At the 5 stars hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we keep travelling through the Asian continent to discover you Asia´s wonders. Today we are taking you to India to talk to about its traditional jewellery.

The love Indian women feel about jewellery has been a long-standing one. It has been an important part of Indian culture for centuries. Indian jewellery has been used through the history of the country. Indian jewellers were inspired by their ancestors to design presents with gold and silver, which were also inspired by flowers.

Traditional Indian jewellery is as varied as the country. There are designs for almost every part of the body. There are different types based on the region. Every state has its own style.

The different types of Indian jewellery include works in stone and pearl. Gold jewels are the most popular between Indian women; but emerald, rubies, gems and sapphires are very common too.

Traditional Indian jewellery can be divided into facial jewellery and body ornaments. Among the facial jewellery we can find the earrings or Jhumka. According to history, they were one of the most common accessories between men and women; but nowadays they are more popular between women, and in particular nose earrings, which are known as Nath.

Regarding body ornaments, known as Payal or Pajeb, traditionally the most popular ones were ankle braces or Bajuband, which were used by women of all ages. Currently, bracelets are the most famous ornaments.

But if there is a popular jewel between Indian women, that is the Mangalsutra. Mangalsutra symbolizes married women. It is a sacred necklace that is given as a wedding present and the Hindu groom must tie around his bride’s neck. It is a traditional ritual for Indian weddings.

At the luxury hotel Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we are Asian culture lovers, and especially Indian culture. If you visit our Asian spot in the Mediterranean, don´t miss the chance to take part in our Bollywood Show. We are looking forward to see you!

In the middle of summer, who doesn´t want to travel and relax? Today, from the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we are taking you to an idyllic place in Indonesia, the spectacular Raja Ampat archipelago.

Raja Ampat islands, also known as Four Kings, are located off the northwest tip of Bird´s Head Peninsula, on the island of New Guinea.

This splendid archipelago comprises over 1,500 small islands, cays and shoals surrounding the four main islands of Batanta, Misool, Salawati and Waigeo, and the smaller island of Kofiau.

The islands, which encompass more than 40,000 square kilometres of land and sea, contain the famous place known as Cenderawasih Bay, the largest marine national park in Indosesia.

In the 18th century, Raja Ampat was one of the main spots for the spice trade. In the mid-nineteenth century, Alfred Russel Wallace, identified and classified hundreds of animals and plants species during his seventy expeditions. In 1860, Wallace decided to live alone for three months in Waigeo jungle on a voluntary retirement to observe the birds of paradise, species that can only be found in this archipelago.

Raja Ampat is a great destination to contemplate its lush and tropical nature, and one of the best places in the world for diving. It has 75% of all the coral species in the world and a large diversity of marine life.

Diving through Raja Ampat´s underwater world, we can find over 40 unique species of reef fish, more than 600 species of hard coral and five different species of endangered sea turtles.

Bedises, more than 10 native tribes live in Raja Ampat, letting tourists enjoy their culture through their exotic arts and dances.

If you want to stretch your summer, the 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa is the perfect choice. Plan a getaway to our Asian paradise and enjoy a few unforgettable days by the Mediterranean.

Many celebrations take place in the month of August. And at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we always have things to celebrate. Today we are taking you to Sri Lanka to experience the Esala Perahera festival.

The Kandy Esala Perahera is one of Sri Lanka´s most famous religious festival, and one of the most important Buddhist celebrations in Asia. It takes place every year in the hill-capital Kandy, in the full-moon month of August and lasts 10 days.

It is held to pay homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Lord Buddha, which is housed at the Sri Dalada Maligawa temple, which is known as the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. The Kandy Esala Perahera also pays homage to its four deities: Kataragama, Natha, Pattin and Vishnu.

According to the legend, Buddha´s tooth was brought to Sri Lanka during the 3^rd century BC, hidden inside a princess´ hair. From then on, every year after twilight for ten days the Sacred Tooth Relics of the Lord Buddha are carried through the streets of Kandy. A huge elephant is in charge of carrying the chest where the famous tooth is kept.

The main deities of the city walk from four different sanctuaries, accompanied by over one hundred elephants adorned with beautiful lights and colours, while dancers, musicians and acrobats adorned with silver ornaments and jewellery move to the rhythm of the music performing perfectly synchronise movements.

Over these ten days, Kandy´s streets are crowded with pilgrims from all over the country and tourists who doesn´t want to miss the Kandy Esala Perahera.

If you also love festivals and celebrations, Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa is your place. A luxury resort where you will be able to feel the Asian tradition from the very first moment.

At the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we keep enjoying summer travelling around the Asian continent. Today we are taking you to Vietnam to swim in the beautiful Halong Bay.

Halong Bay is considered one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. It is located in Vietnam in Quang Ninh Province, 200 kilometres away from Hanoi. It features thousands of islands and limestone karsts in different sizes and shapes. It is one the main tourist attractions in the country.

