Hien Do

We had a wonderful multi-country trip through Vietnam and Thailand, thoughtfully organized by Hien. It struck a great balance between culture, food, nature, and adventure — from food tours in Hanoi and Bangkok, to trekking in northern Vietnam, beach time in Thailand, and visits to temples and pagodas along the way. As a family looking for an active holiday with a lot of variety, it was exactly what we wanted.

During planning, Hien took real time to understand our preferences — the type of activities, accommodation style, and what would work well for our family — and was consistently responsive throughout. It was also a lovely touch to be able to meet up in person during the trip itself.

On the ground, everything ran smoothly: drivers were punctual, guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and they took very good care of us. The agency stayed in touch during the trip to check that everything was going well, and even arranged a birthday surprise for one of us!

So, yes, we'd highly recommend this agency to families or anyone looking for a well-organized, activity-rich trip through Southeast Asia, and we'll definitely reach out again if we return to the region.

We just returned from a 12-day family trip to Vietnam planned through Realistic Asia/Kimkim, and it exceeded every expectation. From beginning to end, everything was seamless, thoughtfully organized, and executed flawlessly. The itinerary struck the perfect balance of culture, history, adventure, relaxation, luxury, and authentic local experiences. Every destination felt completely different from the energy of Hanoi, to the breathtaking landscapes of Ninh Binh, the serenity of Lan Ha Bay, the beaches of Da Nang, and the charm of Hoi An. We genuinely loved every single activity and never once felt like there was anything we would have changed.

One of the highlights was the people. We had two different drivers and three different tour guides throughout the trip. Each had a unique personality and guiding style, yet every one of them was warm, professional, incredibly knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about sharing Vietnam with us. They didn’t simply take us from place to place, they brought the country’s history, culture, traditions, and daily life to life in a way that made the trip incredibly meaningful.

The logistics were equally impressive. Every transfer, hotel check-in, activity, and timing was perfectly coordinated, allowing us to simply enjoy ourselves without ever worrying about the details. Traveling with children can sometimes add complexity, but everything was handled with such care that the trip felt effortless.

The person who truly made this experience exceptional, however, was Hien. From the very beginning of the planning process, throughout our travels, and even after we returned home, Hien was nothing short of extraordinary. She was unbelievably responsive, proactive, thoughtful, and always one step ahead of any question or need we had. It genuinely felt like having a trusted friend in Vietnam available whenever we needed assistance. That level of service is incredibly rare and is one of the biggest reasons this trip was so enjoyable.

We’ve traveled extensively around the world, and this was one of the best organized trips we’ve ever taken. We would recommend Realistic Asia, Kimkim, and especially Hien without hesitation to anyone considering Vietnam or Southeast Asia. We will absolutely be using Hien and KimKim again for future travels, and we couldn’t be more grateful for such a memorable experience. Five stars simply doesn’t feel like enough!

Hotel Reviews

The Oriental Jade Hotel

Hanoi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jiva Hoa Lu Retreat

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Orchid Classic Cruise

Hai Phong

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Intercontinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Most design forward and architecturally magical hotel we have ever stayed in!

Moire Hoi An, Vignette Collection

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hanoi Exploration & Vietnamese Coffee Tasting

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tam Coc Secret Landscape by E Bike

Ninh Binh

Quality of Experience

Food

Our favorite meal of the trip!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lantern Making & Thanh Dong Organic Farm ( HUT)

Hoi An

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

VIP Fast Track Service (including visa application)

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

This was so awesome after an incredibly long day of travel!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring Hoa Lu - Tam Coc - Mua Cave

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My son and I just returned home from our trip to Vietnam, planned by Hien at KimKim. She could not have done a better job for us! She listened to our interests and crafted experiences that were a perfect fit for us. We only had a week ( could have stayed so much longer- love Vietnam!) and had a lot we wanted to see and do and she made it happen with great guides and experiences. Our guides and drivers were always on time and were so knowledgeable. This trip would not have been possible without Hien and her team's expertise.

