Kimkim Trip Reviews for Thailand

I am so happy we booked our Thailand trip with KimKim! From the start, Tina was amazing—patient, flexible, and always willing to answer our many questions and make changes until everything felt just right for us.

What truly made the trip special were the wonderful local guides and drivers. Bee, our driver in Bangkok, and Cherry, our tour guide, welcomed us with such kindness and genuine warmth—we felt comfortable the moment we met them. Our Phuket driver was just as friendly, and every transfer was smooth and stress-free. It really felt like we were being cared for by friends.

We visited Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket during the busy holiday season, and every hotel exceeded our expectations. Each were the perfect location to experience the uniqueness of the region. The Sri Pawna in Phuket was spectacular!!! (FYI, the 2 room villa, second room is not connected to the villa which was odd). One of the most memorable experiences was our day at the Orchid Elephant Sanctuary in Chiang Mai, with our personal guide Tatoo.

This was a trip of a lifetime! Highly recommend KimKim to anyone planning a visit to Thailand!

This was a dream trip for our family. This company put all my anxieties at ease with their attention to detail, communication, and thoughtfulness. Our drivers were amazing! They came in air conditioned vehicles, had our picture and got us to all our locations safely! The hotels were exactly what I asked for which was kid friendly in safe/tourist neighborhoods. We tailored the trip to our needs and the specialist had no problem providing options for us. Specifically we only wanted 1 day of temples and the specialist suggested a cooking class for the next which was one of the highlights for our family! Deedee in Phuket was amazing! Entertaining, kind, and helped me when I was in a jam with the locals. I thought visiting Asia had too many hurdles for me to do with kids but the Kimkim specialists were the best! I would travel with them again in a heartbeat!

Hotel Review

Cassia Phuket

Phuket

Our favorite hotel by far! The family pool party was the best! My kids had a blast! We also enjoyed the room service! Food was delivered quickly and there were plenty of options for all! My kids loved having their own room and the kitchen was perfectly stocked with dishes and pans if you needed. Overall we loved this hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Lots of games available for the kids and people were very nice!

Location

Felt safe with lots of tourists and restaurants.

Staff

Very kind!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Northern Thai Dining & Cultural Show at Khum Khantoke

Chiang Mai

This was unlike anything we have ever seen before! We had a great time!

Quality of Experience

Food

We loved the all you can eat chicken wings!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver was a great driver but more friendly than I was used to. Helping herself to some of our dinner, asking me to buy drinks, following us into our hotel room- it was a level of friendly I’m not accustomed to and found a bit intrusive. I did ask her to leave us to give us some space to which she complied.

Explore the Koh Phi Phi By Speedboat

Phuket

Gorgeous beaches!! Green water! Was better than we expected!

Quality of Experience

We loved the soft beaches and the greenery of the islands! I wish we’d had more time but we saw a lot! Even snorkeled!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Deedee was amazing on boat 222. Entertaining, thoughtful! Made the experience so much fun!

Transport

Living Green Elephant Sanctuary Experience - Full Day

Chiang Mai

This experience was a dream come true! We couldn’t stop smiling! My kids will always remember how they wrestled an elephant for food!

Quality of Experience

Spending the whole day at the sanctuary gave us the time/space to enjoy all the things! We never felt rushed or pressured to move onto another task. We spent as much time doing the activities with the elephants as we wanted. The only activity we lasted longer then the elephants was the river- we stayed in much longer enjoying the cooler waters while they retreated to the forest to forage!

Food

We liked cooking lunch!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Thai Cooking Class with Market or Herb Garden Tour!

Bangkok

This was a highlight for us! We enjoyed learning h pu w to cook the Thai dishes!

Quality of Experience

Our chef was amazing! She was funny, entertaining, and patient!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The AC vans!

Bangkok Spiritual Encounter

Bangkok

We enjoyed seeing the monks and talking with them!

Quality of Experience

Was a very calming experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We booked our honeymoon through KimKim to Thailand and had an amazing experience every step of the way. First we went to Chiang Mai and met our tour guide Bam. Our hotel Bella Nara was a fantastic stay with an absolutely delicious breakfast (Our favorite of the entire trip). We had a fantastic time going to the Araksa Tea Garden and getting a tour of the Silver Temple. She also brought us to the silver smith and we got to learn to engrave some aluminum keychains. We also went to the Elephant Jungle sanctuary and got to work with the elephants there.

