Kimkim Trip Reviews for Vietnam

A fantastic trip! We did some reading before we came to Vietnam, but our experience was even better than we could’ve imagined… The people are wonderful… The sites are incredible… The history is amazing… So many beautiful colors and textures and sights… our guide, Ha, is one of the best guides we have ever worked with… So knowledgeable… Incredibly helpful… He customize each part of the trip just for us… He gave so much time and energy to us… Five stars!

Hotel Reviews

Dragon Legend Cruise

Hon Gai

Quaint, but a little dated

Authenticity & Character

Location

Ha long bay is beautiful

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tam Coc Garden Resort

Ninh Binh

This hotel was one of the highlights of our trip… Located in the beautiful countryside… Surrounded by rice patties, and beautiful mountains… Very peaceful… Like having your own little home out in the Vietnamese country…

Authenticity & Character

Like going back to another time… Having our own bungalow out in the middle of the Vietnamese countryside…

Location

Quiet, peaceful location

Staff

Friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

The housekeeping team was perfectionistic… Whenever we came back to our room, everything was laid out and such a beautiful way…

Peridot Grand Luxury Boutique Hotel

Hanoi

We had a beautiful sweet with a view of the old quarter of Henway… Centrally located… Fantastic staff… Great restaurants… We really enjoyed the experience… Would definitely return…

Authenticity & Character

Tastefully decorated, and lovely facilities…

Location

Right in the heart of the old quarter

Staff

Everyone was super helpful and very friend

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was very quiet and comfortable… A relaxing retreat…

Activity Reviews

Hanoi Departure - Goodbye Vietnam!

Vietnam

Because we had several hours before we departed, we were able to go to the train street and watch the train go by right next to us as we enjoyed some Vietnamese coffee

Quality of Experience

Free at your leisure in Hanoi

Hanoi

It was nice to have a day off to relax on our last full day in Vietnam…

Quality of Experience

We were able to go to a barber and get a haircut and I also had a manicure and pedicure

Food

Great to eat with locals… It’s nice to travel to another country and only eat with local people… No tourists!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ha, our guide was the very best

Transport

Bai Tu Long Bay - Tuan Chau Harbour (Dragon Legend Cruise) - Return to Hanoi

Vietnam

This was our least favorite part of the trip

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ninh Binh - Ha Long Bay - Bai Tu Long Bay with Dragon Legend Cruise

Vietnam

Although it was good to see Ha Long bay, this was our least favorite part of the entire trip

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi - Ninh Binh: Hoa Lu - Trang An Grottoes

Vietnam

Seeing historical buildings and experiencing the beautiful lakes and grottos and temples was truly an experience of a lifetime

Quality of Experience

Seeing the ancient temples and taking the quiet boat ride through the caves and nearly the temples was amazing

Food

We had quite a feast at one of the local establishments… Our guide helped us choose what to have and it was all great

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ha, our guide was excellent… Very knowledgeable… Always taking care of us…

Transport

Explore the Rural Villages nearby Hanoi city (Half Day)

Hanoi

We did not explore rural villages near Hanoi… Instead, we did an in-depth exploration of the old quarter… Weaving in and out of small alleys and intimate courtyards… We even went to the black market, which was amazing and fun…

Quality of Experience

Our guide, Ha, was excellent and customize the experience just for us… Super knowledgeable… Fun to be with… Took care of us the whole time…

Food

Eating in small, local establishments, where the real people of Vietnam eat was really fun…

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide, Ha, was excellent and customize the experience just for us… Super knowledgeable… Fun to be with… Took care of us the whole time

Transport

Doris was quick, efficient, and friendly in all our interactions in planning and executing our trip to SE Asia. When there were changes during the trip, she was very accommodating and continued to be available to us as needed. Doris was quick in responding to our quesitons. The accommodations were lovely and the tour beat all our expectations. I would book with KimKim again and if Doris was our agent, it would make us happy.