Halong Bay hides a famous legend behind its name. According to this legend, when Vietnamese had to fight against Chinese invaders coming from the sea, the Jade Emperor sent the Mother Dragon and her children to help them. These dragons incinerated the enemies with giant pearls and emeralds and these emeralds from the dragon’s mouth formed an invincible defensive wall against the enemies. After thousands of years, the wall of emerald turned into island and islets of different sizes and shapes. This is why to remember the help of Mother Dragon and her children the people who lived there named the bay where the Mother Dragon descended “Ha Long or Halong”.

There are other stories behind the origin of the name of the bay. According to them, Halong Bay emerged after a dragon fell over the sea hittig it with its tale.

Over 2,000 islands make up Halong Bay. Although most of them are uninhabited, they do have pagodas. And in every single island, we can find different types of animals and vegetation.

The bay´s seabed is a must see for scuba diving lovers. Other activities tourists can do during their visits are climbing or taking a boat ride on a traditional Vietnamese wood boat. Doubtless, sailing around these ancient islands is an unforgettable and unique experience.

If you visit our 5 stars resort in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa this summer, you will also love our Asian-style design pools. The beautiful Balinese style pool Faces of Angkor is perfect for those who are looking for a relaxed moment.

Every trip has an obligatory stop everybody suggests you. If you visit the Mediterranean, that sop will doubtless be Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. But if we go further, in particular to Myanmar, the obligatory stop will be U Bein Bridge.

U Bein Bridge crosses the Taungthaman Lake, near Amarapura, the ancient capital of Myanmar. It is the most ancient and longest teak bridge in the world. And it is also one of the most important tourist attractions in the country.

It features 1,086 teak pillars and it is 1,200 kilometres long. It was built in 1850 at the request of U Bein´s mayor. He decided to use the teak pillars of the abandoned royal palace of Inwa for its construction. Myanmar construction engineers used traditional methods of scaling and measuring to build U Bein Bridge. According to historic books about the bridge, Myanmar engineers made scale by counting the footsteps.

U Bein Bridge raises four metres over the lake. Through the years, some pillars have been replaced by cement piling to strengthen its structure. It is one of the main paths for local population.

The curve shape of the bridge allows it to resist the wind and gives it that twisting shape that characterizes it. U Bein is more than a wood bridge. Many people visit it to go for a walk, rest or enjoy the views. Monks usually go there to sit and rest in one of its rest areas and fishermen also go after the coveted tilapia fish, a very famous fish of the lake.

The best time to visit U Bein Bridge is either during sunrise or during twilight. The temperature is nicer and the light of the sky is perfect to appreciate the beauty of its bucolic landscape.

At the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we also have our particular wood amulet. Have you ever seen our wood canoe? Visit us this summer and discover how much our Asian paradise in the Mediterranean can offer.

Who doesn´t want to travel and relax during summer? At the luxury hotel Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we are experts in both. That is why we are taking you to Japan today to cool ourselves  in the wonderful lake Masyuko.

Masyuko Lake is a crater lake formed in the caldera of a potentially active volcano. It is located in Akan National Park, on the island of Hokkaido. It is one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.

The volcano was formed less than 32,000 years ago and the crater around 7,000 years ago. Masyuko Lake is surrounded by steep crater walls 200 metres high. It is one of the deepest lakes in Japan. And it is also one of the clearest lakes in the world. Although its transparency has changed through the years, many experts affirm it is the clearest lake in the world, even more than the incredible Lake Baikal in Siberia.

Despite its clearness, this lake is sometimes surrounded by mystery. In summer, the surface of Masyuko Lake is often obscured by fog. This has given the lake a reputation for mysteriousness. According to the local legend, if you visit the lake on a cloudy day, you will have bad luck for the rest of your life.

Doubtless it is worthy visiting this wonder of nature. The green and dense forest surrounding Masyuko Lake makes it even more beautiful.

Masyuko Lake´s water invite to relax, but if you are really looking for relaxing yourself, you must visit our Temple of Relax in Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. Don´t miss the chance to sign up for our Wellness Rebirth Program. You will learn the specific Oriental techniques aimed at improving the wellbeing of the body, mind and soul.

Today at Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we are dolling ourselves up to talk about Japanese makeup and the beauty ritual Japanese women follow to get such a perfect skin. What is their secret? This is the skin care ritual Saho.

The beauty ritual Saho is very common between Japanese women. It is inspired on the Japanese tea ceremony and it is based on the hypothesis of twice sanitisation, twice moisturising and twice application.

The first step is twice cleansing. In order to completely purify the skin of all makeup and impurities, the skin is cleaned twice. First we would use a product to clean off oily impurities, followed by using a soap to remove dead skin cells and dirt. This process acts like an exfoliation.

After purifying the skin, we continue with the twice moisturising. First we would use a moisturising lotion. This lotion hydrates the skin and gets it ready for the treatment. The next step is moisturising again the skin with an emulsion or a cream. This ritual holds these creams nourish and revitalise the skin.

The last step is twice application. This is the way we apply the products on the skin. The first application would be massaging in circular action to facilitate dispersion, in favor of enhancing the effect of lotion and emulsion. Twice application would be pressing to ensure complete absorption of the product.

