At the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, we had to say goodbye to October by discovering new secrets of Asian culture. Today we are travelling to India to get to know its 8 classical dance styles. Are you joining us?

There are many types of dances in India, but only 8 of them are considered as classical dances. These ones are:

Bharatanatyam. This classical dance comes from Tamil Nadu. As many other classical Indian dances, the expression of the body, especially face and hands, is very important. Dancers use their hands to do mudras and in this way tell a story.

Kathak. This dance tells stories through movements. Most stories are related to deities. Its origin dates back to the nomad dances practiced in North India. As most classical dances in India, there are two types of dances: Nritta (pure dance) and Nritya (expressive dance).

Odissi. Originated in Odisha, this is one of the most ancient Indian dances. It is different from the rest of classical dances due to the importance given to Tribhangi (tri-bent pose); a standing body position consisting of three bends in the body: at the neck, chest and pelvis.

Mohiniyattam. This dance comes from Kerala and dates back to the sixteenth century. It is characterized by swaying movements of the upper body. There are over 40 basic movements called atavukal. This dance can also be split up into Nritta and Nritya.

Kuchipudi. Originated in Andhra Pradesh, this dance is very similar to Bharatanatyam. As many other classical dances, Kuchipudi tells sacred stories; most of them related to Krishna. It gives importance to facial expressions.

Manipuri. As it name says, this classical dance comes from Manipur. There is a strong religious content in the stories Manipuri tells, in this case related to Vishnu. Unlike other Indian dances, manipuri does not use ankle bracelets with bells to mark the rhythm; dancers play a pung instead.

Sattriya. This dance comes from Assan. It was created to help spread Vaishnavism. Sattriya performs mythological stories. In the past, this dance was just performed by monks as part of their everyday routine, but throughout the years outsiders were able to dance it too.

Kathakali. This is the classical dance form of Kerala. It combines movements and drama. It is known for its elaborated makeup and costumes.

If you visit the 5 stars resort in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, don´t miss the chance to participate in the activities, courtesy of the hotel, we offer our guests. Yoga, pilates, Tai Chi… It´s your choice!

One more week, from the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, we travel to Asia to go in depth into its gastronomy, in particular its traditional appetisers. How about finding out more about some of the most popular ones?

Sesame fritters. One of Chinese´s favourite appetisers and foreigner´s, they are a delicacy due to their taste and their properties. Sesame seeds are rich in proteins and contain notable amounts of calcium. This recipe can be eaten either hot or cold.

Vegetable wontons. These small bites are one the funniest and tasty ways of eating vegetables. They are a type of small pasty prepared with wonton wrappers, and filled with any type of vegetables, such as chives, pepper or leek. There are also common vegetable wontons stuffed with pork or chicken meat.

Crispy seaweed. This is one of most common Chinese dishes worldwide. This recipe is traditionally cooked with Chinese cabbage stripes, and not seaweed as it name says. It can also be prepared with other green leaves vegetables.

Cucumbers in vinegar. This is a very popular appetiser in Japanese restaurants. Fresh and light, this dish is perfect for preparing our body for the main dish.

Have you visited all the restaurants at the resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa? If you are an Asian food lover, you have a mandatory stop at Koh Samui, where you will be able to enjoy a blend of the most select Oriental cuisine.

Can you imagine a better plan for this Thursday than discovering a new Asian spot? Today from the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we are taking you to Thailand to visit the famous Khao Yai National Park.

Khao Yai National Park is a national park in Northeast Thailand. It is located 175 kilometres away from Bangkok. Established in 1962, this is Thailand´s first national park.

Covering an area of more than 2,000 square kilometr3s, this is the third largest national park in Thailand. The park is home to 3,000 plant species, 320 bird species and over 60 mammal species, such as the Asian elephant, the Asian black bear or the gibbon.

Khao Yai National Park has all type of facilities for welcoming visitors, from local guide service to more than 50 kilometres of paths for trekking. But if there are two remarkable places to visit at the park, those are Haew Suwat Waterfall and Haew Narok Waterfall and Khao Yai Sanctuary, located at the entrance of the park and worshiped by locals.

If you visit the 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa this autumn, we suggest you our Botanical route. Experience the luxury of losing yourself through the dense tropical gardens blooming with flowers.

If there is something we love about Asia that would be how much its culture can offer us. Today from the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we are going around the Asian continent to discover which ones are the most famous traditional Asian instruments.

Sitar. It is a plucked stringed instrument, very popular for Indian culture. It belongs to the lute family. It is made of a dried pumpkin and an empty fingerboard. Its peculiar metallic sound takes people to a relaxing moment of mental peace.

Taiko. This is a traditional Japanese drum. There are different types of taiko depending on its size. It is used in many different Japanese festive activities, such as Bon-Odori, where it plays a leading role.

Shehnai. It is a wind instrument very similar to the oboe. It comes from North India. It is made out of wood, with a double reed. It is believed that its sound gives people a year of good augury; that´s why it is usually played in weddings, religious processions and at Hindu temples.

