Today at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we are saying goodbye to August, as we like, travelling through the Asian continent. We are taking you to Japan to cool ourselves off in the amazing Kegon Waterfall.

Kegon Waterfall is a huge permanent waterfall located at Lake Chuzenji (source of the Oshiri River), in Nikko National Park in the city of Nikko, two hours away from Tokyo. It is considered one of Japan´s three most beautiful falls, along with Nachi Waterfall and Fukuroda Waterfall.

The waterfall was created 20,000 years ago when Mount Nantai erupted and blocked Daiya River. About twelve smaller waterfalls are located behind and to the sides of Kegon Falls.

Kegon Waterfall is approximately 100 metres high and 37 metres wide. It has 4 waterfalls. Anciently, monks who visited it said that if you didn´t watch it during the four seasons, you haven´t actually watched the waterfall. It is known as the four waterfalls falls due to its features and its changeable look depending on the season.

Kegon Waterfall looks like white thread from the distance, but when you get close you can see its strength when hitting the ground. There is a lookout, located in the base of the waterfall, where people can contemplate a beautiful image of Kegon.

If you are thinking about visiting our 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, you will enjoy 7 wonderful Asian-style outdoor pools. Which one do you pick for a relaxing swim?

August is coming to an end, and at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we want to get the most out of these last days. That´s why today we are travelling to hasta Malaysia to discover one of the country´s main attractions: Penang National Park.

Penang National Park is located in Penang Island, at the northwestern side of Malaysia. It is placed 22 kilometres away from George Town. Covering an area of 2,562 hectares, it is the smallest national park in the country and one of the smallest parks in the world.

Despite its small size, this park is popular due to its incredible diversity. Inside this dense tropical jungle we find over 1,000 types of plants and hundreds of bird, reptile and mammal species.

Besides, Penang National Park is the only park in Malaysia with 6 different types of habitat: a meromictic lake (a seasonal lake whose water layers do not intermix), coral reefs, mangroves, swamps, reservoirs and beaches, which are home to turtles.

Here we can find some of the best hardwood trees, especially of the Shorea specie, such as the Meranti or the Merawan Baru. There are also several insectivorous plants with orchids and fungus, and medicinal plants.

Among the 46 bird species Penang National Park is home to, the most outstanding ones are the the kingfisher, the white heron and the thrush bird.

Penang National Park is a mandatory stop for any nature lover in the island. Fishing, swimming and hiking are some of the activities people can practice here.

At the 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa you can walk around wonderful tropical gardens and enjoy the luxury of getting lost between them. Southeast Asia has never been so close.

August is the month of celebrations par excellence, and at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa never say no to a good celebration. Today we are heading to India to commemorate Onam.

Onam Festival is a regional Hindu celebration, which lasts ten days in Kerala. It is an important harvest celebration. It is celebrated in the beginning of the month of Chingam, this corresponds with the month of August-September according to Gregorian Calendar. This year it starts on August 25 and finishes on September 6.

Also known as the festival of rain flowers, it commemorates the annual visit of King Mahabali. Mahabali has been venerated by Kerala since prehistory. Locals celebrate ostentatiously this festival to show their beloved king their happiness.

Onam includes parades, musical and dance performances, well-prepared banquets and boat races, which are decorated for the occasion.

There are many reasons to come to Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa and many options for enjoying your stay. Our Asian paradise in the Mediterranean offers its guests a wonderful program of activities designed to enjoy a full Asian experience.

We still have many secrets of the Asian continent left to discover. Today from the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we are travelling to Vietnam to discover Son Doong Cave. Are you joining us?

Son Doong Cave is a cave in Quang Binh province, Vietnam. Located in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, it is world´s largest cave.

It was found February 2009 when a group of British scientists from the British Cave Research Association, conducted by the married couple Howard and Limbert Deb, was making a survey in Phong Nha-Ke Bang from 10 to 14 April 2009. A local man had discovered the cave in 1991, but couldn´t remember how to reach it again.

