Kimkim Trip Reviews

Our trip went like clockwork. Everything was ready when it was supposed to be. All drivers, guides, & boats were on time. Matt did a great job in planning the trip & selected knowledgeable guides. Takal was the highlight of the trip.
We would recommend Kimkim to anyone who needs help in ensuring the best places to visit & stay.Everything is taken care of. There is plenty of free time to explore on your own

The trip was very good. The accommodations, with one exception, were excellent. The itinerary was also very good. Our guide, Aruna, was outstanding. He was very knowledgeable about all of the places visited. Furthermore, he was very good at identifying birds which was of interest to us. He was also flexible regarding the schedule. An example, we arrived early into Colombo and to our hotel at the Heritance Kandala (excellent hotel!!). By the time we checked in we we had a few hours free so we went to the Dambulla caves instead of visiting them on the way to Kandy. Visiting them on the way to Kandy would not have provided enough time as the drive to Kandy is long. The only hitch in the itinerary was the day in Kandy. We did not attend a puja at the temple of the tooth which we now realize was something that we should have done. We visited the temple of the tooth but a puja would have made the visit better. In Kandy the hotel was too far outside the city. A very nice place but it would have been better to be in the center so that we would have wandered around the city a bit. The stop at the Gem museum in Kandy was not good. We understood that it was an attempt to sell us jewelry which is o.k but, unfortunately, the mineral displays were very week. Not much to see except what was for sale. At least the spice stop was interesting. We were glad the our train tickets were 2nd class so that we could open the windows. Our walking tour of Galle by Aruna was very good. We are glad that we did not do any of the optional activities because Galle was a nice place to just wander around. All in all an excellent trip with an excellent guide.

Hotel Reviews

Taru Villas Rampart Street

Galle

Excellent location. Hotel was a former villa with a nice swimming pool. Great staff. Well decorated and very comfortable rooms with 4-poster bed and mosquito net. Very good breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Set in a former villa so very authentic

Location

Staff

Very helpful and friendly. Always available.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Broomfield by Jetwing

Nuwara Eliya

Excellent location near Victoria Park. Very good food and interesting a history of the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

History back story of the hotel as a place owned by a former women prime minister

Location

Staff

Very small staff. Efficient and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was a bit small but very comfortable

Heritance Kandalama

Dambulla

Fantastic hotel!!! Great rooms, excellent food and wonderful design and location. Very good staff. The only negative is the very slow and bumpy access road to the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Excellent architecture.

Location

Blends nicely into the hillside. Great views overlooking the lake.

Staff

Very good massage services

Cleanliness & Comfort

SKYLOFT KANDY

Kandy

Good hotel but too far from the center of the city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Nuwara Eliya

Sri Lanka

The train ride from Kandy was excellent. Comfortable and scenic. Good visit to a tea plantation and a nice walk around Victoria park (some excellent birds in the park).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Glad that the staff arranged for second class tickets instead of first class.

Transport

Very fun train ride from Kany to Nuwara Eliya

Tour the Sacred City of Kandy

Sri Lanka

The temple of the tooth was fascinating. However, it would have been better to visit during a puja so that we could also see the temple drumming.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour the Ancient City of Polonnaruwa

Sri Lanka

The 1000 year old ruins of Polonnaruwa were amazing! The extent and qualify of the ruins were surprising. The area is big but all the important sights were accessible by vehicle.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide/drive was very knowledgeable about each site and the birds.

Transport

Very comforable car but the back windows were tinted that did obscure views out of the windows.

Afternoon Safari at Minneriya National Park

Sri Lanka

We actually visited the Hurulu Eco park which is near Minneriya and is a better place to see elephants this time of year. We did have some great views of the elephants and some very good bird sightings. We did get some rain but the open jeeps could be enclosed when it was raining so we stayed dry.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Aruna was very knowledgeable about the birdlife in the part. Our driver was very good at getting good views of the elephants when there were a lot of jeeps all together.

Transport

The open jeeps are good for wildlife viewing and could be enclosed when it rained.

Dambulla Cave Temples

Sri Lanka

It was pouring rain when we were there but that was o.k. because the art is in the caves that are out of the rain. Wonderful Buddhist art...paintings and statues.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Aruna was very knowledgeable about each cave. He also gave us as much time as we wanted to spend at the caves. He also had umbrellas which were useful give the heavy rain.

Transport

Visit the Sigiriya Rock Fortress

Sri Lanka

Very special place but also very crowded. We went mid-morning because the poor weather meant no sunrise but it was still very crowded. The route up was crowded and for those that are afraid of heights or in poor shape something to be avoided. However, even if you don't make the climb to the top the site is a good place to visit. The paintings on the side of the site that are seen on the descent are wonderful. Photos are prohibited of the paintings but the museum does have reproductions that can be photographed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alvaro and Jacquie did an excellent job planning our Galapagos trip. On a video call we discussed what we wanted to see, and more importantly, they suggested a number of activities for our consideration. We added a number of these ideas. The itinerary they planned with transportation, guides and accommodations worked seamlessly. The guides were knowledgeable, personally engaging and gave an in depth understanding of the geology, plant, wildlife and human history of the islands. The were resourceful and allowed us to revise the plan for one outing so all of us could more comfortably complete the hike. Highlights were the giant turtles of Santa Cruz, penguins, Sierra Negro volcano hike, and Kicker Rock snorkeling. Jacquie kept in touch during the trip to ensure all was going well.

Ashley did an outstanding job in putting this trip together. She was very accommodating and attentive when we were doing the initial planning for this trip and was always quick to respond back. I would definitely recommend Ashley as well as utilize her again in the future. All of the tour guides were fantastic. One of the tour guides that stuck out the most was Johnny. His knowledge and personality really made our trip that much more memorable.
Excellent trip overall!

Ashley did an outstanding job creating an itinerary that met our desires for our first trip to Vietnam. We appreciated that there was a lot of back and forth during the planning with questions which were answered promptly and effectively. From the time we arrived in Hanoi until our farewell in Da Nang, everything that was planned was carried out efficiently. Every transfer from airport to hotel, or hotel to boat or airport, happened exactly on schedule. The greatest source of stress in a trip is transfers, especially when in a country that is not familiar. KimKim (Realistic Asia) arranged everything for us, selecting local tour companies, and all went smoothly. The greatest joy of travel is to be immersed in the culture of the destination. The guides that KimKim selected for our trip were excellent and exceeded our high expectations. We were met in Hanoi Airport by Haley , who met our delayed flight with a smile and delivered us by private vehicle to Hanoi Pearl Hotel. Along the way, she helped introduce us the ways of Hanoi. Our first morning in Hanoi, we had a free day, and found a cooking class on our own. The next day, we were met by Sunny, a guide with Realistic Asia, who conducted a private tour of the Hanoi country side and farms by a 1970 Russian jeep. Ashley suggested the Water Puppet show, which was excellent. The following day, we were met by Dat, a guide of Realistic Asia, and his driver, for our trip to Ha Long Bay, first for the scenic seaplane flight (recommended by Ashley), then we boarded the Orchid Trendy cruise ship for an overnight trip to the bay and the caves at Cat Ba Island. Dat met us upon our return for a drive back to Hanoi Airport. Since we had time before our flight, Dat offered to show us an interest of our choice. We chose the Museum of Ethnology, an amazing place to learn of the 53 ethnic groups of Vietnam. Dat provided in-depth information, better than a museum tour guide. He then delivered us to Hanoi airport for our flight to Hue, where we were met by Trinh, of Realistic Asia, and her driver, who delivered us to the Pilgrimage Village resort, outside of the city. The next morning, Trinh guided us around the Citadel, the Imperial Palace the back streets of Hue, and a river tour on a Dragon Boat. That evening, we were dinner guests at Ngoc Son Residency, a special place that is not available outside of KimKim/Realistic Asia. The next day, we were met by Laura (Phuc) of Realistic Asia for our drive to Hoi An, where we spent the afternoon touring the city on foot. The next day, we enjoyed a private Vespa tour of the country side with Vespa Adventures, suggested by Ashley. In the evening, we attended the Teh Dar show in the Bamboo Theater, suggested by Ashley. It was an amazing acrobatic and musical depiction of tribal highland Vietnam birth, life and death. On our last day, the driver delivered us to Da Nang airport, where our KimKim tour was finished. In summary, KimKim/Ashley did an excellent job planning our trip, and procured the guide services that provided guides that were outstanding in every way. They adapted their tours around our requests wherever possible. They spoke excellent English, and we thoroughly enjoyed their company, in addition to their knowledge of the culture, food, and history of Vietnam overall, and specifically the locale that we experienced. The suggested extra experiences (water puppets, scenic plane, Ngoc Son dinner, Teh Dar show) added to our unique experience. We would not have been immersed in Vietnam as thoroughly as we were, if not for Ashley and KimKim. Thank you.

Overall, we had an amazing trip! Jon did a great job planning it but was not still with the company when we actually left for the trip. Along those lines, there were a few issues with the vendors not having our contact information. This caused problems a few times as they needed to get in touch with us in a timely manner and were trying to reach Jon who was no longer with the company. So that could have been handled better. Almost all the tours were great! We did not enjoy the Daintree Rainforest tour at all. It was a very long 11 hour day and about 9 of those hours were on a bus. Do not recommend. We ended up forfeiting our $600 rental car as we did not bring our drivers licenses. This was definitely largely on us but we had just travelled through ireland for 9 days and picking up our car there with a passport so it didn’t really cross our minds. Definitely need to let clients know this ahead of time. I appreciate that the team was able to get us on buses instead and honestly, I wish we had just done buses all along and not bothered with trying to drive ourselves. The hotels were great and our itinerary definitely included the highlights of each location which was wonderful! For a 6 week trip it was pretty amazing how smoothly it went!

Vicky’s support and assistance throughout our trip were truly appreciated. Initially, there was some miscommunication, but she quickly understood our requirements and booked the best trip ever. We particularly enjoyed how she presented us with new options to experience New Zealand more fully. The detailed updates and information she provided were invaluable in ensuring we had a wonderful time.

All the hotels booked were amazing, except for the QT in Auckland. Their service was lacking, and the room was hardly cleaned. Additionally, there was no buffet option for breakfast, which was disappointing. However, the tour groups and guides were exceptional, except for the last Wanaka tour group. We felt they could have included a visit to the lavender fields. Despite these minor issues, we thoroughly enjoyed our trip.

Furthermore, during one of our trips, it was canceled. However, Vicky was incredibly quick to arrange another tour group so that we wouldn’t miss out on the tour. We were truly grateful for this wonderful support. Thank you, Vicky!

We highly recommend Vicky and the Kim Kim team to anyone planning a trip to New Zealand. You are the best!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel St. Moritz

Queenstown

Authenticity & Character

Location

It’s up hill and very difficult to walkin especially for aged ppl.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Hermitage Hotel

Mount Cook Village

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sudima

Christchurch

We loved the thoughtful design of the room, especially the addition of a complete kitchen unit, which was perfect for travelers wanting to prepare their own meals. It truly added to the comfort of our stay. The staff, apart from the initial experience at check-in, were generally welcoming and helpful, which we really appreciated.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It’s quite far from downtown

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

QT Auckland

Auckland

During our recent stay, we encountered a few disappointing experiences. Firstly, the front desk staff, particularly Alex, was quite unwelcoming and came across as dismissive. His tone and manner of assistance felt biased, which was uncomfortable. Additionally, our room was not cleaned even after multiple requests. It was dusty, and toiletries were provided only upon request—something unexpected at a 5-star hotel. We were also surprised that water was chargeable. While there are refill stations on each floor, it would have been more thoughtful to provide at least one filled water bottle in the room upon arrival. The breakfast experience was equally underwhelming, with only an à la carte option offering one item and one drink per person. More variety and flexibility would be appreciated. On a positive note, the location is convenient, being close to the CBD, and the room design is quite good. However, given the level of service, it’s difficult to recommend this property.

Authenticity & Character

Room service,breakfast options

Location

Walkable distance to queens st and viaduct

Staff

Could be more considerate and go extra mile with customers request

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms to be cleaned properly so that there is no dust.

Activity Reviews

Kaikoura Day Trip From Christchurch with Whale Watch (Small Group & Carbon Neutral)

Christchurch

Steffani our tour guide,driver was amazing she was very nice. The lunch spot was amazing the food was tasty. Liked leisure tour group as the lunch provided was included in the package. Also, she stopped at seal colony for us to see them which was something which is highly recommended

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Christchurch to Kaikoura Whale Watching Day Tour

Christchurch

Steffani our tour guide,driver was amazing she was very nice. The lunch spot was amazing the food was tasty. Liked leisure tour group as the lunch provided was included in the package. Also, she stopped at seal colony for us to see them which was something which is highly recommended.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Highly recommend Stefani she is awesome.

Transport

Hobbiton & Waitomo Caves Tour from Auckland

Auckland

The trip was planned very well the only request is to provide more time for breakfast as 15 mins are not sufficient.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Grant was very good ,he did stop to meet his friend(ostrich’s )on the way😊😊

Transport

Cathedral Cove & Coromandel Small Group Day Tour from Auckland

Auckland

Dave was too good,very knowledgeable and entertaining. I like that cheeky kiwi provide with water bottle n snacks.It would have been great if they included the ice cream tasting from their end.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our visit to Ecuador exceeded our expectations. Alvaro was detailed in his planning and offered options when booking accommodations and activities. Overall, his recommendations were excellent like the Lodge in the Yasuni National Park. I would go back there to visit again. Adres and Mariano, our guides there were very knowledgeable about the Amazonian animals and plants which made the trip exciting and rich.
We would highly recommend visiting Hacienda Zuletta, a beautiful hotel in the Andes. It is set in the mountains with hiking, biking and horseback riding. Also, they make cheese on site which is served with every meal - quite delicious!
The Galapagos surprisingly, while beautiful, were a bit touristy for our taste. However, we enjoyed the Finch Bay Hotel - a luxury hotel on a snorkeling beach.
Alvaro met us at the end of the trip in Quito for a debrief. He is extremely professional and knows the country quite well. I'd recommend him strongly.

Lucy was fabulous. Very attentive and helpful and created a wonderful bespoke trip for us! Would thoroughly recommend

The trip was awesome! Joseph did a great job of creating an itinerary that worked for myself and my 70 year old father. We were overjoyed with the trip of a lifetime!

Hotel Review

Ashnil Mara Camp

Maasai Mara

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Maji Moto Maasai "Olpul" Bush Camp

Maji Moto

This was our favorite activity! Camping out at the Bush Camp after slaughtering a goat was an incredible cultural experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santiago, Chile and Argentina’s Patagonia region is beautiful and we had a wonderful time, but KimKim’s support overall did not meet our expectations for the trip.

Major issues
– Detailed itinerary was not provided to us until we were already at the airport for the trip preventing us from reviewing and possibly identifying issues.
– The car rental was an open pickup truck. While it met the needs of having 4x4 drive and room for 5 adults, having a vehicle where luggage is in an unsecured area opened to the elements should not be offered or explicitly disclosed upfront. We discussed this with Flor at the beginning of the planning and told her we were not interested in having a truck. When we landed in Punta Arenas, with a long drive in front of us and it raining outside, we had to drive 30 minutes the opposite direction into town to find trash bags, which we had to use every time we changed locations throughout the trip.

Minor issues
- We were prepared for travel and had a car rented, but each activity included us to get picked up by a new vendor to drive us to a nearby site which we could have easily done (Repeated in Calafate for the Glacier boat, Chalten for the white water rafting, boat trip in Ushuaia, Penguin visit in Porvenir). We could of easily driven ourselves to these activities and two time these pickups potentially negatively impacted the experience (see below) and probably increased our cost.
- Pickup to Glacier boat ride in Calafate was almost 30 minutes late and as a result we were one of the last people boarding onto the boat and were sat in the worst seats possible (we were facing a wall where most had a window). We could of easily driven ourselves to the activity.
- Penguino National Park visit in Tierra del Fuego: KimKim was aware we were staying in Porvenir the night prior and Ushuaia the next night, and with the penguin exhibit approximately 1.5 hours on the way to Ushuaia, why did we hire a guide that didn’t even go into the exhibit, and was contracted to drive us back in the opposite direction of our day’s itinerary? BTW, the guide was good at sharing history about the region

We enjoyed our time in Chile.
Starting off in Rapa Nui was a great side trip. Particularly going to the volcano where the statues are carved. Valparaiso was another great side trip where we met several artists and purchased their work.
Our self drive though the south and Patagonia was excellent with too many beautiful views and places to mention. Driving was very easy and safe.
Pucon and the area was good but beware of the traffic, it can really slow you down.
San Pedro Atacama was a real highlight and we had a great guide for our stargazing and our mountain tours.
All in all our 3 weeks in Chile was a wonderful trip. All the places in planned by Kim Kim were worth the time and exploration.

We had another wonderful vacation with the help of Kim Kim. We were greeted by Neng for our first tour in Bangkok, and spent the next couple of days with him exploring temples, the floating market, the train market, China Town, and more. Neng shared so much information with us and was so hospitable. He made sure that we were well taken care of!
In Chiang Mai we visited the elephant sanctuary, which was such a fun day! The sanctuary was well organized, clean, and did a great job educating us on the elephants. They also took a to.n of fun pictures for us. We got to make medicine balls for them, feed them, play in the water with them, and give them a mid bath. We then finished the day with a buffet style lunch that was very good. I would highly recommend this elephant sanctuary.
Last we were off to Krabi. Our travel specialist was able to make a last minute change to our itinerary and add in a cooking class. We had so much fun and ate so much food!
Our Thailand vacation was amazing, and I am so grateful for the help of Ashley from Kim Kim for her work on all of the logistics to make sure that everything went seamlessly. She was quick to respond if issues arose, and made sure that the team handled things quickly.

Hotel Reviews

Panan Krabi Resort

Krabi

This hotel was amazing! It was extremely clean, we had a beautiful view of the ocean from our balcony, a great pool area (multiple pools), a delicious and very large breakfast buffet, and was in the perfect location. The staff were also extremely kind and welcoming. I would highly recommend this hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Not a lot of character, but it’s a resort and beautiful.

Location

Close to the beach and all the shops/restaurants, but tucked back down a short alley so it was quiet.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rimping Village Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai

Staff were extremely friendly. They had a very nice pool area, and it was nice that they provided welcome drinks and daily afternoon snacks. The location was a bit off the beaten path so it was quiet, but a short 10 minute walk across the bridge to a more touristy area with tons of shops and restaurants. We got to enjoy local street food which was delicious. The beds were quite firm, but not horrible.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Silom Serene Hotel

Bangkok

Staff were extremely friendly. The hotel was very clean and was located in a very safe area close to a lot of shopping and food. The breakfast was good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

One-hour Aromatherapy Hot Oil Massage at Oasis Spa Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai

The spa was very nice and the massage was relaxing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half day Chiang Mai Elephant Jungle Sanctuary - Join tour

Chiang Mai

One of my favorite days in Thailand! The sanctuary was well organized, clean, and the guides were engaging, funny, and knowledgeable. We were able to interact with the elephants so much, creating amazing memories. Would highly recommend this activity!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening Wat Umong Temple and Chiang Mai City by night

Chiang Mai

This was our least favorite tour. Our guide didn’t do a great job explaining things to us. It was beautiful, but wouldn’t do it again.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maeklong Railway Market and Damnoen Saduak floating market - Half-day

Bangkok

Such a unique and fun experience to do both of the markets. Many made sure we got time to fully experience both markets and we had time to shop and snack on delicious food/smoothies.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bangkok evening street food tour

Bangkok

Neng took us to a variety of places and was able to suggest things that we had never heard of. Was such a fun evening, and loved that we ended it with a tuk tuk ride back to the hotel.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half day combined Grand Palace Temples city tour

Bangkok

We learned so much. Was a great way to start our trip in Thailand.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

On time, safe, water available.

Tamer with KimKim planned an amazing trip to Quito, Mindo Rainforest, Amazon Basin and Galapagos !! It was a trip of a lifetime! He was so helpful planning the trip and answering all our questions. Everything went smoothly from beginning to end and he kept in touch the whole time we were there.
The guides for each part of our trip, Sebastion in Quito and Mindo, Pedro in at Napo Wildlife Center in Yasuni NP, and Carlos in the Galapagos were incredible and added so much to our experience. They had so much knowledge about the country, culture, and areas we visited.
The amount of wildlife and plants we saw were amazing! Caymans, giant river otters, monkeys, sloth, so many birds everywhere, bats, sea lions, penguins, sharks, rays, turtles, tortoises, frigate birds, iguanas and red and blue footed boobies...
The food, accommodations, and people on the Galapagos Endemic ship were awesome!
We highly recommend KimKim! Thank you for helping us create such beautiful memories!

This trip with my sister was the exact balance of structure and freedom. I am in the process of booking another trip with KimKim because of the professionalism and ability to treat me/my sister as human beings and not just business partners.

I would highly recommend this company and specifically Sienna who helped my sister and I enjoy one of the most unforgettable vacations in Greece.

Next up is Normandy France.

Hotel Review

Chania Inn

Chania

Authenticity & Character

I still cannot believe how awesome this was and for the price

Location

Awesome

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Imbros Gorge Hiking Day Trip

Chania

The Gorge was great. The bus ride and pickup process was weird

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the South Beaches of Crete from Chania

Chania

Self-Guided Chania Old Town Walk

Chania

Winery Dinner Under the Stars Experience

Chania

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I’m

Transport

Ancient Athens Acropolis & Mythology Walk

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self-Guided Neighborhoods Walk

Athens

Quality of Experience

We went to Costa Rica for a combination of chill time along with wildlife.

Holden and team did a nice job with that balance, planned activities with enough 'chill' time so we never felt especially rushed.

I really appreciated that they assigned a person, Wilman, that we were in contact with on a almost daily basis via what's app. He helped us a number of times (including my wife got sick and we thought she might need to see someone. . It turns out she was fine but Wilman was useful in researching our options if we had needed it), he also checked in every day or so to make sure we knew what was next (and in a few cases alerting us to a change in plans due to weather).

Overall our trip was great. We really enjoyed good weather, had fun beach time and saw a ton of animals.

Hotel Reviews

Tirimbina Rainforest Lodge

Sarapiquí

It's a pretty basic place in the middle of the rainforest (which, I guess makes it sort of exceptional in a lot of ways). This is a less touristy area and your choices are more limited. We rather enjoyed our stay with a patio outside and howler monkeys screaming in the morning. The rooms are, I guess you would say "Functional", and the restaurant area is sort of basic but you don't come here for the 5 start accommodations so it's fine.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience

San Carlos, Alajuela

This place is a resort style -- they have really nice grounds and that are well managed with plenty of tropical plants and a pretty active bird population who live there. Our unit had a private plunge pool heated by the thermal activity which was super nice -- we used it twice a day to relax (it was a really nice upgrade)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Bosque del Mar

Playa Hermosa

Amazing location that is right on the beach. Rooms were spacious but they kind of looked into each other (Our balcony was sort of looking into someones bedroom) -- Not a problem as such but just worth noting. The beach access is amazing though, don't bother with the breakfast ($60 per person for a buffet!?) -- we went to a local place or just up to the market to get some staples. The bar was nice for lunch/dinner though and reasonable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

Great views, nice rooms, nice restaurant & bar area with amazing sunsets over the pacific ocean (or, depending on the weather you can watch clouds envelop the forest below) It's a bit of adventure to get here (windy roads that with lots of potholes) but it's worth it once you arrive!

Poas Volcano Lodge

Vara Blanca

This is a cool, kind of funky place. We were only there one night (which is probably about as much time as you'll want to spend.. it was cold!) but enjoyed it. If you go read the history of this place... it's pretty interesting.

Aguas Claras

Puerto Viejo

Oh my god -- It is a bit of Heavanin an otherwise busy area with a semi-private beach and amazing service. Huge rooms with outdoor showers, yes!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Night Excursion in Rainforest and Wild Frog Sanctuary

Arenal/La Fortuna

I love night walks and this was no exception - -- Pretty much all we saw were frogs but that is OK since there are a lot of fun frogs to spot.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

The reserve only let's in a limited number of people (200?) but we were in the guided group so we got in easily. We had to get there early to check in and they bus you to the reserved (maybe a 5 minute drive). The guide did is good job of describing the wildlife and was good at showing us flora and fauna.

Privately Guided Naturalist Hike at La Selva Biological Station

Sarapiquí

This is an all day session with guides who are experienced. We had a private tour and the guide had an apprentice who was in training so four of us total. He really had a good understanding of the wildlife and was great at finding them with his monucular.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Horseback Riding to the Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

we enjoyed the riding and the horses and gear were well cared for. The hike down to the waterfall is steep (but doable) -- I would suggest you bring a pair of water shoes if you want to cross the river.

Morning Sailing and Snorkeling Adventure

Costa Rica

A super chill day on a boat with some swimming and cave exploring.

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

There are a lot of coffee/chocalte tours and I thought it would be sort of forumalic but our tour guide was really good energy and it was fun to do the tour (even though it's a bit touresty it didn't feel like it) The place had an amazing set of wild birds who were flying around which was also a lot of fun. We were two adults and had a blast but you could bring even young kids and I think they would enjoy themselves.

Countryside Horseback Ride

Monteverde

This is a real farm -- you drive up and there are dogs, random chickens and donkeys walking around and the folks who work there are basically the farmers -- only a few spoke English but it was a really fun experience. The day we went was spectacular as we tromped through the cloud forest with the dogs running with us and we even got to see them manage some cattle (with the dogs) at one point as they were blocking the way. Yummy snack at the end for a really authentic experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kayak Adventure & Rainforest Hike in Punta Uva

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Amazing kayak on the river.. It's a super slow river (almost a lake!) so it doesn't take much effort to Kayak either direction - It is also popular for kayaking so there were other people but it really wansn't too crowded. We saw sloths, alligators, a lot of turtles, bats, birds. After the Kayak the guide took us on a short hike (probably about 45 minutes) -- I was initially thinking we could probably skip the walk but I'm glad I didn't -- a ton more wildlife and some really nice views so well worth it.

Arenal Volcano & 1968 Reserve Guided Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Of all of this things we did on our two week trip this was, by far, the most disappointing. You go up to an area and walk among the old lava flow but it's not really that remarkable(?) -- it's a rocky terrain with plants that are growing back (to the extent that it's hard to notice it was a lava flow in 1968 -- that is sort of interesting in how fast the plants have come back) then you walk back around a somewhat unremarkable lake. This was also the largest group thing we did (maybe 30 people -- they had two guides so maybe ~15 people per guide) but even if it had been private it would have been pretty unremarkable. The guide told us he's only seen the volcano clearly twice -- He's probably been doing it for at least 1 year (probably 2) so.. yea.....

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

KimKim did an incredible job planning our trip. Their communication was excellent. When we wanted to change something at the last minute, they got it done. Fast! I will absolutely use their services again and will tell others to use them too. Shout out to Jacquie and Alvaro! Thank you both so much for showing us the best parts of the Galapagos!! ❤️

I had an amazing experience with all the touring. Our tour guides are very accommodating and most are on time. They respected our time and they made sure to take a photo of us, I’m guessing this is a proof that we got picked up and dropped off 😊
The only comment and recommendation I have for the tour is to let the travelers know that there are shops in the tour area and that cash must to have as there is no ATM machine or use of credit cards available in the tour area/ destination.
Overall the tour is phenomenally beautiful.

Through no fault of our planner, Paula, planning with three tavlers can be unweildly at times and arduous at best. She did well to manage the circus but spotty miscommunication had its challenges on both sides.

Once arriving at each location, mind you we had 5 intracontinental flights, pick up for hotel transport was easy, flawless, classy and often filled with city tips and history by our drivers.

Hotels were all amazing. 4.5-5 star. Great views of lakes, oceans or harbours, and amazing included breakfast buffets. Locales allowed for dining and shopping ease.

The itinerary was chalk full of each locations showcased must sees.

All our guides were professional, articulate and experts at their craft. Their delivery, authentic and genuine. A couple, also validated our next activities, going forward, saying that they were choice selections.

We found enough spare time to chill or create our own town, cultural or shopping experience.

The Intercontinental Sydney provided stunning views of the Harbour Bridge (whuch I climbed),and Opera House, ( which we attended La Traviata). Both were personally pre arranged by us.

The trip was so amazing and super memorable. A couple of things were weather deterred, cancelled or unviewable
but it did not dampen our efforts to see, alter or be flexible to a shift or just enjoy the moments and places we were visiting.

Each city,... not a bad meal or glass of wine.
Thank Paula, Mahalo for the great guidance and high level of activies. We appreciate the private transport, small group activities and the activities that were of high quality.

Hotel Reviews

Crystalbrook Flynn

Cairns

Ocean view. Great rooms

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

InterContinental Sydney by IHG

Sydney

Amazing 5 star hotel. You felt it in every aspect. Service, view food and rooms. I'd stay there again fir sure.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to opera house, botanical garden and Harbour Bridge.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scenic Suites Queenstown

Queenstown

Little quirky layout. One area for 4 elevators and long walk to our room

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Could do laundry. That was a plus

M Social

Auckland

Great location and view. Very modern

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to ferry and restaurants

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Silverswift Cruise - Snorkel Great Barrier Reef From Terminal

Australia

Unfortunately it was cancelled due to weather. The 1 start rating is in no way indicative of the experience. We had none, but we were refunded. All good. We went to the Aquarium, lunch and shopped instead.

Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney

So educational and worth an easy hour of your time. Behind the scenes of the structure and it's history

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Wilderness Safari - Jetboat

Queenstown (NZ)

Exhilarating. Great joyride with outstanding views. Should not be missed

Quality of Experience

9th

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The ride out and back let's you see more of the lake and countryside

Full Day Milford Sound Glass Roof Van/CruiseVan

Queenstown (NZ)

Epic. Our bus driver was flawless. Beautiful country. We opted, on our own, to fly back to Queenstown. Best choice. The experience in the 10 seater cessna was priceless.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Skyline Gondola Ride

Queenstown (NZ)

Great vistas but we had to buy three luge tickets minumum when only I wanted to do it in my group. We ended up not doing the luge

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Flavours of Our City (Shared Small Group Walking Tour)

Auckland

Our guide was authentic and entertaining. The foods were perfect. We enjoyed ourselves. Great set up.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Michael Gold with KimKim organized a very personalized itinerary for us. He was always available on Whats App when we had questions. We experienced a nice variety of experiences in Columbia and had quick and easy transfers between the activities. We felt very safe and welcome in the country. The guides all spoke English and were knowledgeable and helpful at all times.

Hotel Reviews

GHL Hotel Armería Real

Cartagena

Nice location where we could walk through the Getsemani area and also the old historical district. The staff was very helpful. Pool on roof was refreshing and had a great view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chiniuu

When we arrived we didn't like our room and the staff upgraded us to nice room on the second story with a beautiful room with a view of the beach and two swim pools. The hotel was advertised as 4 star but we felt it was more like a 3 star. The wifi didn't work unless we walked over to the restaurant. At one point we were locked in the room for over an hour because of old locks. The staff was kind and did their best and actually changed out the lock that same day and even provided us with a free dinner which was one of the best dinners we had on the whole trip. The restaurant was slow but the food was amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Senda Koguiwa

Santa Marta

A beautiful hotel with very nice landscaping and swim pool. Big clean room. Nice restaurant next to the pool.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Movich Casa del Alferez

Cali

Modern hotel with nice restaurant. It was a nice retreat in the middle of our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Homestay in Silvia

An interesting stay with a local couple in their home. Clean and comfortable room. Hostess Vivi was super kind and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Camino Real

The staff was helpful in moving us to an inside courtyard room which was quieter. Great old building right next to the downtown plaza.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Finca El Maco

San Agustin

We stayed in the Tiki hut which was fun. Outdoor shower with tropical flowers and bird sounds was fun. Restaurant on sight was good. Not close to town though.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel De La Opera

Bogotá

Great location! Nice rooms in historical building. Friendly and helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Social Dinner-Experience: Colombian Food

Bogotá

A highlight of the trip. We were a little concerned about what was going on the drive and the arrival at an apartment building. Once we got into the apartment we were treated to a very special dinner made by two cooks and a kind hostess. It was fun getting to see a modern apartment in Bogota suburbs. The hostess was very helpful and told us about the local fruit and vegetable market which we visited the next day on our own.

Quality of Experience

Food

Excellent!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bogotá Walking Tour

Bogotá

There was confusion and miscommunication several times on the tour where we didn't understand what was included and what we really wanted and expected. At the end we felt disappointed we didn't get more history of Bogota and Columbia.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Salt Cathedral at Zipaquira

Colombia

We wished we had skipped this activity because it took so much time to drive their and back.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport