Kimkim Trip Reviews for Vietnam

We had a fantastic trip!!! From start to end we felt we re well looked after. Planning, guide and driver where all aligned and very profesional. I would highly recomend using Alex for travels in Vietnam :)

We recently completed a holiday in South and central Vietnam. After partially organising the holiday from Australia, I realised I needed some assistance from someone with local knowledge. I was travelling with my husband and my 3 older children. I'm not sure how I stumbled upon Kim Kim but after reading the reviews I thought I'd give them a go. I cannot express how fantastic they were. Throughout the planning stage I dealt regularly with Long. He was so helpful and provided so much advice... read more

We recently completed a holiday in South and central Vietnam. After partially organising the holiday from Australia, I realised I needed some assistance from someone with local knowledge. I was travelling with my husband and my 3 older children. I'm not sure how I stumbled upon Kim Kim but after reading the reviews I thought I'd give them a go. I cannot express how fantastic they were. Throughout the planning stage I dealt regularly with Long. He was so helpful and provided so much advice and assistance in planning the trip. He responded promptly to all of my enquiries and replanned the holiday four times due to my changes of mind. Long made suggestions and recommendations and took into consideration everything I put to him. The trip plan Kim Kim provide is comprehensive and detailed. Little details that I may have missed were raised by Long and I cannot thank him or recommend him highly enough. When we arrived in Ho Chi Minh City we were contacted by Dat who became our Vietnamese contact person. He gave us his contact number and we conversed via whatsapp. Dat was in regular contact, confirming pickups, tours and transfer details. He was wonderful. When my daughter became unwell he gave us recommendations for assistance and kept in regular contact enquiring how she was progressing. We did a number of tours throughout our holiday and the tour guides Kim Kim use are just wonderful. They are punctual, patient and knowledgable and made our tours not only interesting but fun. Tuyen, Tuyn and our other guides are fabulous. Tuyen kept in contact with me via whatsapp and sent recommendations for restaurants and activities in our next destination which was so kind and very much appreciated. All of our drivers were great too, they drove safely and assisted us with luggage and stops. On Long's advice I really feel that we spent the right amount of time in each destination. The tours we did were a full day tour of Hue and then a 1/2 day bike ride through a village out of Hue. Both of these trips were excellent, despite the weather being awful. Tuyen our guide was fabulous and the sights we visited were really interesting. The trip to Bana Hills from Danang is one that I cannot recommend. This is definitely not Kim Kim's fault as I asked to go there. Please do not waste your time and money. If you want to go up, simply do the cable car up and back but don't waste a day there. The cable car ride was lovely, until the mist set in and we couldn't see anything. Our guide for the day Tuyn however was fabulous. We also visited the Mekong Delta and stayed on the Mekong Eyes houseboat. Whilst the experience was good, there is not a lot to see at the Mekong Delta, so I wouldn't go back. We also did a cooking class at Ms Vi's cooking school in Hoi An, what fun. This is a definite tour to do and the quantity and quality of the food is unbelievable. Our 1/2 day bike ride through the countryside and to the fishing village out of Hoi Ann was also lots of fun, although the fishing village is certainly not what we expected. Our guide on this trip (I'm so sorry, I've forgotten her name) was just lovely and made the trip really enjoyable.
So, would I recommend Kim Kim? 100% most definitely. Would I use them again? 100% most definitely. Thank you to Long, Dat, Tuyen and all of our guides and drivers. You helped to make our holiday unforgettable.

Hotel Review

Mekong Eyes Cruise

Whilst the trip was fun and the houseboat was interesting I was a little disappointed with the trip content. I thought we would see the floating markets that the Mekong Delta is famous for and found the village tour not very interesting. The staff on the boat were wonderful and spending time with other travellers was fun it is a long drive down and back for what you get.

Authenticity & Character

The houseboat is amazing.

Location

The tours lacked.

Staff

Very nice, very accomodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfy beds, nice deck, authentic eating areas

Activity Reviews

Half Day Biking Around Hue Countryside (15km)

Hue

Loved the bike ride despite the bad weather. Really enjoyed visiting the artist in his home and watching him paint and the incense making was fun. Was great to be out in an authentic village riding bikes.

Quality of Experience

Everything

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fabulous

Transport

Bikes were good van transport clean and comfortable

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

Hue

This is a really interesting tour and is full of history and landmarks

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tuyen is fabulous

Transport

Clean and comfortable

Day trip to Bana Hills

Vietnam

Bana Hills is awful. It is a pretend Disneyland without the atmosphere or rides. Some parts like the gardens and the cable car ride are great. It so out of keeping with Vietnam. It may be better in peak season (although I doubt it), but in Winter most things are closed. The food is AWFUL. It was a punish being there.

Quality of Experience

It is just awful

Food

The WORST food we ate in Vietnam

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loved our guide, Tuyn

Transport

Leisure Time In Da Nang

Da Nang

Danang is just lovely. There's lots to see and it is clean. the beaches and beach bars are great, the night markets are fun and Marble Mountains are a must. they a fabulous.

Quality of Experience

Ms. Vy’s Cooking class - Taste Vietnam street food tour, cooking class and lunch (N)

Hoi An

This was one of favourite things we did on our holiday. It was so interesting and fun. Our guide was fabulous. there is SO much food to eat and it is all delicious. We ended up taking our left over food with us and eating it over the next couple of days.

Quality of Experience

It was all great.

Food

Everything!!!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lovely, lovely guide

Transport

Cam Thanh Fishing Village Tour & Basket Boat Ride

Hoi An

What a fun 1/2 day. Loved the bike ride through the countryside. The fishing village is 'interesting', we did have fun, whilst it's not that authentic it was still interesting a funny to see the men competing in a battle of the huge speakers on the water singing Gangnam Style. Otherwise the ride in the coconut boats was interesting and fishing for crabs fun. It is pretty there. Lunch was excellent but again way too much food.

Quality of Experience

It was a fun day. Favourite part was bike riding there and back

Food

Everything

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide (i'm sorry I've forgotten her name) was lovely.

Transport

Bikes were comfy and easy to ride

Cantho - Cai Be (Mekong Eyes) (N)

Can Tho

Can Tho was quite interesting from the river and on shore. The sweet and popcorn making place was good

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Can Tho on cruise (Mekong Eyes) (N)

Can Tho

The houseboat is great and the staff are lovely, but the trip lacked content. I think it's a long way to go for not a lot to do and see. We didn't see any floating markets which was why we wanted to go, however the people on our cruise who did do the 2 night version said there were very few sellers at the markets, which is not what you imagine when you see the images.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I cannot write enough good things about our service provided by Long and KimKim. From the very beginning stages to the last day of our trip, Long was especially helpful and reliable. I had so many thoughts and plans and he made it possible to include nearly everything we wanted to do in Vietnam within our time restraint.

Long checked in with us during the planning stages of the trip and throughout the entirety of the trip. All of our rides and transportation were taken care of and we were... read more

I cannot write enough good things about our service provided by Long and KimKim. From the very beginning stages to the last day of our trip, Long was especially helpful and reliable. I had so many thoughts and plans and he made it possible to include nearly everything we wanted to do in Vietnam within our time restraint.

Long checked in with us during the planning stages of the trip and throughout the entirety of the trip. All of our rides and transportation were taken care of and we were given the driver information, emergency contact numbers and any further assistance we needed to feel at ease and safe during our travels in Vietnam.

Booking through KimKim definitely helped make our trip more organized, which then allowed more time for exploring. I would definitely use this service again when traveling to other countries.

Hotel Reviews

Hanoi Allure Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Oasis Bay Party Cruise Halong Bay

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Monarque Hotel Danang

Danang

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Allegro Hoian

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

InterContinental Nha Trang

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cochin Zen Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hanoi Vespa Food Tour

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Oasis Bay Party Cruise - Halong Bay - Hanoi

Ha Long Bay

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoi An Cooking Class

Hoi An

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mekong Delta Group Tour (My Tho) - Joint in tour

Ho Chi Minh City

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cu Chi Tunnels tour by luxury speedboat

Ho Chi Minh City

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ha Long - Lan Ha Bay - Oasis Bay Party Cruise

Ha Long Bay

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was amazing. Hien was very communicative and made sure everything went according to plan. We were taken care of from A to Z and had the private car, driver and tour guide to ourselves during the trip. We paid a fraction of the cost compared to other tailor tours. When I had some plan changes or requested additional tours or services, Hien quickly accommodated the request and got the driver and the tour guide ready for us. She was our private concierge and ready to answer any questions. read more

The trip was amazing. Hien was very communicative and made sure everything went according to plan. We were taken care of from A to Z and had the private car, driver and tour guide to ourselves during the trip. We paid a fraction of the cost compared to other tailor tours. When I had some plan changes or requested additional tours or services, Hien quickly accommodated the request and got the driver and the tour guide ready for us. She was our private concierge and ready to answer any questions.

