Ramen. The name alone is enough to make faces smile and tummies rumble. It’s delicious comfort in a bowl and has become one of Japan’s most notable and celebrated dishes. From its humble origins as a thick wheat noodle soup started by immigrants from China in the late 19th Century, it is now such an essential part of Japanese daily life that Japan’s own space agency created a formula to transport and consume it in space.

It was our pleasure over the last 10 days to accommodate a family of five from the UK on their first trip to Southeast Asia. As it was their introduction to this beautiful part of the world, we took particular care to craft an itinerary for them that would cover a mix of the well-known highlights that fill history and guide books as well as hidden gems to illuminate the intimate, yet increasingly cosmopolitan, style of modern life.

From Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City and everywhere in between, coffee has become one of Vietnam’s signature delicacies, underpinned by vast international demand (Vietnam trails only Brazil in coffee production) and a local cafe culture so rich that almost every ingredient under the sun has, at one point or another, been coupled with the drink by some inventive Vietnamese barista. Today, it is our great pleasure to introduce you to some of the most distinguished pairs who have tied the knot and the best places to enjoy them.