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Elena Nguyen

We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us. Our destination is not a new land, but a new way of looking. Let us take you to unique experiences and unforgettable memories. Elena really looks forward to accompanying you on your journeys.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"You may need a lot of time exploring many tourist attractions and unique experiences in Thailand. It is a tropical country with a rich heritage and vibrant landscapes. The country also has an archipelago of small islands. Therefore, a variety of activities and experiences that can be found here and make you unforgettable. Bangkok is popular for its magnificent palaces, skyscrapers, street food and alongside evening fun that attract tourists worldwide. Ayutthaya, Pai are something a little more of local culture, temples and also natural landscape. Chiang Mai is known for its Lanna culture and traditional cuisine. Beside that, the islands of Thailand are also famous with pristine beaches and lots of fun adventure activities such as Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui, Similan and other smaller islands..."

How did you get involved in travel?

"Elena loves to travel and got a chance to work at the travel company 10 years ago. So lucky for me when I have had many opportunities to experience different cultures, local food, enjoy the stunning landscape, and immersion in the rustic life of locals which make a considerable contribution to my knowledge. Those are my unforgettable experiences through each trip. I see that when I travel a lot or traveling to far places is a good chance for me to broaden my horizons."

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"My first visit to Phu Yen was one of my most memorable trips, its pristine coastal beauty, delicious food with fresh seafood and the beauty of places like the majestic rock formation called Ganh Da Dia and Cape Dai Lanh with its picturesque lighthouse. It was a pleasant and memorable trip. Waves crashing onto the cliffs, the soft sigh of the sea breeze, clean white sands. It all makes for stunning landscapes. I used to get up early each morning to stroll along the beach, a chance to breathe in the fresh sea air and enjoy the sunrise across the water. I think each journey will be one of the best ways to get away from your stress and balance your life. If I have many more chances, I wish to visit many places and different countries to explore many things."

Top itineraries and travel advice

Recent trip reviews for Elena

Fantastic trip to Thailand
Thailand | Jan 17 - Jan 30, 2024

Jill
Jill G.
Manhattan, NY | Reviewed on Feb 01, 2024
We booked a two-week trip to Thailand, working with Elena. The planning process was easy and Elena worked with us to come up with a wonderful itinerary that suited us perfectly. She promptly answered all of our questions, came up with great suggestions, and tweaked our itinerary until we were satisfied. I am usually a DIY traveler, so having someone else take care of the details was a new and wonderful experience. Our guides (Wee in Bangkok and Bam in Chiang Mai) were friendly, knowledgeable,... Read more

We booked a two-week trip to Thailand, working with Elena. The planning process was easy and Elena worked with us to come up with a wonderful itinerary that suited us perfectly. She promptly answered all of our questions, came up with great suggestions, and tweaked our itinerary until we were satisfied. I am usually a DIY traveler, so having someone else take care of the details was a new and wonderful experience. Our guides (Wee in Bangkok and Bam in Chiang Mai) were friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. Every detail of our trip went smoothly and we thoroughly enjoyed the activities Elena booked. Our flight was delayed an entire day and Elena was able to quickly rearrange our schedule to accommodate this last minute change, saving us a lot of aggravation. Because of the delay, Wee also tweaked our Bangkok itinerary and we really appreciated this flexibility (Note that the hotel and missed activities were non-refundable and our credit card insurance did not cover these costs). It was a real pleasure to be able to enjoy our trip without the hassle of figuring out logistics and knowing that if we ran into an issue, we could contact Elena or the local contacts in Thailand. I highly recommend KimKim!

Hotel Reviews
Ariyasom Villa
Bangkok

This hotel is a former residence at the end of a side street off a main road. We were only in Bangkok for a short time but it seemed to be conveniently located. The hotel was charming and our room was comfortable, although a bit dark. The staff were very pleasant.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Phra Singh Village
Chiang Mai

This charming hotel is conveniently located near Wat Phra Singh. Our room was large and extremely comfortable, the breakfast was fantastic, and the staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful. Highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
500Rai Floating Resort
Surat Thani

This is a magical place reached by boat where you can enjoy the natural beauty of the lake. Our room was very comfortable and we loved the gentle rocking motion of our floating bungalow. Our package included meals (we ate the Thai meals and they were delicious) and activities. Note that there is one main activity per day. We stayed two nights and one day, which was perfect. We chose not to do the caving excursion on the day we were there but went on the evening safari and early morning sightseeing tour. Other than that there are some activities at the resort or you can swim in the lake or pool, use the provided kayaks outside your room, or go paddle boarding. It was a very unique, tranquil, and relaxing experience.

Authenticity & Character
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Outrigger Khao Lak Beach Resort
Phang Nga

This is a lovely hotel located right on the beach. We stayed in a bungalow with a private pool and really enjoyed it. The staff were fantastic. I wish I could remember all of their names, but every person we encountered was helpful and kind, especially Natty at reception. The beach is beautiful! The hotel breakfast was fantastic and we also ate in the restaurant a few times, which was fine. There are other restaurants on the beach that are perhaps a bit more interesting. The smoothies at Lomlay next door were very good and the massage at Amma, also next door, was wonderful.

Authenticity & Character
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Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Grandma Home Cooking school - Join-in class - Evening session
Grandma Home Cooking school - Join-in class - Evening session
Chiang Mai

We loved touring the garden and then preparing a delicious meal with fresh ingredients! The whole experience was wonderful and very well organized.

Quality of Experience
Food
This was some of the best food we ate in Thailand.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Similan Island Snorkeling Joining Tour by Speedboat
Similan Island Snorkeling Joining Tour by Speedboat
Khao Lak

This trip is well organized but there is a lot of sitting around when you arrive that could perhaps be avoided. The Similan Islands are beautiful and the staff were wonderful but on the day we went the water was full of tiny jellyfish so snorkeling was very limited and in any case nothing special - very little variety in the marine life.

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Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
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Elephant Nature Park half day visit
Elephant Nature Park half day visit
Chiang Mai
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
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Local specialist: Elena Nguyen

Our expectations were exceeded on this trip! ...
Thailand | Dec 3 - Dec 12, 2023

Heather
Heather S.
Denver, CO | Reviewed on Dec 17, 2023
Our expectations were exceeded on this trip! I have never used KimKim before but was so impressed with the service. Elena, our agent put together a wonderful itinerary! Her selection of hotels was incredible, especially the hotel Na Niranda in Chiang Mai. We loved that place! Our guide in Bangkok was Toto and he was a very attentive, fun, knowledgeable guide. We enjoyed having Toto as our guide and had a great time visiting the temples, train market and floating markets as well as... Read more

Our expectations were exceeded on this trip! I have never used KimKim before but was so impressed with the service. Elena, our agent put together a wonderful itinerary! Her selection of hotels was incredible, especially the hotel Na Niranda in Chiang Mai. We loved that place!

Our guide in Bangkok was Toto and he was a very attentive, fun, knowledgeable guide. We enjoyed having Toto as our guide and had a great time visiting the temples, train market and floating markets as well as a night out visiting street vendors by tuk tuk.

Chiang Mai was lovely and our guide Pookie took good care of us. The Elephant Nature Center was a great excursion. To see the elephants happy and taken such good care of after being abused was heartwarming for sure.

Phuket hotel was my least favorite. We stayed at the Avani + hotel and it felt more like a chain resort and didn't have the charm of previous hotel stays on the trip and it was heavily programmed for kids, which we don't have. Overall a nice hotel but would have preferred something with a little more charm and less family friendly. If you are a traveling family, then this is a great hotel for you!

The sunrise boat excursion was a blast! Enjoyed the whole day! Visited Phi Phi Island and had a great time seeing some beautiful scenery above and below water! ;)

I will definitely use KimKim again. I like how you can completely customize your trip. We usually wing our trips and head out on our own, but this trip spoiled us and we will look forward to having them help us with our next trip.

Thank you, Namaste, Mahalo, Khob khun ka!
Heather Stevens

Hotel Reviews
Ariyasom Villa
Bangkok

Charming hotel! Small, family owned hotel. You get very good service and the food was very good too! We enjoyed hanging by the pool and the outdoor courtyard. If you are looking to stay at a place that isn't a chain and feels more authentic and local, this is a great choice. Rooms were very spacious and had good amenities.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Na Nirand Resort
Chiang Mai

This hotel is gorgeous! Such an amazing place and the staff was terrific! We were upgraded upon our arrival to a suite and all's I can say is WOW! The Burmese Suite was gorgeous! The bathroom is so luxurious with a shower as big as a walk in closet. It was a decadent stay and we didn't want to leave. Staff was very welcoming and helpful. The breakfast buffet was so good, we loved it! The pool area is the centerpiece of the outdoor area and you can't wait to just sit in a lounger and soak it all up. The Lomi Lomi massage that I received was probably one of the best ever. I can't say enough about this place...I hope to come back again soon! Thank you for making this part of our trip very memorable. Heather Stevens

