Borneoist

Long time but now is my review. Since I work also in tourism , for the trip I knew what I wanted to see and expérience for the time I had.
Loved the expérience. NICK was really fast responding while preparing the trip. Even if we are living on another continent. It was not as easy while I was on place. But the compagnies you work with are 👌.
NICK listened to my wish and needs and everything seemed possible!
Explinations of how the procedures of communication would be during the trip, would have help at first. But after Singapore, communication with Jason was easy!!
Driver/guides were pro!! We loved Joseph!!! And Vincent! Expérience shows 😊
Our drive from Singapore to Malaisia was long...the driver didnt realy speak english.
Very good driver but since the trip is 4h if we could have a conversation with him would have made it perfect.
A few things promise were not done. Exemple: meal at our last tour in Langkawe..
For us it's ok. But usuly not for the clients. That woul'int pass. Promise less and give more is a winner.
Thank you for everything and we will highly recommand your business!

We used kimkim to help plan our itinerary for Singapore and Malaysia. This was our second time using kimkim as last year we used it for China and had a wonderful experience.

Our overall experience was positive working with Nick. We used kimkim for everything within Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi. However, we had a few issues during the trip that I wanted to be transparent with. Nick was stellar assisting and navigating but a few local vendors missed the mark.

1- Singapore - we had requested a booking for a 4 person suite but when we arrive we were assigned a 3 person room. Nick immediately worked with his local contacts and got us upgraded (at no cost to us) to a 4 person but it took 2+ hrs after an already long flight of 24 hrs from nyc. Nick proactively also offered a half day tour / driver for our 3rd leg in Langkawi. That was thoughtful and what we had come to expect from kimkim as their service does charge a premium, which is likely for situations like this. We had a nice cultural city tour which we’d recommend for first timers. All the local agencies contracted were professional and on-time.

2. Kuala Lumpur - flights to KL were arranged for us. We stayed at an amazing hotel, Ruma, which we highly recommend for the rooms and location. We had an amazing time as a family with the fireflies/blue tears tour, elephant sanctuary, and cultural city tour. The only thing that missed the mark was the foodie tour. We walked through Chinatown and went to a beef roti stall and hawker station for chicken & rice. Other tours we went to the food was all ready with vendors and we had a large sampling of stellar food. This one was extremely mediocre; we had very little portions, we had to order and pay for extra food at the hawker ourselves (because we were told it wasn’t covered) and we even had to go out to eat again after because we were still hungry and the family didn’t love the food options on the tour. I wouldn’t suggest the foodie tour at all for those considering if this was not an anomaly.

3. Langkawi - the flight to Berjaya was arranged on firefly. The planes were extremely older and subpar compared to batik and Malaysia air. The hotel stay at Berjaya was amazing and we highly recommend the mangrove boat tour and local guide Kent. He took us to the Atv tour through the jungles and to the mountain top as well as a local beach. The only issue aside from the flight the local transport to the airport. Nick was able to schedule with the local vendor 4 rides, but the first two rides experienced accidents. The first one was driving grandpa to the airport and the driver passed out and drove into a storefront. Luckily there was no oncoming traffic and grandpa escaped with only whiplash. The driver randomly got someone at the scene to drive him to the airport, but never notified the agency (ITT or kimkim) of the incident and they had to find out from me. Not cool. It tarnished an otherwise wonderful stay as it would have cost grandpa his life.

Overall, things that were in kimkim and Nicks control were fantastic. Our issue with the hotel was rectified immediately, and maybe the foodie tour negative experience was an anomaly. But the transport situation really was a surprise and although we received an apology from the local vendor, it still tainted an otherwise wonderful stay there as grandpa is 80 and that could have been the last time we saw him.

Hotel Reviews

Berjaya Langkawi Resort

Langkawi Island

Lovely hotel. A bit dated but would recommend the seaview or ocean suites and not rainforest. The new years gala was a wonderful experience. The staff and food was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

RuMa Hotel

Best hotel of the entire stay. Wonderful facilities and staff as well as location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Orchard Hotel Singapore

Singapore

Location is central, service is great. The rooms were a bit dated and our room situation was mixed up when we first arrived. Overall, would recommend though for the location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Langkawi Island (Free at Leisure)

Langkawi Island

Had the driver take us to do an atv jungle tour, go to the peak of a lookout, and also tanjing ruh beach.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mangrove Boat Cruise

Langkawi Island

Amazing experience. Wish we could have walked where the fireflies were but unique nonetheless

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kuala Lumpur Foodie Tour (Evening)

Kuala Lumpur

This wasn’t really a foodie tour for real foodies. Went to a beef roti stall and subpar hawker market.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary

Kuala Lumpur

Unique and amazing experience to get up close with elephants. Highly recommend

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kuala Selangor Fireflies Cruise & Dinner

Kuala Lumpur

The fireflies are more at a distance and look like Christmas tree lights, but the blue tears was really cool. We also ended on a thunder storm so that added to the overall fun of the experience actually.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kuala Lumpur City Tour & Batu Caves

Kuala Lumpur

Guide Andrew really knowledgeable. Great guide for a cultural tour. City tour was a great overview.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Singapore River Cruise with return transfers

Singapore

The evening boat tour is low key (slow and limited guide) and if you’re a bit jet lagged you might want to skip this. You do get a great view of waterfront and MBS but if you’re tired it’ll be a drag for the kids max

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Singapore Half Day City Tour

Singapore

Great to get a feel for the local neighborhoods and cultures in Singapore. We had friends locally that took us to Sentosa but also their neighborhood outside the city center at Joo Chiat rd which is really cool. Had a more hipster feel to it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My experience with Kim Kim and their representatives in Borneo was outstanding. I randomly chose this agency after reading a few reviews and feel very fortunate for this decision. Working with Nick was easy. He is based in Sarawak, although Kim Kim head office is in Colorado, USA. Nick was quick to respond and made changes based on our needs. We booked a private tour with Kim Kim and we got great service, accommodations, food etc. Our itinerary took us to Brunei and then Miri, Mulu and Kuching in Sarawak. Our guides, Willy, Brenda and especially Isa in Kuching, were engaging and informative. We did a lot of hikes in extremely hot and humid conditions in the national parks, so be prepared for this. My husband and I are in our mid 60s and not in top physical form but we managed most of it, but slowly. The caves in Miri and Mulu were exceptional and well worth this effort. We based in Kuching for three nights but in hindsight, I wish I had one more day there, as I didn’t see as much of the city as I would have liked. From Kuching, we drove to Bako National Park and Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, where we saw orangutans, proboscis monkeys, macaques, silver-leaf monkeys, bearded pigs, pit vipers and more. It was incredible. On a river cruise at sunset, we saw a massive saltwater crocodile, monkeys, many birds like the sea eagle and then fireflies. The latter was absolutely magical. For those deciding Sarawak over Sabah, we chose Sarawak due to warnings issued by the Canadian government for Sabah. We met other travellers who had been to Sabah and said it was fine but I was concerned and therefore extra cautious. We missed out on the sun bears but otherwise felt that we got the better experience. It wasn’t crowded in September and for the most part, we didn’t get much rain. Overall, we had an incredible visit in Borneo and would highly recommend taking a tour with Kim Kim and seeing this stunning region.

Our 13-day Peninsular Malaysia Explorer trip exceeded all expectations! From the moment we landed in Kuala Lumpur to our final departure from Langkawi, every detail was perfectly orchestrated.
Exceptional Service from Nick
Our local specialist Nick deserves special recognition. His expertise and attention to detail made this trip absolutely seamless. Having studied tourism in The Netherlands before moving to Malaysia, Nick brings a unique perspective that perfectly bridges Western expectations with authentic Malaysian experiences. His passion for sharing the beauty of his adopted country was evident in every aspect of our journey.
Incredible Itinerary Highlights
Taman Negara - The ancient rainforest experience was magical! The night walk revealed nocturnal wildlife we never would have seen otherwise, and the canopy walk offered breathtaking views. The Teresek Hill hike and Lata Berkoh boat trip were perfectly balanced between adventure and relaxation.
Cameron Highlands - The cool mountain air was a refreshing change. The Mossy Forest felt like stepping into another world, and the BOH Tea Plantation visit was both educational and delicious. Nick’s selection of activities here was spot-on.
Penang - Georgetown’s cycling tour was a brilliant way to explore the UNESCO heritage sites! Seeing the famous street art, experiencing traditional trades, and tasting authentic hawker food like Assam Laksa and Char Koay Teow made for an unforgettable cultural immersion.
Langkawi - The perfect finale to our trip! The mangrove kayak tour was serene and educational, and having a full free day allowed us to truly unwind on the beautiful beaches.
Flawless Logistics
Every transfer was punctual and comfortable. The local suppliers (Mr. Rizal, Mr. Jason, Mr. Ken, and Mr. Alex) were all professional and knowledgeable. The coordination between different regions was seamless - no stress, just pure enjoyment.
Why We Recommend KimKim & Nick
• Expertise: Nick’s deep knowledge of Malaysia shines through in every recommendation
• Organization: Every detail was handled professionally, from hotel transfers to activity timings
• Value: The perfect balance of must-see attractions and authentic local experiences
• Communication: Clear instructions and reliable local contacts throughout
• Flexibility: The itinerary offered both structured activities and free time to explore
This trip showcased Malaysia’s incredible diversity - from pristine rainforests to colonial heritage, from tea plantations to tropical islands. Nick and the KimKim team created memories that will last a lifetime.
Highly recommended for anyone wanting an authentic, well-organized Malaysian adventure!
Thank you, Nick and KimKim, for making our Malaysian dream trip a reality!

Activity Review

Night Walk at Taman Negara

Taman Negara

Taman Negara - The ancient rainforest experience was magical! The night walk revealed nocturnal wildlife we never would have seen otherwise, thanks to our guide Abi, how showed us spiders, snake, scorpion, fliurescerend mushrooms and lold us funny stories.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Abi as taking care of all the group, waited the other guide to finish and continued with us

Transport

by boat to the jungle

Our local specialist was Nick Jansen in Kuching, Sarawak. In a word, Nick is fantastic! He is with the tour operator, Borneo Transverse, and has extensive experience booking trips in all parts of Malaysia and was able to easily understand the trip we wanted to undertake, and provide a trip plan a couple days later. This was quite a challenge, because he had to accommodate the 14 people in our group into the rather small rainforest lodges we wanted to visit. His initial trip plan was very close to what we ended up with. After some conversations and adjustments, we finalized the trip plan less than a week later. Nick quickly set up a system for each couple to make their own payments. A couple of months before the trip we had to make some adjustments in our traveling group members. Nick was able to sort this out in a very satisfactory way.

The main thing that I want to say, is Nick and Borneo Transverse came through 100%. Everything that was specified in the trip plan was provided exactly as specified. We were a large group, and had plenty of luggage, so it was so nice to be confident that at each location we would be met with friendly personnel, who were able to get us to our destination easily. The hotels and the rainforest lodges all provided excellent accommodation. Our time on Lankayan Island was amazing.

Unfortunately, one of our team members suffered a serious medical emergency during the trip. This was rather frightening since we were at a remote location far from medical infrastructure. However, Nick and his staff and Sarawak staff were able to make appropriate arrangements, as well as to provide on-the-ground personal assistance.

Overall, I would have to say it was the trip of a lifetime. It was an expensive trip, but we felt we got full value for what we paid. If you ever go to Malaysia, especially, if you are traveling to Borneo, make sure Nick Jansen is making your trip arrangements. He is the best.

***NOTE***
This paragraph provides comments to the kimkim staff at kimkim headquarters. This was my fifth trip with kimkim and was surprised at how poorly our request was initially handled. Our trip request was misinterpreted to be a partial itinerary. My initial text/chat to clarify was ignored. After the five minute initial call with the kimkim team member, it took over a week to be assigned a local specialist. I got bounced around a with a couple of different people, and only got assigned to a local specialist after making a direct telephone call to kimkim headquarters.

Hotel Reviews

Danum Valley Rainforest Resort

Lahad Datu

This is the real thing. Not easy to get to, but extremely worthwhile. A rare opportunity to see unspoiled nature. The rooms are comfortable when the food is good. He had extremely qualified nature guides, Helen and Alex. We saw nature up close and personal. Lots of monkeys.

Authenticity & Character

This is the real thing. Architecturally fits in well with the rainforest.

Location

In the heart of primary rainforest. Untouched by loggers and far from palm oil plantations.

Staff

Full board, and the food was really good.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Grandis Kota Kinabalu

Kota Kinabalu

Nice hotel of fairly standard quality. Amazingly located and connected to a shopping mall. Everything could be found at this mall. We had fun checking out Malaysian KFC.

Authenticity & Character

“OK, but of fairly standard character. No special features with regard to authenticity.

Location

Perfect location adjacent to the historical quarter, shopping mall, seafood restaurants and night markets.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Del Rio Hotel Melaka

Milaca is an interesting location, absolutely full of history. The Casa Del Rio Hotel has a perfect location to learn the history. The rooms are quite nice, but have some stairs leading into the bathrooms. Can be quite dangerous to navigate at night in the dark. Recommend some Night lights.

Authenticity & Character

An older property that fits in well with his location.

Location

Very central location to start from for historical walks.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kinabalu Park & Poring Hot Springs

Malaysia

A long day, but really amazing. I have to say the Botanical Park, had the most amazing and varied selection of plants in a small area, absolutely authentic and we got to see Rafflesia. The canopy walkway was arduous, but interesting.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Zee was the best. She took so many pictures, and shared them with the group. Very knowledgeable!

Kuala Lumpur City Tour & Batu Caves

Kuala Lumpur

A lot packed into a short amount of time, and an excellent introduction to KL.

Walking City Tour Melaka

Melaka

So interesting to learn about the complicated and varied history of Melaka.