Next we went to Bangkok and met our tour guide Mr. Tawee. Our favorite part was the Hidden Local Beliefs tour led by Scotty. He taught us all about Buddhism from a very personal level and took us to some amazing temples both on and off the beaten path. TIngly cooking school and the night street food tour were both amazing adventures as well.

After that we flew to Cambodia, specifically to Siem Reap. Seeing the beautiful countryside as well as the ancient temples was breathtaking. The floating village and sunset boat tour on Tonle Sap lake was a fantastic end to our day. Sorphorn was extremely knowledgeable and helpful with recommending places to eat.

Finally our travels brought us to Phuket. We went on the John Gray's sea canoe trip and got to see some amazing islands and lagoons, as well as going into the caves and seeing bio-luminescent plankton. The crew on the Phi Phi Sunrise and Maya Bay by Simba tour were fantastic as well. It was a little hard for a first time snorkeler, but someone more experienced would have a great time.

Overall our planning with KimKim made the entire trip a breeze, and their execution was nearly flawless. Kien was with us every step of the way, and listened to all of our wants and needs. We highly recommend the service, and will be planning with them again.

Activity Reviews

Hidden Local Beliefs

Bangkok

Scotty was an incredible guide. Highly recommend him! We loved getting to learn about the practice of Buddhism and local beliefs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Finding The Lost Angkor Temples - Lunch at Srah Srang Village House

Siem Reap

Absolutely stunning experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

We loved the place they took us for lunch. Getting to eat a traditional Cambodian meal in the home restaurant was amazing.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Countryside Adventure by Quad Biking

Siem Reap

We were able to see the beautiful landscape and countryside of Siem Reap. Our guide was personable and informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Street Food Tour After Dark by Tuk Tuk

Bangkok

Tried lots of delicious foods, including soy sauce ice cream!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chiang Mai Culture & Arts

Chiang Mai

Bam gave us a personal experience of the city and we had a great time on this tour. We loved making the aluminum engravings and learning about the traditions and history of Chiang Mai.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Elephant Jungle Sanctuary (Morning session)

Chiang Mai

Possibly the favorite part of the trip. Kind of wish we could've spent the whole day with the elephants.

Araksa Tea Experience & Adventure at Sri Lanna National Park

Chiang Mai

We had an incredible time picking and learning about tea. Tasting the teas was delicious and the guides were very informative. The national park was gorgeous and we had an amazing time at the waterfall.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The whole trip was great! Hoa did a FANTASTIC job putting together great activities and lodgings!
We especially loved the local feel on our tour to Koh Klang.
Will definitley use & recommend Kimkim in the future!

Really loved how responsive Bella was to our questions and concerns! She was also amazing at pivoting the plans quickly depending on our needs. The activities were lovely but the true standouts were our guides. Aday in Chiang Rai and Leena in Bangkok were absolutely outstanding. They truly made those cities so much more enjoyable and fun for us.

We had an amazing trip , KimKim not only saved us time , and the stress of planning, all of the guides and services were amazing. The hotels were fantastic and all of the transports were incredibly reliable and on time. Huge thank you to Bella, Marty, PIM and many others along the way . Bella was an incredible help and super detailed to Align our trip to our needs, and incredibly responsive and knowledgeable. . Thank you !

The trip was amazing and George was great to work with. Mint - our guide in Bangkok for the city tour was awesome … we all enjoyed our day with her. Our off road jeep adventure in Khao Lac was a lot of fun and full of laughs! I can not remember the drivers name but he was hilarious as well as our guide - song I think he told us to call him. They both had us laughing all day as well as being full of information. All three of us would return tomorrow and were sad to leave. Thank you for a great adventure especially with a relatively short planning time for high season.
All the accommodations were also very nice and we have no complaints!

Hotel Reviews

Courtyard by Marriott Phuket, Patong Beach Resort

Patong

Marriott is always great

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Theatre Residence

Bangkok

Great boutique hotel - staff was very helpful!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near a nice city market , near river, yet not in the heart of city chaos….a little gem in a big city!