Koto. This is a traditional Japanese stringed musical instrument, which was first developed in China. It is considered by many people as Japan´s national instrument. It is also known as the Japanese harp. It is about two metres long and although the traditional koto has 13 strings, some of them have 25 ones.

Erhu. This is one of the most popular traditional Chinese instruments. Also known as “Chinese violin”, it is a two-stringed bowed musical instrument. Its melancholy sound makes it an ideal instrument for drama.

If you are also a music lover, we suggest you the perfect getaway: celebrating Christmas at the 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. You will experience an unforgettable soiree that includes from a special Christmas Eve dinner to a live performance. Coming?

¿Have you ever practiced Acroyoga? Now you can at the luxury hotel Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. Do you want to know what is it about? Keep reading…

Acroyoga is a type of yoga that is currently gaining relevance. Acroyoga is a mix of yoga poses which are combined with acrobatics, artistic expressions and couple work.

One of the main differences between traditional yoga and Acroyoga is that this last one works with a much faster rhythm.

It is performed in pairs or trios; everyone has a specific role: a base, the partner who is actively supporting the flyer with his legs; the flyer is the partner who is elevated and does yoga poses up in the air. When a third person is involved, this one is the spotter, who is in charge of making sure that the movements of the other two partners are safe.

Acroyoga has many physical benefits such as: improving physical strength, elasticity, body shape and balance, among others.

But if there is something remarkable about Acroyoga that would be the psychological benefits it has as well as the spiritual bond it creates between the two partners. The main purpose of this discipline is building confidence between the two people performing it.

If you visit the 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, don´t hesitate to attend one of our Acroyoga classes. The hotel offers its guests a wonderful program of activities designed to enjoy a full Asian experience. No excuses!

One more week, from the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we keep discovering new Asian spots. Today we want to take you to Thailand to visit the amazing Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is a Theravada Buddhist temple located 18 kilometres away from the city of Chiang Mai, the most visited city in Northern Thailand. At an altitude of 1,073 metres, it offers spectacular views of the city. This is one of Thailand´s most sacred temples.

When it comes to the origin of the temple, there are several legends about it. It is said to have been founded in 1383 when the first stupa was built.

In order to access the temple, there are two possibilities, visitors can either climb 309 steps to reach Wat Phra That Doi Suthep or take a tram. The steps are without a doubt one of the most picturesque areas of the temple.

The 20 metres original golden stupa is the most holy area of the temple surroundings. Within the grounds are bells, shrines and statues, including a statue of the white elephant that carried the Buddha relic to its current resting place. According to the legend, the place where the elephant passed away was the one picked to build Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. Besides this symbolic statue, there is a replica of the Emerald Buddha and a statue of the Hindu God Ganesh.

The temple is an important pilgrimage site for Buddhists. On the occasion of Visakha Bucha, which takes place between June and July every year, locals walk from the zoo to the temple, making a pilgrimage to the top of the hill.

Plan a getaway on Halloween to our Asian paradise in the Mediterranean Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa and enjoy one of the most special holidays of the year in a unique environment. We have designed a very entertaining programme so that kids can enjoy unforgettable days while adults experience a relaxing getaway in our Thai Paradise. Are you joining us?

October is here and we can´t imagine a better way to celebrate it than attending Durga Puja festival. Today from the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we are travelling to India. Are you joining us?

Durga Puja is one of the most important religious celebrations in India. It takes place in West Bengal, and particularly in Kolkata. It is held every year between September and October to commemorate the victory of Goddess Durga over the evil.

Depending on the region, the festivity lasts from five to nine days. In order to honour the goddess, people build pandals and place a pratima in the inside, which is a sacred image of Durga beating the evil.

During Durga Puja locals dedicate prayers to these sacred images and celebrate colourful parades and many performances, until the last day of the festival known as “Dashami”. According to the legend, this day Durga comes back to her conjugal home in the Himalayas. “Dashami” includes the submersion of the pratimas in the water, marking the end of the festival.

At the 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we always have reasons to celebrate. Enjoy an unforgettable autumn at our Asian paradise in the Mediterranean. Coming?

We still have many places to discover in the Asian continent. Today from the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we are travelling to Japan to find out the origin of Japanese fans.

Traditional Japanese fans are much more than a piece of art. Throughout history, this object has gained importance in Japanese people´s everyday life, as well as imperial and religious ceremonies.

In the past, Japanese fans were the country´s main export. Currently, besides their function of cooling off, they are also used in many cultural Japanese traditions such as Kagura or Noh Theatre.

It is complicated to set their origin, but we can affirm that their history begins in China, from where they would arrive at Japan through Korea. The first types of fans that were commercialised in Japan were the rigid fans known as uchiwa.

However, according to a famous legend, the foldable fan known as ôgi was created in Japan. Specifically, the hiogi fan, which is made of hinoki or cedar wood, attained great splendour during the Heian period. The number of strips of wood changed according to the person´s rank. Nowadays, the design and materials used to make a Japanese fan differ based on how important its owner is.

If you visit us at the 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa you will also some historical sites. Have you ever seen our wood canoe? Escape to our paradise by the Mediterranean and enjoy a full Asian experience.