Kimkim Trip Reviews for Philippines

We had such an incredible trip and I would not hesitate to recommend kimkim and Cami in particular. From the initial booking, Cami was really responsive and receptive to our requests and gave us really great advice. The trip itself was just perfect and exactly what we had hoped for. The Philippines is such a beautiful country and the trip was really good value compared to other holidays I’d seen. A special shout out to Jhonas in Coron, and also to Christian from The Funny Lion in El Nido who led our complimentary beach tour to Papaya Beach (highly recommend staying in The Funny Lion in El Nido and leaving a day free so you can take the complimentary tour - the beach is so beautiful!). Thank you for everything!

Our trip planned by Cami was amazing. Everything was planned down to the T. Nothing went wrong. Our transfers were always on time and our guides were so accommodating, friendly and knowledgeable. The communication from all parties was great.

Jody- Whilst trekking through the rice terraces over 3 days with Jody I felt I was with a friend rather than a guide which is what you want. He knew everything about the area and is very popular with all the local people. I loved staying in the hostels along the way. We’d often saw glimpses of Jody helping the local people which I admired. A great guide and an even better man. I said I’d be in touch again to climb the 3rd tallest mountain in the Philippines with Jody.

Guides:

Charles- Driving from Manila to Banaue and back is no small feat. Charles was very hospitable and a great driver. He’s your man if you want to get from a to b in good time.

Rich- Although we only spent a small amount of time with Rich our experience was great. He’s a Puerto Princesa local so knows his stuff. The meal prepared in Ulugan bay was a banquet. One thing I would say is the snorkelling here wasn’t great and Coron is definitely the spot to see amazing fish, lovely coral and wrecks.

Zean- It was a great to spend the last day with Zean seeing Pinatubo Volcano. We discovered we both were fascinated by anthropology. Zean put up with my 101 questions and I learn’t a lot. Definitely will be in touch to plan some more adventures. The jeep ride was really an experience and I loved every second.

Admittedly, the schedule was intense but that’s the only way you can see that amount of things in 2 weeks. If you want a relaxing holiday chilling ( which I didn’t) this is not the itinerary for you.

The highlight for me had to be the north. It was eye opening seeing the villages: how resourceful and clever the locals are. I’ve never seen anything like it. Was eye opening.
I enjoyed watching Jody show us how the rice is made with a local man. We could learn a lot about the way they live over here in the west. There’s a really community feel. If you love walking and amazing views then this trek is perfect. The world heritage site was breathtaking. Looking back I wish I’d included climbing Mount Pulag.

Accommodation:

The Manila hotel did the job. We were a bit gutted that on the last day before our flight they didn’t let us use a room for a shower despite staying with them the night before and checking out at 2am.

Banaue homestay, Cambul guesthouse and the Hillside Inn were amazing. Simple but effective. Food was good, people were lovely no complaints. I would say that the accommodation you suggested in Pula is very very simple hence why we went with Cambul which is a better option.

Atremaru was lovely, rooms were amazing and food was good. Great massage also! Although, we did have no electricity all night which meant no fans so we were very hot.

Sangat island was really a cool location, and so remote. Great for padel boarding. The food was a slight let down though.

The houseboats really were an experience and I suggest working with them as it’s not often you can sleep slap bang in the middle of the twin lagoon.

The only real limitation with the trip was it was only 2 weeks! I’ll certainly be back and I’m so keen to see the vast array of other areas the Philippines has to offer. An amazing country with great people.

Cami who planned our whole trip was amazing from the very start. Her communication was great and the hours of conversation planning are not forgotten. I highly recommend planning your trip to the Philippines with Cami. Thank you again Cami!

Our trip was amazing! Cami made everything easy and was very responsive and easy to reach even during times where we ran into hiccups she was there to help problem solve. Our excursions were fun had the best tour guides. Awesome hotel accommodations I will definitely use Kimkim in the future. Thanks Cami :)

Cami put together an amazing itinerary for our scuba-loving group. We went to Bohol and Coron, staying in quality resorts with all the amenities we needed. We had a couple older people with us who were catered for brilliantly as well, lots of snorkeling and moderate activities for them so they never felt left out. What's more, Cami continued to be there for us the whole time we were traveling. We had to make a few changes to our schedule and planned activities, and Cami was in constant contact with us and with the staff on the ground to make sure our changes went smoothly. We always felt secure knowing she was there to help. She is knowledgeable, hands on and proactive, highly recommend.

