Kimkim Trip Reviews for Thailand

We had a great trip and would definitely recommend Kimkim's service. Our coordinator Tina was very thorough at putting together a custom itinerary based on our specific interests from the available pre-packaged tours. She was very responsive in the planning stage as well as during our trip and kept us up to date with details and changes.

All through our trip everything went as planned (with the exception of one tour pick-up time that was listed incorrectly, but it did not negatively impact anything else). It was great to have drivers and guides arranged each day, and a clear schedule laid out ahead of time. Great experience and we will very likely use Kimkim's service again in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Silom Serene Hotel

Bangkok

Very comfortable and clean. Had the best sleep of our trip here. Location is conveniently near BTS and some small shops to get a good breakfast.

Boutique Raft Resort River Kwai

Kanchanaburi

Amazing location right on the river! The scenery is beautiful and it was great to sit on our porch and put our feet in the water. Staff was very attentive and friendly. They helped us arrange a driver to take us to Erawan National Park and to take us back to the airport after checkout. The beds were not the most comfortable and it was difficult to get the room temperature ideal (the air conditioner could only go down to 23C to avoid overloading it). We didn't get the best sleep, but it was overall worth it for the location and memorable experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Transfer from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi via Mae Klong market and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

Thailand

The Maeklong Railway Market was a really fun experience. It's amazing to see the dense and varied shops and how smoothly they function around the arriving and departing train. Despite being a tourist attraction, it felt like an authentic local market with lots of interesting produce, meats, and crafts. The Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, on the other hand, felt much more like a tourist trap. It was fun to ride around on the canals, but it was crowded and the vendors are all selling the same items with high pressure sales tactics on a (literally) captive audience. We wouldn't recommend this one. Overall the day was very nice. Shoutout to our guide Betty for being super fun and energetic! We got to see a lot of fun things and had a smooth ride from our hotel to our next destination.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

John Gray's Sea Canoe - Hong by Starlight

Phuket

This was among the best activities on our trip. The full day experience was really well organized from the transportation to the food and the scenery was beautiful. The staff at John Gray's Sea Canoe really went out of their way to make the experience full and memorable. We got 2 full meals plus a coffee & snack break in between travel segments, and we did multiple outings in the canoe to visit some really breathtaking sights around the sea caves. They even gave us some time to swim in the water and try paddling the canoe ourselves. In the evening each guide helped their 2-3 patrons create a beautiful krathong made from banana tree and leaves to set afloat after dark. It was a fun interactive experience and it was amazing to see the skill and variety in all the different krathong designs. After dinner we brought our krathong out on the water and got to enjoy it in the darkness of the cave. When it was extinguished we got to see the bioluminescent plankton up close! This was a great experience and we highly recommend it to anyone visiting Phuket.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Longtail Boat Bangkok Canaling Tour!

Bangkok

Fun excursion! We learned a bit about Thailand and Bangkok's history and we got to see a part of the city outside of the standard tourist spots. It was cool to see the variety of longtail boats and some of the culture around the canals. The tour is only a couple hours so it was easy to fit into our schedule.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our local guide Reya was incredibly helpful and was awesome in explaining the history of the many sites we visited. She was great and super hardworking. Tina was very responsive and helpful in planning our itinerary. During our trip she was great in answering our questions and helping reconfirm our transportation and events so our trip ran smoothly. Will definitely use them again for the next time we visit Thailand.

Kelly was an amazing trip specialist, she was very easy to work with and easy to communicate with. She was patient with us and helped us choose the right itinerary for us prior to booking. Once we booked the trip, she even made sure that our accomodations, meal preferences and transportation were all set up. We did a 8 night stay in Thailand. We visited Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket. Once we were on the trip, she was easy to communicate with and she was flexible and helped change our itinerary as needed. Our local guide in Bangkok was Amy. She was phenomenal. Amy is by far the best tour guide we have ever had. She was so friendly, knowledgeable and very flexible. We traveled with our two children. Amy was immensely considerate of our children and built the day around the kids schedules and made sure the kids were doing well while on the day tours. She was so kind that she even volunteered to come into our apartment and help put our daughter to sleep for a nap. Nanzy was our tour guide in Chiang Mai, she was also incredibly helpful and fun. She took us to all the right places in Chiang Mai and also found some amazingly tasty local eateries that she picked out just for us. Fai Fhai was our guide in Phuket. She was really helpful and punctual and she really helped us make sure we made it onto our flights back home. She stayed at the airport until we crossed through security and passport control to make sure everything was ok and that we would be boarding our flight back home just fine. Overall we were satisfied with KimKim and will definitely book our next international vacation through them.

I worked with Kelly for about a month as we collaboratively designed our trip to Thailand. I found her very respectful, flexible, responsive, and helpful. Kelly was always happy to make changes as we honed our trip. She also caught a few oversights/mistakes in our planning. Prior to departure, I felt as though Kelly prepared us well for our trip.