Staff

The front desk staff was always willing to help and answer questions daily!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Seaview Resort Khao Lak

Takua Pa

This hotel overall was a nice stay. Rooms were nice and clean - The house keepers were very attentive. We were slightly disappointed they no longer have a spa - but plenty of others around so not end of the world. Property was nice but left with a feeling it needed over all some TLC. It was a good stay and no specific complaints - we did not stay elsewhere in the area to compare.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Hotel was on beach within walking of shops laundry and restaurants…. Short ride to anything else you might want

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean and comfortable

Activity Reviews

Group Phi Phi Island day trip by Speed Boat

Thailand

The tour and guides were great. It was sooo crowded and that would be the negative. Nothing that the tour could control. So many different tours and boats happening it was extremely busy. Glad we left EARLY … can only imagine the crowds of later departure.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Phuket Elephant Sanctuary

Phuket

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Off-Road Jungle Jeep Adventure in Khao Lak (Full Day)

Khao Lak

Fun day with Song our guide and the driver was hilarious! I can not remember his name unfortunately. They were great especially since they had German and English speaking clients on the tour. Made sure we all understood what we were seeing and doing. And we all had fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They were not only informative but funny and entertaining!!

Transport

Bangkok Cultural Tour

Bangkok

Mint was great! We saw everything and she was easy to hang with. Full of info and a wealth of info. She was patient with all our questions!

Quality of Experience

The guide Mint made the city tour! She was great - easy going , well prepared, wealth of info, patient and easy to spend the day with!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

See above

Transport

Always timely and clean

We had a wonderful experience booking through Kimkim -- here are the highlights of the key people that we interacted with:

1) Kien -- he is based out of Vietnam but was our key contact person throughout the planning phase as well as the trip. He was always attentive to our needs, helped us every step of the way, was polite and understood what we wanted to get out of the trip. I will highly recommend him.

2) The local guides: Mr. Taiwah, Ms. Pookie, Ms. Lisa, Ms. Yun were all very helpful and responsive.

We will look forward to booking our next trip via Kimkim.

My family and I went to Thailand from the 25th of December until the 6th of January.
Just want to say that Kim Kim organized our luxury trip very well and were always available if we needed any help. My family and I had a fantastic time and Ashley was extremely helpful with the organization as were the local guides like Winni in Bangkok and Dada in Puquet. We found everyone kind, and helpful. I would recommend this group to organize whatever you need with hotels, tours and airline tickets.

Tea was nice the other two were not a good fit at all

Activity Reviews

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

Bangkok

We visited the Mae Klong Railway Market and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market on our trip to Thailand. While it was an interesting experience, we felt that the travel time was quite long in comparison to the actual time spent at the market. The markets were unique, but the whole activity felt brief and a bit anticlimactic after such a long journey. I would suggest adding more activities in the proximity to make the travel worth it.

One Day Trek Sanpatong (Mae Win Area)

Chiang Mai

Our 'One Day Trek Sanpatong (Mae Win Area)' experience started with an unexpected stop at an elephant place which did not meet our expectations as a sanctuary. There were three elephants that appeared sad and confined. We had expected a more ethical experience where we could interact with elephants in a natural environment. The hike that followed felt random and lacked a clear purpose, while the bamboo rafting was fun and well-received by the kids. Overall, the day was mixed, with more disappointments than highlights.

Temple and Hill tribes in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai

Our visit to the Temple and Hill Tribes in Chiang Mai was confusing and left us puzzled. The journey was long and windy, and once we arrived, there was little explanation from our guide as he did not speak much English. We didn't feel informed about the purpose of our visit or the significance of the tribes. It felt intrusive to walk around with kids who were just playing. The coffee was the highlight, but overall, the trip felt like a waste of time without proper context and information.

From beginning to end our travel experience was incredible thanks to Hoa and our guides and drivers in Thailand. From our arrival in Chiang Mai to dropping off our son at Semester at Sea at the end of our trip in Bangkok every detail was accounted for and every accommodation made for our unique circumstance. We encountered delays at the beginning of our trip because of weather in San Francisco forcing us to miss our connection and delaying our arrival in Thailand one full day. Within hours of receiving our news, Hoa had rearranged our itinerary to ensure we missed not a single moment we had planned, including changing our in country flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. I just cannot overstate the level of detail and consideration that was put into our travel plan by Hoa and the team. Ying, our guide in Chiang Mai, was knowledgeable and just such a joy to spend time with. It was fun getting to know her city, her cultural and even her personally. Each hotel in Chiang Mai, Krabi, Bangkok and Kanchanaburi captured the vibe of the place we were in and added to our overall experience. Hoa really heard us when we expressed our interests and values and aligned our itinerary perfectly. Our guide in Bangkok, Toto, was so much fun! He just has this infectious energy that added great vibes to our overall experience. When my daughter and I started to plan this trip we tried to do it on our own but became quickly overwhelmed. Finding KimKim and working with Hoa were the key to an incredible experience we will never forget!

