Kimkim Trip Reviews for Thailand

Bella was fantastic! She was very responsive and easy to work with. We also appreciated that she noticed things like a 5-hour gap between our hotel checkout time and when we needed to be at the airport, and she booked a car and driver to fill that time with a tour.

Hotel Review

Na Nirand Romantic Boutique Resort

We loved this hotel! Beautiful property and rooms, incredibly kind staff, and great breakfast!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Thailand (Bangkok city tour with a food tasting at Chinatown!)

Bangkok

Loved the guide, China Town, and the Michelin star food stall!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Scuba Diving at Spectacular diving spot in Ao Nang

Thailand

Excellent guides, incredible setting, and beautiful dives (with tons of fish)!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We visited Chiang Mai, Krabi and Bangkok. Overall, Kim Kim did an outstanding job booking our itinerary. Hoa Tran was our trip designer. Hoa and the rest of the team did an outstanding job.

We researched different agencies comparing different cities, hotels and excursions to fit into our budget and our goals for the trip. Kim Kim / Exotic Voyages was not the lowest cost option, but they presented the best hotel options and offerings. Hoa was very patient with us throughout the process. We went through at least 8 iterations of our itinerary before settling on the final plan and decision. Hoa was helpful and responsive throughout the process.

We started our trip at Chiang Mai. We were greeted at the airport by our local guide, Ms. Kanyavee (Mona), and the driver. The team promptly took us to our hotel and made sure that we were settled in. Mona was clear in guiding us through our the plan for the Doi Ithanon excursion. At Doi Ithanon, we saw a few waterfalls, saw how local villagers lived, and had a chance to enjoy a very nice lunch during the trip. At the end of our trip to Chiang Mai, Ms. Mona made sure that we got through our check-in for our next flight. She was super helpful with making sure that our luggage passed the inspection process.

After Chiang Mai, we spent three days in Krabi. On one of the days, we went to Hong Island on a speedboat. The speedboat ride was amazing. In terms of snorkling, the water was nice and warm. However, we only saw small fish, sea urchins and sea anemones. Our hotel had amazing food. On our last day, we asked to see if the driver can come a little later so that we could grab breakfast before we left for Bangkok. Hoa was accommodating and helped us make the change.

Our last visit was to Bangkok. We arrived around 1 PM. Despite that, our local guide, Ms Ae, got us checked in early. While our excursion into Chinatown wasn't supposed to start until 5 PM, Ms Ae took us to visit the local mall. We got in a quick bite, haircut, and shopping before our excursion. Make sure that you add Terminal 21 to your list of places to visit. The food court had a broad offering of food for ridiculously low prices. We ate for a party of 4 for about 500 bahts. Ms. Ae then took us to visit Chinatown. Our visit included two stops at Michelin starred restaurants. The noodle at the restaurant was one of our favorite dishes.

We visited the floating market and train market the next day, along with a visit to the Wat Pro temple in the afternoon. The markets were a treat. Wat Pro was also great. On our third day in Bangkok, we visit the temples at Ayutthaya. It was a nice excursion, but it was a 90 minutes ride from Bangkok. If we had known that you can visit an elephant sanctuary and ride elements, we would have added that to the itinerary. Note that the elephant sanctuary at Chiang Mai is about a 5 hours excursion. You can do a much less intensive event at Ayutthaya for less time.

On our final day, we were on our own. We wanted to keep one day for shopping in Bangkok before our departure. We also squeezed in dim sum at Sui San restaurant. Our tour guide then picked us up at the hotel to take us to the airport. Ms Ae made sure that we got through the check-in process, helped us with our VAT registration and directed us to the right gates before she left. Note that Ms Ae called the hotel manager on our behalf to allow us an extra 2 hours before check-out to give us time to shop in the morning.

Our local tour guides were phenomenal. If we could give them a 6 rating, we would. They not only provided us with incredible insights into the culture and history, but went out of their way to make sure that our stay was comfortable. They intervened with local businesses when we needed help communicating with them. Our trip would not have been as fun without them.

Finally, Hoa checked in with us constantly throughout our trip. She made herself available to us to help with anything we needed.

The Kim Kim team was incredible. We would highly recommend them. We will use them for future trips.

Both our tour guides for Thailand were wonderful. We really appreciated AE who took us around Bangkok. She really went the extra mile to show us how to get around and gave us helpful info when we were on our own.

Hotel Reviews

De Chai The Colonial Hotel & Spa

Chiang Mai

This hotel was centrally located where we could walk to many restaurants. The room was clean but did have some quirks like the TV was to the right of the bed and in front of the bed. It was also difficult to keep the room temperature to where we were comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to many restaurants

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Varana Krabi Hotel

Although it rained during our time in Krabi, the Gym and Olympic size pool were excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Not as many restaurants near this hotel.

Staff

The staff was very accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were very clean and well maintained. There were a lot of mosquitoes since we were on the 1st floor.

Solitaire Bangkok Sukhumvit 11

Bangkok

The ventilation was not good at this hotel. Rooms smelled musty and felt damp.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We were able to get around easily from this hotel but traffic was horrendous at all times of the day.

Staff

Staff did not seem very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms felt old and the TV did not offer connection to Netflix.

Activity Reviews

Doi Inthanon National Park - A Nature Walk and Culture

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hong island by joining speedboat (S)

Krabi

We visited multiple islands but it felt rushed. There was not much to see when snorkeling.

Quality of Experience

It would have been better if we didn’t go during rainy season.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Street Food Tour After Dark by Tuk Tuk

Bangkok

We loved all the food that was recommended to us. The pork satay and crispy roast pork in a noodle soup were so delicious!

Quality of Experience

Food

All the food was delicious

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

First time riding in a tuk tuk. It was a bit scary at times as we weaved in and out of traffic at high speeds.

