Today at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we have something to celebrate. We are travelling to India to commemorate the famous Maha Shivaratri.

Maha Shivaratri, also known as “the Great Night of Shiva”, is a famous Hindu festival, which is precisely celebrated in honour of the god Shiva. It takes place every year on the sixth night of Phalgun month, either in February or March.

The night before the festival, believers fast and stay awake all night, which spend practicing yoga and meditating. During Maha Shivaratri people play different games and attend popular celebrations, which change depending on the region where it´s held. Some of the most popular traditions are: tripundra, the three horizontal lines on the forehead made from sacred ash representing Shiva´s eyes; carrying a rudraksha; and the offering of bael leaves and cold water at the Linga, a sacred stone.

This festivity is considered a lucky day for women. According to the legend, the Goddess Parvati prayed and meditated during this day with the purpose of avoiding something bad would happen to her husband. From then on, Maha Shivaratri is considered a lucky day for women to pray with for their husbands’ well-being, and unmarried women pray they will have a husband like Shiva, who is seen as the ideal husband.

If you are thinking about how to spend Father´s Day, treat yourself to a getaway to the luxury resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. Can you imagine a better plan to enjoy unforgettable family days of luxury and relaxation?

At the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we love trying new flavours from the Asian cuisine. Today we keep travelling around Asia to discover the main types of Asian rice. Are you joining us?

When it comes to knowing which type of rice is better to make a consistent dish as well as emphasise the rest of ingredients, there is nothing better than take a look at Asian gastronomy.

These are the most famous Asian rices:

Basmati rice. This type of rice comes from India and Pakistan. It is long-grain rice. It has a light and spongy texture. Its flavour offers a very different experience than other rices do. Its nuts scent makes it the perfect ingredient for salads and exotic recipes.

Jasmine rice. Coming from Thailand, this is the most used rice in the country. It is also known as Thai rice. This long-grain rice has soft texture and slightly sweet flavour. Its name “jasmine” describes its delicate aroma. It is recommended to rinse the rice under cold water before cook it. This is the ideal rice for spiced and exotic recipes, and also for salads.

Wild rice. It is grown in China and North America, where is also very popular. It is characteristic for its dark colour. It has a wizened flavour and a crispy texture. It is usually prepared mixed with other types of rice. It requires a longer cooking time than other common rice. It is very used in macrobiotic cuisine and vegan and vegetarian diets.

If you are an Asian food lover, you have a mandatory stop at the 5 stars resort in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa: our Asian restaurant Koh Samui. Enjoy the choicest Oriental crossover cuisine!

We still have many places left to discover from the Asian continent at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. Today we want to take you to Taiwan to visit the famous Kenting National Park. Are you coming?

Kenting National Park welcomes every year millions of visitors, who arrive attracted by its landscape. It is located in the Hengchun peninsula, in Southern Taiwan. It is surrounded by water on three sides, being the only national park covering both land and sea.

Established on January 1, 1984, it is Taiwan’s oldest national park. It is famous for its tropical weather and its white sand beaches, where there are all types of tropical fishes and corals. It is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait; becoming one of the favourite areas for water sport lovers, such as diving and scuba diving.

Precisely, its tropical weather favours the growth of very peculiar plants, which attract many migratory birds every year to spend winter in the park.

Among its most renowned sceneries we find Lungluan Lake, Nanren Lake, Jianshih Mountains and a huge candle rock.

Kenting National Park is considered one of the best places to enjoy the most beautiful sunsets. When the sun goes down, the park lights up and the water goes from crystalline to dark blue.

If you are a nature lover, you will enjoy like a child walking through the many lakes and waterfalls surrounding the luxury resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. Are you joining us?

Today at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we say goodbye to February, as we most like, travelling through the Asian continent. This time we are taking you to China to commemorate the anniversary of Tu Di Gong´s birth.

Tu Di Gong is the Chinese Earth God and the protector of farmers and villagers. This is one of the most popular deities of traditional Chinese religion. His position is relatively low among Taoism deities, that´s why people consider him a closer deity.

Each Chinese village had a sacred place in honour of Tu Di Gong. This deity was the one in charge of protecting the land and people who live in. Traditionally, people´s worries were related to the weather and the harvest. The Earth God was worshiped through land offering ceremonies. Currently, these offering ceremonies ask for luck, health and peace, as well as a good harvest.

Tu Di Gong is portrayed as elderly man with a long white beard and the appearance of a traditional bureaucrat: a white tunic, a black or gold hat, and a red or yellow robe. He carries a wooden staff in his right hand and a golden ingot on the left, which symbolize achievement and wealth.

Some Chinese provinces believe Tu Di Gong had a wife called Tu Di Po. According to some legends, Tu Di Gong was a very generous deity, who flooded the Earth with his blessings. After being reported to the emperor for his excessive presents, he would assign Tu Di Po as his wife to watch him.

If you are looking for a destination for Easter, the Thai Paradise is waiting for you. Spend your first family break this year at the 5 stars hotel Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, where you will be surrounded by the exclusive luxury of Asia and Thai rituals.

As good nature lovers, today from the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we are travelling to India to discover its most representative flowers. Are you coming?

Flowers play a very important role in Hindu traditions. We can see them on women´s hair accessories, in mandalas decoration and making, in offerings and weddings, where they symbolize an explosion of colour and life.

Which are the most characteristic flowers of India?

Lotus flower. It is the National Flower of India. This is a sacred flower, which symbolizes beauty, fertility, purity, wealth and wisdom. It is related to Lakshmi, goddess of wealth and beauty. We can find this flower on ornaments or important sculptures, as well as at the entrance of Hindu houses to attract good luck.

