Exotic Voyages

We loved our trip to Thailand. Elena did a phenomenal job planning the entire thing and tailoring it to our desires. It was an incredibly memorable experience with phenomenal guides ("O" and Mark). Everything was very well thought out and the travel was seamless.

Hotel Reviews

Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort

Wonderful Hotel. The free boat up and down the river was an awesome addition. Centrally located with a great breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Varana Krabi Hotel

Wellness Focused Hotel with great amenities. We worked out in the gym each morning, had a yummy breakfast on the veranda and then headed to the pool or beach. My husband did the paddle board fitness class and I got a massage on the beach. 10/10

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Four Islands Sunset & Night Snorkeling by Speedboat Join-in Activity

Krabi

Such a great day in the sun! We were able to snorkle both during the day and at night. The beaches were pristine and the water is warm. I typically get seasick, but didn't at all on this tour and the guides had medicine in case. At the end of the tour we saw the most incredible group of bats leaving a cave (I mean thousands) and then snorkled in the dark with bioluminescent plankton. Unforgettable!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok Symbolic Temples

Bangkok

Great Tour on our first day. The guide "O" was super informative and gave us a lot of information about the temples.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Railway Market & Floating Market

Bangkok

This was such a cool and authentic day. O, our guide, showed us local food and we tasted the most amazing Thai snacks at the market. The boat ride was relaxing and allowed us to see local thai culture up close.

Quality of Experience

Food

Authentic, Local, Fresh

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Street Food Tour After Dark by Tuk Tuk

Bangkok

We got so full on this tour! We had a blast trying out the different street foods and seeing the bustling night life.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Secret Bar Vibes Bangkok

Bangkok

Mark was great and we went to the most amazing bars! We went to a few different bars after and they were amazing. The bars Mark picked out were so fun, funky, and had delicious drinks (I even got mocktails and they were so yummy)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Khao Ngon Nak: Naka Peak, Natural Trail - Dragon Crest Mountain private tour

Krabi

Plau did a great job on this tour. We were able to go up the trail at a quick pace and were happy she was leading the way and going at our pace.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hoa was very good with communicating and adjusting our trip based on our interests. My husband and I both agree this is the best vacation either of us have ever been on and much of it is thanks to Hoa. I do love planning trips, but for our honeymoon I wanted to be able to just relax and not worry about logistics. We highly recommend using kimkim!

We had a fantastic experience working with Hoa. She was very receptive to any changes we wanted to make and responded extremely quickly. She helped out with a few extra recommendations that were very appreciated and led to wonderful experiences.

The bike tour in Bangkok was one of our favorite excursions. It allowed for such a unique view of the city that we would not have been able to get otherwise.

We really liked our tour guide that took us on the Ayutthaya tour. She was very knowledgeable and engaging the whole time.

We also really enjoyed the Doi Inthanon National Park tour as it had a good mix of historical sites as well as interacting with nature.

The Lanna Lifestyle and Cooking experience was one of our favorites. The history was really interesting and we loved cooking the delicious meals.

The Cheow Lan Lake tour was beautiful and we were happy we did it, but it seemed a little less organized than the other excursions we had been on. Had a lot more “dead time” where we were sitting around not doing much.

We absolutely loved the Koch Tao & Koch Nangyuan snorkeling trip. The company seemed very well run and the excursion was gorgeous. The snorkeling was so much fun.

All the hotel selections were wonderful. We really appreciated the last hotel, the Culture, as it seemed to be the nicest one and was the hotel room we spent the most time in. Incredible view as well.

The transportation was seamless and made it so easy for us to travel. Very well thought out.

We thought that the trip structure that Hoa put together worked very well with the front end having more excursions and the back end being less filled and allowing for more time to relax.

Hotel Review

The Culture Samui

Ko Samui

This was our favorite hotel of our whole trip. It was beautiful, clean, and great service. Great views. Nice pool. Delicious breakfasts.

Authenticity & Character

Loved the style, cleanliness, and vibe.

Location

Right on the beach and not far from temples or shops.

Staff

All the front desk people were very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean.

Activity Review

Historic Bangkok Bike Tour (Joining Excursion)

Bangkok

We loved this trip. It was such a unique way to see the city and see parts we never would have seen otherwise.

Quality of Experience

Unique perspective of the city. Riding the bike was actually cooling and not hot.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

He was nice and knowledgeable.

Transport

The bikes were in great working order.

Overall the experience was wonderful. There were a few times we wished we would have been better prepared for (bring hat, this will be a long walk, bug spray etc as we are unfamiliar with what to expect at some of the attractions). Additionally when booking the excursions we were unaware of how long a day some of them ended up making and in the heat it was a lot for us Canadians who came from a very cold climate. Maybe suggestions to break up some of them would have been better in the end.

Our guide Pom in Bangkok was good. Very fast paced likely due to all the activities that were planned in one day made it so we didn't have much slow time. The van he was assigned left a lot to be desired as the AC was sketchy at times and very rattly. The driver himself was great though. Pom had good energy and was very informative.

Our guide in hua hin was fantastic and she made sure we were comfortable all the way to Kuri Buri to see elephants.

Pookie is Chiang Mai was hands down the best guide we could have asked for. She was soooo informative, had made incredible connections in the area that allowed for some "behind the scenes" access. You can tell she truly cares for her clients and wants us to have a great time. (Even though the hike to Doi Inthanon was more than we bargained for! Hahaha she kept us motivated the entire time"

The hotel options were decent. Would have liked a different area in Bangkok and the room we were assigned was incredible in need of repair but others in the building looked really nice.

The transfer to the airport in Ko Samui also needed to be a hour earlier as that airport was chaos and we barely made our flight with the 2 hour arrival time.

All in all this is a trip we will never forget and are so grateful for Elena and kimkim for curating a great trip for us. We will recommend kimkim and use them in our future travels.

Thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Mode Sathorn Hotel Bangkok

Bangkok

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room we stayed in was questionable in its cleanliness. Stained carpets, smeared stains on the tile, mold in the bathroom. I saw other rooms in the building that looked to have been modernized but not the one we were at. We have paid for an early check in and apparently this was the only room ready so we were stuck with it or we had to wait.

The Rock Hua Hin Resort

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were incredibly humid. Not sure if anything can be done to change this considering the property is on the beach but it did make for uncomfortable wet feeling in the bed and on the clothes hanging in the room. BUT the location and other amenities made up for it!

Aksara Heritage

Chiang Mai

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Culture Samui

Ko Samui

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was decent - close to a 7-11, a few restaurants and pharmacies however quite a distance from Fishermen's village. Getting a grab or taxi was a bit pricey. There is a bunch of construction in front of hotel that has apparently started a long time ago.

Staff

At check in they were really nice and seemed to think of everything we may need for our stay. Had asked us then if we wanted a breakfast box to go on the morning of our departure. We said yes but turns out she didn't order it as promised so we left hotel without breakfast.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Doi Inthanon National Park - A Nature Walk and Culture

Chiang Mai

The name of this excursion is not representative of what it is. The name says it's a walk but this is a legit hike. We were not properly prepared for what we were doing and therefore didn't have appropriate footwear. There is a lot of downhill walking as well so if someone in the group has any mobility issues - be prepared. The guide was great though and ensured we went slow and took many breaks. She also scores us some really good fresh strawberries and stopped at a coffee plantation to try some local coffee! We were pretty sore the next day but were in the land of inexpensive massages so were able to get some relief!

Quality of Experience

Upfront understanding of the activity

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our best trip! Elena really put together an incredible itinerary. Great connections with real people, hotels were superb, guides were excellent, food was outstanding, logistics were perfect (highly recommend the fast track through customs and the airport and the guides were extremely helpful here too). The Monk Chat was life changing. Highly recommend.

Hotel Reviews

The Sukhothai Bangkok

A bit high end corporate, but executed well. The pool was the best for jet lag -- swimming at dawn with the birds is a great way to start a trip! Layout of the hotel took a couple days to understand because of the multiple buildings, but great quality and service overall.

Authenticity & Character

The pool and the food.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Satri House

Possibly my favorite hotel in the world. The colonial feel with the modern updates create a great sense of place. Service, the pool, the breakfast and dinner by the pond were all memorable.

Authenticity & Character

The gardens, the layout of the walkways, the common rooms, the pools.

Location

Just outside of the tourist area and night market make it easily walkable.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed was great.

Cross Chiang Mai Riverside

Chiang Mai

Food was fantastic -- the breakfast was always an event and even a light dinner was special. The modern design was not exactly Chiang Mai, but it was on the other side of the river and away from the traffic. The pool was nice and bedroom was large.

Authenticity & Character

Modern, but well thought out.

Location

Quiet, but not walkable into the city. Use Grab and you will be fine.

Staff

Alway pleasant coming and going and helped us out for one special request.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Apricot Hotel

Hanoi

We had a great suite overlooking the lake. A great sense of old time French interiors and a nice roof deck.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the middle of the best part of Hanoi. Easily walkable to many of the most interesting parts of the city.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Devasom Khao Lak Beach Resort & Villas

Phang Nga

The food and the pool were excellent. Breakfast was especially good and the special dinner event was fun.

Authenticity & Character

The pool and the bear and grill seemed to be the center of the hotel and well worth hanging out.

Location

A bit of a drive from Phuket but also way far away from noise and the crazy.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Progressive Dinner - The Luang Prabang Culinary Tapestry

Luang Prabang

A great sampling of Laotian cuisine mixed with some modern mixed drinks and emerging restaurant trends.

Quality of Experience

Food

The mixed drinks and appetizers were the best.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to the Buddhist Archives

Luang Prabang

Interesting glimpse into Laos history and great for any student of culture and Buddhism.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Hanoi by Morning Vespa: An Insider’s Perspective

Hanoi

This was out third time taking the vespa ride though Hanoi. Exhilarating and unique look at the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

They even stopped to pick up my camera lens cap when it fell out of my pocket.

Afternoon Encounter with the Elephants at Mandalao

Luang Prabang

The experience of feeding the elephants and then walking through the jungle with them was totally worth it. The road to get there from LP was a disaster though -- slow and painful. Hopefully they can address this in the near future. Just be sure to get picked up on time to get there when the event starts.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Driver and car were great but Lao infrastructure needs some attention.

Half-day Meditation at Wat Suan Dok (Private)

Chiang Mai

The Monk Chat was life changing. We are advanced meditators and were able to get 1:1 time with the head monk for about an hour. The rest of the group went into an intro class in another room. The time and patience KayKay took with us was priceless.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Similan Island Snorkeling Joining Tour by Speedboat

Khao Lak

This was the only disappointment of the trip. It was over touristed and the fish were not that interesting. There were so many people on the island that there was barely a bit of sand to sit on before we could go home. A long way to go in a jolting speedboat to end up with 10 other boats filled with people. They need to figure this out before they destroy such a beautiful spot. People and food were great, but they need to ramp back the number of boats allowed at one time.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunrise Doi Suthep & alms giving

Chiang Mai

A bit early to get up, but it was ideal to skip the long lines of tourists. Quiet and beautiful, it was lovely to have a guide to explain everything.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Where Tradition Meets Creativity

Chiang Mai

It was great to see all the crafts up close and try our hand at lacquerware. We bought a few small things to remind us of the trip

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lanna Lifestyle & Cooking Experience with A Local Family with dinner

Chiang Mai

A bit far outside Chiang Mai at rush hour, but worth it once you get there. A lovely location to get educated about growing the ingredients, Thai food and culture. Cooking was fun and the food was delicious -- they have this one down.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Driver was great, traffic was not.

Footsteps Through Lanna Time

Chiang Mai

The guided trip through all the historical sites was definitely worth it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Culinary Evolution of Thai Food

Bangkok

The food was fantastic and served in unique locations.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thonburi with A Heritage Conservationist

Bangkok

The insight and journey through the hidden parts of Bangkok was fascinating.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Doi Inthanon National Park - A Nature Walk and Culture

Chiang Mai

Waterfalls and lunch were epic

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Backstreet Alleys: A Nostalgic Tour of Hanoi with dinner

Hanoi

Great insider look at the back alleys of Hanoi. It was a great cultural experience and a fascinating walk.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had 3 days in Bangkok with our awesome guide, Fahrah. We were expedited through the airport and quickly taken to our hotel which was much appreciated after our long travel day. We enjoyed touring temples, floating markets, and the Grand Palace with Fahrah. We learned so much about Thai culture from her. We then spent 2 days in Chiang Mai with our guide, Ying. We toured the Old City with a TukTuk tour and tried lots of foods she recommended at the market. Our hotel was wonderful! We also enjoyed a day at an elephant sanctuary. From there, we traveled to Koh Lanta and had 3 beautiful days at our resort and touring the phi phi islands. We even had a romantic dinner prepared on the beach to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. We then traveled to Krabi where we explored the Hong Islands and enjoyed a day at the Wareek Day Spa where we experienced a Thai massage and soaks in the hot springs. Our guide, Charlotte, taught us Thai phrases as she whisked us around to all our excursions. We had a wonderful trip and can't wait to go back to Thailand!

Hotel Reviews

Mode Sathorn Hotel Bangkok

Bangkok

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cross Chiang Mai Riverside

Chiang Mai

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rawi Warin Resort & Spa

Chiang Mai

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The ShellSea Krabi I Luxury Beach Resort & Pool Villas

Krabi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hyatt Regency Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport

Samut Prakan

Activity Reviews

James Bond Island & Koh Hong Discovery by Speedboat Join-in Activity

Krabi

A must do! We had a great day exploring the islands. Our guides made it very fun!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phi Phi island by Joining Speedboat

Thailand

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok Symbolic Temples

Bangkok

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fahrah explained the meaning behind the temples and shared info about Buddhism that we found interesting.

Transport

Kinnaree Long Song Full-day Spa Program - Wareerak Hot Spring & Wellness

Krabi

We really enjoyed our Thai massage and soaking in the hot springs.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Unique Railway market & Damnoen Saduak Floating Market with Local Food Tasting

Bangkok

A must do for a first time traveler to Thailand!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Romantic Manohra Dinner Cruise

Bangkok

We loved this dinner cruise. Highly recommend for a romantic evening. The food was amazing!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Chiang Mai by tuk tuk

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

Our guide, Ying, was so interesting and we enjoyed touring the city with her.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Baan Chang Elephant Park - Half day joining tour

Chiang Mai

We really enjoyed our time with the elephants. You will get wet if bathing the elephants in the water, but that was part of. the fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A memorable Romantic Dinner on the Beach (Arranged by the resort)

Thailand

Amazing food and memorable dinner on the beach with a beautiful sunset. Couldn't have asked for more!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoa was amazing at putting things together and was very prompt with everything. We did not provide much time to plan and had a great trip. One thing I would change would be the Thailand party if the trip. It would've been good to spend more time in Bangkok and only a few hours exploring the temples in Ayutthaya before heading through to Khao Yi. This was more our personal preference but realised we didn't provide much when we signed up. But my cousin and I agreed how great Hoa did with everything and we were very happy

My wife and I had an amazing two weeks in Thailand! Huge thanks to Hoa for putting together a smooth, well-balanced itinerary that made everything effortless. Pom, our Bangkok guide, was fantastic — energetic, knowledgeable, and really helped us get the most out of the city. Bammie, our Chiang Mai guide, was also excellent — friendly, attentive, and made the experience feel special. We also had a great time in Ko Yao Noi and Phuket; the beaches were incredible. Overall this was one of the best trips we’ve ever taken, and we highly recommend this team for anyone planning a Thailand trip.

We booked our honeymoon through KimKim to Thailand and had an amazing experience every step of the way. First we went to Chiang Mai and met our tour guide Bam. Our hotel Bella Nara was a fantastic stay with an absolutely delicious breakfast (Our favorite of the entire trip). We had a fantastic time going to the Araksa Tea Garden and getting a tour of the Silver Temple. She also brought us to the silver smith and we got to learn to engrave some aluminum keychains. We also went to the Elephant Jungle sanctuary and got to work with the elephants there.

Next we went to Bangkok and met our tour guide Mr. Tawee. Our favorite part was the Hidden Local Beliefs tour led by Scotty. He taught us all about Buddhism from a very personal level and took us to some amazing temples both on and off the beaten path. TIngly cooking school and the night street food tour were both amazing adventures as well.

After that we flew to Cambodia, specifically to Siem Reap. Seeing the beautiful countryside as well as the ancient temples was breathtaking. The floating village and sunset boat tour on Tonle Sap lake was a fantastic end to our day. Sorphorn was extremely knowledgeable and helpful with recommending places to eat.

Finally our travels brought us to Phuket. We went on the John Gray's sea canoe trip and got to see some amazing islands and lagoons, as well as going into the caves and seeing bio-luminescent plankton. The crew on the Phi Phi Sunrise and Maya Bay by Simba tour were fantastic as well. It was a little hard for a first time snorkeler, but someone more experienced would have a great time.

Overall our planning with KimKim made the entire trip a breeze, and their execution was nearly flawless. Kien was with us every step of the way, and listened to all of our wants and needs. We highly recommend the service, and will be planning with them again.

Activity Reviews

Araksa Tea Experience & Adventure at Sri Lanna National Park

Chiang Mai

We had an incredible time picking and learning about tea. Tasting the teas was delicious and the guides were very informative. The national park was gorgeous and we had an amazing time at the waterfall.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Finding The Lost Angkor Temples - Lunch at Srah Srang Village House

Siem Reap

Absolutely stunning experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

We loved the place they took us for lunch. Getting to eat a traditional Cambodian meal in the home restaurant was amazing.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Elephant Jungle Sanctuary (Morning session)

Chiang Mai

Possibly the favorite part of the trip. Kind of wish we could've spent the whole day with the elephants.

Chiang Mai Culture & Arts

Chiang Mai

Bam gave us a personal experience of the city and we had a great time on this tour. We loved making the aluminum engravings and learning about the traditions and history of Chiang Mai.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Street Food Tour After Dark by Tuk Tuk

Bangkok

Tried lots of delicious foods, including soy sauce ice cream!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Countryside Adventure by Quad Biking

Siem Reap

We were able to see the beautiful landscape and countryside of Siem Reap. Our guide was personable and informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hidden Local Beliefs

Bangkok

Scotty was an incredible guide. Highly recommend him! We loved getting to learn about the practice of Buddhism and local beliefs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport