Marc Urban

We had a really wonderful experience on this trip. It started with planning the trip with Marc, who helped us figure out what to do throughout our 5 day trip. Marc was really flexible in ensuring that our specific interests (historical sites, local food, swimming with a manta ray, snorkeling) were part of the plan. And it all happened (although the manta ray part cannot be guaranteed every time :)). Then, on the trip the itself, we had a fantastic driver, Jering. There were lots of nice touches from him, from the welcome flower garlands, ready availability cold water (critical in Bali), through to the discussions about culture and history, and advice on what to look for (with fascinating touches of stories to enrich the experience). And oh, he found us the perfect (and good value) durian experience that was to die for (if you can deal with the smell). I'd definitely recommend working with Marc and Jering for your next trip to Bali.

Marc was great to work with! We went back and forth a few times on the details of the trip and a few of the hotels before locking it in. He was very accommodating and provided valuable insights. He kept in touch from planning until we departed and checked in while we were in country.

Hotel Reviews

Tejaprana Resort & Spa

Ubud

Everyone here was very friendly and accommodating. The view from our room and the restaurant were gorgeous. Spa services were relaxing and top notch. The room was clean and comfortable. Breakfast at the hotel was very good. Only downfall was location as there wasn’t much walkable but nothing was to far by car.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beautiful views but not walkable

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Munduk Moding Plantation - CHSE Certified

Gobleg

Love this hotel. Truly a 5 star experience with amazing service, great food and fun activities on site. The location provides a cooler temperature but the property promises amazing views. The staff goes above and beyond to provide exceptional service. Even though it’s cooler and damp the bugs were well managed and bug spray is provided.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Menjangan Dynasty Resort - CHSE Certified

Pejarakan

If you enjoy camping then you will love these yurts. Cute and comfortable. It is a single room with only a screen dividing the bed from the toilet and while it was air it doesn’t do much during the day due to the screens and not being enclosed. However the access and view and the beach is beautiful and the staff is friendly. Service at the restaurant is great. This is a location you come to relax on the beach or at the pool.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mutiara Bali Boutique Resort Villas & Spa

Nice hotel within walking distance to shops and restaurants. Mosquitos were by far the worst at this hotel. Staff was friendly but not very informative or helpful. Room was ok, felt It could be cleaner and the bathroom doesn’t have AC only the sleeping area. At night there were monkey ir some type of animal jumping on our roof and rummaging through the out door kitchen.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Snorkeling around Menjangan Island

Indonesia

Amazing coral reef. We had 2 guides, 1 for snorkel and 1 for diving. Both were great and pointed out many different fish. The boat could use a little TLC and the lunch was was questionable from a temp control stand point. But the overall experience was great.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit a local market & enjoy a cooking class

Ubud, Bali

Amazing experience with welcoming host. This was a great class, very engaging and everyone got to participate and learn.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sunrise Trek to Mount Batur Summit

Indonesia

This is a hard hike. We didn’t realize you are able to take a motor bike from the parking area half way and then hike the rest of the way. We hiked from the parking lot, but wish we would have known we could take a bike half way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cultural Immersion and traditions at Rumah Desa

Indonesia

What a beautiful property and wonderful experience with the healer. We got to tour the property, make offerings, have a welcome drink and lunch. The Healing ceremony was incredible.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kecak Dance Performance

Indonesia

A fun and unique experience. It was cool to see the dancers and hear the story in Balinese. This does take place outside so can be rather warm and you sit on stone benches.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Balinese massage

Indonesia

Spa services at hotels except in Seminyak were great.

Quality of Experience

Marc was excellent to work with. He followed my specific requests. I had a last minute change because Ubud was very touristy. Instead, I wanted to spend more time at the beach and it worked well. Nusa Dua is definitely the clean beach area and nice hotels. I am vegan so it was easy to get the best fried rice and stir fry including the best tofu/tempe. Jerry, the local driver was amazing. Jerry was very knowledgeable, humble, flexible, friendly, and very kind. If I were to do it all over again, I would have stayed in Nusa Dua. The mountain bike ride was awesome, excellent local guide and safe ride with a tasty lunch. The cooking class was the best with the locals and delicious (he also shared the recipe with me). The ridge walk hike was a workout as it was at least 31 degrees Celsius; highly recommend it in Ubud. Also, hostels are really nice so this is cheaper and a nicer way to meet people. It was tough to meet people as I was the only person on the tour and not many solo travelers. It would be great for the hotels to have a social hour at the pool to meet people from all over. Highly recommend Marc and Jerry. Overall, a great and fun trip.

