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active 7 days ago

Myriam Benmhaya

After traveling all over the world, being able to share my passion with other travelers is a dream come true.
As a local agent based in Bali, I can share my experiences, tips, and love for travel and the amazing wonders that Indonesia has to offer!

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"Customized trips in Indonesia with various activities that can suit all kinds of travelers, families, couples, groups of friends but also solo adventurers"

How did you get involved in travel?

"My first travel was as a student during a university exchange program, followed by some internships and work in other countries, that had to lead me to develop a love for travel, discovering other cultures, and meeting great people.
Then I came to Indonesia to visit my best friend and I never left, I fell in love with the Indonesian culture, the way of life, their unique customs but also the magnificent landscapes of this incredible archipelago."

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"There is definitely more than one! But a unique memory would be a cruise around the amazing islands of the Komodo National Park, its pristine beaches and the encounters with the mantas ray, turtles and dolphins will for sure stay forever in memory."

Myriam is part of the following groups: Indonesia Travel Agents
Top itineraries and travel advice
Family itineraries

Recent trip reviews for Myriam

Magical Indonesia
Indonesia | Sep 22 - Oct 1, 2023

Cortney
Cortney H.
Santa Rosa, CA | Reviewed on Oct 14, 2023
Wonderful trip to Indonesia. We loved our local drivers and guides. Everything was well planned out and the hotels were spectacular. We much preferred the island of Java to Bali as there were much less tourists and we felt we could experience the culture and people more. On Bali we stayed in Ubud which felt a little like Vegas to us. Lots of people drinking and very crowded. We would definitely return to Java, it was magical, beautiful, spiritual and the people were very kind. Bali is... Read more

Wonderful trip to Indonesia. We loved our local drivers and guides. Everything was well planned out and the hotels were spectacular. We much preferred the island of Java to Bali as there were much less tourists and we felt we could experience the culture and people more. On Bali we stayed in Ubud which felt a little like Vegas to us. Lots of people drinking and very crowded. We would definitely return to Java, it was magical, beautiful, spiritual and the people were very kind. Bali is not a place we will return to. We have used Kim Kim for many trips now and it has always been a great experience. They are our go-to company.

Hotel Reviews
Sanak Retreat Bali
Gobleg

Absolutely enchanting views, right in the middle of rice fields, comfortable bed, no AC but fans worked. Would stay here again because of speculator views. Took a private yoga class and it was wonderful!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
no AC so room was hot
Ijen Resort and Villas
Banyuwangi

Absolutely stunning views from hotel grounds. So beautiful it looked fake. Comfortable bed, room was hot due to no AC. breakfast was great and views (again) were absolutely spectacular. Would stay here again in a heart beat due to absolutely magical views.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
rooms hot with no AC
The Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta - MGallery Collection
Yogyakarta

beautiful hotel, comfortable beds, beautiful rooms, breakfast buffet is amazing, would definitely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Myriam Benmhaya
Myriam
Myriam Benmhaya
Local specialist in Bali, Indonesia | Replied on Oct 20, 2023

Hi Cortney,

Thank you so much for your feedback!! Really happy that you enjoyed our beautiful islands :)
Wish you a great end of year.

Myriam

Excellent Two Weeks in Indonesia!
Indonesia | Aug 5 - Aug 18, 2023

Jason
Jason S.
Manhattan, NY | Reviewed on Aug 21, 2023
Indonesia is a beautiful and incredible country. Myriam was quick, knowledgeable, responsive, and kind at every portion of this experience. She made it simple to plan a long and distant vacation for six people and was incredibly helpful throughout the trip as well. The trip itinerary was excellent overall and the drivers were all willing to adapt and change minor details to adjust for how we were feeling in the moment. There were some minor hiccups along the way, but none of them were... Read more

Indonesia is a beautiful and incredible country. Myriam was quick, knowledgeable, responsive, and kind at every portion of this experience. She made it simple to plan a long and distant vacation for six people and was incredibly helpful throughout the trip as well. The trip itinerary was excellent overall and the drivers were all willing to adapt and change minor details to adjust for how we were feeling in the moment. There were some minor hiccups along the way, but none of them were Myriam’s fault nor the fault of her travel agency. In fact, Myriam was instrumental in helping us through these hiccups as they came about. If I was traveling to Indonesia again, I would be sure to reach out to her to plan another itinerary.