Once we started our trip all aspects were of high quality and very satisfactory. For example, all our hotel accommodations were up to our standards, 4-star +. Each activity was run well. We especially liked all the private events that we planned. Every guide and event occurred as planned and on time -- so smooth, no real hiccups on a complex trip -- very impressive.

Tammy was the first guide we interacted with. She met us in Bangkok right on time and was a wealth of knowledge. She brought us all around Bangkok, viewing many palaces and temples. She also brought us around food tasting. Every step of the way she was extremely responsive and helpful. She helped us get to the airport and send us on our way to Kaoh Sok.

Once we landed in Surat Thani our next guide, Mr. Por was waiting for us. We boarded the van and headed to Kaoh Sok National Park. We boarded our private longtail with James at the helm. We all headed for hotel over the water. Por was a great guide for the 2 day one night trip on the lake. He was very motivated to help us have the best experience. In particular he worked hard to expose us to monkeys of the forest, a family of elephants along the lake's edge and numerous birds, spiders, lizards, etc. His enthusiasm was infectious. He and James were just so much appreciated.

We departed and headed to Phuket where we checked into our Sunwing Bangtao hotel which was stunning. Our excursions to Phi Phi for snorkeling was amazing. The 1/2 day at the elephant sanctuary was just so enjoyable and fun.

Then, sadly we were met at our hotel by ?Niki? and she ensured that we were all set to travel back to Bangkok.

I cannot say enough about how well this trip was run. All aspects were delivered at or above expectations. All drivers and guides showed up on time and were excellent.

I would not hesitate to go with KimKim again; knocked it out of the park!!!

Hotel Reviews

Sunwing Bangtao Beach

Phuket

It is a "family hotel" and there is a slant towards young ones and teens, but that was not really a negative for us. Hotel rooms, very very nice. Location exceptional. Pools amazing. Breakfast was really great, but lunch and dinner, not that great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The grounds were kept perfect

Maitria Hotel Sukhumvit 18

Bankok

Solid hotel for city. We didn't spend much time in Bangkok

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Panvaree Resort

Khao Sok

Stunning place, you will not be disappointed -- just book this!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

nestled among cliffs with incredible views

Staff

Very sweet, helpful, etc.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Night Food tour with TukTuk with car and guide pick-up at hotel

Bangkok

Lots of fun. Tammy provided lots of history. Toured palaces and temples. Great overall night.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

3-Day Khao Sok Cheow Lan Lake tour (private-day1)

Khao Sok

Mr. Por was an excellent guide. This place is stunning A must do if you are into nature and beauty.

Quality of Experience

Guide was good at getting us close to nature, i.e. elephants, several types of monkeys, birds, etc.

Food

Food was provided, no decisions. Plenty of food and nice variety.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mr. Por was the best.

Transport

nice quality van. Good longtail

Half day tour with Elephant Jungle Sanctuary(join-in)

Phuket

This was done so well and a blast. Definitely book this one!!!!

Quality of Experience

Nice program with meaningful activities

Guides, Drivers and Staff

genuine people

Transport

nice van and not too crowded.

Tour in Khao Sok National Park（Day 2）

Khao Sok

Second day as good as the first.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Phi Phi Island & Khai Island by Speed Boat Tour(Join-in)

Phuket

Had a great time, but just too crowded and chaotic.

Quality of Experience

less crowded in all respects

Food

buffet lunch was quite good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kwa was great.

Transport

boat over crowded

Everything was on time and reliable and fairly easy but we would have loved more detail about how far away things were, what to expect and how long it would take. Pear was best guide and was able to tailor the day and trip to match what we wanted to do.

Hotel Reviews

Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort

Bangkok

Breakfast was unreal, loved the ice bath and the gym open 24/7

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hintok River Camp

kanchanaburi

fresh water pools were so nice, overall cool experience. food was only shortcoming. It was decent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

99 Heritage Hotel

Chiang Mai

loved everything about this place. staff, location, ambiance, small touches and details

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dusit Thani Krabi Beach Resort

Krabi

It was fine, nothing special.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

resort food options, but breakfast was good.

TreeHouse Villas Villas Koh Yao Noi Luxury Beach Resort

Thailand

Nothing not to love, except access to cheaper things like normal price massages, Most meals were good, the seafood place was terrible.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Chiang Rai and Famous Golden Triangle Exploration

Chiang Mai

Guide was awesome, trip home is long, could have maybe stayed there and flown to krabi from there.

Quality of Experience

Food

she took us somewhere great for lunch with the option to pay more which was preferred

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Eco Elephant Care!

Chiang Mai

You should share how long everything takes to get there. Lunch wasn't good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring Bangkok by local transfers and walking tour

Bangkok

Was very long, food choices were not at all what I suggested or particularly good. Was way too long and when we wanted to go to a rooftop bar and had 2.5 hours to kill, we couldn't. Didn't get much history/info about the exhibits on the way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi via Mae Klong market and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

Thailand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chiang Mai Cooking Class Experience

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tina was so patient and thorough while planning our trip. From the moment we arrived our vacation was flawless. Our local guide Vichit was knowledgeable, kind, energetic and made sure we experienced all the wonderful things Bangkok and Thailand have to offer. Our private transfers were always on time and went above and beyond to provide water and even a cool refreshing towel after at hot day of touring.
The excursions Tina planned were better than we could have hoped. From hiking in Erawan National Park to an amazing day at the Elephant Sanctuary, it was exceptional. We are extremely grateful for the lovely anniversary surprise during our romantic dinner at sunset on the river Kwai❤️. We will remember fondly the wonderful friends we met, the experiences we had and the memories made that will last a lifetime.

Hotel Reviews

Silom Serene Hotel

Bangkok

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

U Inchantree Kanchanaburi

Kanchanaburi

The entire team at this hotel are amazing. You feel as if you have been welcomed home after a long absence. The food is amazing and the location is beautiful!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

InterContinental Koh Samui

Ko Samui

Heaven on earth!

Authenticity & Character

Location

From the sunrise to sunset it is beautiful!

Staff

Kind, knowledgeable, attentive and simply joyful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Exploring Bangkok by local transfers and walking tour

Bangkok

Vichit was so knowledgeable. The days simply went to fast. Fun, energetic and kind are the best words to describe Vichit . We were blessed to spend two days with him learning about beautiful Thailand.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy Food Tasting in Chinatown!

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi via Mae Klong market and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

Thailand

Wonderful local market so lively.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Cruise on Chao Phraya River

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A day trip to Koh Tao & Koh Nang Yuan

Thailand

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A visit to Elephant Jungle Sanctuary in Samui

Thailand

Amazing care is given to these amazing gentle giants. You can feel the devotion the team has to caring for the Elephants and protecting them.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We have been so incredibly pleased with our KimKim experience, which met and exceeded all of our expectations. Our specialist, Tina, was available and responsive at all times and our guide in Bangkok, Leena, was professional, knowledgeable and friendly. Transfers were on time and all vehicles were top quality. We’re already talking about our next trip and telling all our friends what great service we enjoyed with KimKim!

Hotel Reviews

The Quarter Hua Lamphong by UHG

Bangkok

A decent hotel in a great location. In need of a little TLC but otherwise no complaints

Authenticity & Character

Not shabby at all, but would benefit from a little TLC.

Location

Very close to the Temple of the Golden Budda and Chinatown. Seemed pretty well located for access to other parts of the city.

Staff

Super friendly and efficient.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Siam Bayshore Resort

Pattaya

We requested this hotel in preference to the initial offering. We were extremely happy we chose Siam Bayshore.

Authenticity & Character

Loved the feel and atmosphere of the entire property.

Location

Right at the pier end of Walking Street, location couldn’t be better

Staff

Simply couldn’t be more polite, professional and efficient!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was perfect!

Activity Reviews

A visit to Elephant Jungle Sanctuary in Pattaya

Thailand

What a great tour this was. An educational and informative experience and the sanctuary, along with similar operations in other locations (including Koh Samui and Phuket) provides the elephants in their care with a protective and nurturing environment.

Quality of Experience

No “Trainers” no circus “tricks”, just interaction with these gentle giants in a natural environment

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Caring and educational staff seem to sincerely care about their mission.

Transport

Quality vehicle and punctual service

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

Bangkok

Both of these are quite some distance from the city centre, so a lot of driving is involved and, at times, the traffic was pretty bad. That being said, the tour provided us with unforgettable experiences.

Quality of Experience

Unique locations and experiences

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Couldn’t have been happier

Transport

Lots of driving but we had a very nice car

Everything was awesome, the service the attention and overall we are very happy with the whole trip

I had an action packed 12 days in Thailand! My travel planner Alex was great and took care of every detail. I shared with him my vision and he provided great suggestions. He was readily available when I had questions and he took all the guess work out of traveling to a new country. Having Alex do all the planning gave me the ability to simply show up and enjoy my perfect vacation. Some of the experiences I enjoyed were a ringside Muy Thai match, time at an Elephant Sanctuary and a Tiger Park and an exciting night hike in the rain forest. I would definitely recommend using Kimkim to others and would use them again on my future trips!

Hotel Review

Khao Sok River Lodge Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half day combined Grand Palace Temples city tour

Bangkok

This tour was an amazing experience. We visited a lot of temples in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. The guide was with us the entire time, providing valuable insights. It was an enriching experience and the temples were beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening Muay Thai Show

Bangkok

The Muay Thai fight was a unique experience. We were right at ringside and the venue was quite small, making it an intimate setting. It was thrilling to be so close to the action.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Authentic Thai Railway & Floating Markets

Bangkok

This was another great experience. We saw the railway and then moved on to the floating markets. The tour allowed us to shop and haggle, giving us a real taste of local life. We bought a lot of different souvenirs.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening Wat Umong Temple and Chiang Mai City by night

Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai was more traditional compared to Bangkok. The evening temple visit was quite fancy and left a lasting impression.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Karen village - Elephant Jungle Sanctuary