Absolutely the trip of a lifetime. This review is tardy because we've been distracted, but no less heartfelt. Hien was such a wonderful help to us in every aspect of this trip from planning to execution, including some itinerary changes on the fly. Our trip included modern and ancient history, lots of time outdoors, lots of shopping and a visit to an amazing animal sanctuary.

We deliberately planned to learn about the Khmer Rouge era at the beginning of the trip so as to have time to process and discuss. It is amazing to think this period was only four years of an otherwise inspiring and majestic culture. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in this beautiful country.

This was our second time using Kimkim, every bit as worthwhile as the first. We now have a third data point for this experience, as a dear friend used Kimkim on her trip (at our suggestion) at the same time we were in Cambodia. We really appreciate the assistance with internal travel and the connection to knowledgeable local guides.

Hotel Reviews

Tara Angkor Hotel

Siem Reap

One of the nicer hotels we've stayed in anywhere. Beautiful and comfortable.

Anik Palace Hotel

Wonderful hotel with a friendly and attentive staff. We loved the rooftop bar and spent our downtime there just chatting and enjoying the beatiful view at sunset.

Authenticity & Character

Location

central location made it convenient to find restaurants within walking distance.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cambana La Riviere Hotel

This is a good hotel. The food is limited for vegetarians, but no more so than the rest of the country. Staff are friendly and responsive.

Activity Reviews

Traditional Apsara show with dinner

Siem Reap

this was a fun evening. The dinner was surprisingly good and the venue was quite nice.

Visit Royal Palace - Silver Pagoda - Tuol Sleng Museum - Russian Market

Phnom Penh

Wonderful day of sightseeing with our friendly guide providing the historical context for everything we see. The Tuol Sleng museum is a must-see, though it is difficult to process the horror that took place there.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide and driver were both so friendly and accomodating.

Transport

Hien planned a mini-bus for our family of six. It was so comfortable, and became our refuge from the heat throughout our trip.

Phnom Penh - Silversmith village - Battambang

Battambang

Our drive through the countryside was beautiful and we had a lot of fun shopping for the handcrafted silver items. At the end of our trip, (after the time in Siem Reap) we asked to add an outing to an animal sanctuary. Hien pulled it together with our same guide, and we were able to end our trip with this wonderful activity.

Visiting the Floating Villages on Tonle Sap Lake

Siem Reap

Time on the water was a really nice experience.

Visit Temples, Markets & Sacred Mountain - Tour By Tuk Tuk

Battambang

The sacred mountain was beautiful and terrible all at once, as it is the site of one of the many killing fields in the country. The exit of the thousands (millions?) of bats from the cave in the sacred mountain was breathtaking -- highly recommend this activity.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our Tuktuk drivers were so friendly and helpful.

Explore Roluos Group

Siem Reap

Same comment for all of Siem Reap -- these are sights that defy description. The human ingenuity they represent is staggering and humbling.

Explore the Complex of Angkor

Siem Reap

There aren't words to match the majesty of these sites. sunrise at Angkor Wat is not to be missed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide helped us to position ourselves in the best place to see the sunrise, and the directed us to the best place for a family photo, which is one of the more precious keepsakes from this trip.

Siem Reap - Kulen Mountain - Banteay Srei - Khmer architecture sculptures - Banteay Samre

Siem Reap

Bantay Srei might be our favorite temple. It is breathtaking. Kulen Mountain was a late addition to our itinerary as we had read about it. When we saw the "River of 1,000 Lingas," we realized that what we had in mind a different part of the river and asked our guide. Sure enough, what we had hoped to see was a short hike away and after a quick exchange with Hien, we drove to the trail head. The hike itself was strenuous (though short) but the carvings at the top were breathtaking. I know I'm using that word too much but... everything was truly amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide and driver were so wonderful -- knowledgable, friendly, and accommodating.

Transport

Phare Ponleu Selpak Circus Show

Siem Reap