How do you describe what many people claim is the most charming city in Southeast Asia without getting kicked by the cliche horse?

Luang Prabang, once the capital until the communist takeover in 1975, sits quietly along the Mekong River in Northern Laos. Colonial mansions have been converted into family-run guesthouses, brightly robed monks from the many temples mix with tourists, and Laos' jagged mountains loom in the distance.

Luang Prabang has won over more than a few hearts and has gently crushed many a travel plan.

I fell victim to Luang Prabang's charms in 2006. A classic, itinerary-busting case of planning a few days in a place that inexplicably stretches into weeks. Perhaps it was the lure of vices so difficult to come by in much of Southeast Asia: real bread, real cheese, or the French coffee? Je ne sais quoi.

Once mainly the domain of backpackers who arrive from Thailand via the two-day "slowboat" on languid, Beerlao-drenched river cruises, Luang Prabang has grown up a little. Now you'll find just as many four-star hotels as creaky, riverside guesthouses.

While there has been a visible shift to accommodate travelers who have more cash than time in Luang Prabang, you'll still find plenty of sun-weathered backpackers who were drawn to the town. Luang Prabang is often the great escape for travelers who have had their fill of partying and tubing in Vang Vieng, a small village just six hours south along the hellish, appropriately named route 13 cut directly through the mountains.

Actually, nighttime socializing in Luang Prabang is an interesting endeavor. The communist curfew mandates that all businesses -- including bars -- be closed by 11:30 p.m. While I did see a few enterprising business owners pull the shades and lock the door in classic speakeasy style, their nervous mannerisms betrayed the fact that the curfew is harshly enforced.

Assuming you can't locate an impromptu social gathering, the bowling alley on the edge of town inexplicably turns into an after hours nightclub where the curfew is ignored. Just don't forget to tell your hotel staff that you intend to be nocturnal. I found out the hard way that guesthouse perimeter gates lock on time, and scaling stone walls in total darkness to get back inside is less fun than it sounds.

Perhaps the charm of Luang Prabang lies in the fact that it's a little challenging to reach. Strategically centered between two rivers and surrounded by mountains, getting into town takes some effort. Your choices are either to arrive via a stomach-churning, six-hour bus ride from the south -- which includes free vertebrae adjustments; the two-day slowboat from Thailand -- where rats may outnumber passengers on any given cruise; the deafening, heart-stopping speedboat from Thailand which makes the two-day journey up the Mekong in only six hours -- enough said; or by a relatively expensive flight.

Don't think you can cheat by gently gliding into Luang Prabang around the geological obstacles. Even flying into Luang Prabang was considered dangerous until just recently because pilots had to to approach perfectly in order to land in the mountainous terrain. Upgrades to the airport in 2011 supposedly increase your chances of surviving a landing approach.

Regardless of how you get there, Luang Prabang is well worth the effort.

• Read this Luang Prabang, Laos, travel guide.
• See some things to do in Luang Prabang.
• Luang Prabang hotels for under US $40 per night.

Many of you may have already heard: An 8.6-magnitude earthquake rocked the coast of North Sumatra on Wednesday, triggering Indian Ocean tsunami alarms for every country in the region.

The Sumatra earthquake was felt all the way to downtown Bangkok.

The earthquake, which was 268 miles away from Banda Aceh on the northern tip of Sumatra, was followed up by another 8.2-magnitude undersea quake. Banda Aceh was also near the epicenter of the earthquake that triggered the devastating tsunami in 2004, claiming an estimated 220,000 lives.

Although this earthquake was strong enough and located roughly in the same place as the 2004 one, this quake fortunately failed to produce any waves higher than 31 inches. With the horrors of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami still being fresh in many people's minds, panicked evacuations occurred from Penang, Malaysia, to Thailand. Tsunami alerts were later lifted by each country, however, residents remained on edge.

Fortunately, Wednesday proved to be a real-life test of the new tsunami alert system, which provided advanced warning and performed as expected.

On a side note, KFC has offered a formal apology for their distasteful post on their Thailand Facebook page of urging people to hurry home and order some fried chicken before the tsunami. The post was considered inappropriate and angered Thais who suffered through the 2004 tsunami.

With Indonesia's army of active volcanoes and an abundance of geological activity in the region, these things do happen. Read about how to stay safe while traveling and always get budget travel insurance before you go.

Brunei is one of those tiny countries that people at least know of, and the name rings some exotic bells, but really know very little about the place.

So where is Brunei, anyway?

Sandwiched between the Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah, Brunei is quietly perched on the coast of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Brunei barely receives a trickle of tourists each year, despite having an excellent infrastructure, low crime rate, beautiful scenery, and widespread English. Most visitors are either passing between Sarawak and Sabah, or are backpackers looking for an interesting, alternative entry in their passports.

Perhaps it's because Brunei hardly misses the tourism. Although the friendly Muslim people there would certainly welcome visitors, they actually don't need the tourism revenue as much as places like Malaysia and Thailand do. Brunei is situated on top of one of the richest oil reserves in the world, making the nation and their much-loved Sultan both exceeding rich.

In fact, with a population of just over 400,000, the per-capita GDP in Brunei ranks 9th in the world. The US only ranks 12th in the world.

Perhaps the reason so many people have heard of Brunei is because of the Sultan of Brunei. His family has ruled Brunei for six centuries, and the sultan was considered the wealthiest man in the world for quite some time. He made gossip headlines in 1980 when he unexpectedly married a  flight attendant from one of his flights.

The fairy-tale marriage lasted 21 years, but the two eventually divorced in 2003. The flight attendant was his second wife -- allowed under Bruneian law. He was already married to his cousin.

Learn more interesting Brunei facts.

How many opportunities do you get to be thanked for pouring a bucket of ice water over someone's head?

Songkran, or the Thailand water festival, is about to start up on April 13th in Thailand. Easily the world's largest water fight, the water-soaked mayhem of Songkran is a spectacle to see. Tens of thousands of people will converge on Chiang Mai to celebrate with dancing in the street and good-natured water throwing.

While being wet for a week straight doesn't ordinarily sound like such a fun prospect, you probably won't mind an excuse to escape the scorching temperatures of Thailand in April.

The mood at Songkran is something special. Unlike the Full Moon Parties which are tourist oriented, the Thailand water festival is enjoyed by locals just as much as farang. While some locals stick to the traditional means of sprinkling water on your head with a blessing, other Thais form teams with Halloween masks and cruise around in trucks with high-powered water cannons.

The Thailand water festival is the biggest event in the country, and business shuts down for a few days of fun and revelry. You'll find Songkran celebrations from Bangkok to Luang Prabang, Laos, but the place to be is most certainly Chiang Mai. Get there early, and book an immediate return ticket as transportation will be nonexistent for days after.

In 2006, I saw revelers have the audacity to board charter tourist buses to spray completely dry and unsuspecting passengers. Anyone and anything is fair game for a drenching -- cameras and luggage included!

The rules are simple: if you don't want to get wet, don't go! Whatever you do, don't make international news like this Finnish diplomat's wife did for slapping a Thai boy who doused her with water. Losing your cool in public over something small is a major violation of the principles of saving face!

• Read more about how to survive the Thailand water festival!