One more week at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, we continue our gastronomic route around the Asia continent. Today we want to tell you about one of its most popular spices: curry.

Curry is one of the most popular condiments nowadays. This is not just a spice, as many people think, it is made of a mix of spices, but only a few know its composition.

Western curry has little to do with the original curry. Usually, the basic ingredient is the spice turmeric, which gives it its characteristic yellow colour. It is also made of coriander, cumin and fenugreek. You can add almost any spice to this mixture, such as cardamom, aniseed, nutmeg, poppy seeds, ginger, clove, cinnamon, and also different pepper or chilli to add a spicy flavour. These ingredients change depending on the region.

Curry is used to season meat, fish and rice dishes, among others. But, when it comes to the word curry, we have to keep in mind that it also means stew, then a curry is also a stew prepared with this mix of spices. A traditional complete curry usually consists of three differentiated dishes: a dish whose main ingredient is meat or fish. A second one made of rice, and a third dish, which contains different dressing, sauces and accompaniment. They are all served in different platters and each dinner guest serves himself and seasons his own dish.

There are many types of curry, but, besides Indian curry, the two most popular types of curry in Asian cuisine are:

Japanese curry. It consists of curry blocks, which are dissolved into the sauce. This is usually a mix of turmeric, cumin, paprika, cardamom and cinnamon.

Thai curry. Curry paste is an essential ingredient in Thai cuisine. There are different types, but the main ones are red, green and yellow curry. The basic ingredients for preparing Thai curry are chilli (red or green ones), galangal, citronella, red shallots, garlic and shrimp paste.

If you are an Asian food lover, during your visit to the 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, you have a mandatory stop at its Asian restaurant par excellence Koh Samui. Let yourself captivate by the choicest Oriental crossover cuisine!

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 Korea to tell you about one of the main and most famous beauty routines: double cleansing.

When we think about Korean women´s skin, the image of a perfect skin comes to our mind. This is due to, among many other things, the double cleansing, the method that Koreans have been developing since the fourteenth century to get radiant skin.

Double cleansing is the beauty that gets the skin clear and spotless so that the treatments we apply later are much more effective. This is about washing the skin twice before putting on any product or treatment. But the important thing here is how.

It involves washing your face in two steps: The first step draws out oil-based impurities such as make-up and sebum, while the second step cleanses water-based debris and dead epithelial cells.

This two-step process includes first, an oil-based cleanser, followed by a water-based cleanser. The key to double cleansing´s success is that oil, instead of clogging the pores as many people think, is able to get rid of any skin impurity, such as the silicone of many foundations, even the oils of our facial creams and the dead cells on the surface of the skin.

Besides, this first oil-cleanser helps get rid of any traces of makeup, it can even remove long-lasting foundations and waterproof products.

When the first step is over, the water-based cleanser gently draws out water-based debris such as sweat and dirt. Due to this double cleansing is less aggressive than a regular cleansing, it helps avoid skin irritations and preserve skin collagen, which is very important for slowing down the ageing process.

If you are planning on visiting son the luxury resort in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, complete your luxury experience with our Wellness Programmes. You will want your stay to never end!

Today, February 14, it is a very special date for all those who want to show their love to their loved ones. At the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, we want you to spend an unforgettable Valentine´s Day by discovering every detail about the lotus flower, the flower that represents the heart.

The lotus flower is one of the most beautiful flowers and one of the most famous ones too. It comes from the East and it has played an important role in different cultures, with different meanings for each of them.

Precisely, the meaning of the lotus flower has been tied to purity and beauty in Buddhism and Hinduism, respectively.

The lotus flower has been considered a sacred flower for over 5,000 years. It is known as the phoenix of the flowers. One of the most surprising features of this flower is that, thanks to the roughness of its leaves and its molecular composition, it is water and dirt repellent, being able to keep itself always clean and dry.

According to the legend of the origin of the lotus flower, there was a kingdom, home to Prince Chacdziedzib, whose name means “Cardinal Bird”. He was deeply in love with the daughter of the Guardian of the Sacred Cenote, called Nicte, whose name means “Lotus Flower”.

The Guardian of the Sacred Cenote opposed this love and decreed that she should die. After her murder, the Prince begged the gods for compassion. The gods listened to his plea and sent down the Lord of the Waters and the Lord of the Birds. The Lord of the Waters entered the depths of the Cenote, and transformed Nicte´s body into a beautiful Lotus Flower. The Lord of the Birds stood over the Prince´s heart and transformed him into a beautiful cardinal bird.  Ever since then, when the day breaks, the red bird goes to the Sacred Cenote and sings over the open calyxes of the Lotus flower.

One of the main charms of the lotus flower is that there are around 100 different varieties of this flower. Depending of the colour of the flower, it has several meanings:

Blue lotus flower: It means wisdom or knowledge.

White lotus flower: This one is related to purity and immaculate nature. It is symbolized with 8 petals.

Red lotus flower: It symbolizes innocence and the qualities of the heart, such as love, passion and pity.

Pink lotus flower: This is the most special and important one out of all the different colours of the lotus flower. It is related to the divine, to Buddha.

Enjoy a luxury and relaxing romantic getaway in Zen paradise in February. Come to the luxury resort in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa and experience an Oriental Romance for two.

Today at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, we welcome February travelling to Malaysia to discover the spectacular Berkelah Falls.

Berkelah Falls, in Malayan Air Terjun Berkelah, are one of the most amazing natural landscapes in Malaysia. These falls are located in Pahang, the largest state in Peninsular Malaysia, between Kuantan and Maran.

The falls consist of seven tiers. The seventh and highest fall reaches an estimated height of 50 metres. The river and falls were named “Berkelah” because of the ikan kelah fish. In the past there were a lot ikan kelah fish living in this area, but currently the species has suffered a severe population decline due to to habitat loss.

The water from Berkelah Falls is characterized by being completely crystalline, very relaxing and perfect for a swim.

These falls fascinate every single visitor. The natural environment surrounding them and the way the water falls down don´t pass unnoticed.

If you are planning on visiting the luxury resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, you can do it all year round. The hotel has 4 heated pools, which are heated to 30º from October to May. Come and enjoy them!