Activity Review

Bangkok - Railway market - Floating market

Bangkok

This was unique for us and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I had reduced mobility and it was no trouble having help getting in and out of the boat. We highly recommend putting this on everyone's list.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very alert to shoppers' needs and directed the boat to the wants of the travelers

Transport

We had an amazing trip to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Bangkok. Everything was so well-arranged by Ashley our travel agent in Hanoi. Drivers picked us up on time with excellent guides to show us the sites in each country. The hotels selected by Ashley were top-notch. The activities were both interesting and enjoyable. I highly recommend Ashley and her team.

Hotel Reviews

The Salil Hotel Riverside - Bangkok

Bangkok

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

We asked for a refund since we didn't have hot water for showers and they would not cooperate.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cold showers!

Satri House

Beautiful old hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Needs better signage in the hotel. Difficult to find your way around the hotel.

Treeline Urban Resort

Siem Reap

Authenticity & Character

Location

The in town location was perfect. It allowed us to explore Siem Reap easily.

Staff

Super friendly and nice.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel des Arts Saigon - MGallery Collection

Ho Chi Minh City

Authenticity & Character

Great breakfast.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Moire Hoi An, Vignette Collection

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bhaya Soul Cruise

Hanoi

This was a beautiful boat with great food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Oriental Jade Hotel

Hanoi

Authenticity & Character

Great breakfast.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Mandalao Elephant Conservation

Luang Prabang

Great way to see the elephants in their natural environment. No exploitation here.

Phare Ponleu Selpak Circus Show

Siem Reap

Excellent show. Good evening activity.

Full day Angkor sightseeing and Ta Prohm temple

Siem Reap

Great site and great guide.

Cycling in Cam Thanh & Thanh Dong Organic Farm Visit

Vietnam

Very interesting and well done.

Bhaya Soul - Exclusive Wellness Series (Day 1)

Ha Long Bay

Beautiful boat with a great staff.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoa Lu And Tam Coc Exploration

Vietnam

Too much traffic getting there and back.site was crowded.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Too much traffic.

Highlight of Hanoi Full-Day City Tour - Exploring Vietnamese Culture & History

Hanoi

Minh was a great guide.

VIP Fast Track Service

Vietnam

Just a wonderful trip from beginning to end. The activities provided a variety of sightseeing, cultural awareness, and outdoor activities. In each city, we had local experts as guides who were able to show us all of the fun things to see. The handoff’s at airports were excellent and especially the entry into Vietnam was unbelievably easy. We will definitely consider using KimKim for adventures in the future.

Activity Review

VIP Fast Track Service (including visa application)

Vietnam

One of the most amazing parts of the trip. We didn’t even stop walking as we went through the Hanoi airport and passport control. Our guide took our passports, took care of the entry stamps while we went straight to baggage claim and picked up our bags. We were out of the airport before many of our fellow passengers even cleared passport control.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ashley provided us with a dream vacation with continuous contact and assistance, quality guides and drivers enhancing our experience, excellent hotels, and attention to details that demonstrate why she is a top rated specialist.

Doris was easy to coordinate with, very responsive to our changes to the trip before and even during our vacation.

Our guides in each of the locations were friendly, knowledgeable and communicated well. The van drivers were all very good at navigating the tricky traffic. We have traveled in East Asia, Europe, North, Central and South America and this is the first time we have used a travel service like Kim Kim. Kim Kim handled all of the logistics of hotels, traveling from sight to sight and city to city, very well. It was low stress compared to handling all of it by ourselves.
We had one person in our group with mobility issues and all of our guides did a good helping this individual and keeping us on point with our tour.

Bangkok - Hotel - Very nice with a great location close to the river and sights.
Guide and driver - Mr Oakky was pleasant, spoke good English and unassuming.
Methavalia Sorndaeng restaurant was a very nice surprise.
Best stop - Wat Arun or Grand Royal Palace.

Siem Reap - Hotel - Metta- Nice Hotel with a quick TukTuk ride into the city.
Guide -Peuro, Driver-Tom Both did great.
Favorite stop. Loved them all. Ta Prohm Temple was amazing and Angkor Wat did not disappoint.

Ho Chi Minh
Hotel- Eden Star -
Guide - Happiness - Took extra steps and friendliest guide. He took pictures and short video clips and sent us video of the highlights with music. Added extras of the engraved straw on the Lan Thanh Cruise and engraved chop sticks at Xom Nho were appreciated.