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Avani+ Mai Khao Phuket Suites
Phuket

Pleasant, clean resort. No complaints. Staff was very helpful and friendly. It is a very family oriented hotel, so if you have kids traveling with you, this is a great spot. Lot of family activities. I was not traveling with family so would have preferred a more adults only type of place.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Close to the beach and a shopping center across the street.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Na Nirand Romantic Boutique Resort

This hotel is gorgeous! Such an amazing place and the staff was terrific! We were upgraded upon our arrival to a suite and all's I can say is WOW! The Burmese Suite was gorgeous! The bathroom is so luxurious with a shower as big as a walk in closet. It was a decadent stay and we didn't want to leave. Staff was very welcoming and helpful. The breakfast buffet was so good, we loved it! The pool area is the centerpiece of the outdoor area and you can't wait to just sit in a lounger and soak it all up. The Lomi Lomi massage that I received was probably one of the best ever. I can't say enough about this place...I hope to come back again soon! Thank you for making this part of our trip very memorable. Heather Stevens

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Khantoke dinner at traditional Lanna family
Khantoke dinner at traditional Lanna family
Chiang Mai

Wasn't sure what to expect but enjoyed the experience. You visit a local house and learn the customs of the Lanna people and their traditions. You tour the property and gardens and then you feast! The food was delicious with ample appetizers and a big variety to try. The food is delivered Khantoke style (on the floor on a tray). The family leaves you to enjoy your dinner and then you get access to some of their recipes. I will definitely try to make the coconut/banana dessert drink that was served. Yum. Thank you for a wonderful, unique experience.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
The second day at Elephant Nature Park - Elephant interaction (join-in activity)
The second day at Elephant Nature Park - Elephant interaction (join-in activity)
Chiang Mai

The second day we got to feed the elephants, which will be a highlight to remember forever! These animals are amazing! I'm so glad that they have this sanctuary to live in after the abuse they have suffered. Wonderful day! **Our guide Chi-Chi acted like a horny teenager and despite his lack of professionalism and the fact that he ignored any guest that wasn't in his age group (20's), we had a lovely time.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Except for Chi-Chi, staff was Wonderful!
Transport
Bangkok symbolic temples
Bangkok symbolic temples
Bangkok
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Toto was great!
Transport
Night Street Food Tour After Dark by Tuk Tuk
Night Street Food Tour After Dark by Tuk Tuk
Bangkok

I enjoyed the experience even though I wasn't very adventurous. Didn't try any scorpions or weird dishes, just a sample of some more tame, local dishes. Fun evening

Quality of Experience
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Guides, Drivers and Staff
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Railway market & floating market
Railway market & floating market
Bangkok

Such unique experiences! Both the Railway market and Floating markets should not be missed.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Toto was our guide and he was excellent!
Transport
Sunrise Phi Phi island joining tour
Sunrise Phi Phi island joining tour
Phuket

Wow! I had no idea how beautiful the islands are out here! Stunning! Great excursion to view sunrise from the boat and the beauty of Phi Phi Island. Fun day to be on a boat in the sun in Thailand! Highly recommend! Staff was great too! Very attentive to the guests.

Quality of Experience
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Local specialist: Elena Nguyen
Elena
Elena Nguyen
Local specialist in Vietnam | Replied on Dec 21, 2023
Hi Heather,
Hope you are well!
So excited to know that you both had a great time in Thailand! Thank you for such nice feedback & valuable reviews! We are extremely delighted to receive your wonderful feedback :) There is nothing more precious to us than your experience being created with so many unforgettable memories and exceeding your expectations.
My team and I are so glad with all the compliments and valuable comments about the hotels. We know that it's also a reason for us to try harder...
Read more

Hi Heather,
Hope you are well!
So excited to know that you both had a great time in Thailand! Thank you for such nice feedback & valuable reviews! We are extremely delighted to receive your wonderful feedback :) There is nothing more precious to us than your experience being created with so many unforgettable memories and exceeding your expectations.
My team and I are so glad with all the compliments and valuable comments about the hotels. We know that it's also a reason for us to try harder to better our service. That's great to have your satisfaction and would like to say thank you again for placing your trust in us.
Hopefully, we will have another chance to welcome you back to Asia for a more exciting journey! Maybe Vietnam - my home country? Till then, we wish you health and safety :)
Be well,
Elena