After several days of exploring the UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang Prabang, the lure of the great outdoors took me thirty kilometers south to the village of Long Lao—the home of the Hmong indigenous people of Indochina. Accompanied by three other staff members from Tiger Trail Adventure, our truck set off under the misty fog of the early morning. After an hour of driving through small settlements and along a long stretch of rough road, we reached the trekking jump-off point for Kuang Si Falls under a still gloomy sky.

At the foot of Mount Pha Daeng, a sign that read “Unexploded Bombs, Still in this Area. Dangerous!” remained a chilling reminder of the horrors of the Vietnam War. Collectively unmindful of the warning, we reckoned every bomb ordnance buried along the trail stretching to a radius of a few kilometers had all been swept clean already. Laos—by the way—was a vastly different nation then compared to what I had first read in history books.

The narrow entrance of Satri House betrays the gem of a place hidden inside: A stunning collection of charming colonial buildings inspired by Lao architecture and culture. Adding a layer of lure are the quaint corners and the lush gardens surrounded by towering trees. As the female staff briefed me about the property, my eyes wandered everywhere.

"Satri House was first built in 1904 as a royal house by the parents of Prince Souphanouvong, the first President of Lao People's Democratic Republic. This property was refurbished in 2002 by Mrs. Lamphoune Voravongsa—now the current owner," she told me.

It was starting to darken when I arrived in Luang Prabang, causing me to hurry my pace in locating my hotel. Guided by my Google Maps, I walked past the main street of the city's historic district. It was a lovely surprise finding out a few days before that Lotus Villa Boutique Hotel is situated right smack in the UNESCO Heritage area of the city. Established in 2008, this small property houses fifteen soothing rooms and two suites—all designed within the fervor of the architectural style of Laos’ colonial past.

Sandwiching our almost week-long Luang Prabang blogger’s trip sponsored by Destination Mekong was a two-day jaunt to a rustic village three hours away. The town of Nong Khiaw is situated in a picturesque countryside on the banks of the Ou River, squeezed by saw-toothed limestone peaks. So where did our host billet us? Of course, in a water's edge property called Nong Kiau Riverside.

I remembered sitting inside a cramped van negotiating the snaking countryside road of Laos, feeling very excited as I reached my next destination. My high anticipation stemmed from the desire to unlock the truth behind the prevailing word-of-mouth on Luang Prabang. “The place is so laid-back,” fellow travelers would often rave. As simple as it might be, that description was music to my ears. Throw in the heritage structures and rich culture of the city, my giddiness got the best of me for the rest of my ride.