Hotel Reviews

River Kwai Resotel

Kanchanaburi

Very cool setting but staff was super helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Loved taking the water taxi to and from

Staff

Language proficiency and attitude -- people were not super friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nysa Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 11

Bangkok

Location was in an area that was maybe not as family friendly. We did like the atmosphere of the hotel itself and staff were excellent. Also in walking distance to shopping and public transit.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Varana Krabi Hotel

Great location and amenities. Very peaceful. Food is a little pricey on site (per Thailand standards) but a great experience overall.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

De Chai The Colonial Hotel & Spa

Chiang Mai

Great location and really nice rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location and room decor

Location

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Railway Market & Floating Market - Travel to Kanchanaburi

Thailand

Both markets are so unique and special. Toto gave us great hints on where to shop for the best deals.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok Symbolic Temples

Bangkok

Toto went above and beyond to make sure we visited all the temples and got the best views and pictures!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Araksa Tea Experience & Adventure at Sri Lanna National Park

Chiang Mai

Such a serene and peaceful place. Loved picking the tea and learning the process.

Quality of Experience

Food

Loved the homemade rice cakes

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Chiang Mai by tuk tuk

Chiang Mai

Ying was super knowledgeable about Buddhism and Thai customs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bella was amazing and designed a trip that you knew you were making core memories. Everyday things just kept getting better and more beautiful. She made a large effort on my son's birthday so he's have a special day. Bella was so helpful and there wasn't a problem she couldn't find a solution for.

Hotel Reviews

RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort

Chiang Mai

This hotel was so charming and authentically Thai feeling. The rooms were beautiful and the staff were kind and attentive.

Authenticity & Character

It felt like being in an original Thai home with all the teak.

Location

The only drawback was not being closer to the old city.

Staff

There were always helpful staff around to help.

Cleanliness & Comfort

500 Rai Floating Resort

Surat Thani

This hotel was like hitting the pause button and enjoying time as a family. You can really disconnect and reconnect with your family. The excursions were so fun and the food was amazing.

Authenticity & Character

They had a clear goal of disconnecting from the internet and connecting as people.

Location

It's so beautiful that you feel like you're in a dream.

Staff

The staff was attentive and kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean and the beds were so comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Elephant Nature Park Visit

Chiang Mai

You can really feel how much this park cares for their animals. At first you think you'll be disappointed because you can't touch or feed the elephants. The guide explains why they run their park the way you do and then you understand. You're so close to the elephants on the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

4 Islands Sunset Cocktail Cruise + Bioluminescent Night Snorkel

Thailand

I can't rave about this boat trip enough. The staff were so fun and attentive. It felt like we were with Thai pirates. The boat took us to less crowded areas and we got to connect as a group on the boat. By the end of the trip we had made vacation friends.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall the trip was great. We had a ton of help from Ashley and she was very responsive during the trip when we wanted to change some plans or had questions. The places to stay she helped us choose were lovely. The private rides she set up for us were very timely. My only complaint is a couple of the guided trips were not what we expected. We did an all day private Phi Phi Island trip, our guide took us to 3 Islands and did a stop at another Island. The guide was pleasant as was the crew but the places we went (except for the snorkeling) were incredibly crowded. I understand the time of year is very busy but I hoped with a private trip we would have been offered options to go somewhere away from the crowds since we didn't have specific places we wanted to see. Our Bangkok food tour was similar. We went to China town which was incredibly crowded. Again our guide was great and found us excellent food but it was so busy there were few places to sit and we could barely walk through the crowds. As it was also a private trip, we would have been happy to be told that the usual places were very busy and been given the option to go somewhere less popular. In general we were happy but, when paying extra for private excursions, we would have appreciated more flexibility and been happy to not join the biggest possible crowds in order to go the most popular places. We didn't love Ao Nang, it was pretty but super busy with people, loud music and clubs, we wished we'd stayed at Railay Bay instead. We really loved the quiet of the jungle and lake stay at Khao Sok as well as the hiking in Chiang Mai to visit the Karin people's village. We bought the most beautiful handmade scarves there for souvenirs. Our favorite meal was the one we cooked at Ya's cooking school out of Krabi!

The local lead guides in each location were amazing. They took lead in everything from the moment we arrived and recommended additional things to do, restaurants and went out of their way to be readily available for any questions we had. The best was when each of them walked us into the airport for our transfer flights and helped us navigate through the check in process, which saved us a lot of messy chaos and lost time.

The itinerary was perfect and the transportation between locations was perfect and the communication with Elena from Kim Kim was excellent!!!

We will definitely return to Kim Kim on our future travels

Hotel Review

Anjali by Syphon

What a beautiful and unique hotel! The service was amazing, the food was beautiful and tasty and the staff so kind and accommodating. I will be recommending this hotel to everyone I know traveling to Siem Reap

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Lanna Lifestyle & Cooking Experience with A Local Family with dinner

Chiang Mai

This was a lovely and authentic experience as you were invited into the home of a family. The introduction of the culture and the food we made was amazing!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our hotel (Hotel Santhiya) was amazing….. yoga teacher was amazing and the staff was so friendly. Jean did a wonderful job listening to our wish list and then implementing a schedule. We were away over New Years and did not see another American family while on this portion of our stay in Thailand. Our resort had wonderful amenities but was relatively small in comparison and not touristy in feel. It was incredible. Our day excursions with Mr Ya were also fabulous and off the beaten path. We got a special look into Thai island life and all the residents were so kind and welcoming. Jeab planned a perfect 4 night end to our time in Thailand. Thank you!

Hotel Review

Santhiya Phuket Natai Beach Resort

Natai

Super kind staff. Beautiful resort. Gorgeous beach and pool. Delicious food. Amazing yoga and massages

Authenticity & Character

Architecture and decor and staff that treated you as fsmily

Location

Not crowded and very peaceful. The staff put on an incredible NY’s eve crlebratiom

Staff

Smiley and wanting to go the extra mile. Housekeeping also did a wonderful job and was discreet .

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The Beauty of Phang Nga Bay

Thailand

As stated— could have skipped the town with the floating soccer field. It was touristy and unnecessary after all the wonderful time we spent on Mr Ya’s island

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset by Local Boat & Dinner

Thailand

See above

Quality of Experience

We didn’t see another boat out there!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Charm of Coastal Communities and Nature

Thailand

Mr Ya was an awesome guide. Everyone in the small village worked so hard to make our when looking at the schedule initially I didn’t realize we’d be starting our days at the same launching point. A suggestion would have been to limit day one to an afternoon of mangrove kayaking followed by the sunset and dinner. The next day we could have had an early start, visited the James Bond island, swum off a small island beach then had lunch at the village (rather than two lunches there). After spending time on the small non touristy island we would have preferred to skip the touristy island (with the floating soccer field) altogether. Just food for thought.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tina was great and responsive throughout our trip. The cars, the boats, the planes and all liaison people were always on time and met us as arranged in a really helpful manner. As a result, we had a lovely and hassle free time for which many thanks to Tina who was always adaptable and responsive to our needs.

Overall, we thought we could have spent less time at airports and making plane connections especially with local flights within Thailand.

The island choice of Koh Yao Noi proved to be a secluded, quiet and luxurious bubble with some pricy activities provided by the luxurious resort (we stayed in the appropriately named Paradise Resort) . The local village was only accessible by car and wasn’t much of an attraction.

We chose the hotels (The Tamarind Village in Chiang Mai and Ariyasom Villas in Bangkok) both of which were great, with lush gardens.
Tina helpfully made some of these hotel bookings on our behalf.

We had incredible guides who absolutely made this trip, but the two we had the longest really stand out - Naa, and then Nui. Their English was excellent and they were more than willing to share experiences and answer questions. They took us places that we never would have found on our own. Not only were they lovely people but they were very knowledgeable about the history and architecture - two of our favourite topics!
The planning with George, the many phones calls and emails, meant we had a trip really tailored to our interests. The fact that Kim Kim asked questions and had us fill out a survey helped me zero in on what we wanted. Plus I had done a ton of research. Once he found out what our interests were, George made additional suggestions for places we hadn’t thought of that ended up being standouts - Kanchanaburi and Erawan Falls, the cooking class in Chiang Mai, the food tour in Bangkok, the hike in Op Luong National Park, the canal tour in Bangkok and the dinner reservations at B Samcook in Chiang Mai (possibly the best meal we have ever had!) and the dinner cruise in Bangkok.
Honestly, there was not one single experience that we had on this trip where we were even remotely disappointed or felt let down. We ended every day saying ‘wow what an incredible day’. I’ve travelled enough to know how unusual that is!

Hotel Reviews

Nouvo City Hotel

Bangkok

Loved the location of this hotel. We were in the old town so the area was fascinating to walk around. All felt very authentic. We could walk to the river to catch the public transport boat and tons of restaurants around.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

The FloatHouse River Kwai

Chang Wat Kanchanaburi

Such a unique location - on the river. The room was unbelievable - and the views from our porch, especially as the sun set with the lights twinkling was beautiful. Lovely restaurant too - good breaky and dinner.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right on the River Kwai! Literally!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sriwilai Sukhothai Resort & Spa

Sukhothai

Absolutely stunning hotel! Pool area was gorgeous and our room was beautiful! Great breakfast too.

Location

Located by a field and a ruin that we could just walk to… and close to the Historical Park.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Farinda Resort & Pool Villa

Chom Thong

The family that runs this hotel is beyond delightful! So kind and helpful, offering great service. I think it might be hard to stay here if you didn’t have transportation but we did. The pool was lovely and the room very comfortable. A lovely breakfast and beautiful grounds!

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bella Nara Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai

Great location, lovely rooms, very pleasant staff! Buffet breakfast was also great.

Location

Easy to get to the old city, but nice and quiet!

Staff

Super kind and always smiling!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market

Bangkok

This was another really unique experience! And Nui made it even better by having us try all kinds of different foods in the market itself. The boat trip through the river and canals was so interesting - really allowed us to see another part of Thai culture.

Quality of Experience

Food

Trying all the different good in the market!

Transport

Long tail boat ride!

Check into The FloatHouse River Kwai

Kanchanaburi

What a place! If you get a chance to stay here - do it! A beautiful, serene, and truly unique spot! And the boat ride getting to and from was a blast!

Quality of Experience

Transport

The boat ride getting there was so much fun!

10:37am Hellfire Pass:

Kanchanaburi

Hellfire Pass was really beautiful countryside but also a really moving piece of history. Walking down along the actual railed and seeing the cliffs of rock that prisoners had been forced to dig through… Plus many prisoners’ families have left motes and pictures so there was a really personal touch.

Quality of Experience

Morning Kanchanaburi War Cemetery - A Dip into History...

Kanchanaburi

I didn’t know very much about Kanchanaburi, the Death Railway or its history, but I am so incredibly glad that this got included. This was a suggestion by George, our Kim Kim Thailand expert. It was a fascinating dive into a part of WW2 history and was also incredibly moving. The cemetery and the museum were very well organized and explained a lot about the events. And then to board the train and actually travel a section of the railway - was incredible! And this is not a tourist train - this is a real train with wooden seats and so much character that travels part of the same route as the Death Railway. At one point, because of a bend, you can actually see one of the trestle railway bridges that had been originally built by the prisoners.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nui, our guide, was fantastic. Lots of knowledge and just a really interesting beautiful person!

Transport

Riding the train was amazing! What an experience to follow part of the same route!

Cycle Among the Ruins of Sukhothai & Kamphaeng Phet

Sukhothai

This was our first day of seeing ruins of some of the Ancient capitals of Siam/Thailand. Again our guide Naa, was super knowledgeable. I am a history lover and was either listening intently to her talk or peppering her with questions the whole time. So interesting! From the clay ovens at the beginning to the ruins themselves. And riding bicycles around was brilliant! Allowed us to go at our own pace and stop wherever we wanted.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple Visit

Chiang Mai

Wat Phra That was probably our favourite temple. A beautiful hike up and then there it was - nestled among the trees by a river. Nothing ostentatious- but surrounded by nature. Beautiful in its simplicity! Doi Suthep Temple is grand! It was our first big temple and so ornate! Beautiful view of Chiang Mai and many little tidbits of history and culture.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Naa was incredibly knowledgeable about the history of both the site and also the culture and history of Buddhism and she answered all of our questions - which were many - so completely and patiently!

Transport

The driver was lovely the whole week and was always where he said he would be and on time. It was all very comfortable!

Dinner on the Manohra River Cruise!

Bangkok

Another amazing meal with the incredible backdrop of the river and its monuments all lit up. This was by far our most expensive meal but the food was delicious and honestly, the views made it really special. It was a wonderful night!

Quality of Experience

Food

A Chef’s Tour-Food Tour:

Bangkok

This was an absolute highlight! 17 food stalls in 3.5 hours! Against the fascinating backdrop of Bangkok’s Chinatown. The food was delicious and the atmosphere electric! Highly recommend!

Morning Erawan Waterfalls:

Kanchanaburi

Another awesome hike! Our guide, Nui, suggested we hike all the way up and then, on the way down, stop and swim at the various waterfalls and it was definitely the way to do it. The various falls are all really pretty and being able to jump in and swim, with fish nibbling your toes, was quite delightful! And we saw monkeys!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nui did the whole hike with us and we chatted about Thailand and Canada. Such a lovely person!

Late Afternoon: Temples, Markets & Food Tour:

Chiang Mai

The highlight of this evening was definitely the temple visits. Our guide, Tuk, was really knowledgeable about the history of the temples and also the cultural and religious aspects of Buddhism. She was so interesting! And also answered our many questions! We then had a meal together at the market and it was like chatting with a friend!

Op Luang National Park Hike

Hot District

Great place to hike, with some stunning views once we got to the top. You do the actual hike with a guide from the national park, which we were grateful for!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It was great to have a Natuonal Park guide, plus our own English speaking guide, who was able to translate everything for us. Really adds to the experience!

Evening: B Samcook Home16

Chiang Mai

Probably the best meal we have ever had! And the chef was incredibly personable and interesting, spending time with every table!

National Parks, Temples and Villages Tribes

Chiang Mai

We really enjoyed the hike through the rice fields and into the areas with the village tribes. It was beautiful and really interesting.

Trek the Monks’ Trail to Wat Pha Lat & Doi Suthep

Chiang Mai

This was a beautiful hike up to Wat Pha Lat and also one of our favourite temples. It was just so beautiful and in such a serene, nature-filled spot. We drove the rest of the way up Doi Suthep but were really glad we had hiked the first part.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Naa was so knowledgeable and really told us a lot about the history and culture of what we were seeing!

Mama noi Thai Cookery School

Chiang Mai

Such a great day!!! The staff was incredible - funny, entertaining and taught us a lot about Thai food! And it was all delicious!

The overall experience was very nice and allowed me to enjoy the trip rather than worry about the logistics. Bella and team were also very responsive whenever any questions arose. With that said, planning a trip online is convenient but also somewhat limits your interaction with the advisor and makes it a bit difficult to learn about all your options. For example, our room in Bangkok was so tiny that we could not fit our luggage. Loved the hotel and location but my bad for not confirming the room size in more detail. In general, most tours and providers used were great but unfortunately we did not enjoy our food tour in Bangkok as an example. Our guide was lovely but it felt more like a friend or a chaperone taking us to dinner at the market, not a curated experience. This will happen since you are booking with KimKim and do not know who your providers will be and can’t research them in advance. In the end, I ended up booking another food tour with a food tour company which was absolutely amazing. But all in all it’s a great way to plan a trip quickly and travel efficiently especially if you don’t have much time in a country you are visiting.

We had a very enjoyable trip. The cars provided were very spacious and comfortable and the drivers polite and efficient. W ewere met where we needed to be, except on the 21st December at Bangkok airport where we were told to meet at gate 11 ony to find there was no gate 11. It was by chance that we met our contact in the middle of the airport.

Generally the amount of time allocated to get to airports was too generous and resulted in rather a lot of waiting. For example, the drive from our hotel to Chaiang Mai airport took 20 minutes, not the 2 hours allocated. The drive from Aryasom Villas to Bangkok airport took 50 minutes but we were scheduled an 830 pick up for a 1240 flight. Of course extra time has to allowed for possible problems, but thiswas too long.
Apart from that, everything went very well. We were really pleased Tina was able to cancel the flights from Phuket to Chian g Mai and arrange for a cash refund.

Our guide in Thailand, Mal-ed, was excellent in all aspects of his work. He was thorough in his explanation of history, culture, religion, sites, events, and even understood the nuanced nature of a U.S. sense of humor. On days we had that were not heavily packed with activity, he provided a list of suggestions for things we could see or do including places to eat.