The huge dimensions that have made this cave become the largest one in the world are: 200 metres wide, more than 6 kilometres long and 140 metres high. During the expeditions, the teams found stalagmites, which are up to 70 metres tall. The main Son Doong Cave passage is more than 5 kilometres long, 200 metres high and 150 metres wide.

Until 2009, the Deer Cave in Malaysia, which is 2 kilometres long, was the longest one.

If you are still planning your last summer getaway, we are looking forward to seeing you at the 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. Can you imagine a better place to say goodbye to August than our Asian spot in the Mediterranean?

We still have many summer days left at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa to keep discovering new Asian spots. Today we are heading to Philippines to visit the amazing El Nido area.

El Nido is the main tourist attraction of Palawan. It is the largest marine sanctuary in the Philippines and one of the Filipino places with a higher biodiversity. Its name comes from the more than 100 species of birds its mountains are home to.

It is a managed resource protected area, which is composed of 45 islands and islets, covering an area of 903 square kilometres. It is made up by huge limestone cliffs. Many travellers considered this place as “the most beautiful spot in the world”. El Nido is popular for its varied nature, its wonderful landscapes and its different ecosystems.

Besides, under its waters we can find exotic fish and up to five endangered species of marine tortoises. Swimming here is an experience hard to forget.

Its crystalline water beaches and the possibility of watching and enjoying unimaginable sunsets are making El Nido a very popular vacaction destination. The best time of the year to visit this paradise is during dry season, between November and May.

If you visit our 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, you will be able to enjoy 7 spectacular Asian-style outdoor pools. When are you coming?

August keeps going at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. And as the good nature lovers we are, today we leave behind our paradise to travel to Singapore to discover which are its most common flowers and plants. Are you joining us?

Vanda Miss Joaquim. It is Singapore´s national flower. Any other country has a hybrid flower as national flower. This orquid is a cross between the Malayan Vanda hookeriana and the Burmese Vanda teres.  It has different colours, which go from pink and violet to orange. Its scent is as warm and nice as orchids´.

Orchid. This is the most popular flower in the country. The National Orchid Garden, located in one of the hills within Singapore Botanic Gardens, is home to the largest orchids collection in the world, with more than 60,000 plants: 1,000 orchids species and over 2,000 hybrid ones. These flowers are known for its flashy tonalities, which go from white and pink ones to yellow and orange.

Kandelia candel. This plant is endemic from Southeast Asia. In Singapore, we can only found it Sungei Tampines, the biggest residential area in the country. These trees can reach 7 metres tall and can have white flowers.

If you are also a nature lover, during your visit to the 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa you can´t miss our Botanical Route. Enjoy the luxury of losing yourself between more than 150,000 shrubs!

As you already know, at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, we are Asian sweets lovers. That´s why today we want to take you to Japan, to discover some of its most popular desserts.

Wagashi are traditional Japanese confections. They are often served during the tea ceremony. They are mainly prepared with mochi (a sticky rice cake), anko (azuki bean paste) and fruit. Among the most famous ones we find:

Mochi. Most Japanese sweets come from this one. It is a sticky rice cake, which is pounded into paste and moulded into different shapes, usually a small ball. Its most famous versus is Daifuku, a rice cake with different fillings. The most typical Daifuku is the one stuffed with anko.

Dorayaki. It consists of two small round sponge caked stuffed with anko. They are very similar to pancakes. They can also be found stuffed with chestnuts, jam, chocolate or fruit. They are usually served with tea.

Dango. It is a cake very similar to mochi. They are small sticky rice flour balls skewed on a stick. There are many varieties of Dango since it is eaten year-round, as well as during specific festivities and events.

Yõkan. This is a thick jellied dessert made of anko, agar and sugar. There are two main types: neri yōkan and mizu yōkan. This last one contains more water (“Mizu” means “water”), that´s why it is often eaten in summer.