Chiang Mai

This was a wonderful experience. The people there truly care for the elephants and it's not like those places where elephants are mistreated. We got to feed the elephants, take pictures, and even bathe and brush them in water. It felt like a very ethical and rewarding experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self - Guided Day in Phuket

Phuket

On our last day, we had a car take us around for a self-guided tour. We visited Monkey Hill, which was a nice experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Thailand was a bit short, but it was great. Every city that we visited was amazing, but there was something unique being in Chiang Rai and so we would like to give a special shout out to our guide and driver - Nok and Dee. They simply went above and beyond and made it extra special.
From the moment I requested information for our trip to Thailand, Thao knew exactly what we were looking for. Our entire itinerary was done within a week. Thao was always on top of everything and she would always get back to you as soon as you would send her a note or a question. We were so impressed with her service.
As soon as we landed in Thailand, we had a dedicated team in case we ran into any issues or had any questions. Thank you Adam, Moruecha, and Orn for taking care of us! You were always on top of your game.

Hotel Reviews

De Charme Hotel

Amphoe Muang, Si Phum, Chiang Mai

It was awesome and really nice. I had a great time staying here with no issues.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nak Nakara Hotel

Chiang Rai

This hotel was also very nice, providing a comfortable stay!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Art's Riverview Lodge

Khao Sok

This place was a bit too rustic for my liking. There was no WiFi and our shower was not working. However, it was nice being out in nature and felt like a tree house.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Slate Phuket

Phuket

Absolutely the best. The resort was luxurious and comfortable with excellent customer service. The property was well-maintained and it was convenient to get out of the resort. The security was also top-notch.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

DAMNOEN SADUAK MARKET – MAEKLONG MARKET – KANCHANABURI

Bangkok

I did this on my own and it was an interesting experience. However, it seems to be more for tourists now.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Spend a Day with Elephants in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai

It was great but a bit too long. The waiting time for our ride back was unnecessarily long and resulted in us getting stuck in traffic.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highlights of Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai

Absolutely the best. The guide, Nok, went above and beyond in explaining things to us. The White Temple was amazing to see in person.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phi Phi Island by Speedboat

Phuket

It was beautiful and the boat ride was a good experience. The weather was amazing

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing trip to Thailand. Tina provided us an unforgetable itinerary of unique experiences in three different areas of Thailand. All very unique and different from each other. So happy we got to see all these difference facets of Thailand. Our local guides and drivers were polite and caring and very knowledgeable and deeply cared that we had a great experience.
Very happy with the Kim Kim experience!

Hotel Review

Bodhi Serene Chiang Mai Hotel (SHA Extra Plus)

Chiang Mai

Located in the heart of Chiang Mai with easy walking access to local shops and restaurants yet it provides an oasis of calm and serenity with green courtyards and pools. Great breakfast as well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half-Day Eco Elephant Care!

Chiang Mai

This was one of our favorite activities. While it is a tourist activity, it provided us a rare glimpse at the amount of work of feeding and taking care of these beautiful creatures in a way that felt very authentic. We started by driving on the back of a truck to a farm to cut down with machetes the plants to feed the elephants, carrying the food back, cutting it into pieces and feeding the elephants. We also made rice balls to feed them additional vitamins. We made natural sponge and soaps for the bath from the trunk of a tree. We hightly recommend this activity for a humane and authentic way to interact with elephants and help their caretakers.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Authentic Thai Cooking Class in a Traditional House!

Bangkok

This was such a fun experience! It greatly surpassed my expectations. We made food from scratch that I didn't think could be made in the time frame of a cooking class. And the food was delicious. Really the best tasting food we had. Hint: go hungry because you will have a hard time eating all the food.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We took a quick 10-day, 3-country, 4-stop Southeast Asian holiday and Ha Dinh made us the perfect itinerary. The boutique hotels she got us in Ho Chi Minh, Siem Reap, Bangkok and Chiang Mai were all up to standard and very central in their location. The guides in each destination all made our trip quite informative and definitely memorable, slightly bittersweet in Cambodia as we learned about their political past and present. A score of 10 for Ha Dinh as she opened the communication with us when we got to our first destination (Vietnam) and was there every step of the way. She looked after us so well we felt secure, confident and safe in this trip.

Our trip went perfect from start to finish. All the tours and guides were super helpful and provided a ton of information that allowed us to learn about the culture, the country and their food. The hotels were exactly what we were looking for, all of them boutique style, very unique and provided excellent service. Ik (sorry if it wrong), the guide to Chang Mai and Mae Hong Son was extremely knowledgeable about the culture, temples and customs. The guide to Kanchanaburi (Marrie) was also excellent. 20/20 I would have changed a couple of things that Ashley recommended, by doing a bit less to have some down time. But... we traveled around and saw a lot of different places, people and food styles. Highly recommend KimKim for any traveler looking for a unique and tailored experience.