Railway Market & Floating Market

Bangkok

We enjoyed seeing the train pass by but the people there were incredibly friendly which made the experience even better.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok Symbolic Temples

Bangkok

The reclining Buddha is a must see. It is difficult to imagine how big it is until you see it in person.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Back to The Glorious Days of Ayutthaya Kingdom

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

The head of a Buddha that was inserted into the tree.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guides were excellent. Very knowledgeable of the history and traditions. The food choices were great

Hotel Reviews

Victoria Xieng Thong

Luang Prabang

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Siesta Classic Hang Thung

Authenticity & Character

Location

Jo

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Orchid Trendy Cruise

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villa De Pranakorn

Bangkok

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cape Panwa Hotel

Phuket

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Back to The Glorious Days of Ayutthaya Kingdom

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Pak Ou Caves, The Religious Symbol of Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Halong Bay - Disembarking Cruise (Orchid Cruise)

Ha Long Bay

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Water puppet show

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

An Insight into The UNESCO Heritage Site of Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phi Phi Islands (Maya Bay & Monkey Beach) & Bamboo Island Discovery by Join-in Catamaran

Phuket

Quality of Experience

Hi

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phuket Elephant Sanctuary Morning Visit (Joining Activity)

Phuket

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Unfold The Secret of Hanoi Street Food

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Railway Market & Floating Market

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok Symbolic Temples

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Continuing Lan Ha Bay (Orchid Cruise 3D2N)

Ha Long Bay

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Live Like A Local

Luang Prabang

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Hike to Kuang Sy Waterfalls

Luang Prabang

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Buffalo Dairy Farm

Luang Prabang

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Local Morning Discovery

Luang Prabang

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip to Ninh Binh (Hoa Lu, Tam Coc & Mua Cave)

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi History & Old Quarter

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Onboarding - Ha Long Bay - Lan Ha Bay (Orchid Cruise)

Ha Long Bay

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was my first time using Kimkim, and based on this experience, I would certainly use them in the future. I traveled alone and visited two cities in Thailand: Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Kimkim organized everything for me, including airport pickups, hotels, and local activities. In each city, the hotels were conveniently located and within walking distance of dining and shopping. The primary local guides, Gifsty in Bangkok and Taew in Chiang Mai, were friendly, knowledgeable, and extremely helpful. The local tours used the time available efficiently and covered all the basics. Except for some minor miscommunication upon my first arrival, everything worked out perfectly.

Working with Kim Kim was the best experience ever. I completed their simple form and heard back from a local travel agent from Thailand within 24 hours. My experience after that was nothing less than perfect. Mint, my agent was spectacular. For a few weeks after my initial submission, Mint worked with me to customize the perfect itinerary for me and my family in Thailand. She would respond within 24 hours to my emails, she answered all my questions, calmed any concerns I would think of and supported us before, during and after the trip. My first night in Thailand, I reached out to Mint looking for kid friendly areas quite late in the night (Jet lag) to get food, Mint responded quickly and guided us to a safe area and helped us arrange transportation so we wouldn’t get ripped off. I reached out to Mint almost everyday of our trip and she always responded with helpful tips and went way above and beyond to ensure our trip was perfect. She would reach out to us to confirm we had our vouchers and confirmations. She reached out to the hotels and arranged for us to receive lunchboxes on the days we were departing before breakfast. For one of our excursions, we were unable to load the photos from our tour guide, Mint got in touch with them, got the photos and sent them to us. This was my first time working with Kim Kim and it was exceptional. I would highly recommend them if you are planning a trip to Thailand.

We just returned from an unforgettable trip to Thailand, and we loved every minute of it! From start to finish, everything was seamless and perfectly organized.

Our travel agent, Dat, was incredible. He was patient and thorough during the planning process—going through multiple versions of the itinerary with us until we had our dream trip mapped out. His attention to detail and dedication made all the difference.

During our travels, Dat remained easily accessible and responsive, which gave us so much peace of mind. Every tour and guide he arranged was on time, professional, and extremely knowledgeable. We never had to worry about a single thing—Dat and the team had every detail covered.

My son and I had the trip of a lifetime, and it was all thanks to the thoughtful planning and exceptional service provided by Dat and the company. We will absolutely be booking with them again and highly recommend their services to anyone planning a trip to Thailand!

Hotel Reviews

Oceanfront Beach Resort

Phuket

We absolutely loved our stay at Oceanfront Beach Resort in Phuket! The hotel was super clean, modern, and luxurious with a great vibe throughout. The staff was incredibly friendly and welcoming, which made our experience even more enjoyable. The location was perfect—everything we needed was close by, making it easy to explore. We also really appreciated the on-site gym and the delicious breakfast each morning. The atmosphere, service, and overall experience were fantastic. Truly loved everything about our stay and would happily return!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

De Chai The Colonial Hotel & Spa

Chiang Mai

I had a wonderful stay at De Chai The Colonial Hotel & Spa! The on-site spa and restaurant were such a great bonus and made the stay even more relaxing and convenient. The morning breakfast was tasty with a good variety, and the location of the hotel was super convenient—perfect for exploring the area. My room was spacious, clean, and very comfortable, which made it easy to unwind after a day out. Overall, a great experience and I’d definitely stay here again!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

De Prime Rang Nam, Your Tailor Made Hotel

Our stay at De Prime Rang Nam was pleasant and worked well for our short time in Bangkok. The location was convenient, and the breakfast buffet was a highlight—plenty of options and great quality to start the day. The room was fairly clean and comfortable, though there’s a bit of room for improvement in overall cleanliness and humidity control in the common areas. That said, the hotel had everything we needed for a quick and easy stay in the city. While it wasn’t my favorite hotel of our Thailand trip, it was a solid choice for a short visit and offered good value for the time we were there.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Thai Cooking Class

Phuket

This was by far the most exciting and memorable activity we did in Phuket! We absolutely enjoyed every minute of the Thai cooking class. My 11-year-old son had a blast—he said it was one of his favorite activities of the entire trip. The owner was so fun, engaging, and explained everything clearly, making it easy and enjoyable to follow along. We were genuinely amazed at how beautiful (and delicious!) our dishes turned out. Don’t second guess this—just book it. You won’t regret it. It’s an experience we’ll never forget!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was absolutely AMAZING! Lacey, the Kim Kim team, and all our tour guides in each location were extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Lacey was on top of things from day one of planning the trip; she always responded quickly and clarified all our questions. Ron, our guide in Bangkok, was the best. He made the most of our time together each day, adding in extra stops to eat freshly picked lychee from local vendors, getting us on the train to take to the Maeklong train market, and showing us the best food spots.

Everything went as planned, other than a last-minute cancellation of our yacht trip to Phi Phi Island, due to unexpected boat issues. Lacey was great at presenting alt activities, and when we ultimately decided to hang out at our resort, she quickly processed the refund for that activity.

The only thing I wish we'd discussed a bit more during planning was the proximity of our hotels to certain areas/activities (mainly in Phuket). Our hotel was great (we loved our private pool villa), but it may have been nice to be closer to Old Town Phuket (it was an hour away) to experience more of the island.

Overall, I would highly recommend using Kim Kim for planning you Thai adventure!

Activity Reviews

Railway Market & Floating Market

Bangkok

The railway market was awesome! Our guide Ron, also timed the start of our day so that we could pick up the train and actually take it into the market. So we got to experience walking the market and taking the train through it. The floating market was ok, but after the first stall or two, it felt repetitive. It had a lot of good food options.

Quality of Experience

Food

The green curry, Tom Yum, fried bananas.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ron was a great guide, very personable and took tons of pics for us!

Transport

They always had cold water and air conditioning blasting for us.

Night Street Food Tour After Dark by Tuk Tuk

Bangkok

This was one of our favorite activities of the whole trip. We roamed the flower market with Chang and Leos in hand, trying things Ron (our guide) said he would seek out. He also took us China Town which was fun.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

This trip was amazing. Our family had such a great time, we loved the people, the food, the culture. Both Paul (Bangkok) and Jackie (Chiang Mai) were incredible hosts/guides. They took us to places were we could learn about the local culture, food, and history. All the restaurants we went to with them were out of this world, and we could not get enough of the Mango sticky rice!!!
The elephant experience is hard to describe. Is beyond amazing, such beautiful beings. Our 8 year old says is the best thing she's ever done!
This trip will be forever in our hearts and we will make sure to visit Thailand again in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Maitria Hotel Sukhumvit 18

The place is located strategically. There's easy and safe transportation, and plenty of places to get food. The hotel itself was very comfortable and service was good. The food (breakfast) was pretty good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Smile Lanna Hotel Chiang Mai

The place is in a vary good area, you can see a lot of things to do around. There's easy and safe transportation. The rooms were very comfortable and clean. The food (breakfast buffet) was extremely good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Maeklong Railway Market and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

Bangkok

Excellent experience. The fact that you get to enjoy so many things in one trip makes the journey pretty quick and easy. The markets were something that is a must see. The food.....the food is so so good.....

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day Bangkok City Tour with Canal tour

Bangkok

Great experience, got to see many sights and discover a lot of the culture

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mint put together a great itinerary. Leena was punctual and very knowledgeable. We really enjoyed the whole trip. The cooking class might have been the highlight of the visit. The only suggestion would be during the tasting event in Chinatown that Leena would have provided tastes of several dishes. Instead she would ask if we wanted to try this booth or that booth. Once we had a dish it represented the whole meal and we had very little room for other foods.

Activity Review

Authentic Thai Cooking Class in a Traditional House!

Bangkok

This was probably the highlight of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Prompt and safe.

The planning process was painless. Some back and forth with the consultant Long, based in Hanoi. We had to cancel the original trip in 2023 due to our other tour in SE Asia being cancelled. Kimkim held our deposit to be applied to future travel, with no time restrictions. We reactivated the itinerary for 2025 with the expected price increases.

We were provided details for pickup at BKK airport which was seamless. Our guide Eddie met us at the airport and transferred us to our hotel in Rangnam district. The next three days included a floating market, the River Kwai bridge and railroad, Erawan waterfall trek and the temples at Auytthaya. The final day in Bangkok was self guided. We used it to relax after 23 days in Vietnam and Cambodia, and tour the Rangnam district. We were assigned a room at the hotel that we felt was not up to the expectations based on the hotel website. Long made arrangement and we changed rooms. The hotel and staff were perfect for our stay.

Day 6 was a flight to Chiang Rai. Airport transfers were seamless, as well as the flight arrangements. The next day we met our guide Mai and driver. The day included the “Black House”, Long Neck Village, royal gardens at Doitung. We then Mae Sai market at the border with Myanmar. A stop at Sop Ruak “golden triangle” included a long boat cruise of the Mekong River which splits Thailand, Myanmar and Laos. The day ended at the Blue Temple. Next day was a stop at the White Temple and a scenic drive the Chiang Mai. The hotel in Chiang Rai was not in the city centre, but there were several options for local Thai Food. The hotel was clean and comfortable.

Day 9 was an early start with a visit to the Kanta Elephant Sanctuary. We met our guide Nan and driver at 06:30. It was great to see how rescued domestic elephants are treated and not used for entertainment. We interacted with the animals in feeding and bathing. The next stop was an orchid display. Orchids are everywhere in SE Asia, wish we could grow them like that in Canada. After lunch visited “workshops of craftsmen”. This was a disappointment as it was nothing but high pressure sales, very little about the production of the products.

Day 10 was an almost 2 hour trip to Doi Inthanon National Park which is the highest point in Thailand at over 2,500 metres. We were supposed to do a trek on the Ban Mae Klang Luang nature trail. It would have been after a late lunch and was approximately 2 hours. This should have been first in the itinerary in order to do it while the temperature was still lower, and not on a full stomach. The hotel was in “old town” Chiang Mai, inside the moat. Lots of food options available.

Day 11 the transfer back to Bangkok was seamless, including the flight. The hotel was the same as at the start of the trip. Rangnam is walkable, with lots of food options. Next day was a seamless transfer to BKK for our trip home.

Communication with our consultant Long during the trip was via WhatsApp. He checked with us on each change of location, and quite often after business hours. Over all a seamless worry-free experience. I had some reluctance at the start of planning for this trip on using Thai ULCC airlines. Long reassured me that there should be no problems, including no baggage charges. I will now recommend Thai AirAisa to friends and family. The drivers were professional, and the vehicles were clean and comfortable.

Hotel Reviews

True Siam Rangnam Hotel

Phayathai, Rajthevee, Province

The True Siam Rangnam Hotel in Bangkok was generally good but had its hiccups. Initially, the room we got was in their secondary building and didn't match the pictures. However, after reaching out to Long, we got moved to the main building, and it matched our expectations. The internet was even better there. The location is a bit away from the city center, so dining options were somewhat limited, but overall, it was a decent stay.

Khamthana the Colonial Hotel Chiangrai

Chiang Rai

Khamthana the Colonial Hotel Chiangrai was wonderful. It was located in the old city inside the moat, which made it easily accessible to various activities and good restaurants. We really enjoyed the convenience this hotel offered during our stay.

Activity Review

Kanta Elephant Sanctuary & Handicraft villages

Chiang Mai

Visiting the Kanta Elephant Sanctuary was a highlight of our trip. We were moved by how well the elephants are treated. They've have been rescued and are now living comfortably. It was a heartwarming experience, and I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting.

Awesome time thanks to Mint and Kimkim, the guides and tours were all amazing. Will definitely look forward to booking again!

Hotel Reviews

Solitaire Bangkok Sukhumvit 11

Bangkok

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Centara Grand Beach Resort

Krabi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pullman Phuket Karon Beach Resort

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dinner Cruise on Chao Phraya River

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy Food Tasting in Chinatown!

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hong Island trip by Speed Boat!

