Kimkim Trip Reviews

This trip was AMAZING!! Every day was non-stop enjoyment – adventurous explorations of Mayan history & culture, beauty of all kinds, and delicious food.
We had about 9 different guides, and every single one was excellent, sharing lots of info, but always in an interesting way. Carlo, our driver for 3 days, proud Mayan speaking perfect English, was simply amazing, as a driver, assistant, and very knowledgeable ambassador for Mayan culture and people.
Valladolid and the archaeological wonders of Chichen Itsa, Yaxunah, Ek Balam and Tulum were all fascinating, and the tours of them quite educational. This 77-year-old successfully climbed the 106 steep, narrow steps of Ek Balam's Acropolis, a former royal palace & temple, and the panoramic views of the surrounding jungle from the top were amazing!
Other highlights:
Imagine me comfortably, peacefully floating in the middle of the beautiful Lol-Ha Cenote.
A private boat ride in Rio Lagartos - Las Colorades was a wonderful adventure in nature - flamingos, mangroves, a great variety of birds perched along the shore, and getting up close to a few crocodiles.
Our private "cooking class" in Nuevo Durango was a rich traditional Mayan cultural & gastronomical experience.
Snorkeling at the Caribbean coral reef – enjoying seeing a big ray, several turtles (some getting very close), & lots of beautiful fish.
Being in an underground river surrounded by thousand-year-old stalactites and stalagmites - a fascinating experience.
Enjoying a wondrous variety of tacos and other foods during our food tour in Tulum.
In conclusion, we want to give all the people at kimkim and Rutopia who were involved in our journey High Accolades for a fabulous vacation. Ana Sofia patiently crafted a trip that was rich and full of marvelous activities, in a balanced itinerary that was structured perfectly to be full, but not tire us out in any way. It was full of Mayan culture, history, architectural wonders, natural beauty, fascinating wildlife, vivid colors, delicious food, basically non-stop enjoyment, and fun! The Real Hispano hotel is beaufiful, authentic, and conveniently located in colorful Valladolid. The Piedra Escondida in Tulum is a tropical secluded beach Paradise!
Ana Sofia patiently worked with us, really listened and understood our desires, concerns, and limitations. In a word, she cared about us and about creating an amazing trip for us. When a proposed activity or location wasn’t right, she cheerfully did more research and replaced it, leading to a truly personalized, nearly perfect, amazing trip of a lifetime!
And then there was Luz Maria from Rutopia, our loyal WhatsApp buddy, cheerfully and competently accompanying, supporting, and caring about us every day of the trip. What a gift! – giving us daily information, helping us in so many ways, answering our questions, really hearing our concerns, and fixing “problems” whenever possible. Just being there for us every day. Making sure that Ana Sofia’s beautiful plan was well implemented. Wow.

This was a perfcct adventure for me. The Kim Kim team responded to my questions with very pertinent information in a very short time. I am pleased to recommend Kim Kim for your travel excursions.

Hotel Reviews

Furama Silom Bangkok Hotel

I arrived earlier than anticipated. The staff were very accommodating and help me feel welcomed and supported. I think this is a great hotel in a great location in a great city. They are steps away from parks, walks, markets, restaurants and entertainment. I would be happy to spend more time in Silom district, and I would be very happy to use Furama Silom as my base.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Seaview Resort Khao Lak

Takua Pa

I was not in the best of spirits when I arrived. The staff graciously introduced me to the comforts of my room and the resort, and I soon relaxed and enjoyed the rest of my stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Street Food Tuk Tuk Adventure

Bangkok

My guide Asol does a great job of introducing the sites and what to expect when visiting them. We had a little extra time in front of the Grand Palace, which gave opportunities to feel the rhythm of this marvelous city. I especially enjoyed the tour of the China Town district, and the flower marker was amazing both on the variety of the flowers and the scale of the market. The second time that we went by the river to see the palaces at night was inspiring to me. I really enjoyed the entire Tuk Tuk tour, and I highly recommend you hire Asol to guide you through its features.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bamboo rafting in the Sok River

Thailand

The views of the cliffs are spectacular, making this a trip wiell worth taking. the ride was smooth and soothing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Little Amazon and Sri Phang Nga Waterfall Full Day Tour From Khao Lak

Khao Lak

The wildlife was right there. Herons and other birds were comfortable with us floating by. And there was a group of monkeys within 10 feet of us at times, and they were carrying on chasing each other, flying through the trees and falling over each other in the water. It was delightful to see how their families were interacting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Best to take this trip when the water levels are higher. I did not feel comfortable in the raft. It needs a bench type seat. Those are the only two reasons I didn't rate this experience 'amazing.'

