Once the royal capital of Laos, Luang Prabang was lost to the world until its recent reopening. A city of temples and cultural treasures, hidden among high hills on the banks of the Mekong River, it is listed as a World Heritage Site. Despite a growth in the number of visitors, Luang Prabang retains much of its tranquil and ancient character. To visit is truly an "other-worldly" experience - one of the last true paradises left in a fast-developing modern Asia.