Hien was such a detailed, thoughtful, and organized planner! We traveled to three different cities and she single-handedly coordinated seeing all of them, seamlessly.

She's also very patient as well as, I've made a lot of requests throughout the trip, and she delivered on all of them.

Vietnam was amazing, highly recommend, lots of history there and very beautiful place.

read more

Hien was such a detailed, thoughtful, and organized planner! We traveled to three different cities and she single-handedly coordinated seeing all of them, seamlessly.

She's also very patient as well as, I've made a lot of requests throughout the trip, and she delivered on all of them.

Vietnam was amazing, highly recommend, lots of history there and very beautiful place.

Activity Reviews

My Son Sanctuary Luxury Tour - Joint in tour

Hoi An

Ha Long Bay - Lan Ha Bay (La Pandora Cruise)

Vietnam

Dark and Bright Cave - Ha Long Bay (La Pandora)

Vietnam

Hoi An City & Food Tour

Hoi An

Thank you Ashley for assisting me organise the 'Grand tour of Vietnam' in January 2023.
You were very helpful in suggesting the most efficient route and listened to my requests and were quick to accommodate any changes I wanted to make.
I was grateful for your prompt responses when I was in Vietnam with the questions I had which was very reassuring.
All the transfers were on time and very efficient and friendly as were the guides.
Thank you very much for putting this trip together.
With... read more

Thank you Ashley for assisting me organise the 'Grand tour of Vietnam' in January 2023.
You were very helpful in suggesting the most efficient route and listened to my requests and were quick to accommodate any changes I wanted to make.
I was grateful for your prompt responses when I was in Vietnam with the questions I had which was very reassuring.
All the transfers were on time and very efficient and friendly as were the guides.
Thank you very much for putting this trip together.
With kind regards
Jason

Our itinerary followed our guidelines to be action packed and cover lots of ground. We went to incredible locations and were with great people. We had an agency operator assigned that was available at all hours to answer questions and correct any issues. There were few communication errors but the agency was always very open to dialogue and fixing things. The places we went were AMAZING and we definitely see the benefit of getting a local to organize and plan the best set up. The hotels were... read more

Our itinerary followed our guidelines to be action packed and cover lots of ground. We went to incredible locations and were with great people. We had an agency operator assigned that was available at all hours to answer questions and correct any issues. There were few communication errors but the agency was always very open to dialogue and fixing things. The places we went were AMAZING and we definitely see the benefit of getting a local to organize and plan the best set up. The hotels were aligned (some were great) and the places far exceeded anything we could imagine. We made memories for a lifetime and hope to be back some day

Hotel Reviews

Renea Cruises Halong

Hon Gai, Ha Long

This was one of the top experiences on our trip. Great staff, food, rooms, excursions and place. What’s not to like?!?

Authenticity & Character

Location

Incredibly unique and picturesque. Also less crowded

Staff

Instructive, funny and happy

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pu Luong Retreat

Thanh Hoa

Beautiful, tranquil location with amazing view

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bicycle Tour of Rural Villages - Cultural Tour of Hanoi

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to Pu Luong Nature Reserve & Hike

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Halong Bay with overnight Cruise

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

B

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Fishing Villages & Hội An Tour

Hoi An

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A day trip to the fertile Mekong delta - Ho Chi Minh city - Flight to Siem Reap at K6- 879 @16:55 - 18:25

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

ANGKOR TEMPLES & DINNER APSARA DANCE SHOW

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

H

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Luang Prabang - Khuang Si waterfall - Luang Prabang city tour

Luang Prabang

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok - Chiang Rai - Golden tringle boat trip - opium museum - White Temple

Chiang Rai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai - Elephants Camp, orchid farm, Doi Suthep

Chiang Rai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chiang Mai - Doi Inthanon National Park

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our recent trip to Vietnam was AMAZING and would not have been possible with Hien's expertise, patience, and geniune desire to make our trip exactly as we wanted it to be. She answered all our questions during the planning process and was easily reachable during our trip so if any hiccups occurred or if we needed extra help, she was always in touch. We went back and forth making changes, etc. and had many versions of our itinerary; but throughout all of it, she was very accommodating. I... read more

Our recent trip to Vietnam was AMAZING and would not have been possible with Hien's expertise, patience, and geniune desire to make our trip exactly as we wanted it to be. She answered all our questions during the planning process and was easily reachable during our trip so if any hiccups occurred or if we needed extra help, she was always in touch. We went back and forth making changes, etc. and had many versions of our itinerary; but throughout all of it, she was very accommodating. I highly recommend Hien and her travel services. I would not hesitate to work with Hien again on future trips.

Hotel Review

The Oriental Jade Hotel

Hanoi

The entire staff was so friendly and welcoming, the restaurant food was delicious, our rooms were so comfortable and spacious. Love the location!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Your Private Tour To Memorable Ho Chi Minh

Ho Chi Minh City

Our tour guide Vinh was great! He did such a amazing job finding all our family locations and was so patient helping us taking photos, ask locals about the area, etc. It was definitely the most memorable part of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cu Chi Tunnels & Ho Chi Minh City Tour

Ho Chi Minh City

Our kids loved the Cu Chi Tunnels. So much history and information. Our tour guide, Vinh, took us later in the day to avoid the morning and late afternoon crowds so it was perfect!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Datanla Waterfall

Da Lat

We loved Dantanla Waterfalls and stayed all day until closing. With that in mind, do not make lunch plans and pack in a lunch or purchase food there. You'll want to stay the entire day to experience the falls, the alpine coaster, the ropes course and of zipline!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Da Lat Full Day City Tour

Da Lat

This was another family nostaglia tour of us and our guide was again amazing! He was very patient and made sure we got to see everything we wanted.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nha Trang street food tour by cyclo

Nha Trang

This was my son's favorite experience! Riding around the coastal town of Nha Trang in cyclos is a definite must do and see! The cyclos are motorized so I didn't feel as bad making this older gentlemen peddle me around. All our food stops was delicious and so good we went back the next day to eat again!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Danang airport - Marble Mountain - Danang

Da Nang

Our airport pick up and direct transfer to Marble Mountain was the perfect introduction to Hanang. Marble Mountain was beautiful and lunch was delicious. Couldn't have asked for a better introduction to Danang.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoi An Sightseeing and Food Tour

Hoi An

Hoi An is a beauitful small town with so much history. Our tour guide did a great job taking us to local sites and then onto delicious food. He also was a great photographer and helped us take a lot of family photos.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Leisure Time In Da Nang

Da Nang

Our driver was the best! He dropped off and picked us up at Bana Hills and was so kind and patient since he waited for us nearly an hour after closing since we got lost trying to exit the park, etc. Bana Hills itself is also amazing and definitley work an entire day's visit!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hue - Imperial Citadel sightseeing with lunch

Hue

Our guide was the BEST! Her English was perfect and she was so knowledgable about the history of Vietnam and the Imperial Palace. Futhermore, she grew up in the Citadel and could share personal stories with us. Loved it!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

HANOI FULLDAY CITY TOUR - STREET FOOD TOUR

Hanoi

Hanoi is a modern, beautiful city. We loved it so much and really enjoyed the food. Our guide was so amazing and spoke perfect English. He made our short time in Hanoi worthwhile.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to Ha Long Bay, Cruise Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay

Being in Halong Bay is pretty breathtaking. From cruising between this huge limestone structures, to seeing monkeys, to watching the sunset, it's a once in a lifetime experience. Would love to do this again!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Halong Bay to Hanoi