Thailand

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok by local transfers and temple visit

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A visit to Mae Klong Railway market and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market!

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring the Ancient Ayutthaya

Thailand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

5 Islands Sunset Cruise with Kayaking and Swimming in Bio-luminescence!

Thailand

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phi Phi island, Bamboo Island, Pi Leh lagoon & Maya bay by speedboat

Phuket

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our tour guide in Bangkok was not best suited to our specific needs - she was not adept with young children and instead of having us aligned with a food tour specialist, she was also our guide for a night food tour which was not well designed (we do food tours all over the world and have had enough experience to know great). Additionally, the earthquake the hit Southeast Asia impacted our trip and we personally intervened to add some protections to our travel arrangement. Our service provider did reach out to us but we had to more quickly divert our travels.

Hotel Reviews

500Rai Floating Resort

Surat Thani

We really appreciated the location of this hotel. Its newer sister hotel, 360, appears to be draining 500Rai of some capital improvements that would further enhance the experience- they need updated paddle boards as well as kayaks. It’s hard to keep nature at bay in these environments, but more attention to servicing rusting apparatus would be helpful. Tours were good. Food was wonderful. Staff was fabulous. Not sure why our Family Suite was not connected directly to the working path to the main area which required us to have a special boat take us back and forth to our room, unlike the majority of the other cabins. We did select the Family Suite since it had air conditioning 24/7 vs. only in the evening for the other cabins.

Authenticity & Character

It’s the on the water character. I would say that there animal population is much lower than anticipated given that much of the land was lost when they created the dam that defined the lake itself.

Location

Beautiful surroundings.

Staff

Caring, engaged and thoughtful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were OK. Towels so so. Mold in bathrooms. Poor lighting for bathrooms.

Six Senses Yao Noi

Ko Yao Noi

For the most part, this hotel is fabulous with one significant exception- the mosquito population is managed in an environmentally sensitive way but it doesn’t bode well for the guest. Non of the exterior spaces are screened in, making time in one’s villa limited to the indoor air conditioning if you wanted to avoid being bitten. Not all of the supplies are fullly refreshed everyday. The personal butler was very helpful and added to the ease of a family vacation. The kids enjoyed the limited programming and we adults really appreciated the spa and yoga program.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful property.

Location

Stunning location. Easy to travel to other islands. Beach itself was OK although wished it was easier to do open water swimming from the shoreline.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Shopping at Chatuchak Weekend Market

Bangkok

Really enjoyed the site. Guide was very helpful with negotiations.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lovely driver.

Half Day 3-Hour Private Carving Class at Siam Carving Academy

Bangkok

We had found this company for KimKim. The quality of the experience was just what we had hoped.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok Symbolic Temples

Bangkok

We had young children with us. Tour was focused on adults and not kids. Hot. Should have included an activity to stimulate kids.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A guide who gets kids.

Transport

Lovely driver.

Night Street Food Tour After Dark by Tuk Tuk

Bangkok

We are foodies and always do market/food tours. Our guide was not as familiar with who the specialists sites or history of the food we might have eaten. Granted, we were difficult with food allergies, but there was no preplanning by the guide to address this. Enjoyed the TukTuk but felt this was a missed opportunity.. In contrast, did a chef led tour (self identified) in Phuket that was hands down the perfect

Quality of Experience

Food

Stops that have top of class food.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide that is fully attuned to food experience.

Transport

TukTuk was fun and easy to manage in the traffic.

We had a very creative, supportive and intelligent dialog with Mint Pham, who was responsible for our vacation schedule. Mint was responsive, intelligent, and supported us with extra effort at every turn, and handled every problem that we presented, some of which were completely outside the normal scope. Her selection of hotels was especially important, and she picked great hotels with great services and locations. This was key to the entire trip, which turned out to be so successful because of the location, sophistication and high-end characteristics of each hotel. The excursions were for the most part great. This was total support and exceptional advice and planning. I would give Mint a 5.0 rating on a scale of 5, and recommend her services to anyone traveling in Southeast Asia.
Mint organized our trip which included Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Ko Samui. We really enjoyed ourselves, saw a lot and were sorry to go. The Thai people were so friendly and supportive.

Hotel Reviews

The Quarter Hua Lamphong by UHG

Bangkok

The Quarter Hua Lamphong by UHG in Bangkok was a fantastic hotel. The location was great, the staff were very nice and accommodating, and the building itself was incredibly well-constructed, which we found out when an earthquake occurred during our stay.

De Charme Hotel

Amphoe Muang, Si Phum, Chiang Mai

The De Charme Hotel in Chiang Mai was in a fabulous location, right in the middle of town. It was a lovely place with very accommodating staff, and offered a good breakfast. The hotel's central location made exploring the city convenient.

Baan Samui Resort

Surat Thani

Baan Samui Resort in Ko Samui was ideal, being right on a lovely part of the beach. The staff were very nice, the breakfast was great, and the location was close to a main street filled with bars, restaurants, and a nice shopping center. It provided a complete beachside experience, with drinks and food service. I wish we could have taken even more advantage of its beachfront location.

Activity Reviews

Half-Day Eco Elephant Care!

Chiang Mai

Half-Day Eco Elephant Care in Chiang Mai was a great experience. The elephants are treated with much respect and care, regarded as family members by the people who take care of them. Participating in feeding them and observing their behaviors was both entertaining and affecting. Despite feeling like a bit like a set-up for tourists, it was definitely a wonderful experience, seeing elephants happy and well-cared for.

A Day trip to Doi Inthanon National Park!

Chiang Mai

The day trip to Doi Inthanon National Park was interesting and worthwhile. The area was stunning, with the tallest mountain in Thailand and beautifully built pagodas. The air quality was not great due to field burning, impacting the views. Nevertheless, the excursion was good, and the guided tour through boardwalks in the forest was a nice touch.

Angtong National Marine Park

Thailand

The Angtong National Marine Park excursion, which included snorkeling, was somewhat underwhelming. The snorkeling site was decent but overcrowded with too many boats and people. Being an experienced snorkeler, I felt the site itself wasn’t exceptional, and the long travel time to get there didn’t seem worth it. The tour had potential but could benefit from a less crowded experience.

Jook booked this trip for us very last minute and did a fabulous job. Hotels were wonderful and the driver/guides exceptional. Jook selected great tours that we thoroughly enjoyed. I will definitely use Jook and KimKim again - fabulous company.

I wrote a 5000 word review of how wonderful this trip was, but it didn’t save. So just take this little blurb, pretend it’s 5000 words of amazing review. And you’ll know what I meant.

Jeab was great to work with and developed a wonderful itinerary for us. It was so helpful to have someone local to confirm transfers and tour times, without us trying to phone each day to confirm activities over the next couple of days. We spent 13 nights across 4 cities/towns, each hotel was as advertised and met our expectations. We enjoyed all of our tours and our guides were all knowledgeable and friendly.

We had an issue on the first day (I fell over, 100% my fault) but Jeab and Noemie (the KimKim support person we had available 24/7) were helpful and sympathetic. They checked whether tours could be adjusted to accommodate my newly acquired walking stick, and could make recommendations regarding treatment - we did come home with a few different herbal balms that helped the healing.

The Thai Family Experience Home Host Tour in Chiang Mai (cooking with the host family) was better than we expected, the food was delicious, we actually got in and helped with the cooking rather than being mostly spectators (of course we didn't do everything but it was quite hands on), and the large host family prepares several dishes as appetizers as well, all amazing.
Also near Chiang Mai the Patara Elephant Farm tour was good, you get to feed and wash the elephants, plus some cuddles and a few pictures of course. The handlers there were excellent and clearly care for the elephants.

From Phuket we took a full day boat tour Hong by Starlight. Highly recommend this tour to anyone. We were gone 11 hours from hotel pick up to drop off, tired from the fun of the day but not worn out because it is so well run (and pretty much everything is done for you). There is a guide for every couple, they take you from the main boat on inflatable canoes through caves/tunnels, show you the wildlife, and take photos of you with the perfect backdrops. The third and final canoe trip was after dinner, it was pitch black on the water just around the other side of a small island from the main boat. In the darkness we could see the bio-luminescent plankton clearly. It was a great day, they take care of you really well. Not expensive, and certainly worth every dollar for the experience we received.

We'd love to go again and would certainly trust Jeab to plan us a perfect holiday.

I have always traveled with an established tour group, so this was my first venture into a personalized tour. The idea of this vague, on-line platform made me nervous. I was quite worried before the trip, but all my worries were for naught. It was an incredible tour from start to finish.

First, our specialist Lacey was beyond phenomenal. Even though we're half a world apart, she was so responsive to our questions and always replied quickly. We made numerous adjustments throughout the planning stages, but she was kind, courteous and upbeat from start to finish even though I'm sure we drove her crazy. She had excellent suggestions and followed through consistently on any of our questions or concerns. We also had the privilege of meeting her in Hanoi (her home base) during our visit (one of the highlights of the trip). I would like to add that she remained in touch with us throughout the tour and made sure everything went as planned. When the airlines switched our flight time, she made all the arrangements necessary to get us to the plane on time.

Were there a few glitches on this trip? Certainly. That's the nature of international travel. Would I have changed a few things in hind sight? Certainly. But overall, the trip was flawless. With the exception of 2 guides who were less than wonderful (one simply didn't feel good and probably should have requested a substitute and the other simply wasn't much of a guide -- more of an escort who got us to all the places we needed to be without any explanation).

But we also had two of the best guides I've ever had. Our Cambodian guide (Set) and driver (Buhan) were marvelous. They treated us like queens. I highly recommend them for anyone traveling to Cambodia. And the best of all was Ae in Bangkok. I don't think I have words to describe how incredibly wonderful she was. She wanted us to love her country as much as she did, and she succeeded. She had the most incredible smile always, was constantly handing us a new food or treat to try, and shared personal stories that allowed us to totally experience her culture. I've kept her photo because it makes me smile every time I see it.

So thank you Kimkim. To my great surprise, I would work with you again on another trip to somewhere else in this magnificent world we live in. Thank you for putting us in touch with a local travel specialist who would design a custom tour.

It is not kimkim practice to provide their clients/travelers with an itemized list of cost breakdown, so we had no idea how much we paid for things. Kimkim agents would not share the cost of anything when we asked either.

Once the trip is booked through kimkim, no matter how far in advance you cancel and no matter what happens, you cannot get a refund for anything. Unforseen circumstances always arise when traveling, so it is aggravating that kimkim does not have any flexibility on this whatsoever. This also makes the travellers feel taken advantage of by kimkim.

We were unaware that a couple of our hotels recommended and booked by kimkim did not allow flushing of toilet paper down the toilet. We have never been to Thailand before, so this isn't something we even knew we should be aware of. If we knew this, we never would have booked these hotels... It is concerning and upsetting that our travel agent did not let us know about this in advance. To note, it is your job as a travel agent to provide as many details to your clients as possible and to be 100% transparent (which ironically kimkim prides itself for on its website). Although there was supposedly nothing wrong with either hotel per kimkim standards, there was definitely something wrong with both of our hotels chosen by kimkim per our standards. It was entirely kimkim's fault for ill-advising us regarding these hotels, yet my husband and I were the ones who were forced to pay for two additional hotels. This cost us a ton of money unexpectedly and we suffered needlessly at the hands of kimkim. This situation could easily have been avoided if our travel agent Mint had just communicated clearly with us in the first place. Kimkim has done nothing thus far to ameliorate this situation for us.

Google reviews of hotels were seemingly not taken into account. Kimkim books with specific hotels and bases their suggestions off past user experiences rather than booking only with highly rated hotels. (Online ratings are extremely important!!! They provide more of an objective lens as well as a much larger sample size). Our hotel in Phuket that kimkim booked for us had a plethora of poor google reviews, but kimkim's excuse for booking this place was "most of our clients enjoyed their stay here".

There was a major pickup confusion/hassle to which kimkim did nothing. We had switched hotels in Chiang Mai on 10-Mar in early afternoon and were told by our travel agent Mint that all parties were notified of this change. However, come 11-Mar, we were supposed to be picked up at 8am but weren't picked up until 9am because the driver was completely unaware what hotel we were at. He went to 1-2 different hotels before getting the right one. He called me twice because he was so confused, and he thought we had just switched hotels that morning. It was frustrating because we rushed to get ready by 8am and then waited for 60 min in the lobby. We were not given any sort of discount or refund for this inconvenience. Kimkim didn't even apologize.

We are not given contact info for any of the drivers. So, if any issues arise (which they did), we are not able to contact them. We are forced to take a roundabout way of communication by contacting our kimkim specialist who then contacts the driver. This is not time-effective. Also, kimkim has no idea what the situation actually is because they aren't there. It makes no sense why kimkim can contact the driver but we as the travelers cannot.

We dealt with frequent late pick-ups with NO communication from kimkim. For example, 13-Mar in Chiang Mai we are told to be ready for pick up at 9am. We rush through breakfast to be ready and in the lobby by 9am. At 915am, I text the travel agent (since I don't have driver contact info) if the driver is here. Travel agent Mint replies at 916am and says the driver is on their way. 930am rolls around and we are still in the lobby with no updates from anyone. I texted Mint again because the driver still hadn't arrived. Mint said she would call the driver. After several minutes, we hadn't had any updates again, so I texted Mint once again asking what happened with the driver. She replied and said this was, to our surprise, a joint pickup and the driver said there "was traffic" (which we knew to be a lie- kimkim had no idea). Regardless of the excuse and regardless of the situation, this delay should have been communicated with us by either the driver or kimkim ASAP so we were not sitting around waiting for almost an hour, wasting our time.

The kimkim itinerary specifically says pickup at "9am". When it reached 915am and we still hadn't received any updates and the driver hadn't arrived, we texted our kimkim agent who said "pickup is actually 9-930am"... A time range is MUCH different than one set time, so why weren't we notified of this range whatsoever when it directly affected us?

Kimkim randomly springing on us that we are riding with a bunch of random strangers when our itinerary has only included private transfers thus far and only finding that out the day of minutes before we were picked up is extremely inconvenient, not to mention inconsiderate.

We needed passport # for ziplining as well as our passport picture for the elephant sanctuary, but neither one of these were on the kimkim itinierary and kimkim did not warn us about this. Thankfully, we already had our passport pics on our phones by some miracle and were able to participate in the activities without issue (with no thanks to kimkim).

Without giving us any prior notice or heads up, our kimkim contact for 2 weeks (Mint) randomly texted us one day 5 min before one of our flights took off and told us to contact someone else going forward because she's "going to be off for a while"... Is this how kimkim's supposed 100% transparency really works?

Neither travel agent EVER checked in with us. This should be the BARE MINIMUM and common sense as a travel agent... To ensure things are on time, that things are going smoothly, that your clients (us) are having a good time and are alive... Both our travel agents Mint and Tina only responded to texts we sent them; they never once checked in on us independently. The last few days of our trip, they went completely dark- we literally didn't hear from them at all. They didn't even wish us well or safe travels (which, literal strangers did for us, but our own travel agents didn't?!). We don't feel cared for or respected by kimkim whatsoever.

Kimkim specifically said our Day 15 (March 17) activity was a "small group". However, we boarded the boat with well over 20 people which is, by definition, not a small group. Not to mention, our "small" group interacted with a ton of other groups, taking away any perceived or possible intimacy of a small group setting.

Our boat island tour on 17-Mar took us to Bamboo Island for 1.5 hours where there were no functional bathrooms and both the beach and the water were oversaturated with people. Additionally, the fish were extremely aggressive and bit me multiple times even though I was calmly and quietly floating on the surface of the water. This day was the absolute WORST by far and honestly one of the worst travel days I've ever had in my life. How could kimkim recommend such a terrible experience?

Hotel quality seemed to differ quite a bit between cities for no apparent reason... For instance, kimkim's chosen hotel in Bangkok (Valia Hotel) was super new, super fancy, 5-star, and highly rated. However, kimkim's chosen hotel in Phuket (The Charm Resort) was 4-star and not too highly rated.

Overall, my husband and I are quite dissatisfied with kimkim and, as it stands, will not book with kimkim again or recommend them to anyone. I am no travel agent, but I am confident I could have planned a better and cheaper trip for my husband and myself with many less hassles. If anyone with access to Google can plan a successful international trip, what makes kimkim stand out? What can they do specially that I can't just do myself? Communication from our kimkim agents was severely lacking for the entire trip duration- so much so that it was easy to forget we even had travel agents. It seemed pretty evident that they didn't care about us. Kimkim prides themselves on 100% customer satisfaction and 100% transparency, yet neither of these things were true during our trip. Such a major disappointment.

Hotel Reviews

Phka Chan Hotel

Siem Reap

My husband and I had a fantastic stay here. Rooms were clean, food was delicious, staff were extremely kind and accommodating, beautiful balcony overlooking the pool, bathrooms were nice, shower water temperature & pressure good, great location, included breakfast was awesome- the noodle soup here was our favorite breakfast food on our entire trip. Bottled water is complimentary. It did take us a bit to figure out the AC (not self explanatory), but once we did it worked fine. Would definitely recommend and would stay here again!

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful scenery, nice pool, nice rooms.

Location

Right next to the bustling main street with tons of restaurants and shops. However, it is still quiet.

Staff

The staff here went above and beyond to ensure we were comfortable and had everything we needed. For instance, my husband has dietary restrictions and staff were extremely accommodating and made sure he had plenty to eat. They even made edits to menu items to accommodate for him.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were large and very clean. Beds were comfortable.

Valia Hotel Bangkok

Bangkok

Overall, my husband and I had a good stay here. Clean rooms, amazing large bathrooms, decent food, large breakfast buffet, kind staff, excellent water pressure and temperature, comfy beds, excellent AC, good location. The rooms are a bit small.

Staff

Staff were accommodating and kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean. Comfortable beds.

Banthai Village

Chiang Mai

We didn't end up staying here. Much to our surprise, they do not allow flushing of any toilet paper- this was the biggest issue for us. We only found this out upon our arrival at the hotel. The AC unit blows air directly onto the bed which is uncomfortable. The floors are extremely slippery. The shower water didn't seem like it could get hot enough. Although it seems quaint, it was not for us. Knowing what we know now, we never would have allowed kimkim to book this place.

Location

Although it was relatively quiet, it is a walk to get to any restaurant or downtown.

Rock & Treehouse Resort

I picked this place after doing some research, and I was overall not disappointed in my choice. Beds could be a bit comfier but they were fine. Rooms were relatively large with beautiful views and wildlife abundant. Huge and awesome balcony. AC worked fine. Water temperature was good. Water pressure in shower was severely lacking at times, but only momentarily. Breakfast was lacking- very small and not many options. Staff were kind and accommodating. Food was delicious. We loved that you can book excursions through the hotel- we did the half-day jungle trek at Khao Sok National Park and it was one of our favorite experiences on this entire trip. The biggest con was that the window shades don't close all the way. They do have a pool but it is small. Would recommend and would stay here again!

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful scenery and wildlife abundant. Most of the walls of the rooms are huge windows. Really feels like a jungle resort.

Location

Very quaint and quiet location surrounded by jungle and wildlife. 5 min drive from Khao Sok National Park and ~10 min walk into small town with cafes, restaurants, and shops.

Staff

Staff were kind and accommodating.