Dong Hoi to Hoi An
Various Hotels
Guide - An, Driver Mr E
An did a great job for us going through the paradise cave and the DMZ.

Hanoi
Hotel -Delicacy - Least impressive but a good location.
Hotel - Paradise Grand Cruise - Best accommodations.

Guide - Huy(Wee) Did. Great job the first allowing us to see the Hanoi Hilton and the railroad market which were not included in our tour. Very friendly and spoke great English. He had a family emergency which he had to attend to. Our Driver Hung did above what was expected taking us to our cruise and back without a guide.

Hotel Reviews

Peony Cruise

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thanh Lich Royal Boutique Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hoi An Delicacy Hotel & Spa

Hoi An

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

MK Premier Boutique hotel

Hanoi

In two rooms in this hotel. Room 803 smelled musty and had some water damage on the outside wall. Good Air conditioner. The second room 502 the safe was not working. Friendly staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Water damage and musty smell in room 803 and safe did not work in 502.

Sun Spa Resort

dong hoi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Enjoy the beach. Only place with a beach

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eden Star Hotel & Spa

Ho Chi Minh City

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Metta Residence & Spa

Krung Siem Reap Siem Reap

Authenticity & Character

Location

Outside of the city but an easy TukTuk ride into the city

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Centre Point Hotel Silom

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hanoi city sightseeing

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hoi An - Da Nang Airport - Fly to Hanoi

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Wee and Hung were great this day

Transport

Hoi An Free Day

Hoi An

Quality of Experience

Hoi An - Cam Thanh Coconut Village - Hoian Ancient Town

Hoi An

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hue, Visit Tomb of Emperor Tu Duc - Hoi An

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Ok

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hue: Thuy Bieu Ecovillage, Cooking Class & Imperial Citadel

Hue

Dong Hoi - Hien Luong Bridge - Quang Tri Citadel - Hue

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ho Chi Minh - Fly to Dong Hoi - Phong Nha Cave - Paradise Cave

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta, Explore Ben Tre - Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam

Hanoi - Halong Bay, Overnight on Cruise

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Siem Reap - Fly to Ho Chi Minh - Ho Chi Minh half-day city tour

Ho Chi Minh City

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Happiness was great

Transport

Siem Reap: Angkor Thom - Ta Prohm - Angkor Wat

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Siem Reap: Banteay Srei - Pre Rup - Tonle Sap Lake

Siem Reap

Banteay Srei - Pre Rup was amazing. Since it was not the raining season, Tonle Sap Lake was low and we couldn't appreciate the area as much as expected. The stilted houses were interesting but didn't see wildlife or the floating village.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok - Fly to Siem Reap, Cambodia

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok - Railway market - Floating market

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Food

The pancakes and spring rolls were good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok City tour (B)

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Halong Bay - Hanoi

Vietnam

We would like 2 nights here

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was fantastic with exceptional hotels and terror guides. Lucy was always available to answer our questions and solve any issues we had although to be fair everything was fairly seemless. I would recommend KimKim without reservation. Thank you Lucy.

I have a lot to say. First of all, I am "generally" happy with my KimKim booking. Lucy was very responsive in creating a trip for us, and made changes according to our requests. However, once we paid in full for the trip, two of the hotels were changes, to what I would consider a lower level of hotel.
HCMC
Hotel. We liked the Bach Suites hotel, even though it was not the hotel we were promised when we booked the trip. The staff was lovely, and the breakfast was good. The room was comfortable and I liked the gym. Some areas were in a bit of disrepair with general maintenance needed. I just felt "duped" by the switch. Also, the noise from the nearby disco was very annoying. I understand this is not the hotel's fault, but it is a nuisance.
Tours. By far, the tours provided in HCMC were our least favorite. Our tour guide, Anna was partially to blame. She made us feel like touring for us was such a burden to her. The walking tour left a lot to be desired. The temple, meh, the lacquer museum was merely a gift shop disguised as a learning experience, and at the war museum instead of guiding us around she said "see you in an hour". The tour the following day to the Mekong Delta was not much better. She complained about the gas prices, and how they were not making any money one the tour. She took us to a bee factory - another shop disguised as an event. When I was stung by a bee on my face, she refused ice and said a cream she had was adequate. She basically blamed me for getting stung - I should not have tried to swat it away. BTW, my face was swollen for a week. It's a good thing I traveled with an antibiotic. The candy factory was another gift shop disguised as a tour, and the boat ride gave me Disneyland jungle cruise vibe. I sincerely feel like this was a completely wasted day.

HUE
Hotel. Silk Path was excellent. Breakfast excellent, staff excellent. Room comfortable. highly recommend this hotel.
Tours. Vu Dang was an excellent tour guide. The cyclo food tour was very fun, not too long, and the restaurants he took us to were great. The next day we toured the former capital and had lunch at a local home, visited the pagoda and took a dragon boat tour. We enjoyed the day thoroughly. The next day, we were supposed to go on the Tam Giang Lagoon Survival tour, but the weather was terribly rainy. Not a problem, Vu was able to pivot and take us to two local farms where we were able to learn about the local farming . It was all interesting, and the lunch at Mr. Nam's house was so fun! A great way to spend the day before flying of to Hanoi.

HANOI
Hotel. Hanoi Imperial Hotel & Spa. Another Hotel that was switched after payment. Hotel was fair at best. I am still wondering where the "spa" is. They staff was accommodating and made us feel welcome. Our room had a shower that flooded the entire bathroom, and the breakfast was mediocre.
Tour. Our full day city tour was great. Tony was an exceptional guide, and guided us around like a pro. We especially enjoyed the Museum of Ethnology, and Tony was great at pointing out interesting displays and exhibits that were housed there. We enjoyed his company and knowledge. My one comment is that it was a very FULL day, and maybe too long for older guests.

SAPA
Hotel. Aliana Boutique Hotel was nice. Staff very welcoming and our room was good. Breakfast just ok.
Tours. Out tour guide, Lo May, was another excellent guide. She really helped us to understand the region, and introduced us to a lot of the lifestyle and economy of the region. I highly recommend her for tours. She was funny, and smart as well. One highlight was visiting her family home, and meeting her parents.

HA LONG BAY CRUISE
The boat was ok. This was another Switcheroo! We were promised one boat, then after we paid, we were switched to another. Our room was in the back, so the anchoring was very noisy and woke us each morning early. The staff was friendly, especially Wendy. Food was so-so, but the bay was very picturesque. We were happy to relax for a few days as we had been so busy touring all of the other days.

SUMMARY
-upset about hotel changes, and boat change after we paid in full - VERY unprofessional i can understand one change, maybe, but THREE??
-terrible tours in HCMC
-great drivers all around. Always on time with a smile.
-lucy very responsive
-no "glitches" in the schedule

One last thing. KimKim markets a whole "sustainability" thing, and we even paid a sustainability fee. NO WHERE on this trip did we see and sustainability efforts! Kind of feel like we paid for an idea.... Trash everywhere. Even in Ha Long Bay, a Unesco site, we lay in bed seeing streams of trash float by our room. Feels like the fee is a bit of a scam

That said, I would recommend KimKim if asked. I could not have attempted to do all of that planning myself.

Hotel Reviews

Aliana Boutique Sapa Hotel & Spa (Ex: Aira Boutique Sapa Hotel)

Sapa

clean room, great staff, ok breakfast

Silk Path Grand Hue

great staff, comfortable room, good breakfast

Activity Reviews

Visit Black Hmong Villages of Sa Xeng & Sau Chua

Sapa

loved being on this tour with Lo May

Trekking To The Ethnic Villages Lao Chai Ta Van - Experience Indigo Dyeing And Weaving With The H'mong Family

Sapa

excellent guide. very eye opening experience

Hanoi Fullday City Tour with Train Track Coffee Enjoying

Hanoi

excellent guide. full, interesting day

Touch the History of Former Imperial Capital - Hue Full Day Sightseeing (BYT)

Hue

Interesting day, excellent guide

Evening Foodie & Cyclo - The Real Taste of Hue

Hue

fun night, good food, great guide

Day Trip To The Mekong Delta - Deo Islet (NBT)

Ho Chi Minh City

terrible guide, waste of time

Saigon Sightseeing Half Day Tour

Ho Chi Minh City

boring, terrible guide

We have returned from an amazing 2 weeks in beautiful Vietnam. Our tour operator, long Hoang Long, delivered on every detail of the trip - and there were many! HIs responsiveness and attention to detail were incredible. There are so many ; connections / Rendez-vous's / Guides / Car connections, etc. required on a trip like this . Everything worked out perfectly.

