At the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we keep travelling around Asia to find out more about its traditions. Today we are taking you to China to tell you about its wedding traditions.

Chinese weddings are a millenary tradition. Chinese people give great importance to marriage. It supposes the union of two families forever.

In the past, a marriage was decided not by a young couple’s love, but by their parents’ desires and the couple wouldn´t see each other until the wedding day.

The colour red plays a vital role in Chinese weddings. Red is considered as a lucky colour. It symbolizes happiness, love, fidelity and prosperity; therefore, everything is in red. The bride wears a red wedding dress, a red veil and red shoes. Wedding invitations and decorations are also red.

Traditional Chinese wedding consists of different phases. Welcoming the bride to the wedding and performing the formal wedding ceremony is held on the same day. First, the bride leaves her house to go to the bridegroom’s one. She travels in a bridal sedan chair accompanied by a wedding procession. Family and friends follow the bridal sedan while playing different instruments. As soon as the bride arrives at the groom’s home, the groom throws rice at the bride and unveils her.

Once they are at the groom´s home, the couple performs formal bows at the family altar. They bow three times: the first bow to Heaven and Earth, the second bow to their parents and the third bow to each other.

After the bowing rituals, the couple would drink the nuptial cup of tea with their families and invite their relatives and friends to a wedding feast.

If you are looking for an amazing place to celebrate your wedding, we suggest you the 5 stars resort in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. Make unforgettable memories sealing your love at our Asian paradise in the Mediterranean.

At the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we like to pamper ourselves with the best Asian treatments. That´s why today we are travelling to India to tell you about the beauty rituals Indian women follow to look perfect.

These beauty tips come from health millenary rituals and natural secrets that have been transmitted from mothers to daughters for years.

Indian women keep a healthy and smooth skin using rich ingredients such as coconut, honey and oils. To moisturize their hands, they follow a very easy and effective beauty ritual; mix a tablespoon of honey with moisturizing lotion and the skin will get that velvety final touch we all look for. When it comes to facial treatments, they use a coconut facemask to nourish the face and neck.

If there is something famous about Indian women´s hair is how shiny it is. Here is the trick, coconut oil once a week will give you that extra shine. Also practicing inverted yoga poses to help blood circulate through hair follicles, improves the hair strength and natural beauty.

When it comes to grey hair, hear is the deal, Indian women mix a tablespoon of henna powder with their regular conditioner to cover their grey hair. It gives full coverture and lots of nutrients.

Besides all these rituals, to improve the in and out beauty Indian women also practice meditation, dancing or the ayurvedic diet. Are you in?

If you visit our 5 stars resort in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa you have a mandatory stop at our Thai Spa. Book one of our treatments and enjoy and essential luxury.

Today from the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we want to take you to the Philippines to enjoy its varied cuisine. Are you joining us on this trip?

 Filipino food, unlike the rest of Asian cuisines, does not use that much spices. Its mixture of flavours is due to the influence given by different cultures such as the Spanish one, the Chines one and the American one.

Among the most common ingredients of Filipino cuisine we find rice and fruit. The most famous fruits are: lanzones, mango, papaya, banana and rambutan. But, which ones are its traditional dishes?

Kare-kare. This stew of oxtail is made with a delicious sauce of crushed peanuts. It is served with vegetables. Sometimes the oxtail is replaced with goat or chicken. People usually eat it with bagoong (fermented fish). It is a traditional dish on Filipino celebration.

Sinigang. It is one of the most popular Filipino dishes. This is a sour soup, which uses tamarind as the main ingredient. It can be cooked with fish, meat or vegetables.

Adobo. Adobo with rice is the most traditional Filipino food. This is cooking meat (often chicken or pork) is seasoned with soy sauce, bay, pepper and vinegar.

Cassava cake. This is one of the most popular Filipino desserts. It is prepared with cassava root and coconut milk. This is a creamy and tasty dessert.

We are looking forward to seeing you this weekend at our 5 stars resort in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa to spend Easter with us at our Thai Paradise. We suggest you to visit our Koh Samui restaurant, where you will be able to enjoy the choicest Oriental crossover cuisine.

Spring has arrived at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. We want to welcome it by travelling to Japan to discover the most beautiful Japanese flowers. Can you imagine a better plan for this Tuesday?

Flowers and plants are very important for Japanese culture. One of the main reasons Japanese people value flowers that much is because they believe every flower has its own meaning.