The Charm Resort Phuket

We didn't end up staying here. This hotel does not allow flushing of any toilet paper- this was a huge issue for us. In addition, multiple Google ratings mention dirty rooms, poor water pressure, and poor water temperature. Knowing what we know now, we would not have allowed kimkim to book this hotel for us.

Activity Reviews

Phi Phi island, Bamboo Island, Pi Leh lagoon & Maya bay by speedboat

Phuket

If we could rate this 0 stars, we would. This was one of the worst travel experiences we've ever had (and we are long-time world travelers). Kimkim had on the itinerary that this was a "small group" activity; however, it turns out that this was actually a large group of well over 20 people. Not to mention, our group interacted with countless other large groups so there was no intimacy whatsoever. Every single place we went was absolutely packed full of tourists. At Maya Bay, you could barely walk because there were so many people. We were given the option to go swimming at Pi Leh Lagoon, but there were so many boats and so many people that you barely had any room to swim. Bamboo Island was no different- the snorkeling area was overwhelmed with bodies. It was absolutely horrible. It took an entire hour via boat one way to get anywhere. Not only is this travel time excessive, but it wasn't worth the experiences. The fish at Bamboo Island were extremely aggressive. I was bit multiple times even though I was quietly and peacefully floating at the water's surface. The bathroom situation for this excursion was horrible. There were literally no functional bathrooms on Bamboo Island and we were stuck there for 1.5 hours (and no soap/hand sani or toilet paper). Maya Bay bathrooms were overcrowded and had no soap or hand sanitizer. The boat did not have any bathrooms. Snorkeling was a major let down for so many reasons. Note: We've been snorkeling before at world-class snorkel sites and are not beginners. Firstly, the equipment sucked. The mouthpiece was faulty and water kept filling your mouth and the snorkeling tube. They didn't use any defogging material either so after about 5 seconds your goggles would fog up and you couldn't see anything. They didn't supply you with flippers. They didn't give a snorkeling lesson whatsoever, so most people were splashing around and swimming loudly and scaring the fish away.

Quality of Experience

The worst day by far of our entire trip and one of the worst travel experiences I've ever had. Nothing about this entire day/excursion was positive. I have literally nothing good to say. It was terrible.

Food

The food at the very end was disappointing. Not a lot of options and it didn't taste great.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was clearly just some guy without any real expertise. He didn't give snorkeling lessons or tips. He didn't warn us about no soap on Maya Bay. When we arrived at Maya Bay, he specifically told us to "only bring your phone" without even mentioning there were food & drinks available for purchase (cash only) and we couldn't get back on the boat once we left.

Transport

No bathroom on the boat. For the number of people on this trip, the boat was relatively small with limited seating. It took an entire hour to travel one way.

Chiang Mai Cooking Class Experience-Small Group

Chiang Mai

My husband and I had a magnificent time at this cooking class. It was just me and him which was SO nice. We traveled with our instructor to a local market to pick out fresh ingredients. My husband has dietary restrictions and our instructor was more than willing to accommodate. We were shocked that our class included so many meals- we made one appetizer, two main courses, and dessert. Our instructor explained things very clearly and was very funny and kind. The food tasted so delicious and you get a cookbook at the end. Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Intimate and educational experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our instructor was amazing. She was so funny and nice and knowledgeable.

Transport

Our instructor picked us up and dropped us off.

Half-day Experience Zipline at Maetonluang Village

Chiang Mai

This is an activity we specifically requested that kimkim include in our itinerary (and I picked the specific location/company after doing my own research). Staff were incredible. Views and scenery were incredible. Ziplining was so fun! I felt very safe and taken care of. The lunch buffet at the end was decent. There are bathrooms at the beginning. You traverse the ziplines with a small group. You have the option of paying a photographer to take pics & videos of you ziplining which was well worth it. They have small free storage lockers. I would highly recommend this activity and would suggest that kimkim add this into potential activities.

Quality of Experience

Such an amazing and fun experience.

Food

Lunch was included and buffet style. It was decent.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staff were hilarious, friendly, and very knowledgeable.

Transport

Unbeknownst to us, this was a joint pick-up. Kimkim did not inform us of this. We didn't like being crammed into a van with a bunch of strangers. Not to mention, the driver came 1 hour later than scheduled/planned so we were forced to wait in the lobby for that entire duration.

Discover Angkor Wat and Floating Village - Day 1

Cambodia

Overall, this was an awesome experience. It was so cool to see a world wonder (angkor wat). Ta Prohm was probably my favorite part of this day - seeing the massive trees enveloping ancient temples was magical. However, this was an extremely long day in the heat & humidity and with direct sun exposure. I suffered from heat exhaustion.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. He was very excited to share his culture and country with us.

Transport

Our driver was amazing. He was so friendly and prompt and provided us with a seemingly unlimited supply of cold water bottles.

Exploring Bangkok by local transfers and walking tour

Bangkok

My husband and I had a good day exploring Bangkok with our lovely tour guide. We saw several temples, all of which were cool to see.

Traditional Thai Massage!

Bangkok

This activity was specifically requested by my husband and I. We really enjoyed it! Everyone was very professional and it was quite relaxing.

A visit to Mae Klong Railway market and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market!

Bangkok

This experience was so awesome! We started out at the Mae Klong Railway market. We got there right in time to see the train come in. There were a ton of stalls/vendors and we did quite a bit of shopping. Next, we went to a coconut sugar processing facility which my husband and I thought was really cool. The people there were very nice. Finally, we did the Damnoen floating market. This was our favorite! It was so beautiful. It felt like the Venice of Thailand. There were tons of vendors and really delicious foods. A very unique experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Enjoy Food Tasting in Chinatown!

Bangkok

Note: Not recommended for vegans or vegetarians. Our guide took me to Chinatown where I tried a wide array of unique food items (including jellyfish!). There were SO many food vendors selling so many different kinds of food- mostly items containing meat. I ate so much! The guide paid for everything which was nice. I had a good time.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Elephant Jungle Expedition at Chai Lai Orchid Ecolodge!

Chiang Mai

A life-changing experience. My husband and I did a private tour. Note: This particular sanctuary strives for the ethical treatment of its elephants. We started off by feeding three adult female elephants sugar cane. We were instructed by staff how to properly do this. Next, we mixed and crushed together an array of medicinal herbs to feed to the elephants for their wellbeing. Then, we took a small stroll with one of the elephants to a mother and her calf. The baby was so playful and cute and fun to watch. It kicked around a soccer ball! We then headed to the river where an elephant was bathing and we helped bathe and splash it. The water was ice cold! Our guide then made us lunch over an open fire and served it to us in a section of bamboo tree trunk. It was delicious! (Note: My husband has dietary restrictions and our guide asked about this prior to making food. He was very accommodating). We next walked a short distance to a waterfall. Finally, we took a ride on a long bamboo raft down the river. You will get wet! This was beautiful and serene. Overall, we had an amazing experience here and would highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Elephants are such majestic creatures. Spending a day with them was truly remarkable.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide at the sanctuary was humorous, knowledgeable, and friendly.

Transport

Kimkim did not inform us that this would be a group / joint transfer, which was inconsiderate and rather annoying. We didn't enjoy riding with a bunch of strangers. In addition, there was a major transport mixup due to kimkim's lack of communication. My husband and I had switched hotels the previous morning and were told by our kimkim agent that all parties were notified of this change. The kimkim itinerary said pickup was 8am. However, we weren't picked up until 9am because the driver was completely unaware of what hotel we were at. He went to 1-2 different hotels before he got the right one. He also called me twice because he was so confused, and he had thought we had just switched hotels that morning (when we had actually switched one full day ago). It was extremely frustrating because we rushed through breakfast to get to the lobby by 8am, only to have to wait for an entire hour. Kimkim's communication during this ordeal was severely lacking, and we were not given any sort of discount, refund, or even an apology for this hassle.

Great 21 days to Thailand - Kimkim team provided guidance throughout the trip They were available when there was last minute changes or issues. Favorite excursions were interactions with elephants - both in Chiang Mai and Koh Samui. Another favorite was a private charter of a catamaran in Koh Samui where they brought us to pig island. Only negatives were sometimes the group excursions were long - they could have been cut shorter (Kayak, road trip from Chiang rai to Chiang Mai) Overall a very memorable trip !

Hotel Reviews

Le Patta Hotel Chiang Rai

The hotel was close to the walking street but it’s on was located on a busy street.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The hotel is closed to the walking street and street food but it’s on a busy street

Staff

The staff was very nice and accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel is clean but the room could use some refurbishing. Lots of mosquitoes in the area

Meliá Chiang Mai Hotels & Resort

Chiang Mai

Very beautiful modern hotel with great amenities such as a pool , bar and nice gym

Authenticity & Character

It’s very modern therefore not your typical Thai hotel with character.

Location

Across the street from the markets

Staff

The concierge was great

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed super comfy

Hotel (Booked on Your Own)

Koh Samui

Absolutely loved our stay at the Anavana resort. It felt like a true Thai resort with individual huts. It’s a very small resort so it’s not crowded and the restaurant view on the beach was fantastic

Authenticity & Character

Thai huts in a tropical setting

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eden Beach Khao Lak Resort & Spa

Phang Nga

Very busy resort but with a Thai feel. The lobby and restaurants are all in bamboo therefore you feel like you are in the tropics. Our room was nothing special but the other rooms closer to the beach seemed nicer.

Authenticity & Character

Bamboo lobby on stilts

Location

Resort is close to all the restaurants

Staff

The checkin staff was great but it was difficult to get service from the pool bar staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was clean

The St. Regis Bangkok

Bangkok

Over the top luxurious hotel with great amenities - rooftop pool and fantastic gym. It also had the best buffet breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Siam Mandarina Hotel

Samutprakarn

I’m not sure I would stay at this hotel again

Authenticity & Character

Location

It’s a sketchy area - close to the airport

Staff

Restaurant staff was extremely slow. We left our EarPods at checkout and they wouldn’t mail them to us

Cleanliness & Comfort

Crazy weird noises

Dusit Suites Hotel Ratchadamri, Bangkok

Bangkok

Authenticity & Character

Newly renovated modern hotel

Location

Great location - central location but quieter as among all the luxury hotels.

Staff

All staff in Thailand are excellent

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed was comfortable

Avista Grande Phuket Karon Mgallery

Phuket

Very nice hotel with beautiful pool and very nice rooms. The buffet breakfast was excellent

Authenticity & Character

A very nice hotel especially at night with all the lights

Location

It’s in a bit of a weird location as it’s across the public beach but you can still walk to all the restaurants

Staff

Desk staff were excellent

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Samui Islands Yacht Charter – Sunset Trip

Koh Samui

Excellent catamaran excursion with great attentive staff, delicious snacks and great bbq. Would charter from blue voyage again.

Quality of Experience

Catamaran was clean and in good shape. The different unexpected snacks were great

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very attentive but still kept their distance so we could enjoy family time

Transport

Golden Triangle and Mekong River Boat (Private)

Chiang Rai

The guide was excellent and informative. Enjoyed the Opium museum I gave it a 4 instead of a 5 as the golden triangle was interesting but not scenic as expected. . It was fun going to Laos but the vendors are a bit pushy.

Quality of Experience

Food

The local restaurant was delicious

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was excellent

Transport

Driver was great - boat ride to Laos was fun

Chiang Rai - Chiang Mai via Mae Kampong with Lunch

Thailand

Loved visiting the blue temple early without the crowds. The white temple was magnificent. Our guide was excellent. The drive to Mae kampong was extremely scary as the drive was unsafe. We never got to see the village and walk around as the driver was scaring us and we missed the meeting point. Unfortunately that made our excursion a disappointment

Quality of Experience

H

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide excellent. Driver awful

Transport

Fatbike Countryside Explorer

Chiang Mai

We ended up being the only two on the excursion. The bikes were in amazing condition. The guide was great and patient ( very safe when we had to cross highways). The lunch provided after the bike ride was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Grandma’s Cooking Experience

Chiang Mai

We loved our cooking experience at grandma S kitchen. Extremely well organized. They would prepare all the ingredients ahead of time and we got to cook and eat - a soup, pad Thai and a curry and dessert. They would clean up our station in between courses. Very efficient excursion with a funny chef

Quality of Experience

Quality of ingredients

Food

Delicious meal

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Similan Island - Small Group Tour

Thailand

Loved the similar islands although this is definitely not a small group - we were about 40 people side by side in A speed boat. It’s still worth it as the water is beautiful. There are a lot of other tour boats - so it’s crowded. The food provided after by the company was ok - not great.

Quality of Experience

Food

The food at the island was good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A larger boat with less people would have been better

Elephant Day Care at Patara Elephant Farm

Chiang Mai

We got to see several elephants rose freely including two 1 year old ( who were funny and kept escaping)We were 4 people to take care of 2 elephants - loved the one on one experience. The fruits at the end were sufficient for a snack

Quality of Experience

Love the one on one with the elephants

Food

The fruits were great as a snack but it wasn’t a meal. We had sticky rice too.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Not too much English but the staff was great

Transport