Ashley was amazing from beginning to end! She was very accommodating to all my requests and several changes during the planning of the trip. Thanks to her planning, everything went smoothie and easy during our stay in Thailand. She was always in every detail, contacting me with text reminders about air tickets, tourist guides, and transportation. Constantly assuring that our experience was as expected. The tourist guides who she works with through Realistic Asia are the best. We toured the Kanchanaburi area with Mayree, who was knowledgeable, attentive, and patient. We traveled with my 10-year-old niece, and she spoiled her, having plenty of treats ready for her! The chauffeur was amazing too.
We tour the North of Thailand Chain Mai, Pia, with Erk as our tourist guide; he introduces us to the local history, live style, monastic life, and Buddhist philosophy. He was incredibly open, answering every question with plenty of details and knowledge. The driver was very polite and professional too. Thank you very much, Ashley! We highly recommend you!

Having embarked on numerous trips to different countries, I can confidently affirm that this was by far the most remarkable journey I've ever had. I owe a great deal of gratitude to Tina, who expertly planned and supported me throughout the entire experience. There were so many extraordinary moments that I could go on forever, but I'll highlight a few that truly stood out.

First and foremost, bathing with the elephants during the Eco tour was an absolute delight. It was an unforgettable opportunity to interact with these magnificent creatures up close and create memories that will last a lifetime. Additionally, the temples and ruins in Thailand were truly captivating. The knowledgeable guides, who spoke English fluently, provided insightful information that went beyond mere observation, enhancing the overall experience.

Two markets, in particular, left me in awe. The floating market, where one can travel by boat, offered a unique and vibrant atmosphere. It was fascinating to witness the hustle and bustle of commerce taking place on the water. Equally captivating was the market situated on the train tracks, which had to open and close rapidly as the train passed by. The sheer energy and efficiency of this operation were remarkable.

Finally, the beaches in Phi Phi island provided a perfect conclusion to the trip. With its crystal-clear waters and a range of activities like snorkeling and jet skiing, it offered both relaxation and adventure. It was an ideal way to unwind and reflect on the incredible experiences I had throughout the journey.

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude once again for this truly wonderful experience. Tina's impeccable planning and support, coupled with the diverse and awe-inspiring highlights, made this trip the best I have ever had. I can wholeheartedly recommend this travel experience to anyone seeking an extraordinary adventure.

Our recent trip with KimKim was nothing short of amazing! From the moment we arrived, we were greeted by a team that went above and beyond to ensure our comfort and enjoyment throughout the entire journey. Let me tell you about some of the exceptional individuals who made our experience truly unforgettable!

Ms. Belle, our tour guide for our first day, left a lasting impression. Despite her limited time with us, she made herself available on WhatsApp to assist in coordinating our drivers for the following days. Her warmth and helpfulness were evident from the start, always greeting us with a cheerful "Good Morning." Ms. Belle's dedication and willingness to go the extra mile made us feel welcomed and supported throughout our trip.

And then there was Ms. Aurora, who accompanied us for an entire day in Bangkok. Her commitment to our comfort and satisfaction was evident from the moment we met her. Despite the scorching sun, she had wipes ready for us and ensured we stayed hydrated with refreshing water. Ms. Aurora's flexibility was truly remarkable, as she effortlessly adjusted our itinerary to accommodate our preferences, even managing to fit in a delightful lunch at a local restaurant. Her expertise and knowledge as a tour guide were apparent, making our time with her educational and enjoyable.

One of the aspects that impressed us most about KimKim was the consistency in their services. The drivers were punctual, always arriving within a 10-minute window.

We wholeheartedly recommend KimKim to fellow travelers seeking a professional and reliable travel agency!

Lacey was great! Her initial proposal had a lot of great suggestions and details, and she worked with me to revise it several times to meet our sometimes changing needs. I appreciated the clear pricing details and the photos and links to each hotel so we could look at exactly which room we'd be getting.

A little background about my family to help give a perspective as to why we chose this trip. I traveled with my husband, my sons age 25 and 22 respectively. My youngest son achieved the rank of Eagle at 15 in 2015. My oldest is an officer in the Army. My husband and my boys have been in outdoor fanatics since elementary/primary school. While in college, both boys served in various roles as Wildland Firefighters. Me however, not even close. My minimum requirement for any outdoor activity must have running water and a flushable toilet. With this background, the family chose the trip titled "Thailand Off the Beaten Track". Two family members would go into anaphylactic shock with food containing crab and peanuts, and none of us can read or speak Thai, we elected to have a private tour with a guide.

I worked with Hien Do, the Local Specialist from Realistic Asia, back in October, and we finalized the trip in February. Needless to say that Hien was very patient and understanding throughout this process, and was very accommodating to my family's circumstance since October. When my husband could not fly with us on the actual travel date, and had to take a separate flight to Thailand, Hien arranged to have my husband picked up at the airport and dropped off where the rest of the family were located at day 2 in the trip, which was a 3 hour drive and a 20 minute boat ride to the River Kwai Jungle Rafts Floating Hotel. Now that's customer service done right!