Besides following this beauty ritual, Japanese women also maintain a healthy balanced diet, don´t expose themselves to the sun and practice moderate exercise.

At our luxury hotel Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa you will be able to enjoy all the Asian treatments we bring from Asia to take care of yourself on the inside and on the outside. We are looking forward to see you!

As every week, at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we keep travelling around the Asian continent to discover Asia´s hidden details. Today we are taking you to Hong Kong to find out about the majestic Tian Tian Buddha.

Tian Tian Buddha, also known as the Hong Kong Big Buddha, is a large bronze statue located at Ngong Ping, Lantau Island, in Hong Kong. It is one of the five large Buddha statues in China.

It is the major centre of Buddhism in Hong Kong and it is also one of the most famous Chinese tourist attractions. It is located next to the Po Lin Monastery and it symbolizes the harmonious relationship between men and nature and people and faith.

Tian Tian Buddha is enthroned on a lotus flower on top of a three-platform altar. Surrounding it there are six smaller bronze statues, which are known as “The Offering of the Six Devas”. They offer flowers, fruit, incense, lamps, ointment and music to the Big Buddha. And each of them symbolizes the Six Perfections of generosity, meditation, morality, patience, zeal and wisdom; everything you need for enlightenment.

The right hand of the Buddha is in “the mudra of imparting fearlessness”, indicating the compassion of the Buddha to save all sentient beings from their sufferings. While the left hand rests on the lap, with the palm turning up and fingers pointing slightly downward. This is called the mudra of “fulfilling wishes”, implying the vow to grant blessing and happiness to all. On each of the palms is a Dharmacakra (wheel of the law) signifying that the Buddha truth is eternal and will spread to the ten directions of the universe.

Tian Tian Buddha was built in 1990 and was finished on 29 December 1993, on the birthday of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. The statue was built with 202 bronze pieces. Its design was based on the 32 lakshanas, these are the “physical marks” of the Buddha as described in the sutras.

The statue is 34 metres tall and weighs over 250. It was the highest bronze monument in the world until 2007, when the Great Buddha of Thailand was built in 2008.

If you are an Asian design lover, the luxury resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa is your place. This summer let you captivate by our paradise in Southeast Asia in the Mediterranean.

If there is something we like at Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa that is Asian traditions. Today we go from our luxury hotel in Alicante to the world of the Royal Ballet of Cambodia.

The Royal Ballet of Cambodia, also known as Khmer Classical Dance, is a form of performing arts established in Angkor´s ancient royal courts. It is the dominant genre of dance theatre in Cambodia that features the classical dance style and Thai dance theatre.

It was exclusively developed at the royal courts for the purpose of entertainment for centuries. During French Colonial Era, royal wives, concubines, family and royal guests performed it.

Currently, it is performed during public ceremonies in Cambodia and also around the world to show people the history of Cambodia. Its repertoire includes good, evil and love performances, and traditional Cambodian stories and epic poems.

Every performance stands out for the style and delicateness of the dancers. Hand gestures are very important in Khmer Classical Dance. They are called kbach and evoke the gamut of different human emotions, from fear and rage to joy and love. They are used in numerous combinations, accompanied by legs and feet moving to transmit different ideas and concepts.

At the Royal Ballet of Cambodia, female dancers perform most roles, but other roles such as hermits and animals such as horses and mythical lions are played by men.

A pinpeat orchestra and a female chorus accompany the dance. This orchestra includes instruments such as xylophones, drums, gongs and different woodwind instruments.

If you like Asian celebrations, Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa is your place. A luxury resort in the Mediterranean where you will be able to feel Asian tradition from the very first day.

At Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we love those places, which bring back emotions. That is why today we are travelling to a magic place in China: Huanglong Valley.

Huanglong Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area or Huanglong Valley is located in the Minshan mountain range in Songpan County, in northern Sichuan Province. Huanglong means “Yellow Dragon”, got its name for its special geographical features. It is famous all over the world for its extraordinary landscape.

According to the legend, about 4,000 years ago, during Xia dynasty, a yellow dragon helped the king Xiayu channel the floodwater in to the sea, making the Minjiang River. Due to the calcium carbonate mineral deposit patterns and the gold colour of the water, the river looks like the tail of a Yellow Dragon. In later years the valley was given its name and a temple was built in honour of this yellow dragon.

For Chinese culture, Chinese dragons are classified depending on their colours; every colour has a symbolic meaning. The yellow dragon, which is known as the “most worshipped dragon”, symbolizes the emperor and his family. Yellow symbolizes wealth and prosperity.

The main scenery covers an area of 700 square metres and it is famous for its “four wonders”: colour lakes, beautiful valleys, snowy mountains and green forests. Huanglong is made up of over 3,000 multicoloured ponds. The valley also has five waterfalls, four stalactite caves and three ancient temples.

Huanglong Valley also has a population of endangered animals, such as the giant panda and the Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey.

If you also like discovering spots with oriental mysticism, we suggest you to visit Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, where you will be able to live a 100% Asian unique experience.