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!

One more week, from the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, we are discovering you a new attraction from the Asian continent, in this case two: the Phnom Penh Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda. Who is travelling to Cambodia with us?

In the city of Phnom Penh, in Cambodia, the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda are the most important attractions in the city. Both buildings, which date back to 1860, are a great example of the beautiful Khmer architecture.

The Royal Palace is a mandatory visit for any tourist around Phnom Penh. The whole complex is walled and although it is open to the public, the Royal Family of Cambodia lives in the palace and that´s why, some areas are restricted to the public. This huge complex draws attention mainly due to its gold sharp roofs, which remind us of the Grand Palace in Bangkok.

Located on the banks of Mekong River, this palace complex still keeps the splendour of its period. It is made up of 9 buildings, which cover an area of more than 6 hectares. The most remarkable palaces and buildings are: The Throne Hall, which is currently used for coronations and religious and official ceremonies; the Phochani Pavilion, which is used as a ballroom; the Chanchhaya Pavilion or Moonlight Pavilion, the place chosen by the King of Cambodia to give speeches to the nation; and of course, the Silver Pagoda, which is covered with over 5,000 silver floor tiles.

The Silver Pagoda complex, inside the Royal Palace, is made up of several buildings; statues, the most famous one is the one known as the Emerald Buddha; stupas and beautiful well cared gardens.

Precisely, what gets more people´s attention when visiting the Royal Palace is its spacious gardens, specially the ones surrounding the Silver Pagoda, where we can find a mockup of the Angkor Temples.

If you are planning a luxury and relaxing romantic getaway in February, the luxury resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa is awaiting for you. Discover our Oriental Romance programme and enjoy an exclusive escape to Zen Paradise!

We still have many aromas and essences left to discover in Asia. As good Asian cuisine lovers, today from the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we are travelling to Asia to tell you about ginger and its role in Asian cuisine. Are you coming with us?

Ginger is a root of the Orient, which is mainly grown in China. It is also called kion, and it is very common in traditional Asian cuisine and medicine. It belongs to the Zingiberaceae. Turmeric and cardamom also belong to this species.

This is one of the most popular condiments of Asian cuisine. It is very used all over the Asian continent, specially in countries such as China, India or Japan, due to its medicinal properties.

Ginger adapts to many recipes, as well as sweets and salty. It offers a very special flavour, it is strong, spicy and very aromatic. It is ideal to boost other flavours. Once you start cooking with ginger, its spicy flavour decreases, but its aroma never fades away.

It has different forms of presentation.

Fresh ginger. It is very popular in Indian cuisine, Japanese cuisine and Indonesian cuisine. Its a basic flavouring element of sauces, such as soy or curry; meat, fish, seafood, chicken, rice or soups, but it is also used in jelly, candied fruit and candy.

Dried ginger. It can be kept longer than fresh ginger, although as time goes on, its flavour and scent may fade away. In order to keep its medicinal and organoleptic properties (smell, aroma and flavour), it must be kept in hermetic containers in a fresh and dry place. The most common form of presentation is powdered ginger, which comes from the dried rhizome. It can also be found as crystallized ginger, which is sugar coated dried rhizome pieces.

Preserved ginger. Fresh rhizomes are marinated in syrup and are usually kept at room-temperature in ceramic jars. There are also ginger infusions available.

If you are an Asian food lover, during your visit to the 5 stars resort in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa you have a mandatory stop at its Asian restaurant par excellence: Koh Samui. Enjoy the choicest oriental crossover cuisine, a unique gastronomic experience.

One more week in the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, we keep travelling around the Asian continent to find out all the treasures it hides. Today we are taking you to The Philippines to discover the spectacular Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. Are you coming?

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is one of the New7Wonders of Nature. Located about 50 kilometres away from the city centre of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, is home to one of the longest and most beautiful underground rivers.

It covers an area of 5,753 hectares, where we can find up to eleven different ecosystems, which go from a jungle to reefs.

The park has eight of the thirteen forest types found in tropical Asia: forest over ultramafic soils, forest over limestone soils, montane forest, freshwater swamp forest, lowland evergreen tropical rainforest, riverine forest, beach forest and mangrove forest.

Regarding its fauna, we find different animal species: birds (a total of 165 species of birds were recorded), mammal species (30 species), reptiles (19 species) and amphibians (10 species), among others.

Another wonder we find in Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is the stalactites and stalagmites inside its caverns.

Sea, mountains, jungle and stalagmites make this place unique and astonishing. Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is the ideal place for pure and exotic nature lovers.