Hotel Reviews
Sudamala Resort, Komodo, Labuan Bajo
Labuan Bajo

Not a unique hotel in any respect, but exactly what we needed before our flight to relax, repack, and collect ourselves before we left Indonesia. Staff is excellent and the hotel was clean and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Private cruise trip in Komodo National Park
Labuan Bajo, Indonesia

Best part of the trip hands-down. Amazing activities, amazing food, amazing crew, and an overall unbelievable time. If you get seasick bring Dramamine but otherwise this will be the most relaxing and adventurous part of your trip at the same time.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Kaamala Resort
Ubud

After waiting a week to write this review to reflect on my experience, my opinion of the Kaamala Resort is unchanged. If I could give this place 0 stars I would. Day 1/Night 1: We arrived at around 6:30 PM after a long day of driving. We were then escorted to our three hotel rooms, which smelled so bad that a pile full of dead animals would have helped mask the foul stench. We kindly asked the hotel to investigate the smell, as we had to make a 7:30 dinner reservation. The receptionist assured us that it would be fixed and that we would have rooms to stay in. Nearly four hours later, we got back from dinner and the receptionist escorted us back to our three rooms. Not only was the smell not gone, but it had gotten even worse. At this point, we asked to be moved to alternative rooms for the evening so that we could get sleep, as it was clear that the smell in the other room was not going to go away. The next three hours could not have been more stressful and frustrating. At various points, the hotel told us that they had no rooms, that they had one room, that they had no cots, that they had two cots, and everything in between. Ultimately, we settled down for the night at 2 AM. After we carried our luggage back and forth between the rooms several times (the staff did not help), we dragged two cots and piles of linens across the hotel premises. At the end of the night, we squeezed four people and three beds into one room, and two of us were forced to sleep in the spa on massage tables. We understand that hotels sometimes make mistakes and have slip ups. What made this hotel despicable, however, was not the smell or the difficulty getting situated; it was the staff’s subsequent response. Day 2/Night 2 The next morning, we went to speak with the manager about what had happened and we kindly requested that our three rooms be refunded for the previous night (because all three were uninhabitable). After informing us that the rooms that we were supposed to stay in smelled because the sewage system leaked into them, the manager told us that they have a strict no refund policy. Even after explaining the situation to him and the staff’s assistance—or lack thereof—he still would not budge. The manager said point blank that, even though we did not get any of the rooms that we paid for and even though there was sewage in those rooms, a refund was not an option. We continued to share our experiences and frustrations, and the manager assured us that he would figure out an alternative way to compensate us to our satisfaction. What followed could only be described as a game of “deal or no deal.” Frustrated because of the situation, the lack of sleep, and the fact that we had missed several morning activities due to the problems, we told the hotel that if they were not going to refund us for the rooms, we wanted a dinner comped by the hotel and spa appointments for the four of us who wanted them. All of these things together would still not even reach the price of the three rooms that we did not get, not to mention the time we lost and the stress that the hotel cost us. Over the next hour, the receptionist continually called my room and offered new “deals” that the manager was proposing. After each, she tried to convince us that it was enough to make us happy. First, she offered a free breakfast. This offer meant nothing to us since we had already paid in advance for included breakfast at the resort. Over several other phone calls, the receptionist, acting as a middle man between us and the manager, offered us spa appointments and 15% off one dinner, then spa appointments and one main course each, and then spa appointments, one main course and one non-alcoholic beverage each. After being bothered so many times with counteroffers and justifications of why we should not be frustrated, I told the hotel to please leave us alone. We constantly reiterated that all we wanted was a meal where we could relax and forget about all the inconveniences that the Kaamala Resort had caused us. All we wanted was to forget what happened and enjoy our limited time in Ubud. Despite this, the receptionist continued to call with new deals. It got to the point where I had to tell them to please stop calling and offering us new things because the constant pestering was ruining our vacation. At the outset, all we wanted was a place to sleep that was habitable. While on the second night they finally provided that to us, the discomfort that the hotel continued to impose on us for the remainder of our stay continued to be quite absurd. First, we felt like we were being watched, as every staff member asked us for our room numbers everywhere we went. By way of example, one of us went to use the bathroom at breakfast and the hostess stopped him to ask him his room number. Second, the hotel continued to tell us how we were allowed to enjoy our stay. When I told the hotel that we were leaving at 8 am and that we did not have time for breakfast one morning, they told me that they want us to get to breakfast at 7 so that they could compensate us with a free breakfast (which, by the way, we had already paid for). Further, when we sat down to dinner on our second evening, the waitress began by giving us a limited pre-set menu and insisting that we could not order off the complete menu. Then, after we asked several times for the full menu, she told us that we were each only allowed to order one main course. When we told them we planned to order whatever we wanted and not worry about anything, they continued to give us pushback. Additionally, the hotel continued to slip up and respond poorly for the remainder of our stay. For example, at this same dinner, after agreeing that we could order what we wanted to, the restaurant then forgot to serve us four of the dishes we ordered. The waitress insisted that we had not ordered those things and then told us that the kitchen was closed. Despite us reminding them that we were missing plates and despite two of us not eating enough, the dishes were never brought out and the restaurant closed. Although some of us were still hungry, we went to bed to try and rest up for the day ahead. Day 3/Night 3: The next day, we left first thing in the morning to avoid any more complications with the hotel. After spending the entire day away from the hotel, we began to prepare for our departure the following morning. On the eve of our last night in Ubud, we looked forward to leaving the Kaamala resort and to doing so, hopefully, on a high note. We got back to the hotel after a terrific dinner elsewhere and told the hotel that we were being picked up by our driver at 5:30 AM to go to the airport. We met the gentleman who would be responsible for bringing our bags to the front of the resort the following morning via golf cart and confirmed no less than four times that he would be at our rooms at 5:15 AM ready to take us to the front. We went to bed with assurances that the hotel would help keep our check out smooth. Day 4: The next morning, we had a storybook ending to our stay at the Kaamala resort. For the first time in our nearly two week trip, it was pouring rain. Sure enough, nobody was at our room to pick up our luggage. We dragged our bags through the rain for the 10 minute trek to the front of the resort only to be greeted by the gentleman who promised us that he would be at our rooms in the morning. When we asked him where he was, he said that we should have called him this morning to tell him to pick us up. I have been to over 20 countries and to hundreds of different hotels, resorts, hostels, inns, motels, etc. in my life. Never have I stayed at a place where the customer was this wrong. To say I do not recommend this hotel is an understatement. The way they treated us provides a new meaning to the word inhospitable. Further, the fact that we were not refunded for even one room on one night for our experience is nothing short of robbery. Please ensure that NOBODY comes here again.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Only good thing about this hotel.
Staff
Could not have been less hospitable.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Margo Utomo