If you visit us this summer at our 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, you have an appointment in our Asian restaurant par excellence Koh Samui. We are looking forward to seeing you!

At the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we never have time left to get bored. We keep enjoying this summer by travelling to India to discover the fantastic Lodi Gardens. Are you coming?

Lodi Garden is an English-style landscaped garden, located in the centre of Delhi. It is one of the most representative attractions in the city.

It was created in 1936 at the request of the Lady Willingdon, wife of Governor-General of India during British Raj, Marquess of Willingdon. This is why this area was called the “Lady Willingdon Park” until 1947.

This park, which occupies an area of 360,000 square metres, is famous for containing the twin tombs of Bara Gumbad and Shisha Gumbad and Sikandar Lodi´s and Mohammed Shah´s Tomb.

The most important one is Mohammed Shah’s Tomb, the third governor of Sayyid Dynasty. Besides being the oldest one, it is set up around a central hall and even has terraces.

Close to Sikandar´s Tomb we find another interesting structure, Athpula Bridge, the last of the buildings in Delhi, built during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar during the sixteenth century. It contains seven arches, amongst which the central one being the largest.

Lodi Gardens are frequented by local people, who enjoy walking around the gardens or practicing yoga; as well as nature lovers and amateur photographers.

If you are also a nature and Asian landscapes lover, enjoy a getaway to the luxury resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. Southeast Asia has moved to the Mediterranean to offer you a magical environment.

Many celebrations take place in the month of August. And at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we always have many reasons to celebrate. That is why today we are travelling to Japan to commemorate Fussa Tanabata Matsuri.

August in Japan, as well as the month of July, is full of festivities and celebrations all over the country, due to the traditional Obon festival.

Fussa Tanabata Matsuri, also known as the Star Festival, is held every year the first weekend of August on the outskirts of Tokyo.

This event first took place in 1951 with the goal of promoting the commercial district, and currently it has already become a very important festival in Japan, with over 400,000 annual visitors.

During Tanabata, Japanese people write down their wishes on colourful rectangular pieces of paper called tanzaku and hang them on bamboo branches. These bamboo tree´s branches are usually thrown down the river or burnt so that their wishes come true.

Traditionally, tanzaku papers were 5 different colours, symbolizing the 5 nature elements (water, metals, wood, fire and earth): white, black, yellow, red and green. But currently, there is complete freedom of colours and shapes.

Fussa Tanabata Matsuri´s celebrations include, besides, mikoshi parade, traditional dances, the Tanabata Princess contest and Tanabata traditional decorations.

 Come celebrate August to our Asian paradise in the Mediterranean Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. Unforgettable summer nights in a unique temperature and ambiance. Are you joining us?

We still have many natural landscapes left to discover around the Asian continent. Today we are welcoming August by leaving behind the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, to travel to Taiwan to visit Lion’s Head Mountain.

Lion’s Head Mountain is one of Taiwan´s main tourist attractions. It is located between the districts of Hsinchu and Miaoli, in the centre of the country. When you see it from far way, its peaks and hillsides make up a silhouette, which looks like a huge lion´s head.

Actually, we can´t refer to Lion’s Head Mountain as just one mountain, but a group of green hills, completely covered by amazing forests.

It is a very popular place among Taiwanese Buddhists, due to the great amount of temples and monasteries spread out through the hillsides of Lion’s Head Mountain. The sound of the temples´ bells, in the morning and in the evening, provides the tourists and visitors a unique peaceful feeling.

At the entrance of the enclosure we find an old stone arch, which lets people access the pavilion located on the top of the mountain; the “lion’s head”. Once you have reached the peak, the way back to the ground changes through paths that take us between flowers, forests, bamboo and Buddhist temples, where we can watch the ceremonies performed by monks and nuns. At the end of the path we find the “lion´s tail”. This walk takes us back to the most ancestral China.

Hide in our sanctuary of relaxation this summer and enjoy luxury holidays at the 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. Asia overlooking the Mediterranean.