In 1990, Laos attracted 80,000 visitors seeking spirituality, culture, and awe inspiring river and mountainscapes. Within a short decade, that number has increased more than 23-fold, proof that the Southeast Asian nation has made its mark firmly on the world's wanderlust destinations. Laos, flying under the 'Simply Beautiful' tourism slogan banner, has plenty of attractions to entice travelers, from a UNESCO world heritage city, temples dating to pre-Angkor times, river dolphin sightings, hill tribes, and natural splendors of mountains, rivers, waterfalls, and caves. With the increasing amount of tourists, more cities are being marketed as more attractions are discovered. As of now, travelers tend to end up in one of the three most popular (and consequently developed) towns in the kingdom - the northern destinations of Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng, and capital Vientiane - with southern regions such as Pakse slowly gaining recognition.

Vientiane, also known as Vieng Chan, is the largest and the most populated city in Laos. With less than 800,000 inhabitants, the size of the city is relatively modest when compared with neighboring capitals such as Bangkok with approximately ten million. Though boasting some attractions in its own right - Wat Si Saket temple buit in the early 1800s, touring the factory of the national beer Beer Laos, and museums - it is more suitable for visitors who are in town for business agendas, or as a stopover en-route to other areas. The standard of the accommodation here is perhaps the highest in the country, with high end hotels and sophisticated eateries catering to a variety of culinary palettes.

At the other end of the spectrum is the adventure zone of Vang Vieng, made famous by party revelers over ten years ago. One of the favorite pastimes here is tubing - floating downstream on inflatable rings alongside towering limestone cliffs and hills. Pit stops along the way serve beer and snacks alongside activities such as swinging above and sliding down to the river, to the soundtrack of music thumping out from large speakers. Though Vang Vieng is arguably the closest to nature a city gets, with its numerous caves and rocks perfect for climbing, it still serves mainly the backpacker crowd, with basic bungalows and guesthouses for that rustic back to nature experience. Efforts have been made in recent years to upgrade accommodation with added facilities such as internet, but on the whole Vang Vieng is still a rowdy (especially in the afternoons) and youthful town.

Combining the best of both worlds is Luang Prabang. UNESCO-accredited as a world heritage site, the town center exudes the old world charm of sepia photos with low rise wooden shophouses selling souvenirs and memorabilia from yesteryear. Cafes and bakeries draw obvious French influences in their food, lingering traces of the city's colonial past. Lower end guesthouses are also available in Luang Prabang, many of which accept only walk-in guests, but the clientele attracted on a whole is more sophisticated than other areas. Towards the upscale end of accommodation, many five star hotels and boutique retreats offer full facilities, modern amenities, and stunning surrounding scenery to boot. Manors and public buildings of centuries past are converted to house regal luxury accommodation. While the outside facades are maintained to blend in with the quaint townscape, they're fitted out with extravagances fit for modern royalty. The town itself is of a quaint size - small enough to discover by bicycle or on foot - and so are the luxury hotels.

Four poster beds are draped with high thread count linen and white summery canopies, rain showers, and furniture accents made from local materials are common features in Luang Prabang's luxe hotels. Other than the practically mandatory internet access, high end resorts also boast spa and massage treatment facilities, swimming pools, and of course fine dining accompanied by vintage wines. Some hotels also offer cooking classes, so guests can take a piece of Luang Prabang back with them when they return to their country. For visitors traveling with children, baby-sitting services can be arranged so the adults don't miss out on anything. Clued-in concierge services are more than happy to suggest itineraries and give directions (with sincere hospitality and warmth that this town is known for). Car hires with private guides are also available for guests craving a deeper understanding and knowledge of the town and its culture and history.

Accommodation choices in Laos run the gamut between basic hostels to classy hotels and designer boutique hotels. For guests looking for the best that Laos has to offer - namely its cultural, historical, gastronomical, and natural offerings - Luang Prabang is a destination that you won't regret visiting. The former capital of Laos is already attracting high profile guests such as the Christian Dior's head in Japan reputed to have stayed at the Luang Say Residence recently. With sights and attractions all within easy reach, a luxury holiday in Luang Prabang will be one that is etched in visitors' memories with fondness for decades to come.

Please click here to visit The Luang Say Residence http://www.luangsayresidence.com