The hotel was not as nice or upscale as the other accommodations. The rooms were basic and small and the resort was nothing special. However, the staff was incredibly nice and the rooms were satisfactory. Additionally, the hotel runs the tours to the plantation and that tour was spectacular. I would not stay here unless I am going on those hotel tours, but I am glad we had this experience.

Authenticity & Character
The hotel was very authentic and Indonesian.
Location
Location was perfect for the coffee and agricultural tour we were doing the next day.
Staff
The staff was very nice and accommodating.
Cleanliness & Comfort
It was very very basic. Some of the showers weren’t working great, the beds were small, and the hotel was akin to a resort-style hostel. I would not stay here for more than one night but it is worth the stop for the agriculture tour if you are in East Java heading to Bali.
Sumberkima Hill Private Villa Retreat
Pemuteran

Like paradise on earth. This resort was maybe the nicest place I have stayed in my entire life. We had three three-story villas for six people that overlooked all of northeast Bali. We could watch both sunrise and sunset from our roof and we could text a WhatsApp chat with all the staff from the hotel in it if we needed anything at all. This place was unbelievable and I could stay for weeks at a time.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Jiwa Jawa Bromo

This hotel is gorgeous. Our only regret is not staying here longer. The staff was beautiful and the view was beautiful. It was a short trip to the peak of the volcano which makes the location ideal, although difficult to get to.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta - MGallery Collection
Yogyakarta

