Footprint Travel

We loved our trip to Vietnam! Before the trip, I was worried because we were a large and rowdy group of 12 people. Some of us had physical limitations due to health conditions, and the flight tickets we’d managed to book only allowed us 9 days in Vietnam to explore from the North to the South of the country. In other words, this trip promised to be very packed and complicated logistically.

Nevertheless, Camellia worked a long time with us to meticulously build our dream itinerary. She listened to our suggestions, answered our questions promptly and booked everything, and our vacation went smoothly. Our 3 guides were welcoming, patient and understanding. They did everything to accommodate us, allowing us to make the most of our short time in the cities we visited. They were also very attentive to the mood of the group, anticipating our needs/preferences and occasionally proposing welcome adjustments to the planned itinerary.

In Hanoi, Cuong reorganized our schedule so that each of us could do what we enjoyed even if we had diverging interests. For instance, he took some of us back to the hotel to have massages and take a much needed rest from the heat, while those who still had energy went on with him to the Women’s Museum. Cuong also stayed longer after our food tour ended to accompany some of us to shops we had looked up online and absolutely wanted to visit. These local shops were small, and in the labyrinth of Hanoi, we never would have been able to find them on our own.

Next, Tay, a family father who enjoys traveling and learning foreign languages, took us to discover the beauty of his hometown Hue, followed by the picturesque city of Hoi An. My personal highlight was biking in the rural area in Hue under the clear blue sky, surrounded by the perfume of rice fields. When some of us got tired during the bike ride, Tay immediately hailed motorcycle rides for those who needed it. Additionally, the heat and humidity were extreme there at the time, so Tay adjusted the itinerary to take our exhaustion into account and did his best to find cafés/restaurants with good air conditioning.

Finally, our guide John in Ho Chi Minh was on the younger side. A stark contrast from the traditional air of Northern/Central Vietnam, John gave us a fresh perspective on how it was to live in the modern and vibrant scenery of Ho Chi Minh. He was friendly and humorous, and even serenaded us with Vietnamese songs as our small cruise boat drifted down the Mekong Delta. The coconut treats and fruits we tasted at the coconut farm we visited were exquisite! Our departure flight was quite early; John arranged for the hotel to pack us lunchboxes so we wouldn’t go hungry on the way to the airport.

In short, we had a wonderful experience. Vietnam is easily the most beautiful country I have ever visited. The people are hospitable and endearing, and their daily hard work is truly inspiring. Our group originally planned for this to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip, but many of us now wish to return to Vietnam someday. I would definitely recommend Kimkim to anyone looking for an affordable and personalized dream trip in Vietnam. Thanks to the crew who assisted us, we are deeply grateful to you all!

Hotel Reviews

Grand Cititel Hotel

Hanoi

Loved the room, it was spacious, very clean and had all the necessary accommodations. The staff was friendly and helpful, and every morning the breakfast was varied and excellent! The hotel is also very close to the Hoan Kiem park, the Old Quarter, and many of the city's touristic attractions.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hue Ecolodge

Our room was spacious and beautifully decorated. However, there were many ants, and we saw a big cockroach in our room. My family and I are sort of germaphobes, so the cleanliness is one of the first things we look at when rating a hotel. Nevertheless, I believe that people who don't mind bugs and want to have an authentic experience of Hue traditional architecture will love the hotel. It is an Ecolodge after all, and you can see the hotel's efforts to save on energy and reduce waste production. The gardens are breathtaking: we took many pictures there in the morning. The hotel is in a secluded and green area, so you really feel immersed in the laid-back rhythm of life in Hue. Furthermore, the breakfast was excellent: all the food was fresh and tasty. The air conditioning works but isn't very strong (something to keep in mind for people who don't tolerate heat well), but that wasn't a problem for us.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Betel Garden Villas

The hotel is small and divided into bungalows of 2 rooms: a few steps and we could easily get to our friend's rooms. Our room was spacious and clean. We enjoyed the bathroom's practical design, with the sink, toilet and large shower being in the same room but partially separated by walls. The gardens are beautiful and well maintained, and the staff is very welcoming and helpful. The breakfast is à la carte, and is simply delicious (the fried banana pancakes are to die for!). The eating room is open to the outside with transparent glass walls, so you can enjoy the sunlight and scenery as you eat. We loved the warm and intimate atmosphere in the hotel: it felt like living in a small family complex. This was one of our favourite hotels during our stay in Vietnam.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Roseland Sweet Hotel

Ho Chi Minh City

The room is very clean and everything looks new and well maintained, but keep in mind that it can become a bit narrow if you have a lot of luggage (as we did). The hotel's location is practical, as it is within walking distance of many shopping spots like the Vincom Center and Ben Thanh Market. The bellboy and lobby staff were all kind and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hanoi arrival, free at your leisure

Noi Bai International Airport (HAN)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Air-conditioned, spacious and comfortable bus. Cool water bottles were provided. Our driver Tu was very nice.

Hanoi City Tour - Street food tour

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi - Ha Long Bay - Lan Ha Bay welcome on board (Verdure Lotus Cruise)

Ha Long Bay

*La Casta Cruise

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

More cruising on the Lan Ha Bay (Verdure Lotus Cruise) - Fly to Hue

Vietnam

*La Casta Cruise

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hue City Tour, Bike to Rural Villages - Transfer to Hoi An

Hue

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ancient Town Walking with Street Food Tasting - Beach relaxing

Hoi An

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Hoi An – Da Nang – flight to Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A day trip to the fertile Mekong delta, Ben Tre

Ho Chi Minh City

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoi An – Da Nang – flight to Ho Chi Minh City - Half day city tour

Ho Chi Minh City

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great trip ,
we were well taking care of and had a an amazing time , trip was well planned . Thanks to Camilla from Hanoi and the team at KimKim

Our recent trip to Vietnam was truly a memorable and unforgettable experience. The country's culture, beautiful landscapes, and friendly people exceeded our expectations.

I especially want to commend our tour guides: Khong in Hanoi, Tay Nguyen in Hue and Hoi An, and John in Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta. They were all highly professional, knowledgeable, and helped our group of 12 better understand the local culture and way of life.
A special thanks to Tay Nguyen, who went above and beyond for our group in Hue and Hoi An. He was always approachable and ready to help, from recommending local food to finding a tailor shop. He also managed to organize a unique and beautiful sunset boat ride on the Thu Bon river so we could experience the lantern festival in Hoi An, something that wasn't originally on our itinerary. That was truly a magical experience.

Among all the places we visited, I particularly loved the historical cities of Hoi An and Hue. The ancient town of Hoi An, with its traditional houses and local shops, offered a peaceful contrast to the bustling cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. I also thoroughly enjoyed the historical sites, such as the Citadel in Hue and the Temple of Literature in Hanoi.

The only minor drawback was managing the schedule for a large group of 12 with diverse preferences. We had to cut short some historical visits to accommodate other activities like shopping, which was a bit disappointing. For future trips, a smaller group size might be more suitable to ensure everyone can enjoy the planned itinerary fully.

Overall, I highly recommend KimKim for anyone planning a trip to Vietnam. This journey was an incredible experience, and I would gladly recommend it to my friends and family.

Hotel Reviews

Grand Cititel Hotel

Hanoi

Nice and clean hotel The breakfast was really great!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hue Ecolodge

The AirCon was not working very well in our room and it was very hard to sleep at night. There were also ants in our towels. But the proximity of the hotel to nature was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Nature friendly hotel

Staff

The staff had some difficulties to understand English.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Air conditionning

Verdure Lotus Cruises

Very pleasant cruise on the Ha Long Bay! I especially enjoyed the Tai Chi class in the morning of the 2nd day of the cruise. The food was also really great!

Authenticity & Character

Nice way to explore Ha Long Bay

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Betel Garden Villas

Cozy and beautiful hotel in Hoi-An. Very good service by the staff. The bathroom drain in our room was clogged because the water took time to drain. And mosquitoes were sometimes a problem on some night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Blocked drain in the bathroom of our room

Roseland Sweet Hotel

Ho Chi Minh City

Well located hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. Breakfast was great and the staff was very friendly. They even prepared some lunch box for us when we had to leave the hotel early to go to the airport!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very friendly and kind staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hanoi - Ha Long Bay - Lan Ha Bay welcome on board (Verdure Lotus Cruise)

Ha Long Bay

Nice way to explore Ha Long Bay The food was very good and the rooms were comfortable. I really enjoyed the tai chi class on the morning of the second day!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

More cruising on the Lan Ha Bay (Verdure Lotus Cruise) - Fly to Hue

Vietnam

The flight was very short. Hue is a nice and cozy town.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hue City Tour, Bike to Rural Villages - Transfer to Hoi An

Hue

I really like the bike to rural villages activity. Our group was able to meet the local people and get a glimpse of their life. The paper flower making activity was very interesting! I really enjoyed learning about the Citadel too and the last dynasty of emperor in Vietnam.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Tay Nguyen really did a really good job to accomodate the people in our group who didn't know how to ride a bicycle. He also knows a lot of things about his hometown Hue. He helped us better understand Vietnamese culture and local life. He also went above and beyond to satisfy our needs (from helping us find food on our way from the airport to helping us find a tailor shop!)

Transport

Hanoi arrival, free at your leisure

Noi Bai International Airport (HAN)

It was great to learn about the past history of Hanoï and Vietnam through the Temple of Literature and the Women Museum. I learned about Ho Chi Minh and what he did for Vietnam. Our guide Khong was very friendly and helpful. He even learned the name of the 12 persons in our group! He recommended us a good place to taste Hanoï's specialty dish: Bun Cha 😋

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Khong was very friendly and helpful. He even learned the name of the 12 persons in our group! He recommended us a good place to taste Hanoï's specialty dish: Bun Cha 😋

Transport

Hanoi City Tour - Street food tour

Hanoi

Even though the tour was delayed due to some persons in our group wanting to shop, I liked the opportunity to taste authentic Vietnamese food including Bun Cha, Hanoï's specialty dish.

Quality of Experience

Food

I really liked the Bun Cha!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ancient Town Walking with Street Food Tasting - Beach relaxing

Hoi An

Hoi-An was my favorite city of our trip to Vietnam! The city kept its authentic and traditional charm and atmosphere. It is a very peaceful place filled with cozy local shops and interesting monuments. The lantern festival and the sunset on a boat on the Thu-Bon river was magical ! 🤩

Quality of Experience

Hoi-An really has its own special charm and atmosphere.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Tay Nguyen managed to organize a unique and beautiful sunset boat ride on the Thu Bon river so we could experience the lantern festival in Hoi An, something that wasn't originally on our itinerary.

Transport

Bus was comfortable

A day trip to the fertile Mekong delta, Ben Tre

Ho Chi Minh City

It was an interesting experience to navigate on the Mekong river and learn about the local life and culture. The coconut candy shop was full of nice souvenirs. The Sampan tour really brings us close to the water and allows us to see the Mekong through the eyes of the local people.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Hoi An – Da Nang – flight to Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam

There was not a lot of trafic on our way to the airport.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoi An – Da Nang – flight to Ho Chi Minh City - Half day city tour

Ho Chi Minh City

We were not able to complete all the scheduled activities on the tour because some people on our group prefered to shop.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bus was comfortable

Tien Win and Nam were the most amazing guides we ever had! We felt their warmth and pride for their country. We enjoyed every second of our trip and discovered the beauty of Vietnam thru the Kimkim perfect operation .
Minh has been the main player of this trip as I will never been able to pull it off on my own . Thank you Minh for your expertise and promptness in setting up our trip . It was perfect and I will use your services again for our next trip to Japan!

Well co-ordinated, everything flowed really well. The hotels were all excellent.

Mr Nhat (our guide for Hoi An) was truly fantastic l! Overall very well planned trip with a mix of great food, beautiful scenery, city experiences, and rural living cultural experiences.

Hotel Reviews

Peridot Grand Luxury Boutique Hotel

Hanoi

Food, location, and decor are all amazing

Location

The Myst Dong Khoi

Ho Chi Minh City

The food is not as good as the other hotels we stayed at, breakfast buffet is decent, but wouldn’t eat dinner here. The gym is totally inadequate for the size of the hotel

Activity Review

Vespa Adventure: Street food after dark

Ho Chi Minh City

Must do!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall very pleased. Tour guide’s English at times was difficult to understand. Interesting that all our female guides English was excellent. Only glitch was not getting the correct room in Hanoi the first four days we were there. Loved the Vespa tour with Ang, Trevor, and Brian! Too many multi course lunches. Next time we would do lunches all on our own to discover more local food.
Our travel specialist, Minh, was super helpful and listened to all my requests or changes in our itinerary. The accommodations were lovely, clean, quiet with good breakfast buffets.
Thank you Kimkim for taking the worries out of our trip! ❤️ Sincerely Katherine and Rick

Hotel Reviews

Furama Resort Danang

Great location and place to recover from long flights. Excellent rooms and buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right on the water. Lovely views.

Staff

All helpful and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything

Pu Luong Retreat

Thanh Hoa

Such a magical spot. After a long drive up the mountain we were rewarded with an amazing view of the countryside. Looking out on rice fields from our balcony was so mesmerizing.

Authenticity & Character

Nestled on the mountainside it’s a magical spot.

Location

It’s quite a hike to cottage but staff is available to help.

Staff

Welcoming and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa

Quảng Nam

Amazing location just out of town. Quiet beautiful landscaping. Great food.

Authenticity & Character

Room spacious and quiet.

Staff

All staff friendly and kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Senna Hue Hotel

Lovely hotel and grounds. Right in city but room quiet. Delicious food.

Authenticity & Character

Not sure how authentic but it was beautiful and very classy.

Staff

Everyone

Cleanliness & Comfort

Can’t recall.

Hanoi Pearl Hotel

Hanoi

Initially placed in wrong room but manager, Kevin, came to our room to apologize and offer compensation for mix up. We changed to upgraded room. Back now for two nights in Terrace Room-lovely.

Authenticity & Character

Not authentic but great hotel on “quieter” street close to many places of interest.

Staff

They were a the door acknowledging our return or letting us out. Friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hanoi is a busy city. Hanoi Pearl is located on a side street so not as crazy as other streets. Close to the lake and many roof top bars, which are very fun.

Tam Coc Garden Resort

Ninh Binh

Not fair out of Ninh Binh but seems miles away. Small outside sitting area to see countryside. Nice pool area. The best food!

Authenticity & Character

Rices fields outside hotel viewed from restaurant balcony at breakfast mesmerizing.

Staff

Very welcoming and informative. Also make excellent vodka tonics!

Cleanliness & Comfort

View of rice fields from cottage just lovely. Make you exhale.

Renea Cruise

We had larger room with small balcony. The tender was often tied up below our room so fumes were and issue. It was an amazing trip through Ha Long Bay!

Authenticity & Character

Wooden boat, small group, less that 25 people-11 rooms. Kayaking was such a quiet to experience our surroundings. Kenny was the MC of our trip and great at his job.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mattresses need replacing. Have tender boat driver turn off boat when docked next to cruise ship.

Activity Reviews

Da Nang Arrival

Da Nang

Tour guide, Loan, met us outside the airport. Even though our time with her was short she was wonderful about sharing information about DaNang.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loan is great!

Transport

Picked up and dropped off was seamless.

Danang - Marble Mountain - Hoi An

Vietnam

Was amazing to see all the statues.

Hanoi After Dark Street Food on Vespa (Group Tour)

Hanoi

This is a must do. We rode with “ The ride of Your Life” Ang was our guide and Trevor and Brian our drivers. What a blast! Yummy food. Amazing being in the traffic but we felt safe with our drivers. Train street was so fun. Touring around Hanoi on a scooter was great!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to Pu Luong Nature Reserve & Hike

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Too many multi course lunches serving same food. We would have liked to eat at small, non tourist local restaurants. The buffet breakfasts at every hotel were good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Minh was our driver for several days. We communicated with translation app. We was always waiting for us. Tee was our guide for several days in the countryside. He challenged us with a few hikes but it was worth it. Beautiful scenery.

Transport

On time, clean cars, competent drivers.

See Hue Heritages & Local Handicraft Villages

Hue

So interesting hiking from village to village through the rice fields. Incredibly beautiful.

Hidden trails of Pu Luong (Don village)

Pu Luong Nature Reserve

Amazing countryside.

All travel guides were great especially Mimi in Hoi An and John in Saigon. Itinerary was very varied with lots of activities from cooking, cycling, boat trips mixed with history and culture. Great trip.

We were so amazed at the level of service from Camilla and the Kim Kim team! Traveling outside of the country can be very stressful
But the Kim Kim team was with us every step of the way. Every driver was on time and every guide that was provided was amazing! We will definitely use Kim Kim again ! Thank you so much!