My time in El Nido was amazing, and it was all thanks to Leo and the staff at Uncharted Earth! Leo took care of everything and answered all my questions and concerns in such a timely fashion and patient way. I was super anxious about traveling to the Philippines alone for the first time, and because Leo organized everything for me, I was able to enjoy my time there without having to worry about all the little details. El Bacuit Tours was also amazing, and the tour guides who work for the company are so friendly and welcoming. People like Jojo and Mike (and the others whose names escape me right now) were excellent, helpful, and just so nice! The islands and the beaches there were pristine, and the views were spectacular. Tour A and Tour C were definitely my favorites, and I had so much fun snorkeling and kayaking in beautiful clear waters! Also, the staff at the Sea Cocoon hotel was excellent. The hotel was clean, and they provide bottled water for every guest in the room. They went above and beyond to make the guests feel welcome. They even packed me a complimentary sandwich the day I left for the airport! All in all, I would highly recommend kimkim and Leo as the local specialist.

Activity Reviews

Island hopping in El Nido - Tour C - group tour

El Nido

As with Tour A, the sights were particularly spectacular. Great snorkeling locations.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Island hopping in El Nido - Tour A - group tour

El Nido

The sights were spectacular here!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had the most memorable first time in the Philippines thanks to Kim Kim and the wonderful staff from Unchartered Philippines. We get to Manila and Ana picked us up and toured Intermesos. She was nice, sweet, informative. The next days we spent in Palawan starting with Rich in Puerto Princessa for one day then 4 in El Nido. You can really tell the passion and knowledge Rich had about the country, Palawan. He was personable and friendly. The drivers were great and our tours with Mike and his crew along with Rich was exceptional. The lunches were absolutely amazing. Rich was also kind and helpful to my mother who was limited in activities that can be done but equally enjoyed the part of the PI she’s never seen. When we got to Coron, Jonas was our guide and equally good. His passion for the environment and the ocean really showed through. He was great leading us through the tour especially with his diving experience. He went the extra mile to bring us places we couldn’t miss. Both boat tours were kind, professional, and that real Philippine spirit of hospitality. My children enjoyed everything and even tried new foods. Thank you for showing us part of the beautiful country. It will be a large part of our special time as a family together.

Booking this trip through my guide, Cami, was the best decision ever. She took care of everything. I had the piece of mind knowing that all my activities were taken care of. She was always accessible and responded very quickly. I had zero issues during my 2 weeks by myself in the Phillipines. She was even kind enough to give me suggestions for my off days. I wouldn’t go with any other company. 10/10 would recommend to anybody. I’m already planning my next trip and can’t wait to book with Cami again!

Overall the trekking was very well organised with excellent commumication leading up to the trek itself. The rice terraces of Ifugao were truly amazing and better that I expected. Loved the villages and the warm welcome we received throughout our journey. Our guide Marvin was very friendly and led us through well, and has a superb knowledge of the local area, the environment, its people and its customs.

We had to make some initial route adjustmenst due the poor weather and track conditions, and the unforeseen eco-tourism shutdown at Sagada was well covered by the alternative day to the Hapao valley and hot springs. Marvin made it all happen without any stress or fuss.

I would also recommend that hikers be made aware of the need to negotiate the many narrow walls in the rice terraces, some of which are quite high and slippery in places. We had one or two close calls!

For adventurous hikers, this area is a must-do

If you are looking for an adventure then book yourself the Ifugao Villages Trek.
Forget the telephone and fl-yin rescue teams. You depend on your buddies and the locals.
We combined our trip with a trip to Sagada. (8 day tour including travel to and from Manila.
Our tour guide Marvin is a local and answers all questions regarding the Ifugao region.
Unfortunately the day we arrived in Sagada all tourist attractions got shut down due to the covit-19.
Marvin took us back to Banaue where we were able to visit the hot springs instead.
Top hike. Highly recommended.
(If you suffer from vertigo, dizzy spells or are not steady on your legs do not book this trip!)

Leo helped me plan 2 great adventures in the Philippines. Highly recommend!
Ifugao Trek: Jody was an AMAZING guide for the Ifugao trek. Very knowledgable, personable, genuine, fun, and kind. He went out of his way to make sure we got the experience we were looking for while also being safe. We had such a good time we would love to bring our parents back to share this awesome experience. One of the best tour guides we had, that is now a friend .

Northern Palawan Tour: Jhonas was very knowledgable about the area. We admire his dedication to the community and eco-tourism industry in Coron. He is a master of photography, and took some amazing pictures of us; he worked very hard to ensure that we captured the memorable moments of the Northern Palawan Tour. Jhonas also is an incredible cook; we did not go hungry on the trip, we felt very special and catered to which was amazing on our honeymoon trip.

Our recent family vacation to Palawan and El Nido was a delight for this group of "landlubbers". The arrangements-hotels, travel arrangements and activities were top notch. Our local guide Stephen Tuboc was friendly and an epitome of knowledge.
I have never seen such beautiful turquoise beaches before which were not swarming with tourists. The activities were planned with a lot of thought, so nothing seemed rushed. Snorkelling in the midst of lovely corals and multicoloured tropical fish was a "once in a life time experience". I would definitely reccommend this trip to anyone who loves nature!!

Everything was great! The best island was El Nido for us so i think it would have been nice if we had stopped there first!The overall trip was a very unique experience!

Very pleased with our tours and all the arrangements. It was a life time experience and loved our private tours. Highly recommend it.

Working with Dan and the YGD Travel Agency was easy and seamless. Dan took into account all of my various questions and patiently worked with me on making this trip perfect. He was quick to respond and answer questions I had, whether related to specific points of interest or about traveling through the Philippines in general.

Once on the ground, YGD was in contact with me on a regular basis to provide updates on exact pickup times and/or address any questions I had. The few small hiccups we experienced (e.g., a tour operator picked us up much later than anticipated) were addressed immediately. From the hotels booked to the tour guides, the service was impeccable.

I'm grateful to the YGD team for an amazing vacation and would definitely recommend them to anyone!

Our trip to The Philippines was incredible! We appreciated how much Dan guided us from the very beginning with our price range, desired activities and our other wishes for the trip. He was super responsive, and we loved all of our private tours. The package deal was customized for us, and I have yet to find another company who does this with such attention to detail. While we were on our trip, we received texts (loved that) from Gazle who was also super helpful and responsive. We absolutely loved The Guerrera Resort (Camiguin)! Amarela (Bohol) was a beautiful place, and we could not have been happier with the service and amenities. The snorkeling in Balicasag should not be missed and neither should the boat cruise on the Loboc River (both in Bohol).There is no question that I will use Kimkim again for my future travel plans, and if you are looking for the best specialist for your trip to The Philippines, you have to use Dan Barmatz!

Everything was great. Dan was very attentive to our needs. It was a disappointment that the underground cave on Palawan was closed and we had to do another tour. The island Hopping tour was absolutely awful. I would never recommend it to anyone. I understand we had no choice, either that or stay at the hotel where there also was nothing to do but swim in the pool Hotel was fine but lots under construction so although the service was terrific there really was no charm to it. The islands were made for tourists and held no beauty or anything of interest. The swimming was in a restricted area which made it crowded and murky waters, totally unappealing considering the Pacific can be so beautiful. The lunch was like pigs eating at a trough. That last island again was for tourists. Nothing indicative of the Philippines, its beauty or history. Just ugly island with murky water and totally overcrowded.
I've traveled to 150 countries and would never recommend this tour to anyone.

Using Kim Kim was pretty easy. Dan set us up with things in line with what we were looking for. Our local guides were good, but I’m glad I spoke the local language as some of the English skills were rough.