Hotel was perfect. Staff was lovely, location was lovely, rooms were perfect, and the breakfast buffet was excellent.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
FM7 Resort Hotel Jakarta
Tangerang, Banten

The hotel itself was exactly what we needed after 36 hours of traveling. The rooms were solid (nothing special), but the facilities (spa, steam room, sauna, etc.) were perfect for us to reset our batteries. The one major red flag with the hotel was their ability to help us with transportation. The airport pickup was not smooth, the hotel struggled to find us adequate transportation to our dinner for the one night we were there, and they struggled to get us to the airport in the proper shuttle for our flight out the following morning. Next time, I would try as hard as possible to avoid spending a night in Jakarta at all because the air quality is so poor. However, if I had to spend a night in Jakarta, it is worth it to stay near the airport at the FM7 and I would recommend figuring out some form of alternative transportation (not through the hotel) if you want to go to dinner or do some sort of activity.

Authenticity & Character
Nothing special
Location
Right near the airport
Staff
Some staff was good, but there were some language barriers (more so than in other places) and the transportation situation was quite challenging
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Liveaboard Cruise - Departure Day
Liveaboard Cruise - Departure Day
Indonesia

Same as above.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Liveaboard Cruise: Komodo dragons, beaches, snorkelling and manta rays
Liveaboard Cruise: Komodo dragons, beaches, snorkelling and manta rays
Komodo Island

Same as above! Unbelievable three days.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Liveaboard Cruise: Discover Flores & Komodo
Liveaboard Cruise: Discover Flores & Komodo
Komodo Island

Best part of the trip. My only regret is that we did not have another day on the boat.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Visit a local market & enjoy a cooking class
Visit a local market & enjoy a cooking class
Ubud, Bali

One of the best things we did the whole trip! Great cooking class and great group of travelers that we cooked with. The chef sends you home with a recipe book as well!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Jatiluwih rice paddy fields by ebike
Jatiluwih rice paddy fields by ebike
Indonesia

The biking was too difficult for me and I could not do it. More like mountain biking. The paths are very steep and narrow so come prepared. You also have to bike on the main road for a portion and that part is easier than the part through the rice fields. The rice fields themselves were beautiful.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Snorkeling around Menjangan Island
Snorkeling around Menjangan Island
Indonesia

Very cool experience!

Quality of Experience
Food
Food was very basic but got the job done.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Kalibaru Plantations
Kalibaru Plantations
Indonesia

Such a great experience. The raw sugar cane tasted unbelievable. The coffee part came at the end not the start so don’t come in expecting to get many different cups of coffee. Also bring cash to buy the coffee, chocolate, etc. to take home.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Explore Mount Bromo
Explore Mount Bromo
Mount Bromo, East Java

Unbelievable day, but plan on being up at 2:30 AM and hiking a lot before getting back to the hotel at 9 AM. Worth every second of it though.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Visit Prambanan Temple Complex
Visit Prambanan Temple Complex
Yogyakarta
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Candi Rejo - local experience
Candi Rejo - local experience
Yogyakarta

Easily one of the best activities we did. Our village guide Robi was fantastic.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Visit Borobudur Temple
Visit Borobudur Temple
Yogyakarta
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Myriam Benmhaya
Myriam
Myriam Benmhaya
Local specialist in Bali, Indonesia | Replied on Aug 21, 2023

Thank you very much to all of you!
It will be a pleasure to organize another trip to discover some other parts of Indonesia! So many more places to discover :)
I wish you all a nice end of summer.

Best,
Myriam

Amazing experience
Indonesia | Apr 8 - Apr 23, 2023

M
Matteo R.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Apr 24, 2023

Our trip was based on Sumatra, Java and Bali. The organisation was impeccable, everything worked very well. We felt safe, treated well and we knew the plan well. All the guides we had were very friendly, competent and knowledgeable. We had many activities and everything was done in details. We enjoyed every single day. A special thank you to Myriam that organised an incredible trip and she has been always available and caring. This is an highly recommended trip.

Local specialist: Myriam Benmhaya
Myriam
Myriam Benmhaya
Local specialist in Bali, Indonesia | Replied on May 03, 2023

Thank you to both of you for your trust, it was a pleasure to organize your trip and I am happy that you enjoyed our beautiful islands!
Myriam