If you are planning on visiting the 5 stars resort in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa during winter, their spectacular heated pools are awaiting for you. Who said cold?

We have started the year as we deserve at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa: pampering ourselves at our Temple of Relaxation. Among the treatments our Thai Spa offers we find the body wrap. Do you know what is it? Keep reading!

Body wraps are a very popular aesthetic and medical treatment currently. They help combat skin problems.

The treatment consists of different phases, which seek to stimulate the body for the best reception of the medicinal properties of the products involved in the treatment: mud, clay, seaweeds or chocolate.

The first step is exfoliating the chosen area to get rid of the dead tissue and the toxins, as well as the pores are stimulated to facilitate the absorption of the properties of the treatment.

The second step consists of applying the chosen product and covering that part of the body with linen bandages to stimulate the vasodilation and it takes from 20 minutes to 30 minutes for its effects to kick in.

Finally, the wrap is moved away and the body is cleaned to finish with a full body massage.

According to the ingredients used, different effects may be achieved? The main benefits of the body wrap are: improve blood circulation, relieve muscle pain, improve acne, detoxify the body, reinforce and tone and help get rid of adipose tissue, among others. The most popular body wraps are: chocolatherapy, vinotherapy and seaweed therapy.

During your visit to the luxury resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, you have an appointment at the Thai Spa. Our suggestion: booking our 2-day Jankaseam programme, which includes a body wrap. An essential luxury…

We are welcoming the New Year from the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. We want to open our first post of the blog telling you about a very special date that takes place very year in Japan: hatsumode.

Hatsumode is the first Shinto shrine visit of the Japanese New Year. Its origin dates back to New Year´ Eve traditional Shinto festivities, when ujiko or people from a clan gathered in a shrine to welcome the ujigami or the clan god during New Year´s Eve.

Currently, at midnight on New Year´s Eve, people visit Shinto temples and shrines to listen to the sound of the bells, a tradition known as joya no kane, which gives way to hatsumode.

During the three first days of the year, a large number of visitors come to the local temples and to the famous temples located in Japan´s biggest cities. Among the main temples we find: Meiji Shrine (Tokyo), Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine (Kyoto), Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine (Kanagawa) and Atsuta Shrine (Aichi).

Generally, during hatsumode, wishes for the New Year are made, new omamori (charms or amulets) are bought while the old ones are returned to the shrine so they can be burned. People also enjoy toso, special New Year´s sake, and buy omikuji or a written fortune for the upcoming year.

Besides, it is very popular writing down your wishes for the New Year on Ema boards.

Start 2018 the best possible way in the 5 starts resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. How about welcoming the Three Wise Men at our Asian paradise in the Mediterranean? We are looking forward to seeing you!

One more week, at the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we are travelling around the Asian continent to discover another of its treasures. On this occasion, we are taking you to Japan to tell you about its famous Meiji Shrine.

Meiji Shrine or Meiji Jingu is the most famous Shinto shrine in Tokyo and one of the most popular Japanese ones. It is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his consort, Empress Shoken.

It was built in 1920 and completed in 1921, a couple of years after the passing of the emperor and the passing of the empress, in appreciation for the role the Emperor had during the Meiji Restoration.

The place chosen for its construction was an iris garden the Emperor and the Empress used to frequent. Covering an area of 700,000 square metres, the shrine is surrounded by a forest made from 120,000 trees of different species, adjacent to Yoyogi Park, in the heart of Tokyo.

The entrance to Meiji Shrine is marked by several huge wood and copper torii gate, which include a chrysanthemum flower figure, the flower that appears on the blazon of the Japanese Imperial family. The shrine consists of two different areas: the inner are or naien, where we find the shrine´s buildings and the Homotsuden, the Meiji Jingu Treasure House, which houses many curiosities of the Emperor and the Empress; and the outdoor area or gaien. At south end of the shrine we find the Inner Garden.

The shrine was rebuilt in 1958, right after the Second World War, after being destroyed by the bombs that fell on Tokyo during the war.

Meiji Shrine is a mandatory stop for any tourist visiting Tokyo: Enjoying its architecture, relaxing by walking through the forest paths, walking under a huge wood torii gate, washing hands on a temizuya fountain, throwing coins into the shrine´s offerings box, watching a Shinto wedding or getting a omikuji to know your luck.

The shrine regularly welcomes over three million visitors during hatsumode or the first Shinto shrine visit of the Japanese New Year.

During your visit to the luxury resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa you should enjoy a walk through the hotel´s lush tropical gardens blooming with flowers. Give a grand finale to an incredible experience in Southeast Asia in the Mediterranean.