Sometimes -- you don't know how good a tour operator is until something goes wrong. The ability to recover quickly and right the ship is the true mark of the quality of the service. When we had minor missed connections on this trip - Long was VERY responsive and navigated the recovery quickly.

We enjoyed the day spent in Hoi An best . Seeing the craft villages by bicycle , attending an unexpected festival, and interacting with all of the very enthusiastic school kids was quite memorable. It was great having English speaking guides who could answer our myriad questions on Vietnamese ; culture, economics, tourism, politics and lifestyles.

Hotel Review

Lynnaya Urban River Resort

Siem Reap

This hotel delivers a great, calming vibe right in the heart of the city. Walking or short tuk tuk to everywhere you might want to go.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

VIP Fast Track Service

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Transport

Full day Angkor sightseeing and Ta Prohm temple

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Island Hoping & Snorkeling Trip by Speed Boat

Phu Quoc

The snorkeling experience is quite disappointing. In fact -- I would suggest you stop selling this as a snorkelling experience, - there are very few fish to see. Only small fish and some nice coral. I think this area is over fished by the locals. [ See all the fishing boats at night! ] The island is kind of over touristed , - too many tourists, for the size of the beach. Kind of a hectic wave of tourists getting off boats and sharing a very tiny beach.

Quality of Experience

Food

A lot of food , but not well cooked or presented. Restaurant is fairly primitive.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring Handicraft - Tra Nhieu Village

Hoi An

This was my favorite day and activity. Riding bikes got us closer to the people and daily lifestyles. Was great that it was not very crowded with tourists.

Quality of Experience

Food

Really enjoyed the restaurant in the rice field .

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great guide

Cu Chi Tunnels & Half Day City Tour

Ho Chi Minh City

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Driver was great. The Guide spoke very good English and was able to answer very specific questions on; Economics and Vietnamese customs. However, he has given the Tunnels tour one too many times and is bored with the experience. Kind of rushed us through with no real conversation or insights.

Transport

Hoa Lo Prison - Huu Tiep Lake - Vietnam Military History Museum - Ho Chi Minh Complex (S)

Hanoi

OUr guide needed a audio device and the guests headphones to effectively tour this crowded sight. This was not provided. He did not bring any extra insights and expected us to simply read all the panels, etc. No editorial was offered!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

More insights.

Transport

Trang our local specialist was super responsive and catered our trip for group of 6 including a 9 and 11 year old children. I think the planning advice was good. She was helpful too when I had questions about Hanoi hotels and logistics. She advised printing out VN visa which was helpful. We did see an eco village at the sapa mountainside during our trip which I think we would have preferred to stay at because it really captures sapa well. We spent 2 night and 3 days in sapa coming from Hanoi. It was cool that we could hire a tour guide and a private limo van the entire time. The “limo” van unfortunately wasn’t very comfortable and felt like a pickup truck. We had been in other limo vans in Vietnam and unluckily we got a real beat up one. The ride to sapa was rough. Happy we made it safely though. The tour guide was nice but didn’t demonstrate much knowledge of sapa. He had only guided for 6 months.

Overall I would use kimkim travel again but maybe stay at an ecolodge and figure out how to get a better limo van and more knowledgeable tour guide but sometimes it’s hit or miss.

Hotel Review

Pistachio Hotel Sapa

Bfast was amazing. Prob the best we had in Vietnam. Beds comfortable and very spacious rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Hanoi - Transfer to Sapa (Private Limousine)

Vietnam

Car was very uncomfortable. Felt like a pickup truck. We had other limo vans that were very comfortable in VN, just not this one. Driver was rough. Lots of sudden stops

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Donna and I had a wonderful trip to Vietnam with special thanks to Alex (for support on building a great itinerary, and also supporting us when we had eVisa support issues), and Bo for his solid driving skills getting us to and from our destinations, and Mr Binh for his outstanding guide assistance and local knowledge of Northern Vietnam!

Hotel Reviews

GRAND HOTEL du LAC Hanoi

Nice hotel, a bit small but clean and lovely location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Paradise Elegance Cruise

Very nice boat and accomodations

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jiva Hoa Lu Retreat

Perhaps the best resort of the trip. would have been great to spend and extra day!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Crazy beautiful

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel de la Coupole - MGallery

Beautiful hotel and great staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Meliá Hanoi

Hanoi

Excellent location and Accommodations

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hanoi By Night Food Tour - Vespa Tour

Hanoi

We did not take this tour during our visit. We chose to relax before heading back to states

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Halong Bay - Hanoi

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ninh Binh - Halong Bay Cruise - Overnight on boat

Ha Long Bay

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi - Ninh Binh - Hoa Lu, Ancient Capital - Mua Cave - Tam Coc Boat Trip

Ninh Binh

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sapa, Visit Cat Cat village - Transfer Back to Hanoi

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sapa - Mường Hoa Mountain Train - Fansipan Peak - Conquer the Roof of Indochina - Free afternoon

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sapa - Hike to Explore Local Villages: Y Linh Ho, Lao Chai & Ta Van

Sapa

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi - Sapa – Tram Ton Pass – Love Waterfall - Sapa

Sapa

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Stephen Hoang Long and the team at Realistic Asia planned our 13 day vacation to Vietnam and Thailand. We have travelled a lot, but have never been to Asia before, so we were excited but nervous. Long took our preferences for accommodations and activities and came up with an incredible vacation plan. We were busy every day doing interesting and unique things. Each of our hotels were top notch. All of the logistics and experiences were well planned and went flawlessly. Long checked in with us during every transfer and activity to make sure we were picked up and that everything was going smoothly. He was always available for any question we had and it was very reassuring knowing that we could reach out at any time on our trip. He even came to meet us at our hotel and introduce himself and brought us a welcome gift! When we come back to Asia for our next vacation, we will definitely contact him again! Thank you Long, for giving us a once in a lifetime vacation!

Hotel Reviews

Montien Riverside Hotel

Beautiful views of the river!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ao Nang Villa Resort

Krabi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Saga Hotel Hoi An

Hoi An

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pu Luong Eco Garden

Beautiful location and gorgeous rooms!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dragon Legend Cruise

Hon Gai

The rooms were large and very beautiful! Amazing experience!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bespoke Boutique Hotel

Hanoi

The location was centrally located and the staff were the friendliest and most helpful!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cycling in Cam Thanh & Thanh Dong Organic Farm Visit

Vietnam

Our local guide was so friendly and informative, we learned so much about Vietnamese culture!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Pu Luong Iconic Rice Terrace & Local Brocade (Excursions) Updated

Pu Luong Nature Reserve

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pu Luong Explore Village Life Water Wheels & Rafting (Excursions) Updated

Pu Luong Nature Reserve

So unique and educational! Beautiful scenery!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi Street food walking tour (S)

Hanoi

We got the local flavor by visiting 6 or 7 different restaurants! Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We truly felt this vacation was unlike most we had taken. We found the planned itinerary to be perfect for us. Our goals were to see the country in a non rushed fashion in a two week period. We found the guides to be timely, have a wealth of knowledge and interested in their country. Our accommodations were mostly very good . We most enjoyed the dinner with a family in Hue guided by Charlie and the Vespa tour in Ho Chi Minh City. Although I can’t say enough about Trinh and Arthur and Qui (our other guides).
Dao Long was very helpful with all the preparations and guidance during the trip.
We had never been on a trip such as this since I usually plan everything myself but felt in Vietnam assistance was necessary. We like to travel without a group and that goal was met.
I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone and hope to use kimkim in the future

Activity Reviews

Ho Chi Minh Departure Transfer

Vietnam

Exploring Ho Chi Minh city Half Day Tour

Ho Chi Minh City

Didn’t really enjoy the was museum. Felt it was interesting but a bit one sided. The market was not enjoyable at all and could have skipped it

Evening Street Food Tour With Vespa Wanderers

Ho Chi Minh City

Mesmerizing. Saigon at night with all the bustle from the city and lights was amazing