Vietnam

Drive was punctual and made sure we remembered our passports, etc.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vietnam? Yes Vietnam!
To be honest we pondered that question as well prior to making our plans to visit this little known country located in SE Asia, but Vietnamese expats we knew reassured us that it was a beautiful and very friendly country, and boy were they right!
We used KimKim Travel to help us plan a vacation which took us from the capital city of Hanoi and Ha Long Bay to the ultra-modern Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon) and Mekong (river of the 9 Dragons) Delta. We initially viewed... read more

Vietnam? Yes Vietnam!
To be honest we pondered that question as well prior to making our plans to visit this little known country located in SE Asia, but Vietnamese expats we knew reassured us that it was a beautiful and very friendly country, and boy were they right!
We used KimKim Travel to help us plan a vacation which took us from the capital city of Hanoi and Ha Long Bay to the ultra-modern Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon) and Mekong (river of the 9 Dragons) Delta. We initially viewed Vietnam as a small country but were surprised to discover that the distance along its coast from the northern tip to southern tip is further than the distance from Vancouver Canada to Tijuana Mexico! Just letting you know in case you thought this could be covered in a week’s time. We spent 17 glorious days and discovered that the wonder that is Vietnam will take time to truly savor, and savor we did!
We started in Hanoi and met our northern guide, Khoi, at our very charming boutique hotel, La Siesta Classic, located in the old French quarter of the city. We toured the capital and biked through the suburbs, learning about Vietnam’s early history and the Buddhist influence. We toured the local markets and met with a local family where we learned to make spring rolls before heading off for two days in Ha Long Bay. This is the one you see in literally all the brochures about Vietnam and it is every bit as magical in real life, especially aboard a Junk Ship, the Dragon Legend, where we spent the night in a luxurious stateroom. Sunset and sunrise at among the 1500+ limestone islands was a delight. The expansive development in Ha Long impressed us and we pondered where all the people would come from. The why is obvious, Ha Long Bay is definitely a destination in itself.
Returning to Hanoi we quickly boarded a flight to the Imperial City of Hue where we spent another two nights. We met our next local tour guide, Chu, at the airport and headed off to another fantastic hotel, The Eldora. Hue was not only the political but also the cultural and religious center under the Nguyen Dynasty, the last royal dynasty of Vietnamese history. A private tour of the King’s fortress with its multiple moats rivaled the finest of medieval castles of Europe but with a definite Asian flair. The afternoon was spent bicycling alone the Perfume river stopping to visit another local family where we learned how to make paper flowers.
Day 8 began with a drive through the marble mountains to Da Nang and eventually the ancient town of Hoi An. If you are a fashionista, this is the place for you. The town abounds with tailors and is renowned for crafting whatever garments you can imagine overnight. You can bring a picture of what you have in mind or spend hours perusing the many fashion catalogs to design the perfect tailor-made wardrobe. Just bring an extra bag to take it all home with you, or you can opt to have a leather bag made to your specifications, as we did to hold your new apparel.
The beach front Boutique Hoi An Resort, was our home for the next four nights. Tip, the Spa is fabulous! Over the three days we toured My Son, learned about the Champa people who helped to settle Vietnam in its early days. We returned to Hoi An by boat but not before stopping to learn how to make fishing nets and how to cast them as we went on our first fishing trip of the tour. At another stop along our river voyage, we stopped to learn about pottery making where we got to take a spin at the potter’s wheel to make souvenirs. The next day we toured the ancient city of Hoi An, a much slower life style, walking its streets are a delight, especially since it is also known for its colorful oriental lanterns which turn magical in the evening. Round boats! I sore they didn’t look safe but my fears were quickly assuaged when we were treated to a river filled with them including people using the round boats to literally “dance” on the water (granum style).
The next day was beach and spa day, Ahhhh! That night we ate at a new restaurant, Reu, that we heard about from other guests at our resort. As much a work or art as it is a restaurant, hands down our best meal the entire trip, and trust me that is quite a compliment as the food of Vietnam is extraordinary. I am not sure if it is due to the French Colonial influence or that they influenced the French, maybe a bit of both!
Day 12 and we were off once again, our flight took us from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City where we met our last tour guide Duc (Dee). I include his nickname here because he showed us how complicated the Vietnamese language can be. The same spelling of a word, such as Mo, can have 5 different meanings based on the accents and hence the pronunciation of the word. The meanings can be vastly different. Our hotel this time was the classical Saigon Majestic Hotel located on the waterfront which afforded us front row seats for New Year’s Eve celebration.
Early the next morning we traveled north to visit the Cu Chi tunnels, made famous by the Viet Cong soldiers during the Vietnam War (or as they call it the American War). First created during the French colonial period, the Cu Chi tunnels became strategic in the fight to retain South Vietnam and quite possibly, what helped them win. The 155 miles network of tunnels were ingenious to say the least and a must see.
The afternoon was spent touring the modern city along with its historical landmarks from its French Colonial period including the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Opera House and the Saigon Central Post Office. Ending our day at the Thien Hau Temple helped slow our pace down, preparing us for the next day’s trip to the Mekong River Delta, or as they call it, the River of the Nine Dragons. Amazing how each tributary of the river can be so massive and support so much maritime trade.
In Can Tho we started our day early so as to our guide could take us up river to the floating market. Although we were told that it pales in comparison to what it once was, we were impressed with the hundreds of boats gathered together selling fresh produce and other goods and service including breakfast on the water. Surprisingly breakfast was served in china dishes that had me wondering what to do with them once we were through, not to worry they’re quite adept at keeping track of everything and soon they reappeared and gathered up all their china. Anthony Bourdain spoke highly of the floating market cuisine, and I can definitely see why! Our river tour continued with occasional stops to educate us about the agriculture and life along the Mekong Delta. We met up with our driver who drove us back to the Majestic in Saigon.
Our last day in Ho Chi Minh City, sad to go, so much left unexplored but memories to last a lifetime. We are sure glad we made the choice to visit Vietnam as our first foray into Asia. Truly, a magical place filled with amazingly friendly people, I can see now why so many people have tried to conquer this marvelous country for over a thousand years.
Thank you KimKim for putting together an extraordinary package of experiences, led by great tour guides and top rate accommodations. You exceeded our expectations. We will definitely seek you out for our next adventure! We’re already beginning to plan where to next…

We really enjoyed the trip and wish could stay longer to see more of the beautiful place. We love the places we visited, the foods, the hotel and the guides. The guides ( Tu in Hanoi, Mr. Dzung in Hue And Hoi An, Mr. Minh in Hoi An, And Tony in HCMC were all very knowledgeable of the history of the places we visited. We learned so much about Vietnam and the culture.
Mr. Nguyen, our driver in Hue And Hoi An
Was very nice and helpful.

Hanoi is very nice city, clean with a lot of... read more

We really enjoyed the trip and wish could stay longer to see more of the beautiful place. We love the places we visited, the foods, the hotel and the guides. The guides ( Tu in Hanoi, Mr. Dzung in Hue And Hoi An, Mr. Minh in Hoi An, And Tony in HCMC were all very knowledgeable of the history of the places we visited. We learned so much about Vietnam and the culture.
Mr. Nguyen, our driver in Hue And Hoi An
Was very nice and helpful.

Hanoi is very nice city, clean with a lot of lakes and beautiful flowers.
Halong Bay is very beautiful, we couldn’t get enough of the scenery. Hoi An is a very nice city, and peaceful , we love our bike ride through the rice padi field , visiting organic Farm and had Bamboo boat ride along the water coconut tree.
Mekong Delta is another experience, we love the bike ride in the Village, seeing all kind fruit trees, visiting local local people making hand craft from water Hyacinth and Banana midrib. Then listen to the Vietnamese song. We love our Bamboo boat ride along the Creek.

I think overall Vietnam is very beautiful Country.

Dat did a very good job in combining sightseeing, history and eco tour. He was always standby and always there to help us with any questions we had. He made sure everything went smoothly and made sure we enjoyed our stay. He always checked on us to see if everything went well.

We highly recommend Realistic Asia , especially Dat as the Travel Specialist, who designed our trip.

We will sure come back to see more places in Vietnam and will asked Dat to design our trip again.

Cảm ơn Dat! Hẹn gặp lại

Hotel Reviews

Dal Vostro Hotel & Spa

Hanoi

Good breakfast And friendly staffs

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Halong Aquamarine Cruise

Ha Long

The door to the Balcony needs to be repaired , it has big gap.