I loved my trip to the Philippines—especially the two-day boat trip from Coron around the Calamian Islands. Spending the night on tiny, nearly-deserted Pass Island under a sky full of stars was beyond memorable, and our guide Jhonas planned each day to perfectly avoid the crowds at popular spots. I've never seen coral reefs like the ones I saw there, and we had the opportunity to learn free diving, kayak from the boat in quiet lagoons, etc.

The day tour of Bohol with Scarlett was also very interesting, and it was made easy with a seamless airport transfer and made comfortable with an air-conditioned van (it gets HOT there!). A Bohol highlight was the Lomboc River lunch cruise—it sounds touristy and I never would have booked it for myself, but it was actually a total delight. The Butterfly Sanctuary was not for me, though perhaps worth a stop for the homemade ice cream on site (try the Cacao or Durian flavors!).

My one piece of advice to travelers booking with Cami is to be explicitly clear about the type of hotel and transport you want throughout your trip, as this was the only issue we ran into. Get the hotel names and look into them ahead of time to be sure they meet your expectations, and if possible, get on the phone with Cami to confirm everything—she is great at answering questions asked before the trip. In terms of tours, food, activities, etc, you're in fabulous and knowledgable hands.

It was a pleasure working with the KimKim team on our Philippine adventure!

The trip started with a trip up to Banaue and Batad for a tour of the rice terraces. They were truly spectacular and a highlight of the trip! It’s an 8 hour journey from Manila, but well worth it. We had a great driver, who was able to tell us about the Philippines, make stops and always recommend great local food for us to try along the way.

We hiked with an excellent guide through Batad. We got off the main trails and we’re able to see the rice terraces and village from so many great perspectives! We hiked well ahead of the main tour groups and were able to enjoy swimming at Tappiya Falls on our own. On the way back from Batad to Banaue, we rode on top of the Jeepney.

We stayed at the Banaue Hotel and Youth Hostel. It was clean and in a great location, out of the hustle and bustle of the town centre.

Following Banaue, we went back to Manila for a great night at the I’M Hotel, before we flew to Coron. The I’M Hotel pool and rooftop bar are a fantastic place to relax and enjoy the scenery!

Coron was gorgeous. It’s such a chill town that provides amazing opportunity to get out on the water for island hoping. I loved the small town vibe. When I arrived in Coron I was a little surprised that it wasn’t a beach town, given the photos you see online (there’s no beach and the water is pretty dirty), but you’ll soon forget about that when you go out on boating adventures. I particularly enjoyed the coral garden, shipwrecks and Kayangan Lake! We loved the sunset drinks and dinner at La Sirenetta Seafood Restaurant & Bar. The restaurant is setup on the water and has beautiful views.

We stayed at Corto Del Mar and enjoyed the hotel. The hotel has a nice courtyard, pool and restaurant, but it’s not right on the beach.

Following Coron we had a wonderful time in El Nido and enjoyed some quiet time staying on Miniloc Island, where we could easily tour the Small Lagoon, Big Lagoon, Snake Island and Cudugnon Cave. El Nido resorts Miniloc Island offers great island hopping tours. The only disappointing part of our stay was the boating transfers to Miniloc Island. We were first put on a boat that wouldn’t start for about a half an hour, then once it got started this same boat stalled in the middle of our journey and we had to be rescued by a speedboat. The hotel didn’t really acknowledge the situation and I expected a bit more from a 5 star resort.

Following El Nido we had a fantastic time in Borocay for my cousins wedding. We stayed at the Coast Borocay Hotel. This is an amazing boutique hotel, on the beach at Station 2. From the moment we arrived at the airport, this hotel provided the best customer service of any place we stayed in the Philippines. We loved this hotel!

I’m happy about our KimKim experience and was happy to have the team just a What’s App message away from helping keep the trip on track and our tours confirmed, even when they’re running late or on island time. Everything was taken care of and we were able to relax on the trip.

Dan planned my whole trip to the Philippines and it was exactly how I wanted it to be. He was very knowledgeable about all the places we talked about and made good suggestions of what we should do if I was unsure about anything. I would highly recommend Kimkim to all my family and friends as they tailor the trip to whatever your needs are. I am very happy. Thank you so much will definitely be booking with KimKim again