We had 2 sets of guides and drivers, one in Bangkok (Kun Thim and Run Joie), and one in Chiang Mai (Kun Arty, Kun Johnny, and Kun Sompong). Both guides are very good in their jobs, very knowledgeable of the history and tribal knowledge of each location. When we wanted to take extra excursions, they found ways to fit them into the already packed itinerary, and they did so with great efficiency and always with a smile. With food allergies that could send my family to the hospital, they were on top of it like an eagle - always speaking to the restaurant staff to make sure that there are no crab or peanuts in any of the dishes. While at the Movenpick Hotel, Kun Thim requested for an allergy card for each of my family members, in the event that both guides were not available, we could just show the allergy cards to the restaurant staff to make sure that there were no crab or peanuts in the food.

If you ever go to Thailand and require a guide in Bangkok or Chiang Mai, I HIGHLY recommend using their service because, man alive, they are super at their job, but more importantly, they are good, honest, hard working folks who are patient, accommodating, kind, and understanding of you or your family's needs. Big shout out to both guides and drivers! Our trip would not be successful without them, they were really amazing, warm, and welcoming people.

The rest of the review will be to focus on notable events that happened during the trip beginning with a stop to the Hellfire Pass Museum, fully funded by the Australian government, this put a lot of perspective throughout the rest of the trip, and we were all so grateful for the opportunity to visit such a place rich with history. We proceeded to head towards the River Kwai Jungle Rafts Floating Hotel. What a beautiful floating hotel, the staff are very kind, patient, and polite. We stayed for 2 days, and each morning, we had the good fortune to meet the village elephant by the restaurant, who gladly took the fruit and vegetable scraps from you. She had such a funny personality and the family had great fun feeding her. We also toured the Mon Village and got a better understanding of Mon history and culture, the Buddhist Monk's way of living, and the seamlessness of the people to the monk's co-existence. Note to others: There is no electricity, except for the kitchen and dining area. Although a LED lamp and battery operated candle are provided in the room, might be good to pack a head lamp to navigate in the room for better light. While in the River Kwai, we visited the National Park, where we had the opportunity to explore various trails. Note to others, bring plenty of water, avoid using sunscreen with mineral content (somehow it attracts the mosquitoes, and other biting insects), wherever skin is exposed, and on your back, slather on loads of citronella or bug spray with Deet, and wear appropriate footwear. Depending on the weather, wet or dry, makes a difference in footwear. Some hiking trails can be quite slippery.

Lawa Cave, caught us by surprise, in a good way, because of the healthy bat population living in the stalactites and stalagmite formations. We've gone to caves but not had the experience of bats residing in the caves. This is a great sign of a health eco-system.

On our way to Ayutthaya, we rode on the historic Thai Burma Railway (aka: Death Railway), the experience made it more rich since we visited the Hellfire Pass Museum a few days before. This is a must to experience, to ride on a train and the track built in the 1940s with the knowledge of the circumstances that took place during construction made the experience all the more remarkable.

We took a side trip to the Maeklong Station (aka: train market), and that was quite the experience to watch the vendors pack up their stuff to make way for the train to pass. We also took another side trip to the oldest floating market, Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, the boys truly enjoyed the experience of watching how food was cooked on the boats and served, as well as haggling with vendors on the side of the canal.

We took the bike tour in Auytthaya, the guide was fantastic, and honestly can say that biking in temperatures between 90 F (32.2 C) and 97 F (36.11 C) with almost 100% humidity was not fun. Although the guide provided water, we froze water the night before and packed it with us. The temperature stifled the enthusiasm of the great history that was told by the guide, and we cut the trip short by an hour because of the sheer heat and humidity. Our guide was fantastic and bought more water for us, but whoo geez, it was super hot.

We flew to Chiang Rai and met up with another guide, Kun Arty and driver, Kun Johnny. We stayed at the beautiful The Riverie Chiang Rai hotel overlooking the Kok River. The food, accommodation, and service were unbelievable. Our guide, Kun Arty took us to an Akha village, specifically to her good friend's home to meet her and to get to know Akha life from her perspective. What a special treat that was to meet a special, old-time friend, and to get to understand Akha life. While in Chiang Rai we visited the tea plantation and was able to understand the process from growing, harvesting, packaging, and selling tea. Most notable during the tour, was the presence of the Akha women during harvest, they wear their traditional outfits. Although we did not see the harvest process, Kun Arty's friend informed us that she too goes to the plantation to pick tea leaves wearing her traditional garb.

From Chiang Rai, we headed to Chiang Mai, where we stayed at another beautiful hotel, Na Nirand Romatic Boutique Resort. Just as in the Riverie hotel, the accommodations were fantastic! We took an additional trip to the Silk Factory. Well worth the trip! We walked through the process of mulberry silk making and purchased beautiful scarves and clothing. What an experience.

The highlight for my husband and the boys was the bamboo river raft experience. This is the portion of their trip in their element: long hike (8 km, normally 12 km) through the jungle, villages, and rice patties. I paid to ride on a motorcycle to get to the village. We stayed in very rustic, provincial accommodation at our guide, Kun Suwit’s home. We helped cook dinner with Suwit’s family and watched LOADS of fireflies near the house, and in the darkness, watched the countless number of stars above. The toilet and shower are a few meters away from the house, so we did our business before retiring for the night. The next day we met and fed a very friendly elephant within the village owned by Kun Suwit’s friend, Kun Salam. He spoke no English and did not understand English, so he went through Kun Suwit to relay messages. We did not go to Elephant EcoValley, but enjoyed private time with Kun Salam’s elephant, Mabutsi. So special, to experience first-hand in a quiet setting to getting to know Mabutsi. Before meeting Mabutsi, several local villagers prepared the bamboo raft. Amazing to see how the bamboo raft was put together in a matter of a couple of hours that can easily hold 6 people. The raft floated right on top of the water, so every rapid we went down, we were easily under water a few inches, then popped back up to the water level. We stopped by the Lahu Hill Tribe briefly, nothing notable, then proceeded down the river to the Shan village to have lunch. This was the last stop before heading back up to Chiang Mai to head back to Bangkok.

This was a story, not a review, of our family’s experience in beautiful Thailand, with fantastic guides, all coordinated by the patient and helpful Ms. Hien. A highly recommended trip for those that love adventure with all the riches of history, temples, museums, monks, hiking, biking, and to experience the jungle, raw, rich with foliage, and filled with people in villages that are so kind and accommodating. We are looking forward towards our next visit in years to come.

Hotel Reviews

Na Nirand Romantic Boutique Resort

What a beautiful resort! The room, service, and food was fantastic. Just a few minutes from the night market, a fun place to grab local food, and experience the culture. Will definitely come back to this resort at our next visit.

Authenticity & Character

The room had this kind of SoHo vibe, relaxing, beautiful, and very comfortable. We had fresh fruit on the table, a complimentary post card, and the room smelled of jasmine.

Location

In a maze of buildings, we arrived greeted by beautiful buildings, a gorgeous pool, and friendly staff.

Staff

The staff were always very polite and accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

No dust bunnies! Super clean. There was even a citronella lamp to keep mosquitoes at bay. Details, they matter.

River Kwai Jungle Rafts Floating Hotel

Arriving by boat to be met by thatched roof accommodations was very special. The staff were very polite and accommodating. The food was delicious, and in the mornings between 7:00 am - 7:30 am, were greeted by the village elephant! What a magnificent surprise. One thing to note, there is no electricity in the rooms, however, there is in the kitchen and dining areas. LED lamp and a battery operated candle are provided in the rooms so that you can navigate to the restroom at night. Other than not having electricity in the bedroom , this was a very nice hotel.

Authenticity & Character

The accomodations was just wonderful. Right outside of the room is your own hammock and deck to just just lounge. Super relaxing.

Location

Only way to get to the hotel is by boat ferry. What a fun way to get to your hotel. Note, there isn't very much room to put your luggage. So we kept our luggage in the outside patio behind the bathroom. The hotel felt super safe and felt comfortable leaving the luggage in the back patio.

Staff

Super nice and warm people. Most, if not all, are from the Mon village, which is located above the raft hotel.

Cleanliness & Comfort

We stayed 2 nights, and upon returning after a long day of excursion, came back to a room that was cleaned and the beds turned.

The Riverie Chiang Rai

What a spectacular hotel. We arrived and was greeted by this beautiful lounge area overlooking the Kok river. The staff were just lovely and accommodating and the rooms so pristine. Our room overlooked the river and was just wonderful to just sit next to the window and relax.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bangkok – Kanchanaburi – River Kwai Jungle Rafts

Kanchanaburi

What an experience to ride on the train and the track built in the 1940's. Having a brief understanding of the history, enriched the experience even more.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kun Thim, the guide, and Kun Joie, the driver were absolutely a joy! We enjoyed all the history and perspective throughout the trip.

Transport

Air conditioned van, clean, and was provided cold water after an excursion. That was so appreciated in the sweltering heat and high humidity.

Sai Yok Yai waterfall - National park – Lawa cave

Kanchanaburi

The National Park has loads of trails with lots of history with some of the trails. We went at the beginning of rainy season, and the terrain in some of the trails can be a bit slippery.

River Kwai Jungle raft - Ayutthaya

Kanchanaburi

This was a man made fall but still very nice to visit. Visitors were able to get to the top portion of the water fall, which was greatly appreciated on a very hot, humid day. Visitors are highly encourage to remove their shoes before ascending to the top.

Quality of Experience

Chiang Rai - Golden Triangle

Chiang Rai

Wow! We were so close to neighboring countries, Laos and Myanmar. We definitely were able to get a better appreciation of Thai history. We also were treated to meet our guide's best friend in of the Akha villages. That was quite an experience to hear the story of daily living in the village.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chiang Mai – Local Market – Karen Hilltribe Village – Elephant feeding and bathing

Chiang Mai

This is an experience for those that truly love to hike and be connected to nature. This is a truly provincial, rustic experience of trekking 8 km (should have been 12 km, but the rice patties were dry so an alternate route was taken) through rice patties, jungle, other villages, close encounters with water buffalos, and crossing creeks to get to the village. Once there, it's basic accommodations where the toilet and shower are meters from the main living quarters. We stayed at our host and guide, Kun Suwit, home. We helped prepare dinner with his wife and kids. The best part after a long day trekking, preparing and having dinner, was to watch in the darkness, the millions of stars, the quietness broken by the humming of the cicadas, and being entertained by the hundreds of fireflies next to the house. The next day we were greeted by a beautiful, 50 year old elephant named Mabutsi. We didn't head to the Ecovillage where the other elephants were staying, but had a private, wonderful encounter with Mabusti. Then we witness how a bamboo raft was built within a couple of hours that safely can carry 6 adults down the river. Shortly we bid Run Suwit's family goodbye and headed down the river until we landed in the Shan village.

Quality of Experience

Food

Our family helped Kun Suwit's wife prepare dinner, which was pretty special.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

To get to Kun Suwit's home stay we traveled by truck, which was appropriate to get through rugged terrain.

Ayutthaya biking - Transfer to Bangkok

Ayutthaya

The guide, Bella, from Recreation Biking Tour, was absolutely amazing! The downside was that the temperature by 9:00 am hovered around 90 F (32.2 C) and hit 97 F (36.11 C) with almost 100% humidity by 10:30 am. Biking in such warm conditions was not fun by any stretch of the imagination, but Bella was super nice and very informative. We cut the tour short by an hour because of the heat, it became remarkably unbearable, but other than that the everything was fantastic. We went to a restaurant, where Bella informed the restaurant of the food allergies, for which the restaurant was sure to not present any food with crab or peanuts.

Quality of Experience

Food

We went to a restaurant where Bella helped us out by explaining to the restaurant staff that we had crab and peanut allergies. The food was fine, but coming from a hot ride under the sun, eating was not really our priority.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Under the circumstance, Bella was remarkably patient and made frequent stops to be under the shade during the tour.

Transport

We rode the bikes, popped them onto a boat ferry, and made shortcuts around town. It was great!

Chiang Rai – City tour – Chiang Mai

Chiang Rai

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Karen Hill tribe village - Bamboo raft - Lahu Hill tribe Village - Shan Village – Chiang Mai

Thailand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It was a great trip, places we have stayed were well selected. Guides at the airports were very helpful and important. The part we stayed in Koh Samui is very well selected and great.

I specifically wanted to thank to our local guide in Bangkok and Kanchanaburi. Thani you Kanya, for everything you have done with us. She is the greatest guide ever :)

Thanks to her we had the chance to experience both popular attractions and local dishes, local history, shopping…

It was a great trip and we are very happy…

Thank you KimKim, Sunny and best guide Kanya.

Bulent

Hotel Reviews

U Inchantree Kanchanaburi

Kanchanaburi

First of all the Tree is amazing and our total experience was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mode Sathorn Hotel Bangkok

Bangkok

Great city hotel comfortable beds very very close to the sky train.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Peace Resort

Koh Samui

The rooms are clean, beds are comfortable maybe pillows can be better. Restaurant was very good. It is really close to fisherman’s village which was a great local experience. People were very friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Design, architecture and plants.

Location

Close to fisherman’s village.

Staff

They were always smiling, they did everything to help.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, daily room service was great.

Ariyasom Villa

Bangkok

It is a great experience, we loved the location, design, restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

The architecture, furnitures, plants and design was great. Rooms were spacious and bathrooms were designed beautifully.

Location

Close to sky train, hospital and 7/11

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms can be cleaner and my safe was not working. Mosquitos :(

Activity Reviews

Elephant Sanctuary Koh Samui - Afternoon visit - Joining activity

Ko Samui

It was the best activity we have experienced in Thailand. We had a great time while family loved.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Family fun day with kayaking &snorkeling at Angthong Marine Park by VIP joining speedboat

Ko Samui

Quality of Experience

Food

Really good food.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great guide.

Transport

Family evening food tour by tuk tuk

Bangkok

With our local guide Kanya this was a great experience for our family. We loved it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Chinatown is great listen to your guide!!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Symbolic temples - Klong tour

Bangkok

It was great, our guide was great.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Erawan National Park - Hellfire Pass museum

Kanchanaburi

It was great but long drive can be hard.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver and the vehicle was was great.

Transport

My family and I had a wonderful experience traveling through Thailand. All of the logistics were smooth and easy, allowing us the maximum time to spend together relaxing and learning new things. We adults marveled at the Grand Palace in Bangkok (though it was a lot for the kids), and the kids loved the tuktuk tours and the colors of the floating market. Everyone relaxed in Koh Samui and enjoyed the charm of Chiang Mai. Our friends wondered if we were trying to fit too much into our time in Thailand, but with our tailored tour, it all felt possible! Lacey checked in to make sure it was all going well, and her team was always available when we needed!