Let´s review some of the most famous and beautiful flowers in Japan:

Lotus flower. This flower has a special meaning for Japanese people. It symbolizes immortality and truth. They believe that if the plant this flower, it will bring them peace and serenity.

Camellia. This flower is known as the Japanese rose. It is one of the most beautiful Japanese flowers and also one of the most romantic ones. There are different varieties and colors.

Dog´s-tooth violet. Its name comes from its bulbs’ peculiar shape. They look like a dog´s teeth. These beautiful flowers grow between February and May.

Chrysanthemum. For Japanese people this flower symbolizes a long life. They are use as decoration for important events and celebrations. It is considered one of the most beautiful Japanese flowers due to its different sizes, shapes and colors.

Cherry blossom. Also known as sakura, this flower is a symbol of Japanese culture. There is a celebration for cherry blossom this is Hanami. During this day Japanese families and friends celebrate blossoming.

If you visit our 5 stars resort in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, you can´t miss our Botanical Route. It will let you learn everything you need about our spectacular tropical gardens.

Today from the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we want to celebrate spring is coming with some delicious Asian cocktails. Dou you want to join us? Let´s go over the most famous cocktails.

Cocktails are gaining more and more popularity and a series of exotic drinks are arriving from the Far East. These cocktails from countries such as China, Thailand or Indonesia add tasty and unusual ingredients for us.

The main ingredients these Asian cocktails contain are: ginger, which perfectly matches with citrus; cardamom, a sweet and intense spice; Kaffir lime leaves, which stands out due to its sour taste; or litchi, a sweet fruit. All these ingredients are perfectly mixed with gin, rum or vodka.

Which Asian cocktails we suggest you?

Singapore Sling. This is one of the most famous Asian cocktails worldwide. It was created by the bartender Ngiam Tong Boon in Singapore in 1915. It contains gin, cherry-flavoured brandy, Cointreau, Benedictine liqueur, grenadine, lemon juice, pineapple juice and a dash of Angostura bitters.

Siam Sunray. It is a famous Thai cocktail. It was first created by by award-winning bartender Surasakdi Pantaisong. It is also called “Thailand in a glass”. Its ingredients are Smirnoff vodka, coconut liqueur, Thai chilli pepper, ginger, Kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, lime juice and soda water.

Shōchū Bloody Mary. It is also known as the Japanese Bloody Mary. It is one of the most famous cocktails in Japan. Although it was first created in New York, this cocktail includes tomato juice, wasabi, yuzu (a Japanese citrus) and soy sauce.

If you visit us at the 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa you can´t miss our Cocktail Workshop, where you will learn how to create new tastes and effects in cocktails thanks to a bartender experienced in creating cocktails.

At the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we don’t have time to get bored. Today we want to take you to Nepal to tell you about one of the country´s most famous festivals: Ghode Jatra.

A festival is always a significant event for Nepali people. Each festival has a different purpose, such as having a good harvest or honour the family. Nepal is known for having more festivals than days.

Ghode Jatra, meaning Horse Parade, is one of the main festivals in Kathmandu. It takes place every year between March and April. It is a celebration related to Nepali New Year.

On this day horse race, athletics and acrobatics are performed. A large number of people, even from outside Kathmandu, visit the capital to witness all the excited activities performed by the Army.

The most important event on Ghode Jatra is the big horse parade that takes place at Tundikhel.

Are you an Asia lover? Come to the 5 stars resort in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa and travel to Southeast Asia without even realizing. Our Asian paradise in the heart of the Mediterranean is waiting for you…

Today at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we have got up willingly to continue our trip around the Asian continent. We want to take you to Japan to discover one of its most famous romantic celebrations known as the White Day.

White Day is held every year one month after Valentine´s Day on March 14.

On White Day, men who received chocolates on Valentine´s Day are expected to return the gift to women with white chocolate. In Japan, on February 14 Japanese people don´t exchange gifts, only women give gifts to men, usually chocolate gifts.

We have to date back to 1965 to know White Day´s origin. When a marshmallow seller thought men should pay back the women who gave them chocolate and other gifts on Valentine’s Day. First it was called Marshmallow Day but later its name changed to White Day. White Day was first celebrated in 1978 in Japan.

Besides chocolate, men usually give women other gifts such as jewellery, cuddly toys and other sweets. According to Japanese tradition, men should spend more money on gifts than women did on Valentine´s Day one month earlier. If men´s gifts were cheaper or the same price than women´s ones men may not be expressing romantic interest on them.

