against enemies.

Legend has it that King Dhatusena ended up being murdered by his son Kasyapa who wanted the power. He also tried to kill his brother, who was to be the new King, but he escaped to India swearing revenge someday. In time, he put together an army to confront Hasyapa and declared war. During the battle, the Kasyapa armies abandoned him and when he realized he wasn’t going to be able to beat his brother, he committed suicide.

The fortress has two floors. The lower floor is built in the rock, and the upper one, of which there are only remains left, which may be accessed through the lion’s door, is where the “mirror wall” is located. There was where the king used to look at himself in the reflection of the water.

Sirigiya (LINK: http://www.drymartinez.net/2011/10/sri-lanka-sigiriya-un-palacio-en-el.html ) was abandoned in 1155 and rediscovered in 1828 by a British archaeologist and explorer. There are paintings covering the western 140-metre-long wall of the fortress. There are 500 magnificent paintings of celestial nymphs. Nowadays, there are only 18 left in good state on the natural cavities of the rock.

In order to enjoy the grandiosity of Sirigiya, visitors must walk up 1,200 steps, but it is worth the effort as from the top there is a beautiful view of this rare place and everything that surrounds it, gardens and graves among others.

If you are fond of palaces and luxury, at the 5-star hotel Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we are sure that you will feel the peace and warmth of Asian culture palpable at our resort. You will be treated like a king this summer. Are you going to miss out on it?

In Asia, traditions, rituals and legends are of great significance, and the festivals that celebrate those traditions are very important too, and that is why at the Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we would like to tell you about the Kite Festival.

The Japanese kite is called “Tako” and missionaries brought it to Japan from China and used them for religious and tribute ceremonies. However, these changed in time and their use was also modified. In Japan, they started being used to carry materials to build temples.

The first written reference regarding kites is in a dictionary where they are referred to as “Kami-tobi”, which literally means “paper falcon”, which according to Historians suggests that the first kites resembled birds.

The kite “Yakko-daro” was the most popular one among business and wealthy families. They represented human figures with open arms making funny poses, although the real funny fact was that they used to get their kites painted to look like their servants.

The Japanese “tako” was made out of traditional Japanese paper (“washi”) painted with natural ink, (“sumi”), and a bamboo stand. Nowadays, Cypress wood is also used.

In Japan, there are currently 130 different kites, many of which represent the specific regions of the country.

Asian tradition says that a kite must be flown during the Children’s Day Festival from 3rd to 5th of May as well as during other festivities throughout the year. Doing so, helps protect whoever flies the kite.

Another tradition still celebrated nowadays is giving a “tako” as a present to the first born child of a family to protect him every time he flies his kite up until he becomes an adult.

The most popular kites being used nowadays are:

– Fukusuke: showing a big-headed dwarf who is said to bring good fortune, or a crane or turtle, symbols of longevity.

– Kinorta: a carp, symbol of strength and bravery.

If you are a fan of kites, at the Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, we offer you the best place to fly your “tako” by the sea, where the breeze of the Mediterranean will make your experience much more memorable.

Come and enjoy the Mediterranean in the best luxury hotel in Spain!