Snorkel the Similan Islands

Khao Lak

This adventture gets high marks for the quality of the snorkeling and the staff. We saw many fish at each of the snorkeling stops, and a turtle at the last stop. When it came time to don the life preservers, I was struggling to put on one of the smaller l.ps. The group leader started chiding me about my age and my girth, and it became a point for both of us to make sure that the cajoling was all done with love. In fact, we kept up the act throughout the experince. Another traveler said that our interaction helped bring smiles to other passengers.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The KimKim website is excellent. We didn’t see a link for “ more details “ so didn’t have our complete itinerary info immediately. All our Guides were great and knowledgeable.
Our pickup at the airport was an hour late and he seemed annoyed. We had difficulty reaching KimKim when trying to locate the driver.
Olman did a great job on some excursions and hotels but missed on others. Not sure he fully understood what we wanted from our trip despite at least two phone conversations. Think it would have been helpful to get more information from travelers before booking hotels/room locations. Hotel Eco Arenal was very old, outdated and mold/peeling paint in our bathroom. Opposite side of the city where all our activities were. Camino Verde was lovely but our room was on a busy, loud street that was under construction so little sleep for 3 nights. Nammbu bungalow were beautiful! Private and group driver’s were also very good. Enjoyed Costa Rica We never were in contact with Olman once we arrived but referred to a female Costa Rica representative for any questions or issues??

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Eco Arenal

Fortuna

The people here were friendly and the breakfast was good. This hotel was outdated and we had water damage/mold in the bathroom. It was farther away from most Arenal activities. Pool was in poor condition.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Needs updating

Camino Verde Bed & Breakfast

Great location, friendly staff and lovely room. Excellent breakfast!! Our room was on a very busy/noisy street that was under construction. Didn’t get much sleep

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Street noise

Nammbú Beachfront Bungalows

Sámara

Great quiet place. Excellent staff. Excellent breakfast. Beautiful pool area and lovely room overlooking the Ocean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It isn’t walkable to Samara

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Coast Beachfront Hotel

Tamarindo, Guanacaste Province

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Front desk staff were not friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room had some kind of noise machine in it running?

Activity Reviews

Arenal Volcano to El Castillo Mountain Bike Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

TreeTram & Hanging Bridges Adventure

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Hanging Bridges & La Fortuna Waterfall Hike with Lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

Monica our guide was amazing!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a fantastic trip to Peru. We started our adventure in Cusco where we were picked up and delivered to the airport for a flight to Puerto Maldenado. The staff literally walked us into the airport and assisted us getting our boarding passes and bags checked. In Puerto Maldenado, we were met by Carlos who helped us get our bags and into a waiting van which took us to the Peruvian Soul office. At the office we separated out the clothes we needed for the Tambopata River trip and our stay at Finca Sachabacayoc lodge. After separating our clothing, Carlos delivered us to a dock where we were met by Freddy who told us he would be our activity guide while we were at Finca. We boarded a motor boat for a two and half hour ride up the Tambopata River to the the Finca Lodge. Along the way Freddy pointed out Macaws, Parrots and Eagles. The boat also literally took us right up next to a family of Capybaras.
The Finca Lodge was beautiful. Our cabin had two queen beds, a very modern bathroom and shower, and a screened in front porch with a hammock. The main lodge structure had a large restaurant and a lovely bar. We were assigned a table where we ate all our meals with our guide, Freddy.
The Peruvian food served us throughout our three night, 4 day stay, was terrific. I do not know the chef's name but he was awesome! Every meal the he would stop at our table to make sure we were happy with the food and drink; which we were. The bar was also terrific. We made friends during our stay with a couple from Portland Oregon and another couple from the Netherlands. Every evening the six of us had a beer or a Pisco Sour in the bar and chatted about our adventures that day.
Speaking of daily adventures, on the day we arrived, Freddy took us on a night hike where he showed us creatures of the night, including monkeys, scorpions, and tarantulas. The night sounds of the jungle during the night hike were amazing. That night after dinner, we went to our cabin for bed. The cries and sounds of the birds, monkeys and insects were mesmerizing. But just before we went to sleep a thunderstorm rolled in, the temperature dropped 20 degrees, and we slept like babies!
In the days that followed Freddy took us on a jungle hike to a lake where we paddled a canoe looking for Anacondas and Caymens and wild birds like Macaws. We had a marvelous time. Later that day we hiked to a 50 meter tower located in the middle of the jungle. After climbing to the top, we could see the jungle below. Freddy set up a spotting scope and he showed us many different kinds of birds and monkeys. We stayed on the tower until after sunset. Again the sounds of the jungle at night were mesmerizing!
The following day we got up at 2:30AM and took a boat to the Chuncho Clay Lick- a place where every morning at dawn, thousands of birds from the jungle come to eat the salt they need for their diets. We arrived just before dawn and set up our chairs and spotting scopes . As the sun rose, thousands of birds arrived; red and blue macaws, blue and yellow macaws, white and black toucans, green and yellow parrots and a sinister looking hawk that the other birds clearly did not like. The birds were beautiful. Freddy attached our phone cameras to his spotting scope and recorded slow motion videos of the birds flying in and around the salt lick. The video's are wonderful!
After about 2 hours (7:30AM), the birds began to leave the salt lick. We loaded up our stuff and headed back to the boat. But, much to our surprise, Freddy an other staff from the Finca Lodge had set up a breakfast table with eggs, fruit, pancakes, juice and coffee. In the middle of the jungle and on an island in the middle of the Tambopata River we had big and delicious breakfast!
Later that day Freddy took us on another boat ride to the Condenado Lake, where we took a raft built on pontoons that Freddy maneuvered using an unusual rudder device that allowed the raft to move. While traversing the lake Freddy spotted a family of giant River Otters. We followed them and got many great photos of the giant creatures. On this trip we also saw caymans, capybaras, monkeys, beautiful Macaws and an illegal gold mine set up in the middle of the river!
The next day we had to return to Puerto Maldenado. We said good bye to the friends and, with Freddy's help, took the boat back to Puerto Maldenado. It rained the entire trip back, but the boat had a roof with side plastic windows that kept us dry. The boat trip in the rain was actually quite fun.
In Puerto Maldenado, we retrieved the rest of our clothes and went to the airport, where Carlos helped us get our bags checked in and collect our boarding passes for our flight to Lima. Carlos literally walked with us all the way to security.
When we arrived in Lima, a man named Bosco and a van picked us up at the Lima airport and transported us to the Hotel Limade in the Mira Flores district. During the ride, Bosco regaled us with a very entertaining history lesson about Lima.
The Hotel Limade was brand new. I was told it had opened only 4 months earlier. The hotel was like a very fine hotel in a major city in the US. It was bvery nice with a great rooftop bar and a wonderful restaurant for the complimentary breakfast. The hotel was about 6 blocks from the Pacific Ocean and the beaches of Lima. After checking in, Wendy and I walked to the beaches and took many photos of the beautiful beaches, shops and parks. Th beaches reminded me of Miami.
The following day we were met by Nancy, our guide for the day. In a nutshell, she was awesome! Her English was perfect and her knowledge of Mira Flores and especially the Barranco district was superb. Nancy took us to the Barranco District which is famous for it's art, art galleries, restaurants, shops and beautiful boutique hotels. Nancy's tour was to last only 4 hours, but she stayed with us for nearly 6 hours! We ate at three separate restaurants sampling the unique food and drink of Lima. We also stopped at a chocolate factory where we sampled chocolates and watched how chocolate candy was made. We toured some of the beautiful boutique hotels of Barranco that were built in the early 1900's as private mansions for wealthy people from Europe and elsewhere. When Peru's economy struggled the homes were abandoned. Beginning in the late 1990's, these old mansions were bought by local Peruvians and who turned them into boutique hotels. We stopped at the Hotel B where Robert DeNiro stayed a year or so ago. It was magnificent!
Nancy also took us to several art galleries and to many street art paintings. We loved the art so much we bought a print from a famous Peruvian artist by the name of Jade Rivera.
Nancy was a spectacular guide. If you are in Lima make sure you ask for Nancy!
The next morning we had to return to the US. Bosco picked us up at the Hotel Limade and delivered us to the airport, including getting our boarding passes and our luggage checked. During the ride to the airport, Bosco told us more stories about Lima and Peru. Like Nancy, he too is a very good.
We loved Peru and and our trip to the Amazon and Lima. Thank you KimKim for taking such great care of us. Hasta la proxima vez! Tom and Wendy.

Hotel Reviews

Finca Sachabacayoc

See my review of the trip. But this is a very fun place to stay with great food in the middle of the jungle

Authenticity & Character

It's adjacent to a huge river and in the jungle. The sounds during the day are great but at night they are spectacular

Location

Staff

The chef was terrific. He was always smiling and makig sure we were enjoying the food. Emerson is the manager. He was always around. If you had any questions or needed anything, Emerson would take care of it.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our cabin was super clean. Staff made the bed and cleaned our cabin every day.

Hotel Limade

Lima

Great hotel. It is new in 2025. They have a great roof top bar and a nice restaurant for a very extensive complimentary breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

It is in the middle of the Mira Flores District, a beautiful suburb of Lima

Location

It is about 6 blocks from the beaches. There are restaurants, shopping and art all within walking distance

Staff

Everyone was super nice and they all spoke English

Cleanliness & Comfort

No, everything was terrific.

Activity Reviews

Finca Sachavacavoc - D1 - Venturing into the Amazon

Tambopata

Se my earlier report. We loved the Lodge.

Quality of Experience

The Lodge and our Guide, Freddy

Food

The authentic Peruvian food was special. We loved it. We also loved the Pisco Sours!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The van drivers, boat drivers, guides were all super.

Transport

The van was always neat as a pin!

Finca Sachavacavoc - D2 - Chuncho Claylick and Condenado Lake

Tambopata

Se earlier report. This is a great activity- despite having to get up at 2:30AM. It is well worth the sleep deprivation!

Quality of Experience

This something you cannot see in the USA.

Food

the breakfast at the salt lick was a very nice touch

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everything was always on time.

Transport

The boat driver and the guide.

Finca Sachavacavoc - D3 - Sachavacayoc Lake

Tambopata

Freddy took us on a 2+ mile hike through the jungle to the lake. On the way Freddy educated us on the trees that grow in the Amazon, the various plants used medicinally by the indigenous tribes , and about the Anacondas we might see at the Lake. The canoe trip on the lake was beautiful. We saw anaconda tracks but no anacondas, but the birds, butterflies and monkeys we saw made up for not seing anacondas.

Quality of Experience

Freddy. He is really good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Freddy knows the jungle!

Transport

The canoe was perfect for the lake.

Finca Sachavacavoc - Farewell Amazon

Tambopata

See my earlier report. We loved the Finca lodge.

Quality of Experience

The Lodge is very well maintained. Staff is very attentive. The food is terrific and the bar a great place to hang out after a day in the jungle.

Food

We loved the food. there was plenty of it and it was always top notch. We drank Barley Juice a couple of times and I have tried to recreate it at home, but alas, the Barley Juice at Finca was much better!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Freddy is the best!

Transport

The boats were great and the drivers excellent.

Art and Local Cuisine in Bohemian Barranco

Lima

Nancy, our guide was perfect. She spoke excellent English and answered all of our questions. She took us to restaurants, art galleries, unique shops, and boutique hotels. Nancy was to be our guide for 4 hours, but she stayed with us for 6. She is incredibly good as a guide.

Quality of Experience

See above. At the end of our time with Nancy, we were friends.

Food

Nancy took us to three restaurants and a chocolate manufacturing business. The food and chocolate were wonderful. We especially enjoyed the restaurant Horneando Ando.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Although we didn't need a van, when we had to walk a few blocks, Nancy texted the driver and amazingly he would show up a minute or two later to take us to our next stop!

Transport

See above

Carolina was incredible, truly. She made our honeymoon so special, and with all the transfers we had to account for with our travels through Argentina and a hula, it was honestly stress free and seemless thanks for her effort. We’ve used kimkim for several trips now but the most stand out feature about Carolina and her team was how accessible and PATIENT she was. I never felt like I was bothering her if I was indecisive. She guided us kindly and the teamwork mentality ensured our honeymoon was a trip of a LIFETIME. Thanks so much Caro!!

Activity Review

Torres del Paine all inclusive - Activities menu provided by the hotel

Torres del Paine

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We have sent Monica a nite of thanks as she was beyond amazing if I could give her 10 stars I would.

Holden was very pleasant and responsive. The drivers we had were excellent and sometimes, they had to drive under very difficult conditions. Overall, however, Holden clearly did not understand what we were looking for in terms of activities. We wanted activity. The hanging bridge trip was fine but in between the bridges, it was a walk at a snail's pace, stopping every ten feet to look at a different spider. The float was fine but I had to argue back and forth to get it later than 7 am, when we would have to miss breakfast and when it was colder. The hike in Manuel Antonio was not a hike-it to was a boring crawl at a snail's pace to look mostly at frogs, spiders and orchids-I was told it was a private hike for the four of us-I explained to our guide that we did not want to stop every ten feet and wanted actually hike and he said that this was not an actual hike and no adjustments could be made. Truthfully, we were elbow to elbow with hundreds of people-how private was that! The sailing cruise was nice and the food was good but Holden did not make clear that it was with 40 or so other people-I thought it would be a much smaller, semi-private activity-but it was fine. The Royal Corin exceeded expectations-the staff could not have been lovelier-the rooms were spectacular-the spa was great and the food was above average. The Mariposa had a beautiful view. That said, the staff were indifferent and the room had the very bare minimum. Overall, except for the drivers, I'm sorry I didn't just use TripAdvisor

We had a wonderful 12 day trip to Buenos Aires & Patagonia this January, and Matias helped us plan an active trip with wonderful hotels and tours. Buenos Aires is a vibrant city, and we enjoyed our tours on bike and by car. As our bike guide, Jackson modified our route to show us a few highlights we really wanted to see, including the El Ataneo Grand Splendid bookstore. He was very knowledgable and energetic. Sonia was our tour guide for the Southern portion of Buenos Aires & she was fabulous - our favorite spots were La Boca and Recoleta cemetary. In El Calafate, the Blue Safari tour of the Perdido Glacier was spectacular - both of our guides were incrediely knowledgeable and added significantly to the overall experience. Torres de Paines was also amazing - we had fabulous weather while there and each of our excursions took us to a different part of the park. It was magical. Our hotels were fabulous - all boutique hotels with character - we took advantage of the pools in several as well as spa services. The food was also top notch. Logistics were flawless, including 2 domestic transfers and a car to get us from El Calafate to Puerto Natales in Chile. All in all a beautiful trip with many amazing memories.

Hotel Reviews

CasaSur Palermo Hotel

Buenos Aires

The neighborhood has a lot of things going on - we found good restaurants for dinner every night. The breakfast is really good - excellent pastries! Rooms are spacious, with a little balcony to sit out on. The pool was also a great way to spend a few hours after a long day of roaming the city.

Authenticity & Character

Balcony off the room, well designed layout

Location

Close to many restaurants

Staff

Very friendly - helped us with dinner options several nights.

Cleanliness & Comfort

NOI Indigo Patagonia

Puerto Natales

This hotel has a cool design & is right on the water in Puerto Natales. Our room was right on the street, so street noise was definitely higher than normal when the windows were open. There were also local stray dogs that were chasing cars the day we stayed here, which added to the noise. The highlight was the pool on the top floor of the hotel - we watched the sunset over the water from there.

Authenticity & Character

All green hotel - very cool

Location

Rooms that open to the main street can be noisy.

Staff

Very helpful staff - checked us in early and upgraded one of our rooms as our originally booked room was occupied.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Las Torres Patagonia

Torres del Paine

We had the all inclusive package at Las Torres and it was fabulous. The staff, food, and excursions were all wonderful. The rooms were spacious & had amazing views of the mountains. We all took advantage of the spa one afternoon and it was great.

Authenticity & Character

Design fit into the landscape and every detail reinforced sustainability - eg: glassware was upcycled bottles.

Location

Situated within Torres de Paine, we were able to totally unplug and see a broader area of the park without traveling 3 + hours.

Staff

Very helpful and always smiling. We had a mixup with a request about several excursions and Frederica took the time to make sure she understood what we were trying to do and accomodated us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Eco Boutique Bidasoa

Santiago

Spent an extra night here due to a cancelled flight & were happy to do so! The rooms were comfortable & cozy and the restaurant was amazing! We had 2 meals there and absolutely loved it.

Authenticity & Character

Rooms and common areas were comfortable

Location

Easy walking distance to bicentennial park

Staff

Front desk helped us with day trips and securing an extra night in partnership with our travel agency.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Transfer to the hotel

Buenos Aires

Pickup and drop off went very smoothly

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Biking Buenos Aires - Parks & Gardens

Buenos Aires

We had a wonderful time with our guide Jackson. He was very accomodating and added a few stops to our tour based on our requests. (the tour we took was different than what was highlighted in the description we got when booking and on Vamooz - particularly going into Recoleta cemetary). We still had an amazing experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

No food was offered on our tour - we each had a water bottle & stopped at a convenience store for snacks.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour Southern Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

Sonia was a fabulous guide- we had an incredible day with her exploring the city, including an added stop and tour of Recoleta at the end of our day together. Her knowledge of the city was very deep, and no question from us was off limits. Highlights for us were La Boca (including very tasty empandadas), a stop at the open market in San Telmo, where we saw several Tangos, and a guided stroll through Recoleta.

Quality of Experience

Food

Empanadas at La Boca

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sonia was very engaging and modified our tour based on what our interests were. The driver was knowledgeable about the city & got us to our next stop quickly.

Transport

Good communication and timely pickups.

Nativo Experience - Lakes and Caverns

El Calafate

Great way to learn about early Patagonia and the people who lived there. Lots of information about the local flora & fauna as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Blue Safari

El Calafate

The entire day was incredible, starting with the drive to Los Glaciares National Park. Our local guide gave us the history of the area, inlcuding how Calafate has grown in the past 20 years. The Perdido Glacier was spectacular, and we were able to see it from multiple vantage points. Highlight for us was hiking very close to the glacier and witnessing a massive iceburg calving.

Quality of Experience

All of our stops along the way and in the park highlighted a different view and aspect of the glacier.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All were very knowledgeable.

Transport

Stops included to stretch our legs.

Self Guided Santiago

Santiago

Ubered to the Parque Metropolitano (Cerro San Cristóbal) and took the cable car up and funicular down. Fabulous views of the city .

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Uber was very easy and inexpencsive

This was my first time ever using a site like this and I have to say it was everything I could have asked for. Marisa was fantastic and listened to exactly what we were looking for in our trip and made all of our arrangements so quickly and so perfectly. Recommendations were spot on and the price was so reasonable. Having everything bundled actually made it so easy and I loved how attentive and responsive she was throughout the entire trip. I will use KimKim for every trip going forward-highly highly recommended!!!

Activity Review

Exclusive Panoramic Boat Tour to the Ponta da Piedade Caves

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ashley and her team were wonderful. She was very attentive to our needs and created a fantastic experience for me and my family. We left our 18 days in Vietnam in awe. We did the touristic things but even better we had the opportunity to visit small communities and meet and spend time with many different families. All of our tour guides while on our journey were excellent stewards of their country and spoke English beautifully. I couldn't recommend Realistic Asia more!

Manon in the Normandy region and Nadia in Nice were exceptional guides. The restaurant recommendations were great also.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Le Lion d'Or et restaurant la Table du Lion

Bayeux

Quaint hotel in medieval center of town. Great food and lovely fireplace gathering place.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the center of the village

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Garden Inn Paris Orly Airport

Rungis

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The pillows are awful and very small

Hotel Le Negresco

Nice

Spectacular

Authenticity & Character

The art and the bellmen’s uniforms, the elevator, every detail is beautiful.

Location

Right on the Promenade d’Anglais and near old Nice

Staff

Everyone was friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day excursion to Honfleur and Etretat

Bayeux

Manon is a knowledgeable, friendly and overall excellent tour guide. We learned so much.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour of D-Day Sites

France

Manon was exceptional. We learned so much on this somber day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Mont-Saint-Michel

France

Incredible! And since we went off season there were no crowds.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning food and wine tour

France

Nadia was delightful. We learned a lot and enjoyed ourselves immensely.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day excursion to Monaco, Monte-Carlo and Eze

France

Playing blackjack at the casino in Monte Carlo and lunch on the beach at the Note Bleu (as arranged by our guide) were highlights.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shirley每次都很迅速地回覆我們詢問的問題和要求，還很客氣地到旅館來探望我們。
侯曉鈴導遊經驗和知識很豐富，服務周到，為人客氣和負責，英文也說得非常流暢。
整個行程我們都玩得很愉快。
缺點就是估價太高了一點，還有好幾個午餐和晚餐沒有供應。

Hotel Reviews

Roaming Cloud

Nantou County

環境很好，又有動物和鳥類供我們欣賞。早餐很豐盛可口，主人親切。 缺點就是沒有電梯，搬運行李和上下樓梯比較不方便。

Authenticity & Character

早餐很豐盛可口，兩天早上的菜單不一樣。院子养了一些动物和鳥類供房客們觀賞。

Location

Staff

和蔼可亲

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wellspring by Silks

Yilan County

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Alishan house

Chiayi County

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

p

The Grand Hotel Taipei

TAIPEI CITY

很有東方的風格，古色古香。 缺點是陽台上沒有桌椅供房客坐下來欣賞外面的風景。

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Taipei Garden Hotel

Taipei City

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Yilan - Indigenous Atayal tribe visit

Yilan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking Class, Shifen Waterfall & Sky Lantern Releasing

Taipei City

This was my first time booking a tour like this. Also my first experience with KimKIm. I was a little apprehensive becasuse I have always booked the tour and made arrangements personally. That was going to be too much for a 6 night trip to get a Vietnam experience. Kim Kim was great! Proposed and itinerary. Made modifications to meet my budget. Selected great hotels and experiences with my input. Local specialists were all great. Timing and organization was perfect. Really happy. Thank you KimKim especially to Hien and Stephen and all the local guides.

Hotel Review

Silverland Mây Hotel

Really nice hotel and a beautiful room. Excellent service and breakfasts were very good. Loved the location. Great restaurants and walking around area. A good experience and good value.

Authenticity & Character

Location

vibrant , good walking around and lots of restauants.

Staff

Attentive , pleasant and welcoming.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Excellent room and very comfortable bed and linens

Activity Reviews

Titov island - Ha Long Panoramic view - Disembark Indochina Sails Cruise

Ha Long Bay

Just wanted to relax on the boat with a cappuccino in the early morning so we did not participate.

VIP Fast Track Service

Vietnam

This was worth every penny.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening Street Food Tour With Vespa Wanderers

Ho Chi Minh City

Highly recommended . Loved this. Great feel for driving in Ho Chi Mingh. Crazy!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ho Chi Minh City Full Day

Ho Chi Minh City

Tour was great . Notre Dame was under repair. Could have left the Post Office out and a little longer at the War Museum. A lot to see and experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

I have to be honest. Generally speaking I don't love Vietnamese food. but also coming from Thailand that may not be fair.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mekong Delta Group Tour (My Tho - Ben Tre) (updated)

Ho Chi Minh City

this tour was a little too contrived or touristy for me. I would have loved to hear more about what part the Mekong Delta played in the war. Interesting but a little to touristy.

Quality of Experience

Food

Talapia fish looked interesting but was overcooked and difficult to share and pass around.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring Surprise Cave or Me Cung Cave - Ha Long Bay Mooring Point - Indochina Sails Cruise

Ha Long Bay

Loved the cave experience. Really not for people with mobility issues or stamina issues. The cave was impressive and I really enjoyed going in.

Quality of Experience

It was immense.

Food

Not really food on this tour

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

New Zealand was everything we hoped it would be. Denise with KimKim was an amazing member of our team . She was in communications on a regular basis. We did have a couple weather situations. No one can control those, she was out ahead of each one offering guidance and options….thank you.
We would recommend KimKim to anyone and betting we will be back!

We had a great time in northern India, primarily with our guide Rahul and Taj, our driver. We were provided a clean and comfortable vehicle and Raj is an excellent driver. Rahul was knowledgeable everywhere we went and was sensitive to our wants and needs.

Activity Review

Exploring Western, Eastern & Southern Group of Khajuraho Temples

Khajuraho

Fascinating temples and monuments. The ornateness of the stone carvings is mind blowing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Costa Rica was absolutely amazing! I have heard nothing but positive comments! El Lugar was so beautiful and the activities and the schedule were spot on. I think what also topped it off was your staff from Serendipity; everyone was so friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and we were all impressed with their keen eyesights as they could spy any bird from any distance!
Elana, Charlotte, Adrian, Jose and all the others were the BEST!

Hotel Reviews

Costa Rica Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belen

San José

The hotel was OK, but our room was very mildewy and caused us to wake up very congested. Also the lighting in our room was too dark.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room smelled like mildew, and didn't feel as clean as it should; maybe a bit dated???

El Lugar

Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí

BEAUTIFUL grounds! Our room was fabulous! Very clean and beautiful view. The property looks like there is still construction to be done. I hope it is able to get finished...it is beautiful there and having the horses and stables added a nice touch too.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Privately Guided Tour at La Paz Waterfall Gardens

Costa Rica

Beautiful property. I could have spent more time there!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tirimbina Chocolat Tour

Costa Rica

Very interesting tour and presesntation. Loved the interaction. It just got a little bit too long.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mistico Hanging Bridges, and Ecotermales Hotsprings

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All our trips were great, we enjoyed Milford Sound and the Kapiti Coast tours very much, as well as Zealandia and Mt. Cook. The glacier boat trip was fantastic. We also liked the Cook Strait ferry and coastal train ride to Christchurch. The Hobbiton tour was surprisingly enjoyable. The half day Queensland tour was fun, too. Thanks, Kimkim!

Thailand is such a special place! We had been hoping to visit for many years and we’re finally able to make it happen in 2026. We wanted a mix of culture, together with a bit of adventure. Thailand has so much to offer!
Our plans were to spend a bit of time in Bangkok, as this would be where we would begin and finish our trip. We wanted to visit some nice islands, and beach spots that would be away from any crowds. We wanted to be able to really enjoy the beauty of each place! We planned to be gone from anywhere from 2 to 3 weeks.
Booking things now is so easy! Anyone can do it! Yes, this is true, but for me, logistics are not so easy! This is where the real value of using a competent agent becomes such a relief! “Bella” our KimKim agent is extremely competent! Together, we collaborated on finalizing our itinerary. It came together very quickly. We were dealing with a real, pro!
Our itinerary took us to amazing places, incredible hotels, unforgettable, beaches, and several culturally important places too.
Bella organized, excellent, knowledgeable, English speaking guides who couldn’t have been more caring and friendly! Tea and Leo, were our guides in Bangkok. They work together with the same driver, Chen! What a wonderful team! However, it wouldn’t matter where we were because all of the people Bella connected us to were amazing! We loved all of the activities and tours that Bella organized for us. We loved that “All” of the “Details” had been so well taken care of! Our connections always worked! This was so important to us. Without the dedicated professional help of such a competent agent, Bella, we could never have enjoyed our trip as much as we did! Bella constantly followed up with us whenever necessary. She made herself available to us throughout our visit, and then, checked in regularly. We were in good hands throughout! Thank you, Bella and your team!

Hotel Reviews

500 Rai Floating Resort

Surat Thani

The 500 Rai Floating Resort in Khao Sok National Park was totally unique, and exceeded my expectations. It really was unique. The room moved with the sway of the lake. The accommodation was comfortable and well-equipped, with air conditioning and a nice kitchen. The logistics of getting to and from the resort were handled flawlessly, which made our stay relaxing and stress-free.

Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort & Spa

Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort & Spa wasn't a great fit for us. The resort is spread out over hilly terrain. Walking to meals, the beach, and the pools is possible but not practical. It was too spread out for our taste. The resort was filled with families with young children, which wasn’t the energy we were looking for.

Nakamanda Resort And Spa

Krabi

The Nakamanda Resort and Spa was incredibly special. It's a more intimate setting, away from the hustle and bustle of popular beaches, offering a lovely retreat. The setting and service were top-notch, making it one of the nicest hotels I've ever stayed in.

Buri Rasa Samui Village

Samui

This lovely hotel proved to be an oasis on the beach, offering tranquility, relaxation, and outstanding service. We loved our time there!

Activity Reviews

Bangkok Temple Visit

Bangkok

Our temple day tour in Bangkok was excellent. Having our guide Tia with us made the experience smooth and enjoyable, especially given our dietary restrictions. The knowledge and insight provided by the guide were invaluable.

Enjoy Food Tasting in Chinatown!

Thailand

This is not your typical market! It’s crowded, chaotic, and sensational all at once! We preferred to watch more than we indulged. Our guide, Tea looked after us, ensuring that we ate things that we understood were safe! She was great, and incredibly patient! It was a great night out!

A visit to Mae Klong Railway market, Damnoen Saduak Floating Market & Famous weekend Chatuchak market

Thailand

Visiting the Mae Klong Railway market and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market with our guide was a fantastic experience. Witnessing the train pass through the market was incredible, and the floating market was vibrant and unique. The guide's expertise ensured we didn’t miss any important details.

Exploring the Ancient Ayutthaya

Thailand

Exploring the Ancient Ayutthaya with Leo was a memorable experience. Our guide and driver were extremely pleasant and knowledgeable, which enriched our understanding of the site’s historical significance. The entire day was seamlessly organized, allowing us to fully enjoy the outing.

Great trip to Japan! (Kyoto, Nara, Tokyo). Olivia was a fantastic planner and her recommendations did not disappoint. She helped make our trip (with children) as painless as possible and even helped us postpone and rebook when an unexpected family emergency popped up. If you want to get the most out of your time, I can highly recommend KimKim.

Hotel Reviews

RIHGA Royal Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

The complimentary breakfast was amazing, showcasing many traditional Japanese breakfast elements, with plenty of European / North American options for the less adventurous. Their auto-coffee / hot chocolate / matcha machine was incredible. A wide selection of alcoholic beverages (complimentary) at both breakfast and the evening appetizer event each night. There were traditional activities each afternoon. The subway station was a 8 minute walk and takes you straight to Kyoto station and the rest of the network for Kyoto / Osaka / Nara. Room was comfortable and the hotel was quiet and private with a 10 minute walk to massive shopping district from narrow street bizarre type feel to high end luxury goods. This is a great location to stay in Kyoto.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gion Ryokan Karaku

kyoto

This was a fun way to spend an authentic Japanese night in Kyoto. As expected we slept on mats on the floor, the room had a traditional Japanese table & chairs (very low on the floor.) . The complimentary breakfast was traditional Japanese style also with rice and miso soup and fish. If you have mobility issues or you want a typical North American breakfast this is probably not the experience for you but if you're looking for adventure, our Canadian family with young kids loved it! The location was very conveniently located at the end of the shopping district. Subway was about a 10 minute walk, or you can take a cab for 15 mins to get to Kyoto station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tokyo Highlights Day Tour with Tsukiji Outer Fish Market

Tokyo

What a great way to experience a nice cross-section of Tokyo in a single day. We walked about 20,000 steps but mainly used the subway to jet all over town. It was a brilliant introduction to what otherwise could be a very intimidating city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kumiko was fantastic!

Transport

It was a great introduction to the Tokyo subway system at various levels of congestion during the day.

Asakusa Sumo Club: Sumo Show Admission with Chankonabe in Tokyo

Tokyo

Wow. What an amazing experience! I didn't know what to expect but this was really well done, catering to visitors who want to learn more about sumo culture. Explanations of the history, rules and lifestyle of sumo wrestlers plus an authentic match between 2 former professional wrestlers and the opportunity to wrestle one yourself. The sumo-meal that is included was fantastic too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ninja Training in Kyoto: Ninja Experience - 2 HOURS / SWORD INCLUDED

Kyoto

This was a fun activity. We dressed up as ninjas and got to shoot blow darts and throw ninja stars at targets. We also got to fight each other with foam-covered swords. This was most fun for our kids (8 & 10) but we got some nice photos out of it. The first portion was an hour, then the second portion: we walked about 1km to the ninja museum and got a 30 minute tour through the 3 storey facility on the history of Samurai & Ninja culture. Great displays and a very well done tour / history lesson. This was more fun for the adults. I'm not sure what the "SWORD INCLUDED" refers to. We did get a plastic throwing-star as a "prize" for the person closest to the target, but no swords.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kyoto: Authentic Sushi-Making Cooking Class

Kyoto

We did the bento-making class with kids and had a great time! We learned a lot (feel comfortable to try on our own at home) and the food was delicious. A great way to learn about this history of the food, and the ingredients and have a great (large) meal too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Geisha and Maiko Makeover Experience in Kyoto

Kyoto

Wow, what an amazing transformation! My daughters (8 & 10) loved it, and my wife who isn't much for dressing up or putting on make up, enjoyed the experience too. The professional photos that were included are really fantastic. Definitely the highlight of the trip for one of my daughters.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I've travelled to other Central and Latin American countries, and Costa Rica was by far the easiest and friendliest. All the moving parts of the trip that kim kim set up worked smoothly (except one that was quickly fixed).

Ride CR transportation was prompt, friendly and scenic. The drivers gave us multiple rest stop opportunities that we usually didn't take, and also pointed out sights and scenic/photo opportunities that we did take. The best ride was between Monteverde and Arenal on a somewhat stormy day that made for great views passing over the mountains and across the lake. The hugely time saving and beautiful option to cross the lake instead of driving around it was brilliant!

Accommodations at the Cloud Forest Lodge and the Arenal Manoa were comfortable and convenient in a way that was very appropriate for the location. Very friendly and helpful staff certainly helps, but the addition of monkeys and toucans in the trees around the hotels was a wonderful surprise. Our favorite moment in Arenal was when the woman checking us in asked if there was anything more she could do, and we jokingly said we were really hoping to see a sloth. She turned to a young staff member nearby and said "Kevin, can you please show them the sloth", so he walked us across the parking lot, gave us his binoculars, and pointed to the sloth moving through the tree twenty feet away. We also especially enjoyed the trails available at the Lodge in Monteverde. Both places had good restaurants with amazing views and plenty of dining options that highlighted Costa Rica (but also played American/British instrumental pop music covers, aka elevator music, that was distractingly un-Costa Rican). It wasn't on the itinerary, but the San Lucas Treetop Dining Experience in Monteverde was one of the most enjoyable meals we've ever had.

All of the guides were knowledgable and excited about their work, balancing detailed wildlife information with local history and culture. Surprisingly consistent considering there is no formal training. The guide at the Hanging Bridges in Arenal was pretty quiet, but that was a much more commercial venue and it was pouring rain most of the time. If we were doing it all again, we would ask for longer tours. Our last day there, the tour company had our reservation, but didn't put us on their operations schedule, so no one picked us up. Since everyone else had been so prompt, I called after about 10 minutes, and they quickly got a driver and guide out to us and added a trip to some nice hot springs to the tour. The important thing was the guide offered us the option to take a much longer trail than normal, and that was a more thorough and satisfying experience.

We certainly enjoyed the lower stress and workload of having kim kim take care of all the arrangements. We're looking forward to using your service again, especially for trips like this where the area is unfamiliar and there are a lot of moving parts. Thanks!