Location

Staff

The staffs in the dining room were friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

ÊMM Hotel Hue

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Phu Thinh Boutique Hotel & Spa

Very nice room , but breakfast wasn’t that good. Shuttle bus needs to have longer hours.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Can walk to Old Town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed is very comfortable and spacious

Êmm Hotel Saigon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mekong Lodge

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore the History and Beauty of Hanoi - Full Day Sightseeing

Hanoi

Loves the lakes and the Museum of Etnicity

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tu is very friendly, fun and knowledgeable

Transport

Hanoi - Halong Bay (Aquamarine Cruise)

Ha Long Bay

Beautiful scenery. Shuttle from Halong Bay back to the hotel was not on time. The driver came very late.

Quality of Experience

Food

The egg coffee was very good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The manager and the tour operator was lack of Information . They couldn’t give answer on the problem that we had. The tour operator wasn’t very knowledgable giving explanation on Hang Sung Sot cave. The Kitchen staffs were friendly.

Transport

The driver came very late to take us back to the hotel. We had plane to catch and have to ask the travel specialist to solve the problem.

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

Hue

Quality of Experience

K

Food

It’s home cooking meal, delicious

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mr. Dzung is very informative And knowledgeable . We learned a lot from him. Mr. Nguyen, the driver is very nice and helpful.

Transport

Hoi An Walking Tour

Hoi An

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cam Thanh Fishing Village Tour & Basket Boat Ride

Hoi An

Love the bike ride , visit to Oganic farm and the Bamboo boat ride.

Quality of Experience

Food

Love the Banana flower dish and the Phuong Bahn mi

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mr. Minh is very easy going and fun.

Ho Chi Minh City Highlights

Ho Chi Minh City

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tony is very knowledgeable and informative. We learned a lot about the History of HCMC.

Transport

Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Lodge

Cai Be

Love the bike ride through the Village . Learned about the local hand craft and saw a lot of fruit trees.

Quality of Experience

Food

Love the fish and the Banana flower dish

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tony Will make sure we learned about life in Mekong Delta. He is very knowlageable about life in Mekong Delta

Transport

Continue Mekong Lodge - Ho Chi Minh City

Cai Be

Love the ride on Bamboo boat along the Creek, Listening to traditional music. Learn about the making of rice paper, rice pop , Banana candy and tried honey tea

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Just returned from an 8 day trip planned via KimKim to Northern Vietnam (Hanoi, Sapa, Halong Bay) and could not recommend KimKim and Realistic Asia’s tours more highly. This was my husband and my first time taking an entirely “tour guided” vacation, as we typically plan and organize everything ourselves. To be honest, when researching KimKim tours, I found mixed reviews (mostly due to covid and changes it forced upon past clients), but after filling out the initial query into the trip, I felt... read more

Just returned from an 8 day trip planned via KimKim to Northern Vietnam (Hanoi, Sapa, Halong Bay) and could not recommend KimKim and Realistic Asia’s tours more highly. This was my husband and my first time taking an entirely “tour guided” vacation, as we typically plan and organize everything ourselves. To be honest, when researching KimKim tours, I found mixed reviews (mostly due to covid and changes it forced upon past clients), but after filling out the initial query into the trip, I felt Ashley and the AI questionnaire had a great grasp on the type of travelers we were and our expectations for a private, 2 person tour that focused on nature, getting to know local people and food. When we received the final quote, the price was not much more than if we were to plan it ourselves, but allowed us to sit back and enjoy rather than deal with the stresses of booking and organizing everything before and during the trip. We did food tours, treks through rice fields, visits with local farmers, tastings of rice wine and tea, train rides, cave tours, cooking lessons, and boat cruises…all of which were scheduled exactly as promised- away from the beaten path, individualized and to our level of care and quality. Ashley checked on us throughout the trip and was prompt in replying to any questions or concerns about the trip before and while it was happening. I would definitely travel through KimKim in the future and have no problem recommending them to others who are looking for a reliable, personalized, and responsive agency to make your next dream vacation become a reality.

Hotel Reviews

Aurora Premium Hotel & Spa

Great location and very friendly, responsive staff. Comfortable rooms and a good spread of food for people of all diets for breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walkable to many restaurants, shops and local sites of interest.

Staff

Very friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Livitran Express

As far as overnight train rides go, this is one of the most comfortable I’ve been on in SE Asia. The sheets and pillows were very clean and the complimentary snacks and drinks were appreciated. The room was a bit cold in the winter months, but manageable. The rooms were very quiet and we couldn’t hear anyone once they were all in their rooms. The shared bathrooms were surprisingly clean, even at the end of the long journey and I would compare to any average airplane bathroom on a long flight. Stocked with toilet paper and soap as well.

Authenticity & Character

Cute Christmas decorations and an adjustable table lamp made for a nice ambiance at the holidays.

Staff

Great onboarding staff. Had a train staff unlock and open our door as we were about an hour into the trip which was unexpected and unexplained. He said something in Vietnamese then shut the door immediately.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean beds, sheets and fairly clean shared bathrooms

Silk Path Grand Sapa

Lao Cai

Beautiful grounds and architectural details at this hotel. Unfortunately it was extremely foggy our entire stay, but even despite that, the ambiance was incredible. Very kind and caring staff who were attentive and caring in their interactions. The room was large and the bed was a dream to sleep in. Bathroom could use some more ventilation and the drain in the bathtub was very slow. Food at breakfast was amazing and we were spoiled for choice of delicious options. The spa experience was one of a kind and we wished we had more time to enjoy the amazing facilities there- hot and cool plunge pools, sauna, herbal bath and excellent massages. We took the free shuttle into the city center, which was a short trip and always on time. Would highly recommend this hotel as a peaceful and gorgeous spot to start and end your days when exploring Sapa.

Authenticity & Character

Very nicely decorated and attention put into everything from the elevator walls to the high quality furniture.

Location

Just outside of town and up a hill for amazing views. Shuttle regularly takes you into city center if necessary.

Staff

Very attentive and friendly staff in all locations of the hotel- front desk, breakfast, Italian restaurant, spa, drivers.

Cleanliness & Comfort

All spaces were warm and cozy despite the super cold temperatures. We slept soundly and felt pampered in this hotel.

Era Cruises

Hai Ba Trung Dist., Hanoi

A nice, medium sized boat to cruise Halong bay in. The staff were very kind and hospitable, paying attention to details and making sure each group was taken care of in a similar fashion. All activities were run to plan and on time. The boat furnishings, floors and decor were a bit run down, and some repairs and updates would be helpful, but overall a beautiful boat and setting to spend a night. Our room was by far the best part! It was HUGE for a cruise and had an amazing bathroom with large rain shower, beautiful soaking run by the window, lounge chairs on our private deck and fabulous Japanese toilets. The bed was large and comfy and the heating worked efficiently for us during the cold nights. We had a spa treatment which was nice, although the space was also a bit musty and could use some updates to decor. Food was plentiful and the staff did a great job accommodating my vegetarian needs.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hanoi Evening Street Food Tour

Hanoi

Super full after this short tour of Hanoi specialty foods. We loved the variety of spots our guide took us and how he gauged where to go next based on our preferences and thoughts. Vegetarian and non-veg options were available at all stops. Our guide was very friendly and easy to laugh with, ask questions and trust for other suggestions to check out during the rest of our stay.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking around with a local guide where we stayed was helpful in gathering our bearings for the rest of the trip.

Day Trip to Ba Vi Countryside & Cooking Class

Hanoi

Wonderful variety of activities, scenery and authentic experiences with local people. We enjoyed tasting the rice wine, tea, and SO MUCH food local food (for vegetarians and non). While we didn’t get to ride bikes due to rain, we didn’t feel like that diluted the trip. Our guide was kind, chatty, and helped us in translating and playing games or asking questions with our hosts at each spot. We felt very welcome and while I know there are other tourists who do come to this area, we felt like we were the only ones there and only saw one other small group of expats at lunch. We are grateful for this tour and the insight it gave us into local daily life in the countryside.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half day Taphin red Dao hill tribe village

Sapa

The walk was mostly on paved roads and our guide was very quiet on the first day. We were challenged to know what to ask and weren’t provided a lot of information. The walk was peaceful and we did meet some local woman artisans, but we felt like their goods were machine made, wrapped in plastic for loads of tourists, and it didn’t quite feel authentic other than seeing one of their homes briefly. We would have rather learned how to make something with them or played games with the local kids than be haggled to buy something most of the walk.

