Doris is an excellent in-country guide for Vietnam
Vietnam
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Mar 18 - Apr 2, 2026
We started working with Doris over a year before our trip and had to postpone until March 2026 due to family illness. Doris told us no-problem and picked up our trip planning as soon as we were able to travel - and she did a FANTASTIC job for us! Our trip was very active with many different cities, flights, hotels, and activities - everything was flawlessly organized. Using an in-country expert makes a huge difference as we wouldn't have had the expertise or contacts to organize the trip. Our hotels, while not chain's known to us were all very nice - much cleaner and more luxurious than an average US Marriottt. The food was equally high quality and the service outstanding - warm and welcoming. Our tour guides - 3 of them during the trip - were all knowledgeable and eager to assist us and to showcase their home region. Transportation was easy with a dedicated driver in clean and safe vehicles always available to maneuver chaotic streets carefully and calmly. It's really nice to come off a 14-hour flight and have someone with a sign waiting for you to help with your bags and take you to your hotel! Overall, I can't say enough good things about Doris and about KimKim. I highly recommend both!
Hotel Reviews
Cool hotel in a chaotic part of Hanoi. Near train street. Very clean with great service and food.
very nice room. we would have liked to "cruise" more as we were mostly anchored in the bay but overall enjoyed it very much. Food and service were excellent.
Clean beautiful rooms in a resort environment. Pool area was quite busy but overall experience was very nice.
Very nice rooms and good location. Close enough to walk into town but not right in the middle of the madness.
Activity Reviews
The day trip to the Thuy Bieu EcoVillage was probably our least favorite activity. While it was nice to experience more of the local area, we felt like it took us away from the relaxing atmosphere of Ha Long Bay. We would have preferred to spend more time on the cruise enjoying the scenery rather than packing our itinerary with more activities.
The trip from Hanoi to Ninh Binh, including the Hoa Lu Ancient Capital and the Tam Coc Boat Trip, was a beautiful experience. The long drive was a bit tiring, but the spectacular scenery on the boat trip made it worthwhile. Despite the hectic travel, we appreciated the chance to see such a stunning part of Vietnam.