White jasmine. It has a great social importance; it is the symbol of traditional weddings in South India. It is also used on ballerinas´ s hair accessories. It is popular for its elegance and delicate fragrance.

Calendula. This flower is famous due to its varied and showy colours, from yellow to purple ones. Just as the white jasmine, calendulas take part in traditional weddings, and they are also used for the making of mandalas.

Gerberas, orchids and roses also play a very important role in Hindu weddings decorations and other ceremonies. Although, they are not as common as the other flowers, so they are more difficult to get for Hindu families.

If you also like getting lost between tropical gardens, you will enjoy an unforgettable experience taking part in Asia´s Botanical Route at the 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. Are you going to miss it?

As you already know, at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we love the Asian continent. That´s why today we want to take you to Korea to find out more about daemokjang, or traditional wooden architecture.

Daemokjang was inscribed in 2010 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Besides traditional Korean wooden architecture, it refers to the woodworkers who employ the traditional carpentry techniques. They are those carpenters-architects who build traditional Korean constructions, which are characterized by using wood as the main building material.

Their work is not just building, it also includes the maintenance, repair and reconstruction of historic buildings, ranging from traditional Korean houses to monumental wooden palaces and temples; as well as managing the labourers.

The daemokjang are the ones in charge of the entire construction process: the planning, the design and construction of buildings, and the supervision of subordinate carpenters. The wooden structures developed by Daemokjang always have three distinctive features of traditional Korean architecture: they are smooth, simple and unadorned.

Additionally, the daemokjang must have a rigorous aesthetic sense to select the wood for the construction materials. Their knowledge, which has been handed down from generation to generation, takes decades of education and experience.

If you are an Asian architecture lover, you will love the 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa where you will be able to have fun discovering some of the hotel´s icons such as: the famous wood canoe by the Langkawi pool or the majestic Faces of Angkor. Are you coming?

Today at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we have something to celebrate. We are travelling to Japan to commemorate Kenkoku Kinen no hi, National Foundation Day. Are you coming?

National Foundation Day is a national holiday in Japan celebrated annually on February 11. It celebrates the foundation of Japan and the accession of its first emperor, Emperor Jimmu, who, according to the legend, established Japan´s capital in 660 BC.

This is one of Japan´s most ancient national holidays. In its original form, the holiday was named Kigensetsu or Empire Day. During Kigensetsu there were held large parades and festivals, since it was considered one of the most important 4 festivities in Japan.

Due to its relationship with the Japanese nobility, Kigensetsu was abolished after the World War II. It was re-established as National Foundation Day in 1966.

Among Kenkoku Kinen no hi´ s celebrations we find a flag raising ceremony and gestures of expressing patriotism and love of the nation.

If you are thinking about your next Asian escape, Southeast Asia in the Mediterranean is your destination. Forget long-haul flights and enjoy unforgettable days at the luxury resort in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa.

Today, February 14, it is a very special day for all those who are in love and for 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 enjoy this day going all over the Asian continent to find out how other countries celebrate this significant date.

In Japan, on February 14 women give chocolate to their partners, friends or co-workers. Men give the present back one month later, on March 14, on White Day. There is another tradition couples do during this day. They visit Mount Fuji to ring the “Love Bell” three times while saying their partner´s name. They believe this practice will bring long-lasting love.

In South Korea, women are also the ones in charged of surprised their men with chocolates. Just as Japan, men will show their gratitude for their gift on March 14 giving them sweets.

In Thailand, many people marry on Valentine´s Day. There is a popular costume based on getting married in a coffin. This ceremony is held by Buddhist monks. Thai people believe this marriage attracts true love, prosperity and the protection of lovers against any damage.

In China, this date is known as “Qixi”. Glow-worms symbolize love for Chinese people, becoming the favourite present between couples. Knitting is one of the most practiced activities between single women. They even participate in sewing competitions. These traditions come from a very famous Chinese legend.

If you are thinking about how to surprise your partner to celebrate your love, the 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa is the answer. Enjoy an Oriental Romance in Southeast Asia in the Mediterranean. Are you going to miss it?

As you already know, at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we are Asian food lovers. And if there is something we can´t resist to those are Asian sweets. That is why today we are travelling to China to discover the main traditional Chinese desserts. Are you coming?

There are many different Chinese sweets. They vary depending on the region; each region has a different method of cooking. Let´s go over some of the most famous Chinese desserts and sweets:

Chinese fried ice cream. This is a colder than usual scoop of ice cream, which is coated in batter and covered with grinded cookies or corn flakes, and then fried. It is usually served with different ingredients: cinnamon, glass sugar, honey, vanilla or syrup.

Dragon´s beard candy. It is a traditional Chinese sweet. It is made of many thin threads that look similar to a dragon´s beard. It can be found stuffed with nuts or as an accompaniment of cakes or other sweets.

Mooncake. This is a Chinese cake traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is stuffed with lotus seed paste, sugar and lard. It sometimes contains yolks from salted duck eggs. It is usually eaten accompanied by Chinese tea.

Nian Gao. Also known as Chinese New Year Cake or sticky rice cake, it is prepared from glutinous rice and eaten, as it name says, during Chinese New Year´s celebrations.

Pineapple buns. This is one of Hong Kong´s most popular desserts. Although it is known as pineapple bun, the traditional recipe contains no pineapple. Its name comes from the shape and colour it gets once it has been baked. It is usually stuffed with butter or custard.

If you are also an Asian food lover, during your visit to the 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa you have a mandatory stop at the hotel´s Asian restaurant par excellence: Koh Samui. Enjoying the blend of the most select Oriental cuisine immersed in the tropical jungle is a luxury you can´t miss. Are you joining us?