Quality of Experience

The location seemed a bit lack luster. Just walking on a road people drive on most of the time.

Food

Excellent lunch and variety of local options to try

Guides, Drivers and Staff

First day our guide was very quiet and shy. We didn’t feel her as chatty so seemed less knowledgeable than other guides we’ve had.

Transport

We were told that we didn’t have a driver to take us back to the hotel after lunch. After questioning this, we were told actually never mind and that it could be arranged, but my husband could not leave his bag in the van during lunch because our driver may change.

Sapa Trekking & Sightseeing

Sapa

A great day of trekking through the countryside and enjoying the beauty of the rice paddies. It was extremely muddy, so I appreciated our guide’s suggestion to rent rain boots for the day’s excursion. The first two villages of the hikes were east walks on paved roads and footpaths, but hardly anyone except us out walking. The walk to the last village was through the rice paddies and very challenging to navigate in the thick mud and hills. Two very capable and kind local women held my hand through much of this section of the trek and saved me many times from face-planting into the mud! Our guide seemed more relaxed than the previous day which made for a more enjoyable, fun experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Great veg and non veg options at the end of the hike to fuel us through the rest of the day

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Same driver at start and finish of day

Dining at Comet restaurant (Aurora Hanoi hotel)

Hanoi

Had NYE dinner here. Excellent views of the city. Upon entering, we were seated right next to another couple even though there were two top tables available across the room. We asked to be seated there instead for our privacy and the other couples. We were told this was not possible after much discussion. When ordering a bottle of wine, we were brought the wrong bottle that was not on the menu and told it was the only one. My husband went to ask management about it, as the service staff were not able to explain the situation. We ended up ordering beer and wine by the glass instead. The vegetarian food was extremely plentiful but it was all brought out at once so much of it was cold before I could eat it. My husband, on the other hand, was only brought one dish and a salad, which seemed miserly compared to all of the vegetarian dishes I was brought. We had to leave the table multiple times to find staff and order more drinks or ask for plates to be cleared. Overall, it was an average meal. The staff were trying but they seemed overwhelmed and inattentive for such a big night of celebrations.

Quality of Experience

Badly timed dishes, staff who were inattentive and not knowledgeable about the menu.

Food

Dark & Bright Cave - Halong Bay - Hanoi (Era)

Ha Long Bay

Beautiful but a very short experience. The “dark” cave was closed so we only toured the “light” cave which was not big. The rower was amazing and worked so hard. Despite the rain and fog, it was still peaceful and gorgeous. Our tour took us about ten minutes earlier than other boats did and it made a HUGE difference to be the first ones out on the water. When we returned, the dock was crammed with tourists. Enjoyable but i would have liked a longer ride and to have seen more than one small cave.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

we had a wonderful trip to vietnam for 15 days , Our specialist Ha helped me plan the trip . we conversed many texts and she answered all my questions in detail. we first went to Hanoi, the Halong bay for overnight stay, then Hue, Hoi An, Danang , HCM city then to Siem Reap Angkor Wat . we booked our international flight ourselves, but Ha arranged all internal flights, from Hanoi to Hue , then Danang to HCM city , then HCM city to Siem Reap. the flight arrangements were very smoothly . all... read more

we had a wonderful trip to vietnam for 15 days , Our specialist Ha helped me plan the trip . we conversed many texts and she answered all my questions in detail. we first went to Hanoi, the Halong bay for overnight stay, then Hue, Hoi An, Danang , HCM city then to Siem Reap Angkor Wat . we booked our international flight ourselves, but Ha arranged all internal flights, from Hanoi to Hue , then Danang to HCM city , then HCM city to Siem Reap. the flight arrangements were very smoothly . all our guides were very attentive and all drivers drove very safely. total we had 7 guides throughout our trip , all very professional and spoke good enough English to understand

Hotel Reviews

Intercontinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Somerset Grand Hanoi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Era Cruises

Hai Ba Trung Dist., Hanoi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Indochine Palace

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Pavillon Hoi An Luxury Resort & Spa

Authenticity & Character

Location

not in the downtown area

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Somerset Ho Chi Minh Hotel

Ho Chi Minh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Somadevi Angkor Resort & Spa

needs to update the interior

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Hanoi Full day city (S) - water puppet show

Hanoi

Our guide Cheung was very attentive, answered all our questions, took us many places

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

If you're considering a trip to Vietnam, choose Realistic Asia! We were so so pleased with them! This is the first time using KimKim, and we were a little bit concerned that they would create a mainstream trip plan for us, but WOW, it surpassed our expectations!!

Hien was responsive from the beginning stages of planning to the end of the trip, switching a thing or two in the itinerary as we wished, adjusting pick up times as our flight was delayed, and promptly replying to our inquiries.... read more

If you're considering a trip to Vietnam, choose Realistic Asia! We were so so pleased with them! This is the first time using KimKim, and we were a little bit concerned that they would create a mainstream trip plan for us, but WOW, it surpassed our expectations!!

Hien was responsive from the beginning stages of planning to the end of the trip, switching a thing or two in the itinerary as we wished, adjusting pick up times as our flight was delayed, and promptly replying to our inquiries. We are a family of four (parents and teenagers) wanting to focus on Vietnam's culture, (street) food, outdoors and farming traditions. We were impressed by the way she planned the attractions because they didn't feel repetitive, nor overwhelming. There was a good flow from one day to another. We went to Hanoi/outskirts, Halong Bay, Hoi An/outskirts and HCMC/Mekong.

Some of her local guide/operators were worth mentioning: Mr. Quang, in Hanoi had just the right balance of good humor, information and respect; Mrs. Ann in Hoi An was kind and a patient translator as I had many questions to the farmers at the Thanh Dong organic farm, and Nana, from Vietnam Vintage Vespa, who was gentle, fun and very personable, and provided the most memorable food tour through the alley's of HCMC (your teenagers will love this!)

The hotels all offered a wonderful breakfast spread in the morning. Del Vostro in Hanoi was our favorite, as far as quality and customer service, but I can't forget to mention that we really enjoyed the rooftop bar/sauna/amenities at the Cochin Zen, in HCMC.

I feel like this review could go on and on because this trip really crossed all the "ts" for us, but I'll list a few more highlights without giving too much away:

- Food tour with Mr. Quang in Hanoi, including a surprising need-to-know-basis home that serves as a family restaurant, where we ate at a table in someone's bedroom. We also enjoyed that he included a stop at the Vietnamese Women's Museum (yes!) in between restaurants and pagodas.
- A day trip to the Ba Vi eco village, where we visited small producers of all sorts of things. We rode bikes from one house to the next, entering their homes, seeing their crops and animals, learning about the work they do, then having a cooking class and being treated with a truly delicious lunch. Amazing!!
-Kayaking in Ha Long Bay - absolutely gorgeous!
-Hoi An Ancient City - we had no idea of how picturesque and lantern-enchanting this little gem of a city is. What a great surprise! Make sure you have space in your camera roll!
- The night Vespa food tour in HCMC (or Saigon, if you're in the South) - again, it really gave us a much better sense of the city as we moved from one district to the next quite easily.

Hotel Reviews

Dal Vostro Hotel & Spa

Hanoi

Beautiful boutique hotel in an older building. They did a good job creating charm from the entrance to the bedrooms. I confess I was hoping for more in terms of their spa area/massages but this didn't impact my rating. The cleaningness, style and functioning of the facility, the comfort of our bed (the best mattress,) the breakfast, the attention from the staff (concierge Tony was super and articulate) and the location all contributed to my rating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Renea Cruises Halong

Hon Gai, Ha Long

We had an enjoyable stay at the Renea cruise. The staff was attentive and the boat was comfortable enough. We were overjoyed by the surrounding Ha Long Bay and the amazing kayak trip/cave tour. The boat is a bit dated, but charming. The food was plenty but not the best and we found hair in it a couple of times. The guide was very sweet and eager, if not a bit too enthusiastic. It's taking a 3-star because it was decent, but a bit old.