Cycling in Cam Thanh & Thanh Dong Organic Farm Visit

Vietnam

Fun ride and loved the market

Authentic Home Dining - Enjoy a traditional Hue dinner

Hue

Wonderful expert and great way to learn the culture

Imperial City Tour of Hue Half-Day Exploration

Hue

Excellent guide

Lan Ha Bay - Halong Bay - Disembark the cruise (Nostalgia cruise)

Ha Long Bay

Hanoi – Tuan Chau Island – Halong Bay – Lan Ha Bay (Nostalgia cruise)

Ha Long Bay

Beautiful area and enjoyed the hike through the caves. I was glad it was just one night

Exploring Hoa Lu - Tam Coc - Mua Cave

Vietnam

Very pretty and interesting

Hanoi City in A Day

Hanoi

Great guiding. I just found Hanoi not as enjoyable as the rest of the tour

VIP Fast Track Service

Vietnam

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I am so glad we used kimkim to plan the Vietnam portion of our vacation. Every place we stayed at was wonderful, each tour guide was helpful, informative and attentive. Lucy, our trip planner did such a great job making adjustments for us as we went along and keeping us informed of our daily activities. I highly recommend kimkim to anyone wanting help in planning their vacation. I will certainly use them again.

There is so much to say about how amazing this trip was. We have never used a travel agency, but planning a 2-week trip to Vietnam felt a bit daunting, so after reading many reviews, we decided to go with KimKim. Our travel specialist, Alex, was beyond helpful, and together we planned a wonderful trip. I MUST mention our driver in Hanoi, Bo, who was the BEST out of the many drivers we had on our journey. Our Hanoi guide, Quyet, literally held my hand as we made our way up and down hundreds of steps to visit some of the sites. The staff at the Q Boutique Hotel in Hanoi made us feel like Royalty (shout out to Bob). Our next guide, Vy, made us feel like part of her family as she shared the Tet holiday and her beautiful city of Hoi An. We had such a peaceful time cycling through the rice fields to Tra Que village, which we followed up with a great cooking class and lunch. In Ho Chi Minh City, our guide Loan was incredible—he had so much insight into the history of the Vietnam War. We even worked up the nerve to crawl through the Cu Chi Tunnels; definitely a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ experience! ;) All that said, we are currently planning our next trip with KimKim to South Africa; can't wait to see what's in store!

Hotel Reviews

Mekong Lodge

Beautiful hotel along the river. The pool was amazing after a long hot day! Would stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

It is not trying to be something fancy. It is exactly as it should be but comfortable with little touches to the grounds that make it feel more special that the room itself feels.

Location

Peaceful view of the river and the ground were beautiful

Staff

Had a little trouble with the AC (user error on my part) and staff was prompt to assist.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eden Star Hotel & Spa

Ho Chi Minh City

The size of the room was adequate for two people, but the bed was pushed against the wall, and there was no nightstand. For two guests, I would expect both would have easy access to the bed and a nightstand. Our agent Alex attempted to get us another room, but the hotel was full.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Lots of restaurants to walk to. Not too noisy.

Staff

No standouts either way.

Cleanliness & Comfort

When we moved our bed away from the wall, it was pushed BACK against the wall by the cleaning staff. I would have assumed that the guest preferred it where it was and left it. Again, two people should have access to both sides of the bed and have use of a nightstand.

Renaissance Hoi An Resort & Spa

Beautiful western-style hotel on the beach with a lively kids program. While our stay was comfortable and luxurious, we would likely not return due to the family atmosphere and distance from the center of Hoi An.

Authenticity & Character

Lanterns, Tet decor and drumming.

Location

Beautiful beach but far from the tourist district. The shuttle bus times were very limited.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Peony Cruise

This was a bucket list item that generally did not disappoint. The scenery was fantastic, and overall, we were pleased with this part of our trip. The balcony in our room was not very inviting. The tender for the morning activities pulled right up to our window/balcony, belching exhaust into the room and invading our privacy, as our curtains were open to take advantage of the view.

Authenticity & Character

The ship overall had an Orient Express type of feel.

Location

The views are beautiful.

Staff

The staff on the tender seemed enthusiastic about his job but he was really the only person. No other stand outs.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hidden Charm Ninh Binh

Ninh Thang, Hoa Lu, Ninh Binh

The pictures of the hotel room make it look a bit more glamorous than I remember, but overall, it was a nice stay. We slept well, and the buffet was substantial. The outdoor garden is beautiful. I think if we were to return to the area, I would choose a hotel that was closer to more restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

There wasn't anything that stood out, and as mentioned, the pictures don't quite match what I remember.

Location

Staff

Again, no one really stood out one way or the other.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Q Boutique Hotel

Hanoi

The staff at this hotel is so friendly and attentive that you won't care that the room is a bit small. The breakfast buffet was wonderful and kept us full until dinner. Would absolutely stay again, no question.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the French Quarter, ATM right next door. It may be a bit noisy for some, but we were fine.

Staff

They just seemed genuinely happy that we were guests and were honored to attend to our needs.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed and pillows were comfy, and we slept quite well. The room is small, but that is part of the charm of this hotel.

Activity Reviews

Ninh Binh - Halong Bay, Overnight on Cruise

Vietnam

The food on Peony was not very good overall. I would definitely do the the Halong Bay trip, but on a different ship, perhaps something a bit more modern.

Food

Hanoi - Ninh Binh - Hoa Lu, Ancient Capital - Tam Coc Boat Trip

Vietnam

The best part of this was that it occurred on the family day of Tet and our guide knew so many people in town that she was able to enjoy her holiday but in a very different way that she seemed to enjoy! There was a LOT of incense burning throughout the village though which was a little much for me. The boat ride in Tam Coc was another highlight.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoi An - Cycling in Tra Que Vegetable Village - Cooking class

Hoi An

The bike ride was easy and tranquil with stops to ensure we did not get tired. The village and cooking class were a highlight of our trip!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi Sightseeing & Street Food Tour

Hanoi

We had a memorable, enjoyable, stress-free trip through Vietnam planned from start to finish with Long from Realistic Asia. Our initial contact was only 6 weeks prior to the trip which did not leave much time for planning, however the trip was fully planned and booked within a short two-week time period. After giving Long ideas about what we’d like to do and how much time we had, he planned an initial itinerary that we tweaked a few times before settling on our 11 days in Vietnam that was perfectly paced according to our request for a “somewhat busy” itinerary, leaving some time for relaxing. We requested private tours and transportation throughout the trip including airport transfers, tours, car travel between two locations and two domestic flights which required a lot of coordination and was executed without issue. We visited Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh with daily tours in each location. From start to finish everything went off without a problem, drivers and tour guides were always on time. The drivers were excellent in the busy cities, driving between cities and outside of cities to tours in more far-reaching areas. We enjoyed each of the tours that were chosen based on our preference for experiencing the culture and food of Vietnam and ranged from street food tours to historical tours to dinner with a local family. All of the guides were fluent in English, knowledgeable and personable. Mr. Sea and Mr. Koi who work with Realistic Asia were excellent guides in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. Each of the hotels was located in a great area and was very comfortable with excellent breakfasts. Notably, in addition to all the planning/coordination of logistics, what stands out with working with Realistic Asia is the experience while on the trip where I felt taken care of throughout with Long keeping in contact to ensure we were being picked up on time, the guides were on time, confirming times for pick up, and that accommodations were to our liking. I felt that if there were any issues, that I had someone I could rely on. I highly recommend Realistic Asia.

We had a great experience! Highly recommend Kimkim. Working with Alex for the planning was smooth and all changes were handled with our best interests in mind. Mr. Nguyen Thahn Binh thoroughly enjoys his job and always greeted us with his smile. With specific dietary concerns, he made sure each cafe/restaurant was aware. He was enthusiastic, answered our many questions, was delightful, knowledgeable, and was excellent in getting us exactly where we needed to be to capture the perfect photo. Our driver, Bo, was always there to collect us after each adventure. He was courteous, polite and respectful.

Trang set up a perfect adventure for us, it included biking, lots of sightseeing, historical and socially interesting activities we thoroughly enjoyed. Trang was available to us 24/7, she smoothed out any issues we encountered with great solutions and had our best interests in mind always. What a professional and personable specialist! Thank you Trang!!!

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