What an incredible trip...!
Thailand
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Nov 8 - Nov 26, 2025
We had incredible guides who absolutely made this trip, but the two we had the longest really stand out - Naa, and then Nui. Their English was excellent and they were more than willing to share experiences and answer questions. They took us places that we never would have found on our own. Not only were they lovely people but they were very knowledgeable about the history and architecture - two of our favourite topics!
The planning with George, the many phones calls and emails, meant we had a trip really tailored to our interests. The fact that Kim Kim asked questions and had us fill out a survey helped me zero in on what we wanted. Plus I had done a ton of research. Once he found out what our interests were, George made additional suggestions for places we hadn’t thought of that ended up being standouts - Kanchanaburi and Erawan Falls, the cooking class in Chiang Mai, the food tour in Bangkok, the hike in Op Luong National Park, the canal tour in Bangkok and the dinner reservations at B Samcook in Chiang Mai (possibly the best meal we have ever had!) and the dinner cruise in Bangkok.
Honestly, there was not one single experience that we had on this trip where we were even remotely disappointed or felt let down. We ended every day saying ‘wow what an incredible day’. I’ve travelled enough to know how unusual that is!
Hotel Reviews
Great location, lovely rooms, very pleasant staff! Buffet breakfast was also great.
The family that runs this hotel is beyond delightful! So kind and helpful, offering great service. I think it might be hard to stay here if you didn’t have transportation but we did. The pool was lovely and the room very comfortable. A lovely breakfast and beautiful grounds!
Absolutely stunning hotel! Pool area was gorgeous and our room was beautiful! Great breakfast too.
Such a unique location - on the river. The room was unbelievable - and the views from our porch, especially as the sun set with the lights twinkling was beautiful. Lovely restaurant too - good breaky and dinner.
Loved the location of this hotel. We were in the old town so the area was fascinating to walk around. All felt very authentic. We could walk to the river to catch the public transport boat and tons of restaurants around.
Activity Reviews
Such a great day!!! The staff was incredible - funny, entertaining and taught us a lot about Thai food! And it was all delicious!
This was a beautiful hike up to Wat Pha Lat and also one of our favourite temples. It was just so beautiful and in such a serene, nature-filled spot. We drove the rest of the way up Doi Suthep but were really glad we had hiked the first part.
We really enjoyed the hike through the rice fields and into the areas with the village tribes. It was beautiful and really interesting.
Probably the best meal we have ever had! And the chef was incredibly personable and interesting, spending time with every table!
Great place to hike, with some stunning views once we got to the top. You do the actual hike with a guide from the national park, which we were grateful for!
The highlight of this evening was definitely the temple visits. Our guide, Tuk, was really knowledgeable about the history of the temples and also the cultural and religious aspects of Buddhism. She was so interesting! And also answered our many questions! We then had a meal together at the market and it was like chatting with a friend!
Another awesome hike! Our guide, Nui, suggested we hike all the way up and then, on the way down, stop and swim at the various waterfalls and it was definitely the way to do it. The various falls are all really pretty and being able to jump in and swim, with fish nibbling your toes, was quite delightful! And we saw monkeys!!!
Another amazing meal with the incredible backdrop of the river and its monuments all lit up. This was by far our most expensive meal but the food was delicious and honestly, the views made it really special. It was a wonderful night!
This was an absolute highlight! 17 food stalls in 3.5 hours! Against the fascinating backdrop of Bangkok’s Chinatown. The food was delicious and the atmosphere electric! Highly recommend!
Wat Phra That was probably our favourite temple. A beautiful hike up and then there it was - nestled among the trees by a river. Nothing ostentatious- but surrounded by nature. Beautiful in its simplicity! Doi Suthep Temple is grand! It was our first big temple and so ornate! Beautiful view of Chiang Mai and many little tidbits of history and culture.
This was our first day of seeing ruins of some of the Ancient capitals of Siam/Thailand. Again our guide Naa, was super knowledgeable. I am a history lover and was either listening intently to her talk or peppering her with questions the whole time. So interesting! From the clay ovens at the beginning to the ruins themselves. And riding bicycles around was brilliant! Allowed us to go at our own pace and stop wherever we wanted.
I didn’t know very much about Kanchanaburi, the Death Railway or its history, but I am so incredibly glad that this got included. This was a suggestion by George, our Kim Kim Thailand expert. It was a fascinating dive into a part of WW2 history and was also incredibly moving. The cemetery and the museum were very well organized and explained a lot about the events. And then to board the train and actually travel a section of the railway - was incredible! And this is not a tourist train - this is a real train with wooden seats and so much character that travels part of the same route as the Death Railway. At one point, because of a bend, you can actually see one of the trestle railway bridges that had been originally built by the prisoners.
Hellfire Pass was really beautiful countryside but also a really moving piece of history. Walking down along the actual railed and seeing the cliffs of rock that prisoners had been forced to dig through… Plus many prisoners’ families have left motes and pictures so there was a really personal touch.
What a place! If you get a chance to stay here - do it! A beautiful, serene, and truly unique spot! And the boat ride getting to and from was a blast!
This was another really unique experience! And Nui made it even better by having us try all kinds of different foods in the market itself. The boat trip through the river and canals was so interesting - really allowed us to see another part of Thai culture.