Le Pavillon Hoi An Paradise Hotel & Spa

Hoi An

Very good hotel, spacious, clean, offering an excellent breakfast spread, a (non-heated) pool, and courteous staff. The rooms are nicely decorated, but I'm not giving them 5 stars because our bedroom had a bit of a smell. We think it came from the (beautiful spa-like) bathroom because the set up didn't exactly drain the water very well. I mean, it was a gorgeous bathroom with sliding doors, perfect wall tiling, awesome looking bathtub but a shower without doors and the water splattered everywhere. They should probably consider making it a bit more functional.

Cochin Zen Hotel

A serene boutique hotel in the busy District 1 Saigon. The moment you come into the hotel, you feel comfortable and safe - the decor, the lighting, the service (they bring you a refreshing tea.) The breakfast is excellent. The bedrooms were clean and comfortable. I wasn't impressed by the bathroom, in particular the bathtub/shower. The tub was way too high to get in, and the shower would splash water on the floor. The water pressure is fabulous, but they should consider it when designing a half-enclosed shower because it'll splash on the floor and make a mess. This hotel offered a top floor bar on a deck with a small (non-heated) pool and a nice view. A great place to relax, have a drink or dinner. I used their steam room and my family used their small efficient gym. We liked it.

Activity Review

Ho Chi Minh City Vespa Food Tour

Ho Chi Minh City

This tour was simply the highlight of Saigon for us. If you have teenagers, they will love it. Nana started the tour by assuring that we were all safe, and the four drivers were not speeding. Given that traffic in Vietnam is quite intense and...crazy for western standards, I caught myself thinking that I was being the most irresponsible and the coolest mom at the same time! Nana made us feel extremely comfortable. She is so enthusiastic and personable. "Let me tell you about my city," she started by sharing a bit of history of HCMC and about her family past generations, that was a nice touch. She created a real authentic food tour through streets and alleys of Saigon, as she likes to call it. "This is how locals eat." She took us to have some traditional food, seafood, dessert, and to have a drink at a pub and watch some live music. That was so unexpected! Oh, look forward to "happy water" in your tour! Overall excellent service. This was A++ to my kids. I felt like I was in the original Blade Runner movie, totally immersed in various streets and alleys of Saigon.

Quality of Experience

Personality, enthusiasm, eagerness to help and make us feel comfortable. She took many pictures of our family so we didn't have to spend time taking photos, but hanging out instead.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Competent drivers, courteous, excellent service.

Transport

Brand new vespas! They did a whole tutorial of how to mount/dismount the Vespas.

We had a fantastic trip to Vietnam and really appreciated all the assistance provided by Ashley! She was very accommodating and patient as we requested a few modifications to our itinerary as we became more educated on the options.

She was extremely responsive and informative, and I would highly recommend both Ashley and Kimkim! read more

We had a fantastic trip to Vietnam and really appreciated all the assistance provided by Ashley! She was very accommodating and patient as we requested a few modifications to our itinerary as we became more educated on the options.

She was extremely responsive and informative, and I would highly recommend both Ashley and Kimkim!

On our first trip to Vietnam, we wanted to have a nice balance of nature and city trips, learn about culture and explore the cuisine - so we worked with Ashley to build a custom-made itinerary, which turned out to be an unforgettable trip. She has been most helpful to accommodate all our needs, quickly turned around every request and also supported when we had some emergencies due to a forgotten luggage while in Vietnam, always checking in to ensure we enjoy it all. Mr Tu, our tour guide... read more

On our first trip to Vietnam, we wanted to have a nice balance of nature and city trips, learn about culture and explore the cuisine - so we worked with Ashley to build a custom-made itinerary, which turned out to be an unforgettable trip. She has been most helpful to accommodate all our needs, quickly turned around every request and also supported when we had some emergencies due to a forgotten luggage while in Vietnam, always checking in to ensure we enjoy it all. Mr Tu, our tour guide took us to wonderful places and helped us experience the life of the local people in very unique ways. It was real fun travelling with Tu, he explained all we wanted to know about history and culture, and was extremely flexible when we had special requests to explore & try things outside the itinerary - all to ensure we get the most out of our trip! Highlights of our trip: Pu Loung trekking and village tour, boat rides, Hoi An trip, cooking class with Madam Ai. We highly recommend it all!

Hotel Reviews

Aira Boutique Hoi An Hotel & Villa

Hoi An

Authenticity & Character

Really nicely done design, lovely garden and pools

Location

By the most beautiful beach, close to town

Staff

Super nice & helpful staff - we left a luggage behind and they immediately sent someone with a bike to catch us at the airport, we are most grateful for their kindness!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pu Luong Retreat

Thanh Hoa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Clos Du Fil Hotel

Ninh Binh

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful design

Location

Right at the city center, but still very peaceful

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

PVT Culinary Experience With Chef

Hanoi

We started with a small tour to the local market, which was really great to learn about all the ingredients. Then Madam Ei gave us an incredible class making super yummy dishes in her own kitchen - most wonderful chef and amazing person, we are very lucky to learn from her.

Quality of Experience

Amazing menu and unforgettable cooking experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Madam Ei is the most wonderful chef

Transport

Trekking to Kho Muong and Uoi Villages

Pu Luong Nature Reserve

Quality of Experience

Just the perfect length of walking in the jungle and amongst the village, also went to a cave which was truly beautiful.

Food

We had lunch in a remote village, was so yummy and collected our own oranges from a garden

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The local guide accompanied us on the trip

Transport

I worked with Long to coordinate my trip through Kim Kim and he was persistently providing me excellent customer care in adjusting the itinerary to fit my needs and checked in on me throughout the trip. It can be stressful taking an international trip but he made himself available and was responsive in a reasonable amount of time. My tour guide Ngọc Sáu was also amazing in the sense that he was knowledgeable, adaptable to my groups needs, and was the friendliest tour guide. You could tell he... read more

I worked with Long to coordinate my trip through Kim Kim and he was persistently providing me excellent customer care in adjusting the itinerary to fit my needs and checked in on me throughout the trip. It can be stressful taking an international trip but he made himself available and was responsive in a reasonable amount of time. My tour guide Ngọc Sáu was also amazing in the sense that he was knowledgeable, adaptable to my groups needs, and was the friendliest tour guide. You could tell he was sincere to looking out for us because he treated us like family. Having memorable agents and service really enhances the trip I would recommend these individuals and company to everyone and would use their services again! 10/10

Hotel Reviews

Silkotel Hoi An

We loved the layout of the room. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. Would recommend this to many friends. The hotel is located right outside the main walking market

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Monarque Hotel Danang

Danang

Amazing breakfast buffet, hotel is clean, and centrally located. We enjoyed our stay here!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cochin Zen Hotel

Centrally located in the heart of Ho Chi Min. Great rooftop views and a short distance from the major market in town. Would recommend this to anyone visiting and I would stay here again!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit Ben Thanh Market and Buu Long Pagoda

Ho Chi Minh City

Quality of Experience

Y

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Danang Half day

Da Nang

Excellent guide, interesting attraction. Worth visiting

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoi An Lantern Workshop

Hoi An

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A O Traditional Vietnamese Culture Show

Ho Chi Minh City

Amazing performance! We really enjoyed this!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset on river - The Deck Saigon

Ho Chi Minh City

Would like the cocktail bar to be somewhere that we can see the sunset..it was an Ok ambiance, but would have rather stayed on the boat. The ride in general was excellent

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy Hoi An Memories Show

Hoi An

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ms. Vy’s Cooking class - Holiday Master Class - Joint in tour

Hoi An

It was good but way TOO long. I wanted a 2 hour cooking class. We were there from 8:30am-12:30pm and it still was not done. The experience was good though

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Danang - Bana Hills - Hoi An

Da Nang

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Christmas in Vietnam! We had a WONDERFUL time as a family of 4 in Vietnam. Huyen put together an awesome 10 day itinerary that was very responsive to our interests and limitations traveling with 2 kids under 7. Each hotel was excellent, the activities were fun and interesting and the guides were very very very knowledgeable, flexible and kind. Thank you so much Huyen and the rest of the team!! read more

Christmas in Vietnam! We had a WONDERFUL time as a family of 4 in Vietnam. Huyen put together an awesome 10 day itinerary that was very responsive to our interests and limitations traveling with 2 kids under 7. Each hotel was excellent, the activities were fun and interesting and the guides were very very very knowledgeable, flexible and kind. Thank you so much Huyen and the rest of the team!!

From beginning to end, this itinerary was the perfect balance of Vietnam for the two of us! Every food tour stood out for us. We especially enjoyed riding with the women of Hue trying different food from around the city. Every guide was excellent and was knowledgeable about the area we were visiting. The travel company Mango Tiger was the best travel agency we have utilized in our travel experience! Mango Tiger was responsive and supported our daily adventures. All transportation was... read more

From beginning to end, this itinerary was the perfect balance of Vietnam for the two of us! Every food tour stood out for us. We especially enjoyed riding with the women of Hue trying different food from around the city. Every guide was excellent and was knowledgeable about the area we were visiting. The travel company Mango Tiger was the best travel agency we have utilized in our travel experience! Mango Tiger was responsive and supported our daily adventures. All transportation was seamless and comfortable throughout our stay. All hotel selections were perfect for our preferences. We are kimkim veterans and continue to explore options with this amazing company in our travels. We could not have selected a better partner to make our honeymoon amazing!

Dat was amazing and was always quick to assist in our planning and final execution of our last minute trip to Vietnam. After seeing enough videos and reading about the typical pitfalls encountered by tourists in Vietnam, we decided to go with kimkim and coordinate with Realistic Asia in planning a two week trip through the cities and rural areas of Vietnam.

Our trip began in Hanoi and ended in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), with Hoi An, Ha Long Bay and Phu Quoc as stops along the way. Our... read more

Dat was amazing and was always quick to assist in our planning and final execution of our last minute trip to Vietnam. After seeing enough videos and reading about the typical pitfalls encountered by tourists in Vietnam, we decided to go with kimkim and coordinate with Realistic Asia in planning a two week trip through the cities and rural areas of Vietnam.

Our trip began in Hanoi and ended in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), with Hoi An, Ha Long Bay and Phu Quoc as stops along the way. Our guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and gave us individual attention throughout our tours. One tour guide, Hue, should be mentioned as being particularly kind and going above and beyond what we expected. He was funny, quick with information and connected with us in a way that made us feel comfortable. He shared his personal experiences and gave us a guided tour that felt authentic and gave us insight into a country that has always fascinated us.

During one part of our trip, we discovered that the bicycles were not the type that my wife was comfortable with and Dat was able to change our itinerary at the last minute and adjusted that day to accommodate. While this change could have incurred additional fees to our trip, Dat and his company made the changes without any further charges. We were grateful and surprised by their generosity.

All the hotels we stayed in were beautiful and luxurious in their accommodations. The one hotel, La Siesta Group, deserves special mention for their friendly and professional staff. Ms. Ngoc in the La Siesta Hotel was particularly helpful in getting a last minute birthday cake ready for my wife and with her help, capped off a great day, better with her coordination of the birthday cake.

Dat checked in with us during the entire trip and made sure that we were taken care of and answered all my questions before and during the trip. We were sure we would enjoy our trip, but with his planning, it was just a great experience with all the drivers and the tour guides taking us everywhere and making sure our experience was seamless and memorable.

We're grateful for Realistic Asia and Dat for making this last minute trip a reality and will definitely consider another trip with them, if we make plan another trip into this beautiful country.

Thank you Dat and Realistic Asia!

All of our guides were excellent. Very informative, personable and helpful. Their English was good.

Would definitely use again and would recommend to others

We had not done personalized private tours before and the experience overall was better than expected. You will need to budget quite a bit more for this kind of service to start with, and in the end you will get the quality of local tour guides if you had diligently selected your own tours separately.

We wound up selecting kimkim as the main contact for setting up our private tour. It turned out however, that they worked with another private tour company Odynovo that specializes in the... read more

We had not done personalized private tours before and the experience overall was better than expected. You will need to budget quite a bit more for this kind of service to start with, and in the end you will get the quality of local tour guides if you had diligently selected your own tours separately.

We wound up selecting kimkim as the main contact for setting up our private tour. It turned out however, that they worked with another private tour company Odynovo that specializes in the Asia countries. They, in turn, hire local freelance tour guides. Odynovo itself didn’t offer tours that cover Vietnam and KL together, so it took kimkim to step in and manage multiple country tours. Kimkim only calls you up at the start and asks for your budget for hotels, travel preferences, and food allergies. After that they step aside and provides the online platform to share itineraries with fellow travelers and provide point of contact if any issues come up during the trip. So basically this review is of Tom (our local contact) and Odynovo who I give 5 stars. Tom worked with us to tweak the itinerary to our liking and even accommodated our request to limit tourist shops. He was very responsive throughout our trip. For kimkim, the user interface is nice and easy to navigate but I would dock off a star or two since there is no transparency in pricing the trip, which kimkim may be involved with.

A e-visa is needed to travel to Vietnam. Although they say it is easy to apply, in reality it takes a bit of wrangling to get the right credit card to be accepted.

In Hanoi, our first tour guide Mr Le Thien was available as soon as we arrived in Hanoi (in fact all the guides are there during the Vietnam part of the tour). During the first full day tour he was thorough in explaining the impact Ho Chi Minh had in Vietnam history and explaining the migration path of the Vietnamese people and surrounding villages to the south. I had some trouble understanding his English in some parts but could manage overall. The tour offered lunch at a local restaurant but the food was not traditional Vietnamese food aside from the spring rolls. The food quality was good but I would prefer more local varieties in the preset meal. Mr Le made up for this by going out of his way to show us local restaurants that served dishes like Cha Ca, Banh cuon, banh mi, etc. after the tour. The hotel accommodations was good since it was within walking distance of the old town and lake. The next day at Ha Long Bay was perhaps the best part of the trip. Note that between destinations, stops are made at various demonstrations and government price shops so you can buy souvenirs. Sometimes it is better to stop at these and not have to haggle with prices, while other times the stops seem a distraction.

In Hoi An/Danang, Mr. Bui Anh Tuan was our guide. He was very knowledgeable about the My Son Holy Land and Hoi An ancient town, both of which were highlights. He provided a lot of insight in Vietnamese life and culture and was humorous which was a plus. The second tour at Ba Na hills is more like a Disneyland like resort. The hotel location and tour lunches were pretty good, with a good selection of Vietnamese dishes to sample. This was the next best spot in Vietnam as there are less motor bikes zooming around and the area is close to the coast so we were able to try the fresh fish for dinner.

In Ho Chi Minch city, Mr. Victor was our tour guide. Compared to the other cities and guides, the intensity was ramped up a level. A sheet with over 20 or so bullet items is handed to you to watch for scams, stolen phones, rude locals, and a bunch of other things to watch for. This might be useful if you started the tour in Saigon, but we had already been seasoned in Vietnam customs up to that point, so it just raised anxiety unnecessarily. The guide was prepared with plenty of background material in several notebook binders and YouTube-like videos from his phone. The material could get overwhelming presented in this fashion, but you have to appreciate the level of energy the guide provided to present it. The hotel was a little older than other hotels we stayed at and located in a similar hectic part of the city. The hotel selection was perhaps the worst of the trip. The Mekong delta tour was not quite as impressive as it did not include any visit to floating markets. It seemed more geared toward providing monetary support to the locals than providing a memorable experience. The lunch was very good. The next day tours at the Cu Chi tunnels and city tour were better as they provided in depth content about the war. But the lunch option was very poor as the Vietnamese dishes had no flavor.

Finally, in KL, there was no tour guide to greet us at the airport. You can tell the discontinuity of the different country tours. The hotel accommodations were good.