Hotel Reviews

Green field Ubud

Ubud

Central hotel in the town center. No social hour at the pool. Friendly and very kind staff. Great food at their restaurant. Close to bars, shops, and restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jimbaran Bay Beach Resort & Spa - CHSE Certified

Kedonganan

The staff was so sweet and accommodating. Delicious food at the restaurant and fifth floor (lounge). The beach had a lot of garbage and stray dogs but the sunrise/sunset were beautiful. This hotel also needs to have a social hour so people can meet from all over!!! Prices were cheap.

Authenticity & Character

Location

not centrally located.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cultural Immersion and traditions at Rumah Desa

Indonesia

Learning about the culture, history, and religion was fascinating. The local guide was awesome and the cooking class made my day.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mountain bike from Batur to Ubud

Indonesia

The infinity guide was lots of fun. A bummer it was only 2 people and still it was awesome. Made good stops for nice photos! Lunch was delicious too.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had such an incredible trip! Marc answered every question we had and was so helpful throughout the planning process. I had a lot of things to work through while planning and Marc was very patient and checked in throughout to see if we needed any help. He also helped us book our last flight getting into Indonesia, which took some stress off of us.
We cannot say enough great things about our driver, Dinar. He was so kind and taught us a lot about Ubud and Seminyak as he brought us places, and also made additional recommendations, such as visiting a wood-carving business, that we hadn't originally planned. He provided cold water for us each morning for our drives, which was greatly appreciated. He was super easy to contact and made our trip to Indonesia so smooth. We would not have survived the driving without him!
The accommodations were so beautiful as well. The staff were so friendly at each of the places we stayed and they went above and beyond and decorated our rooms with signs and flowers for our honeymoon.
We are so thankful to have booked through Kimkim and will be booking again with them in the future!

Marc did a great job in planning this trip and dealing with the flight changes that were necessary. Everything went very smoothly. Our guide on the Super Deluxe Klotok, Jeffrey was very knowledgable especially about the birds and monkeys we saw. The boat crew were excellent and went out of their way to point out birds and animals along the way and Cookie made very tasty meals.

Just returned home from our longest international and fourth trip using KimKim. It was truly a pleasurable experience! Marco put together a fantastic trip and was extremely helpful when we needed to make a couple of changes ( one change in a room, and another to our itinerary). All of the guides we had were amazing, and our two main drivers, Putu and Sifel) went above and beyond. Our experiences of hiking Mt. Ijen, river rafting, biking, snorkeling, trekking etc. were all very delightful and are highly recommended. Thank you KimKim for employing quality people and delivering a quality experience for us. We will continue to use KimKim for our travels.

It was a most perfect trip to Bali. We visited Ubud, Munduk, Nusa Lembongan and Jumberan and KimKim was a huge help. Thanks to Marc who was patient with our every request and gave us enough information to make good choices. You will see much more detail in the reviews of Kim and Wendi who were our master Bali planners. Their reviews speak more specifically to the success of the trip they planned with Marc's guidance.
We would recommend using KimKim to any traveler.

We traveled with another couple who are our dear friends. Our travel expert Mark Urban was excellent, he was extremely patient planning with us as we were navigating our desires and he directed us on the perfect path! We had an amazing time in Bali for 2 weeks then Nusa Lembongan for the final week of our 3 week journey.

We had a driver who was very knowledgeable and kept us alive, entertained and educated as he navigated us thought the streets of Bali. He was a joy and so kind, we can highly recommend (Renda), he felt like a family member by the end of the trip!

We had a couple of things that needed to be changed while we were traveling and it all went very smooth with great communication during our whole trip! Mark was a delight and very helpful!

We stayed at Kappa Senses, about 20 minutes from Ubud center. The resort was wonderful with many amenities including massages, excellent food and service. It sits in the middle of rice fields and was perfectly picturesque!

In Munduk, we stayed at Munduk Molding Plantation which was amazing and is basically a self sustaining property! The grounds were so beautiful and the rooms were divine! Everyone was beyond helpful and sweet as can be! I got a bit sick and they brought me flowers and all kinds of herbal remedies, teas and it helped so much to be so well taken care of!

Finally in Nusa Lembongan at Batu Karang Hotel, on the water with great food and service. A small little chill town with other areas a close walk, drive or boat ride away!

We were welcomed and felt the generosity of Bali and its wonderful people, cultures and scenery!
Mark helped us to locate all the stays and excursions! It was a fantastic trip and I would highly recommend Kim Kim and Mark !

Such a wonderful time….our trip to Bali & beyond! As 2 couples, our first time there, & for 3 weeks total, the experience was unforgettable! Kimkim & our travel expert Marc Urban were extremely helpful in making it happen harmoniously & with attention to every detail. The recommendations, coordination, responsiveness, and professionalism were spot on. Marc checked up on us throughout the process and provided active support while we were there, answering questions and making adjustments in the moment, all while being polite, caring & on it!
Adventurous, yet selective in our pacing, vibe & style of travel, we were able to gear things as we desired & felt no pressure to do things otherwise. As friends in our 60’s/70’s, we had plenty of time to relax and enjoy our wonderful accommodations together (some in shared villas & others separate) and still fit in the activities we wanted…. a cooking class (in a multigenerational & self-sustained home) and bike ride through rice paddies in Ubud, a hike & canoe ride at Tamblingan Lake & excursion to Sekumpul waterfalls in Munduk, as well as snorkeling & kayaking on the nearby island of Nusa Lembongan, and visiting Jimbaran & Ulu Watu (watch out for those monkeys!) just before flying home. Seeing temples & waterfalls throughout, having massages & great meals, being treated so graciously by the Balinese people….all was amazing!
The transfers, including boats, hotels, airport, & a wonderful driver that we bonded with so well throughout the trip (thank you Renda!) were beyond helpful. Can’t imagine doing it all without Marc/kimkim’s guidance. Thank you guys so much for all you do! 🙏❤️🙌

Hotel Review

Kappa Senses Ubud

Ubud

This was a wonderful place to stay with no complaints. The only downside is that the town was a bit too touristy and chaotic with lots of motorcycles. However, the people and the hotel itself were great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cycling from Kintamani to Ubud

Indonesia

This was an incredible bike ride that was really great, though it was longer than I had anticipated, lasting for around 6 hours. The views were amazing and the overall experience was fantastic.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Munduk & Tamblingan Lake Exploration

Indonesia

This was a wonderful experience. I was initially worried because the location seemed pretty isolated, but the activities turned out to be fantastic. It was really worthwhile and the tour guides were excellent.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sekumpul Waterfalls

Indonesia

This tour was awesome. The guides were really good and the waterfall was breathtaking. It's a must-visit if you're in the area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marc was great to work with and did a great job trip planning for us. Our driver on Lombok, Karna, was also great. Our favorite outing was snorkeling around Gili Layar and Gili Renggit - truly magical. Be prepared for lots of traffic when visiting the temples.

Hotel Reviews

Prime Plaza Hotel Jogjakarta

Jogjakarta

The one night stay at this hotel was fine. It was neither fabulous nor bad, just fine.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Living Asia Resort

The resort was really nice. The rooms were spacious and comfortable. The overall facility was also really good. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Boat trip and snorkeling around Gili Layar & Gili Renggit

Indonesia

Beautiful fish and coral and hardly any other people!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Prambanan Temple Complex

Yogyakarta

Having someone at the temple to guide us around and talk about the history of the ruins was really beneficial. The place is filled with interesting stories and the guidance made the visit more meaningful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cultural family day - Visit Borobudur Temple

Yogyakarta

Just like the Prambanan Temple, having someone to explain the history and significance of the ruins was really helpful. It made the visit much more enjoyable and informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat trip and snorkeling around the Gilis island (Trawangan, Meno, Air)

Indonesia

This first snorkeling day was a bit crowded which wasn't really to my liking. But we did see a sea turtle which was amazing!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Family trek Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep Waterfalls

Indonesia

The hike was wonderful. It was a great way to explore the nature and the guide was very helpful. He even gave us an option to go for an additional portion of the hike which was more rigorous. My daughter and I opted for it and it was a great experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport