Personalized trips to Vietnam
for independent travelers

We just finished a two week private tour of Hanoi, Chiang Mai and Bangkok with kimkim. He had two planners based out of Hanoi: Hien, who curated the trip for us, listened to our preferences and thoughtfully suggested activities. We knew this was going to be special. And Stephen, who took over from Hien to handle our needs pre-trip and during the trip. Both were amazing, and Stephen was always available, I don't think he ever sleeps!

Upon arrival, the first representative took our photo and then everyone after that had our photo and recognized us so it felt like a friend was waiting for us at each destination. Each of the tour guides brought something special to the trip. In Hanoi, Cuong is so passionate about his country and its rich history that it is hard not to appreciate it as well. He even offered to meet us before our official tour started to take us for our first street lunch.

In Chiang Mai we couldn’t have asked for a sweeter guide in Amie, whose knowledge of the customs and culture was very much appreciated. While in Chiang Mai we had to rearrange plans due to a medical emergency and Amie was in constant communication with us and really made us feel like we weren’t alone under not the best circumstances. We loved the video collage of photos she had taken of our time together and set to music. What a treat!

By the time we got to Bangkok, we needed a little more rest time than the itinerary allowed for but Jo Jo made it happen by abbreviating some of the stops while still ensuring we got to see and experience everything we wanted to. His extensive knowledge of Thailand is quite impressive. And through it all, Stephen was in contact with us to ensure there were no issues or to resolve anything that did come up. Overall, a fantastic experience and we would not hesitate to use kimkim for future trips.

Hotel Reviews

Tirant Hotel

Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

Quaint hotel in the old quarter - of course the street noise can't be avoided, but it does quiet down at night. Great location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Ivy in the restaurant was fabulous! She spoke to us each morning and on our last day even brought us treats she had bought at the market the night before especially for us!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Na Nirand Romantic Boutique Resort

Chiang Mai

Beautiful property, expected high Thai service standards, and outstanding buffet breakfasts.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the night market and downtown.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

VIP Fast Track Service

Vietnam

Super helpful to be taken through customs and immigration processing like a VIP, especially late at night after a long trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We just completed a wonderful trip to Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An, and Hanoi.
The highlight for us was a “village tour” during our stay in Hoi An. Our local tour guide, Trinh, introduced us to our village with a very personal itinerary, including visits to several homes in the community for food and chats.

The hotels that were selected for us were all outstanding. Our favorites were Nikko Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City and Allegro in Hoi An.

A very special thanks to our host, Trang. She made the planning so easy and (other than some minor communication gaps due to the time change) she was remarkably responsive and flexible. Trang literally saved our vacation. When checking in to our Korean Airlines flight in Boston, the airline’s crew noted an error in my visa for Vietnam - basically there was, in error, and extra “s” listed in my name on the Visa. After a long and stressful hour, in which it was clear that I would ultimately not be able to board the flight from Seoul to Ho Chi Minh City with this Visa, Trang saved the day! By the time our flight landed in Seoul, she had arranged for a “rush” replacement visa and I was able to complete travel as planned. I cannot thank Trang enough!

This was our second KimKim experience, as we traveled to Japan with the entire family this past summer. Both experiences were excellent and I will certainly use KimKim again.

Hotel Review

Allegro Hoian

A great boutique hotel with charm and a super-attentive staff. Great location and an even greater breakfast buffet! “Nancy” from the staff was warm and welcoming and made it a point to chat daily and even remembered our names throughout our stay.

Authenticity & Character

Charming feel

Location

Short walk to Old Town

Staff

Nancy was amazing

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Hoi An - biking Go Noi Village - Hoi An

Hoi An

Our favorite activity of the trip. Trinh, our local tour guide, gave an amazing introduction to her home village. We learned to prepare several dishes and enjoyed a great lunch at a family’s home. Riding around the village on bicycles was a blast!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Best driver ever!

We just got back from a 17 night trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. We worked with Kelly at KimKim to plan this trip. She listened to our requests and sent the first draft of the trip which included almost everything we wanted. With some tweaks, it was the trip of a lifetime. The hotels and tours selected were exactly what we were looking for. Kelly also arranged our Vietnam visas which was very helpful. She kept in touch throughout the trip making sure everything was going as planned.
In addition, the guides and drivers were all excellent, providing knowledgeable history about each city. They gave us some good restaurant recommendations. In Ho Chi Minh City, we left something behind at our hotel and our guide Tran Tuan helped get it to the next stop. He went above and beyond at his own time and expense, checking in to make sure we received it. Our guide in Siem Reap, Phally, was very accommodating giving us a break during the hot afternoons and arranged 2 excursions that were not part of the original itinerary. The driver always had cool towels and cold water waiting for us. We would definitely work with KimKim again for our next trip.