Hotel Reviews

Bhaya Classic

Quang Ninh

Friendly staff. Food options good. Rooms were clean and had good character. Definitely best part of the trip including visit to caves, beach and kayaking activities.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lasenta

Hoi An

Within walking distance to the ancient town. Good breakfast options especially the Vietnamese coffee. Friendly staff gives good restaurant recommendations

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Alagon D'antique Hotel & Spa

Ho Chi Minh City

On the old side. Tiny, slow elevators. Tub with shower affixed to it was awkward. Bed is firm. Located in a busy area so not relaxing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Stripes Kuala Lumpur

Good breakfast options. Friendly staff. Location within walking distance to street markets.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Lapis Hotel

Good location. Clean. Not much of a view. Breakfast options ok. Elevator touch buttons hard to activate

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to old town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Hanoi City Tour with Old Quarter Rickshaw Ride

Hanoi

The morning visit to Ho Chi Minh mausoleum and residence was a highlight. You have to get in 2 lines before entering the mausoleum. Once inside, you get to see the embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh in a glass case. It’s a little cold inside so wear long sleeve shirt if possible. In another part of the park, you get to see where Ho Chi Minh resided. No outlandish buildings but modest and simple structures. We also visited a museum which introduced us to the mixed ethnicity of people occupying the area in the past. Outside the museum, you get to enter in replicas of structures (mostly bamboo?) that local villagers lived or gathered in. The visit to Hanoi Hilton prison was also interesting. You get up close to the difficult conditions the prisoners were in. The puppet show towards the end of the tour was ok since there was no translation available. Finally the rickshaw tour of the old town was neat. It gives you a front row view of how to navigate through people, motor bikes, and cars all at once. The locals will tell you the rickshaw drivers will try to rip off tourists, so you feel obliged to tip them (it’s a hard way to earn a living..)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Hanoi to Halong Bay

Vietnam

The stop to the government priced souvenir store was good. It gave you a chance to buy stuff without the haggling. The stop to the pearl store seemed unnecessary.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Bhaya Classic Cruise -Day 2

Ha Long Bay

In the morning, you can join the Tai Chi exercises on the upper deck. The exercises are quite refreshing with the surrounding. Following that, we visited one of the large caves in the bay. This requires you to go up and down a number of stairs, but nothing strenuous. Most of the caves are well lit so you get to see a lot of the structure and colors.

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Bhaya Classic Cruise -Day 1

Ha Long Bay

After a long drive, you see references to the King Kong movie shot around the area, so right off you can expect a touristy area. After checking in and a short wait, we are escorted to the cruise where the staff greet you warmly. Once onboard, you check into the rooms which have a unique charm to them. You can hang out in the patio area of your room or wander around the different decks of the boat. The views of Ha Long Bay are spectacular as the boat travels through the various shaped rocks. During the afternoon, you get to spend a few hours kayaking and/or hanging out on a small beach in the bay. There’s some amount of garbage in the waters, but not too bad, The preset dinner on the third deck was good. At night the ship anchors in the peaceful calm waters. If the weather is good you can get nice sunsets or sunrises.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Full Day My Son Holy Land and Hoi An Highlights Tour

Hoi An

The tour takes you to old ruins of Hindu temples in the morning. After a drive, you hop onboard an open seat electric cart that has several rows of seats. The ride itself is swift and has a theme park feel to it before you get to the remnants of ruins that survived the bombings (you get to walk by one of the bomb craters). There are several different sites but each show the same symbolism (Lingam and yoni mainly). In the main site, you can walk inside and around the ruins before joining a regularly scheduled cultural dance show. There is a museum on the way back from the returning cart ride that has some interesting displays worth checking out. Back to Hoi An, you get to walk around the ancient town. There you can see a 17th century Japanese bridge still intact. You can also see old Chinese merchant houses. The lunch there featured some good Vietnamese cuisine. At night the town lights up with red and other colored lanterns along the river and not to be missed. The street market becomes very vibrant as well.

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Drive to Da Nang with the visit to Golden Bridge

Vietnam

Ok, maybe it is not surprising that there is a theme park in Vietnam. But this park has some historical context. The morning drive takes you through a few local towns until you reach the foothills. After winding up the hills you reach a large parking area leading to the park. There you pass through a large gate and line up to enter the park. The resort is at the top of the hills so you take the cable cars up. The first stop takes you to the golden bridge where giant stone hands seemingly hold up a pedestrian bridge. Then you pass through a French village, complete with wine cellars. The buildings were built during French occupation of Vietnam. We ate at a buffet restaurant which served a wide range of Asian food. The next cable car takes you to Buddhist temples and other resort buildings (you can see construction for further expansion). This is the highest point on the mountain so on a good day you can see Hoi An/ Da Nang and the ocean. On the return trip there is a drive though the city and a stop at one of Da Nang’s beaches.

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Fly from Da Nang to Saigon

Ho Chi Minh City

After arriving to Saigon, Mr Victor took us several blocks to the van. Mr Victor then played a pre-recorded tape of how not to get in trouble in Saigon. The level of anxiety surely increased unnecessarily. After checking in the hotel, we were taken through a hot building with a bunch of merchants and street vendors. Not the greatest environment to shop around. In the evening we had free time to check out the local cuisine (and try not to get run over)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Full Day Mekong Delta Tour (My Tho)

Ho Chi Minh City

The drive out of Saigon didn’t show anything worth remembering. Mr Victor gave a pretty thorough background of Vietnam and the Mekong delta in his presentation. After arriving at the port, we boarded a motorized boat and shuffled through fairly strong currents of the river. We were then taken through a family owned coconut candy shop. Next we found another local willing to give us a ride on a horse drawn cart. This led us to a family restaurant that served us various local fruits and even performed some traditional music and dance. Finally, we were led to a stream where a lady and her daughter tried rowing us to the delta to our original motor boat (she and her daughter ditched that boat and took a motorized version back). We travelled further along the delta to a restaurant for seafood lunch. After lunch we took the same motor boat back to the original port and drove back to Saigon.

Quality of Experience

The different modes of transportation may be interesting for the first time but it kind of felt like an unnecessary way to help the locals out given the labor provided

Food

May have got sick from food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Cu Chi Tunnels Tour

Ho Chi Minh City

The tour gives you a first hand look at the Vietnam (or American) war. You can actually fire some live ammunition for a fee. There is about an hour or two drive to the site where the Vietcong dug an elaborate maze of tunnels. The site consists of bomb craters, damaged tanks and armored vehicles, and various carved out areas of underground tunnels and rooms and traps. If you don’t mind the sweat and darkness, you can walk through short tunnel segments. After returning to Saigon, after lunch the tour takes you through a war museum. The effects of the war are in full display with unique photos.

Quality of Experience

Better food would make this 5 star

Food

No taste. We had to request the fish sauce?

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Ho Chi Minh City Tour with Dong Khoi Street

Ho Chi Minh City

We visit a palace where the south president gets overthrown by the communist north. We also get to see other historical buildings (mainly French influenced)

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Half Day Kuala Lumpur City Tour

Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia is a strong contrast to Vietnam. There’s more order on the streets despite the much larger population. We get to drive through the city to see various historical sites which can be seen for free. The main highlight is the Petronas tower which requires a fee to take the elevator to the viewing areas like the tower bridge and near the top floor. The view at the top is not part of the tour so we had change the original lunch plan, but the tour guide was accommodating. We chose to eat in the food court area in the towers where there is a wide selection to choose from.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Full Day Malacca Tour From Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur

It is fairly lengthy ride to Malacca, but definitely worth it. There is a pit stop midway to the ancient city. Once in Malacca we visited ruins of an old church, then proceeded to the old town. There we entered or passed by local shops and various historical buildings (mainly Chinese)

Quality of Experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport

The guides and drivers were helpful and accommodating.

In Hanoi, Mr. Le “Leo” was kind enough to take us to some restaurants to taste some food we wanted to try.

In Hoi An and Da Nang, Mr. Tuan allowed us to stop by a tailor to get some custom clothes.

In Saigon, Victor helped us negotiate the chaotic Saigon traffic. One suggestion is that he should provide links to the videos he showed rather than showing them during the drives. It can be difficult to watch videos while in a... read more

The guides and drivers were helpful and accommodating.

In Hanoi, Mr. Le “Leo” was kind enough to take us to some restaurants to taste some food we wanted to try.

In Hoi An and Da Nang, Mr. Tuan allowed us to stop by a tailor to get some custom clothes.

In Saigon, Victor helped us negotiate the chaotic Saigon traffic. One suggestion is that he should provide links to the videos he showed rather than showing them during the drives. It can be difficult to watch videos while in a car.

In KL, Suzi and Mr. Wong were particularly accommodating. We were able to go to the observation deck of the Petronas twin towers, despite that not being on the schedule. Mr. Wong’s driving through a flash flood thunderstorm on the way back from Melacca was quite impressive.

Activity Reviews

Bhaya Classic Cruise -Day 1

Ha Long Bay

The sights are gorgeous

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Kuala Lumpur City Tour

Kuala Lumpur

We were able to change plans and go to the Petronas twin towers observation deck

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport