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.

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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.

At the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we never get tired of discovering what Asian cuisine can offer us. That is why we keep travelling around the Asian continent, this time to Singapore to try its most famous dishes. Are you coming?

Many people consider Singapore Southeast Asia´s gastronomic capital. The country includes the best of high Oriental cuisine and other Asian cooking traditions. Its gastronomy is a magnificent example of the cultural diversity within the country, especially China.

Which are Singapore´s must-eat dishes?

Crab. This is Singapore´s star dish. It is one of the most famous things to eat in any of its varieties. The most popular one, due to its taste and symbolism, is chilli crab, which is cooked with a spicy sweet and sour sauce.

Chicken rice. It is considered one of the national dishes of Singapore. It is prepared with chicken strips served with rice cooked in chicken stock and spices. The recipe includes chilli sauce, which is always a homemade one.

Char kway teow. This recipe is cooked with flat wide rice noodles, stir fried with eggs, dark soy sauce, shrimp and pork. The mix of all these ingredients make this dish the perfect fusion of sweet and salty taste.

Satay. This recipe comes from Malay cuisine. It is one of international tourists´ favourite dishes. Skewered grilled meat served with spicy peanut sauce and cucumber and onions.

Laksa. Rice noodles in spicy coconut curry soup. The recipe usually includes egg, chicken meat and shrimp. There are many different types of laksa, but the one in Singapore is katong laksa.

If you visit our Asian paradise in the Mediterranean Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, you have a mandatory stop at Koh Samui. Our Asian restaurant par excellence offers the choicest Oriental crossover cuisine. Are you up for it?

Today from the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we are taking you to Indonesia, specifically to Bali, to visit the famous Tanah Lot Temple.

Tanah Lot Temple is one of the most beautiful examples of Bali´s Hindu religious architecture. It is famed due to its spectacular location; it is situated on a large offshore rock.

It was built in the 16^th century by a priest in honour of Varuna, the Hindu god of water. There are many legends about the temple; according to the popular belief thousands of sea snakes guard the temple from evil spirits.

Tourists can’t access to the inside of the temple, but during the evening it is possible to visit the shrine to receive a blessing from the priests.

Precisely the best time of the day to visit Tanah Lot Temple is when it gets dark. The sunset makes the temple become a unique spot.

If you are planning an autumn getaway, we can´t imagine a better destination than the luxury resort in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. Mild temperatures and 4 swimming pools heated to 30 degrees all year round. Are you coming?

At the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, as good nature lovers we love visiting the most beautiful Asian parks. Today we are travelling to Tokyo to discover Ueno Park. Are you coming with us?

Ueno Park is a large public park located in Ueno, district of Taitō in Tokyo. It is situated over the land once belonging to Kan’eiji Temple. It is one of the main tourist attractions in the area.

It is Tokyo´s oldest park; it opened to the public in 1873. Its official name is Ueno Onshi Kōen, which can be translated as “Ueno Imperial Gift Park”.

The park offers those who visit it a wide variety of attractions, among them we can emphasize its many museums such as the Tokyo National Museum, the National Science Museum or the National Museum for Western Art. It is also home to Toshogu Shrine, which is one of the main buildings remaining from the Edo Period.

It is surrounded by important Japanese figures, such as the statue of Saigo Takamori, an important personality of the Meiji Period, and located at the south entrance of the park.

But if there is something remarkable about Ueno Park, that is its more than 1000 cherry trees, which make the park one of the most popular Tokyo´s cherry blossom spots during Spring.

If you are also a nature lover, you can´t miss our Botanical Route when you visit our luxury resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. Enjoy the luxury of losing yourself in tropical gardens blooming with flowers.

At the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we still have many Asian traditions left to discover. That´s why today we are travelling to Indonesia, specifically to Java, to find out all the details about Javanese dance.

Indonesian people believe dancing is the best way of entertainment. In the past, Indonesian dances were very linked to religious ceremonies, but currently, their main purpose is entertaining.

Javanese dance is one of the most popular Indonesian dances. It is the dance native to Java. It is appreciated for its beautiful movements. According to Javanese tradition, this is the art of preserving dancers´ physical beauty, by healing body, soul and mind.

It dates back to the 7th century and the influence of Indian culture on the island. It is based on the poetic epics “Mahabharata” and “Ramayana“. Most classical Javanese dances are and are considered sacred by locals. The two most famous ones are Bedaya and Serimpi, which are performed in Central Java.

There are four characteristic dance styles in Javanese dance: Alus brahmana, the refined priest; Branyak satriya, the dashing prince; Bergas wissa, the spirited merchant; and Sereng-regu sudra, the severe servant. Most dances are named after their leading characters.

Additionally, most dances can be classified into three different groups of Javanese dance: Beksan putri, putri means women in Javanese, these are courtly dances designed for royal events. Beksan putra, this is the Javanese dance for men, which lets them show off their martial arts skills. Beksan wayang, this category includes the dances based on the epic poems.

There are many reasons to come to the 5 stars hotel Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa and many options for enjoying your stay. If you visit us, you won´t have time to get bored with our program of activities designed to enjoy a full Asian experience.

At the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we love trying new flavours. That´s why today we are going all over Asia to discover the most used Asian spices. Are you coming with us?

Spices play an essential role in seasoning when it comes to Asian food, mainly on Chinese and Indian cuisine where spices give a unique taste to their dishes. Let´s go over some of the most popular Asian spices:

Ginger. This is one of the most famous Asian condiments. It is very used all over the continent, especially in China. It is used in various forms: whole fresh roots, powdered ginger and pickled ginger, to season both sweet and salty dishes.

Turmeric. It is native to Asia. Not very spicy, it is one of the main ingredients used to make curry. It is used powdered as a spice and as a colorant of many dishes. It is commonly used as an alternative of saffron.

Curry. It is one of the most famous Asian spices, mainly in India and Southeast Asia. It is a mix of about 20 spices such as turmeric, cinnamon, clove or ginger. It is usually used to spice rice or legumes dishes.

Five-spice powder. This is the blend of 5 spices, used primarily in Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine. It incorporates the five base flavours of Chinese cooking: sweet, bitter, salty, sour and salty. It is perfect for meat and fish dishes.

Cinnamon. It comes from India and China. It is available in two forms: cinnamon sticks and powdered cinnamon. This spice is most often used in desserts, although it is also used to enhance the flavour of fish and meat dishes such as chicken recipes.

Have you already visit the 9 restaurants and bars at the 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa? If you are a food lover, visit our Asian spot in the Mediterranean where you will be able to enjoy the best of flavours of Asia.