By LEAH KOHLENBERG

or many tourists, the best destinations are those that don't welcome tourists. And for many years, Laos fit the bill nicely. Its borders were notoriously difficult to cross, though visitors who succeeded were rarely disappointed by the country's unspoiled attractions: spectacular waterfalls, Buddhist temples with orange-clad monks and ancient sites--like Vientiane's That Luang, a dramatic, gold-colored 16th century stupa said to contain a relic of the original Buddha--with no barriers around them.

Now the very charms that lure tourists to Laos may soon fall victim to a major campaign to boost tourism. Its slogan: "Visit Laos Year 1999." A rush is on to "beautify" Vientiane, for example, and a road-building program has turned the once quaint capital into a giant, ugly construction site. With every large artery under repair, getting around involves navigating a maze of orange dust, giant dirt mountains and ditches that seem to appear overnight. And since Laos made it easier to obtain visas last summer--visitors can buy them for $50 upon arrival at major border crossings--travelers are everywhere. "I saw more tourists when I visited Luang Prabang than I saw monks," moaned one traveler after a trip to the country's picturesque former capital, which was recently named a World Heritage site by the United Nations for its thriving temple life and striking architecture. Others worry the influx will adversely affect the genuine grins that Laotians are known to flash at foreign visitors. "There's an expiration date on that smile," says John Cuthbert, a guide with Intrepid Travel, a Thai tourism company.

It's not hard to understand why Laos' communist leaders want to attract a million tourists next year, more than double the total for 1996. After closing Laos off from the world for nearly two decades, the government has acknowledged the benefit of travel--namely, foreign cash. From 1991 to 1996, the number of visitors to Laos jumped tenfold, making tourism the fastest-growing foreign exchange earner. That's hard to resist for a country that ranks among the region's poorest and the world's least developed.

But putting out the welcome mat is a mixed blessing. No developing country has yet figured out how to reap the benefits of tourism--more money, more global attention--without suffering such negative side effects as the loss of cultural cohesion, a rise in crime and a proliferation of the drug and sex trades. Laos is plunging ahead despite those dangers, but it faces tough competition for tourist dollars. Battered by the financial crisis, neighboring countries with more sophisticated tourism industries are waging their own promotional campaigns. Among them: "Amazing Thailand," "Cambodia--Back in Business and Seeing is Believing" and "Visit Myanmar Year 1996" (which is being extended; it didn't start until November 1996).

With its lush landscapes and ancient culture, Laos still has the allure to compete with other destinations. The Laos kip is tied closely to the weakened Thai baht, which means that foreign currency goes further here now. But those who want to see the real Laos are advised to get there before 1999.

--By Leah Kohlenberg, reported by Linda Ehrichs /Vientiane and Luang Prabang

SHORT CUTS

KOREA BECKONS
To bolster its flagging tourism, South Korea is loosening restrictions on short visits to the country. Some nationalities who formerly required visas to enter Korea can now stay for up to 15 days. They need to have a visa for the U.S. (meaning they're either heading there for a visit or they live in the U.S.) and an airline ticket for a flight out of Korea. The beneficiaries of this policy change are from Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, China, Mongolia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Palestine, Albania, the Philippines, Iran, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Burma (Myanmar), Nigeria, Ghana and the 12 states of the former Soviet Union.

WEB CR@WLING

THE ESSENTIAL ASIAN BAR GUIDE
(www.asianbarguide.com)

BOTTOMS UP Even after you realize that the authors of this Website mainly want to sell their book (with the same title as the site), you may still find it worthwhile reading the quick reviews of watering holes in Asia. The site ranks bars by beer glasses (four pints for an excellent establishment, one for a dive), and offers up mildly useful descriptions, such as this one for Hanoi's Q-Bar: "Tables are available outside if you want to watch the passing parade of good-time girls on their motor scooters."

ORIENTATIONS
(www.orientations.com.hk)

FOR ART LOVERS ONLY Ever wonder about the origins of that intricately woven carpet you picked up in China's Xinjiang province? Or where to catch the hottest Southeast Asian crafts show? An online version of Orientations, a monthly Asian arts magazine produced in Hong Kong, this Website includes both summaries and archives of the magazine as well as a links-page list of exhibits and dealers.

KITSCH REPORT

Can't get enough of the Titanic? People with time to travel are finding new ways to go overboard in their fascination with history's most successful movie and the disaster it chronicles. Fans will gather at a St. Petersburg, Florida church this week for a memorial service to mark the 86th anniversary of the Titanic's sinking. (An organizer said that people needed "a sense of closure" for the tragedy, which they probably hadn't been thinking about much before the movie opened; some attendees are expected to show up in period dress.) The richer and more adventursome can view the ship at its final resting place 3.7 km under the sea. At least one travel agency--the Connecticut-based Quark Expeditions (fax: 1-203-655-6623, or E-mail: QuarkExpeditions@compuserve.com)--offers submarine tours of the wreckage located more than 600 km southeast of Newfoundland. But the cost ranges from $30,000 to $33,000. And be realistic: Leonardo DiCaprio probably won't accompany any of the trips.

DETOURS

The Gold Coast Hotel is becoming Hong Kong's hottest spot for a quirky escape from the territory's hectic city pace. The pyramid-shaped 450-room building--set on 3.5-hectares of lawns and beach at Castle Peak Bay, a 30-minute ferry ride from Hong Kong Island--offers plush rooms, impeccable service and activities ranging from massage to archery to fine dining. As a result, it lures locals, tourists and expatriates alike. The complex's kitschy atmosphere peaks on Sundays, when the main boulevard is packed with amateur photographers shooting Hong Kong starlet-wannabes who choose this somewhat remote site for glamour poses. Rooms start at $184. Ferries leave Queen's Pier in Central hourly and cost about $4. Tel: 2452-8888.