Surprise your partner with a romantic getaway to Thai Paradise. Booking 7 nights at the 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa includes our Thai Spa Credit, €95 worth of treatments at the Thai Spa per person and stay. Can you ask for more?

At the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we always have something to celebrate. That is why today we are travelling to Bali to celebrate Nypei. Are you joining us?

Nyepi, also known as Bali Day of Silence, is held every year on March in Bali. Today is celebrated on March 9.

This is the quietest day of the year. Balinese people must keep quiet for 24 hours and avoid doing any kind of activity. They must follow the four amati or restrictions: amati geni, no lighting fires; amati karya, no working; amati lelanguan, no entertainment or pleasure; and amati lelungan, no travelling or leaving the house.

Instead of these activities, people practice meditation and fast, in search of the spiritual purification. Nyepi must be respected by Balinese people and tourists.

The day following Nyepi, known as Ngembak Geni, people resume social activity. Families and friends meet to complete some religious rites as Ngembak Agni, which consists in apologize to start the New Year off right.

Nyepi celebrations begin 3 days before with Melasti, a ceremony in honour of Sanghyang Widhi Wasa, Balinese supreme god. During this day, Balinese people wear bright colours and go slow the beach to purify some objects in the water before taking them to the temples.

The day before Nyepi, demons are expelled from Bali. When the sun goes down there are ogoh-ogoh parades, demons paper and bamboo figures which are burnt when the tour is over. This rite is very similar to Spanish Fallas.

Come to the 5 stars resort in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa and celebrate Easter with us. We have designed a special programme of activities for you to experience Asia just as if you were there.

Today at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we have something to celebrate. We are travelling to Japan to celebrate Hinmatsuri. Are you joining us?

Hinamatsuri, known as Doll´s Day, is held every year on March 3rd. This is a day to pray for young girl’s growth and happiness so this is why it is also called Girls´ Day.

The origin of Hinamatsuri is an ancient Chinese practice in which the sin of the body and misfortune are transferred to paper dolls, and then removed by leaving the paper dolls floating down a river. This rite was called hina-nagashi.

This custom was spread during the Edo Period, and people started to place the dolls on a tiered platform called hinadan covered with red felt.

A girl´s first Hinamatsuri is called hatsuzekku. Grandparents usually give their grandaughters a set, a five or seven-tiered stand, with dolls and different ornaments representing the Emperor and Empress of the Heian period.

The platform is decorated with peach blossoms because peaches are related to women and this festival is also known as Momo no Sekku.

Most families place the hinadan around mid-February and put it away again as soon as Hinamatsuri is over. This is because there is an old superstition that believes that families who are too slow putting back the dolls sets will have trouble marrying off their daughters.

Hinamatsuri Day has a traditional song called Ureshii hina matsuri (happy Girls´Day), which is very famous between Japanese people.

There are some special dishes for Hinamatsuri. A very typical dish is hina arare, diamond-shaped rice cakes, which are believed to protect girls from bad luck. People also drink shirozake, sweet white sake.

At the 5 stars resort in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa everything is designed for parents and children to enjoy a unique experience. What are you waiting for to enjoy a few days off at the best Hotel in Europe and the Mediterranean for Families (Condé Nast Johansens Award)?

We welcome March doing what we like most: discovering the wonders Southeast Asia offers. Today from the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, we want to take you to Thailand to go to the wonderful Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden.

Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden is a 2.0 km² botanical garden located in Pattaya in Chon Buri Province, Thailand. It is one of the main tourist attractions in the country.

This maze of trees, bushes palm trees and was created by the marriage formed by Mr Pisit and Mrs Nongnooch Tansacha in 1954. At first, they wanted to grow the land as a traditional fruit plantation, but due to the rise of tourism, they instead decided to plant tropical flowers and plants, developing the Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden.

The botanical garden opened to the public in 1980, and was named “Suan Nong Nooch” in honour of Mrs Nongnooch. “Suan” means garden. The garden is split up into sections. Some of the most important ones are: French Garden, European Garden and Stonehenge Garden.

One of the most famous and visited areas is the orchids area. Nong Nooch is home to many different types of orchids. Thailand´s tropical weather lets these flowers grow without having them seeded in hothouses. Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden also works on the research and preservation of tropical flora and fauna.

Besides visiting the garden, the complex offers different shows and services such as traditional ceremonies, elephant parades and boat rides.

Discover the beautiful flowers and plants surrounding the 5 stars resort in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa with our Botanical Route. The luxury of losing yourself in tropical gardens…