Kimkim Trip Reviews

Absolutely the trip of a lifetime. This review is tardy because we've been distracted, but no less heartfelt. Hien was such a wonderful help to us in every aspect of this trip from planning to execution, including some itinerary changes on the fly. Our trip included modern and ancient history, lots of time outdoors, lots of shopping and a visit to an amazing animal sanctuary.

We deliberately planned to learn about the Khmer Rouge era at the beginning of the trip so as to have time to process and discuss. It is amazing to think this period was only four years of an otherwise inspiring and majestic culture. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in this beautiful country.

This was our second time using Kimkim, every bit as worthwhile as the first. We now have a third data point for this experience, as a dear friend used Kimkim on her trip (at our suggestion) at the same time we were in Cambodia. We really appreciate the assistance with internal travel and the connection to knowledgeable local guides.

Hotel Reviews

Tara Angkor Hotel

Siem Reap

One of the nicer hotels we've stayed in anywhere. Beautiful and comfortable.

Cambana La Riviere Hotel

This is a good hotel. The food is limited for vegetarians, but no more so than the rest of the country. Staff are friendly and responsive.

Anik Palace Hotel

Wonderful hotel with a friendly and attentive staff. We loved the rooftop bar and spent our downtime there just chatting and enjoying the beatiful view at sunset.

Authenticity & Character

Location

central location made it convenient to find restaurants within walking distance.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visiting the Floating Villages on Tonle Sap Lake

Siem Reap

Time on the water was a really nice experience.

Phare Ponleu Selpak Circus Show

Siem Reap

Siem Reap - Kulen Mountain - Banteay Srei - Khmer architecture sculptures - Banteay Samre

Siem Reap

Bantay Srei might be our favorite temple. It is breathtaking. Kulen Mountain was a late addition to our itinerary as we had read about it. When we saw the "River of 1,000 Lingas," we realized that what we had in mind a different part of the river and asked our guide. Sure enough, what we had hoped to see was a short hike away and after a quick exchange with Hien, we drove to the trail head. The hike itself was strenuous (though short) but the carvings at the top were breathtaking. I know I'm using that word too much but... everything was truly amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide and driver were so wonderful -- knowledgable, friendly, and accommodating.

Transport

Explore the Complex of Angkor

Siem Reap

There aren't words to match the majesty of these sites. sunrise at Angkor Wat is not to be missed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide helped us to position ourselves in the best place to see the sunrise, and the directed us to the best place for a family photo, which is one of the more precious keepsakes from this trip.

Traditional Apsara show with dinner

Siem Reap

this was a fun evening. The dinner was surprisingly good and the venue was quite nice.

Explore Roluos Group

Siem Reap

Same comment for all of Siem Reap -- these are sights that defy description. The human ingenuity they represent is staggering and humbling.

Visit Temples, Markets & Sacred Mountain - Tour By Tuk Tuk

Battambang

The sacred mountain was beautiful and terrible all at once, as it is the site of one of the many killing fields in the country. The exit of the thousands (millions?) of bats from the cave in the sacred mountain was breathtaking -- highly recommend this activity.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our Tuktuk drivers were so friendly and helpful.

Phnom Penh - Silversmith village - Battambang

Battambang

Our drive through the countryside was beautiful and we had a lot of fun shopping for the handcrafted silver items. At the end of our trip, (after the time in Siem Reap) we asked to add an outing to an animal sanctuary. Hien pulled it together with our same guide, and we were able to end our trip with this wonderful activity.

Visit Royal Palace - Silver Pagoda - Tuol Sleng Museum - Russian Market

Phnom Penh

Wonderful day of sightseeing with our friendly guide providing the historical context for everything we see. The Tuol Sleng museum is a must-see, though it is difficult to process the horror that took place there.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide and driver were both so friendly and accomodating.

Transport

Hien planned a mini-bus for our family of six. It was so comfortable, and became our refuge from the heat throughout our trip.

Our trip was amazing! We felt confident that all of the planning had been taken care of and the detailed itinerary provided helped us feel like we had all of the information we would need. Everything went according to plan, and all of the guides and hotel staff were great communicators. We felt as though we could ask questions and problem solve if we needed to thanks to the contacts and travel info we were provided. Both of our boat trips were incredible and would highly recommend them to anyone staying near El Nido. The team for the Sibaltan tour was especially generous with their time and helpful during the duration of our trip to that side of the island. Considering how far we traveled I would have expected to feel out of place or confused about what to do when we arrived but our Kim Kim planner helped us fill our days with great recommendations which made the trip feel easy and fun. I would highly recommend this trip as well as Kim Kim in general to anyone planning a trip somewhere they have never been.

Hotel Reviews

Bayleaf Intramuros

Metro Manila

Great value for the price! Location is great in Intramuros with many things within walking distance. The hotel felt very clean and luxurious with great breakfast and restaurants. Staff were very kind and quick to help!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Isla Amara Boutique Resort

El Nido

Beautiful hotel with a luxury vibe to it. Small enough for personalized attention, but large enough to have the amenities we wanted. Breakfast every morning was fantastic! The rooms were clean and felt secure, as well. Isla Amara felt like a very good value for money and we would recommend it for anyone staying in Lio Beach!

Authenticity & Character

Clean, sharp architecture with style

Location

Close enough to walk everywhere we wanted to go at Lio Beach without being noisy

Staff

Very friendly and quick to help

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean rooms, very nice air conditioning

Activity Reviews

Sibaltan Day Tour

El Nido

Fantastic tour! The team picked us up from Lio Beach and drove us to Sibaltan which was super helpful. The whole team was so friendly and helpful throughout the whole trip. It was very cool to see the island that the guide lived on since he knew his way around. It felt like we were able to see a personal view into life on the islands near Sibaltan. Also the crew went above and beyond with all of the food preparations throughout the day. We ate incredibly well, especially for being on a boat in the middle of the ocean!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Island hopping in El Nido - Tour D

El Nido

Unreal! This tour was amazing and our guide was knowledgeable and thoughtful. We managed to see most of the stops with only a few other boats and had them mostly to ourself as a result. One of the best possible ways to see the islands around El Nido.

Quality of Experience

Food

Highly impressed, especially since it was all cooked on the boat

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our group of 4, thoroughly enjoyed our 10 day trip to Costa Rica. Holden did an excellent job helping us plan a memorable trip. He was always quick to respond to questions during the planning phase as well as during the trip itself. I can't say enough good things about how everything was organized from the drivers being on time, the tour guides being informative and fun to be around and the activities we participated in.
We flew into Liberia and were driven to La Fortuna. The driver was so kind and informative and provided us with bottled water and chips. He stopped in order for us to take photos of beautiful areas. We checked into the Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs Resort. The grounds and hot springs are exceptional. The rooms are ok. There is no chairs to sit in and it's a bit dated. The resort staff are welcoming and helpful. The breakfast buffet is huge and I appreciated the gluten free designated section.
We did the coffee, chocolate and sugar cane tour. The tastings were delicious and we learned a lot. Later, we had a guide, Mariano, give us a private tour of the Arenal Volcano and The La Fortuna Waterfall. The waterfall was beautiful even though we had to climb over 500 stairs each way. You are allowed to swim at the bottom by the waterfall but it is very rocky and would be hard to navigate your way to get into the water. Mariano did a great job on our Arenal Volcano hike and taught us a lot about the area. Mariano was also our guide for the Arenal Hanging Bridges Tour. It was fun and it's a very pretty area. Mariano was always on the look out for wildlife and even found some sloths and toucans for us to see. Mariano had a great sense of humor and we enjoyed his tours. One person in our group doesn't like heights so skipped the Hanging Bridges and went on a sloth tour. He loved it and got some amazing pictures.
We had a blast Whitewater Rafting and our guide Axel was great. It's exhilarating but be prepared to get wet which was part of the fun.
The boat ride and transfer to Monteverde was a beautiful way to see that area. It's a gorgeous area and our guide, Andy, was so informative and knowledgeable as he guided us through the cloud forest. The Cloud Forest Lodge was our favorite hotel. Everything was recently renovated. The rooms and bathroom are large and comfortable. The restaurant is delicious and has beautiful views. We saw some amazing birds during our stay there.
Upon arrival to the Wyndham Hotel in Tamarindo the lobby and views of the Pacific Ocean are stunning. The pool area and restaurant are very nice and also provide excellent views. The rooms were a bit run down and the bathroom incredibly small. The balcony however was great. While in Tamarindo we did a Wetlands Boat Tour. This was excellent and our first opportunity to see monkeys. The guide, Henry, did a wonderful job getting us as close as possible to see the wildlife. The beaches in Tamarindo are beautiful and we appreciated the free shuttle from the hotel to the beach and downtown area.
Overall the trip was excellent and we truly appreciated everything Holden, Nancy and Adrian did from KimKim and Serendipity Adventures. It was well planned and everything went great. I can't say enough positive things about everyone involved in planning a very memorable trip!

Hotel Reviews

Wyndham

Tamarindo

The lobby, views of the Pacific Ocean, pool, and restaurant are all wonderful. The rooms could use a fresh coat of paint as they are a bit scraped up. The bathroom is incredibly small. You can hardly move in there it is so tight. The balcony and views of ocean are beautiful.

Location

Beautiful views and shuttle service to town and beach.

Staff

Some staff were awesome and some were aloof. When we checked in we were on a floor that was only accessed by climbing a staircase. No-one mentioned that and no-one helped us carry all our luggage upstairs. Most rooms are accessed by elevator but ours was not.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms need improvement and some of the common areas could be cleaned up better.

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

The rooms have been renovated. Everything is new and well maintained. Large room, large bathroom and large deck. The views from the restaurant are gorgeous and attracts a lot of different birds.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It's elevation is very high so the views are awesome.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

The Hot Springs, Pool and Resort grounds are beautiful and well maintained. The hotel room is a bit dated and it would be nice to have a chair in the room to sit on. The patio is very nice and the views of the volcano are beautiful. The breakfast buffet offers a huge selection and a made to order omelet station. I appreciated the designated gluten free section.

Authenticity & Character

Resort is beautiful. Landscaping, pool and hot springs are great.

Location

Close to the activities we chose to participate in.

Staff

Everyone was kind, helpful and more than willing to assist with anything. We appreciated the staff giving us rides in the resort area as it is quite large.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms could use some updating. The mattress was lumpy and chair in the room would be helpful. It is very clean and the resort area is beautiful and well maintained.

Activity Reviews

Sloth Observation - Day or Night Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

The guide was knowledgeable and they had a system for identifying where the sloths were located. They also used a telescope for spotting the sloths and allowing tourists to take pictures through the scope to get some awesome pictures.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Catamaran Tour

Costa Rica

It was a beautiful day to be on the catamaran. They don't allow shoes on the boat but the floor is very hot on your feet. It was smooth sailing and stopped to swim which was refreshing. The open bar was nice and the dinner was decent. I was impressed they had a separate box with a gluten free meal which I'm sure KimKim and Serendipity Adventures arranged for.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wetlands Boat Ride and Rum Tasting at Hacienda El Viejo

Costa Rica

The Wetlands Boat Ride is where we finally saw monkeys. Henry, the guide, and the boat driver were great at spotting wildlife. They made the effort to get us as close as possible. Henry also helped people take better photographs. We also saw crocodiles and various birds.

Quality of Experience

The boat ride was the highlight

Food

The cook grilled me a separate chicken breast since I am gluten free.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Henry was great and very helpful.

Transport

We had a private driver transport us from the hotel to this tour.

Cloud Forest Reserve Privately Guided Hike

Monteverde

Andy, our guide was extremely knowledgeable and an awesome tour guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whitewater Rafting on the Balsa River

Arenal/La Fortuna

Loved this activity. So much fun and our guide Axel was great!

Quality of Experience

It was a level 2-3 rafting trip and it was fun

Food

Half way through the rafting we stopped to take a break and all the guides cut up fresh fruit for the attendees, which was great. We had lunch afterwards at a local restaurant and the food was very good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Axel had a good sense of humor and great leader/navigator down the river

Transport

Private Organic Cooking Class

Arenal/La Fortuna

First we got a tour of the organic farm and the history behind it which was interesting. We picked ingredients that was to be used in our cooking class. Our host, Uber, made us 2 non-alcoholic drinks using sugar cane and sugar cane with various fresh spices and veggies that were delicious. We worked together to make dinner with Uber's mother. It was also delicious and a good way to learn about local cuisine and local culture.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mariano switched to a van so it was much more comfortable.

Private Arenal Hanging Bridges Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

It's a beautiful well maintained area. The paths are in great shape. There is a good amount of hiking up and down. If you do not like heights then you probably should skip this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mariano was great guide and very knowledgeable.

Arenal Volcano Hike & La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mariano was a lot of fun. He was very knowledgeable and gave us a wonderful tour.

Transport

Mariano was on time and drove us everywhere we needed to go. His jeep was a bit tight for 5 people, especially for the person who sat in the middle of the back seat.

Coffee, Chocolate and Sugar Cane Farm Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Well done, learned a lot and thoroughly enjoyed the coffee and chocolate tastings.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

planning a trip with Sunny at KimKim was easy and fun. We worked out budget and ideas and the narrowed things down, reworked the itinerary to get it absolutely perfect. We just got back and had an amazing time, thanks in large part to a seamless vacation. Would definitely plan a trip with KinKim again!

We loved our experience with KimKim in Korea and really enjoyed our guides in both Seoul (Jones) and Busan (Luke). They were extremely knowledgeable and took their jobs very seriously. They were also extremely pleasant. Everything worked out really well and they did a wonderful job of maximising the number of experiences without sacrificing on quality of the time. Christine was great to work with and did a nice job of figuring out all of the logistics for us.
We highly recommend KimKim and its staff.

The guides in Amazon rain forest were amazing , very caring and helpful throughout.

Hotel Reviews

M/C Treasure

San José de Conocoto Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Napo Cultural Center

Quito

The food was amazing . The items that were served were never repeated . Staff was very courteous

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The facility was very clean

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arrival to Coca, transfer to rainforest lodge, rainforest hike

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrival in Quito - Transfer to Your Hotel

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful experience in our 10 day trip from Marrakesh, to Agafay, Rabat, ending in Fes. The Riads were all enchanting, specially for its beauty the Elegance in Marrakesh and for its majestic arabic palacial environment and distinguished personnel the Hanel garden in Fes. The visits of the beautifull gardens, magnificent Medinas, Volubilis, learning the history and traditions, was a lifetime experience, all timely toured and nicely personalized . Most importantly, and what I would say provides most of the merit for a relatively high priced trip, was the extraordinary care, diligence, amability, and problema solving of our driver/host Ismael. We always felt very comfortable and safe and well taken care of with my wife, daughter and grandaughter throughout the 10 day visit/drive from city to city and within the city. Overall food menues specially in the desert glamping can be improved for a more luxurious experience (specially for 10 data were Food becomes rather repetitive)..but nevertheless we managed by searching for restaurants with great help from Ismael (as well as for shopping). The trip to the hills was interesting but excesively crowded during the short hike (this tour can be improved). These Small limitations, which we enjoyed anyways (the food and the trip to the Atlas hills/mountains), did not affect at all a great family experience in Marrocco; thank you very much.

This was a terrific trip. From a logistics perspective, everything ran very smoothly. The transfers were arranged and happened as they should. People met us when they were supposed to meet us. Everyone was friendly and lovely. Ariel answered all of my (many) questions quickly, accurately and with great patience. It never took more than 30 minutes to hear back from him no matter what time of day I sent my message. (I never expected him to answer at any time of day or night - I was just sending my questions as I thought of them). The only slight issue was that I have food restrictions and the chef on the boat didn't seem to know that. Once I brought it to their attention, he made sure that I had something to eat at every meal.

Jose was our guide in Quito and he was a pleasure - very knowledgeable and flexible. His English is excellent.
After Quito we were on the ship Anahi for a week in the Galapagos where Luis was our guide. I cannot commend the crew of the Anahi enough. Happy and friendly and very hard working. The boat was always sparkling clean, there were ample towels, they were snacks waiting for us when we would return from a hike or a snorkel. Everyone was very knowledgeable about the wildlife in the Galapagos and went above and beyond to ensure that we got the most out of our experience there.

Luis was a great guide - like everyone on the ship, he's local and that makes a big difference. He was also very knowledgeable and energetic. He did all the hikes and dives with us, even when he wasn't feeling well one day. He was available any time we needed him for anything and always smiling.

I would highly recommend using KimKim and sailing on the Anahi

Hotel Reviews

M/C Anahi

Quito

Everything about this ship was great. It holds 16 passengers which is a great number for a trip like this. We were on and off the boat frequently so there was no waiting in line for a tender ever. We had 2 zodiacs and were able to embark and disembark in no time. There was a dining area for our meals, an indoor 'living room' near the dining area, an outdoor partially covered bar and sitting area as well as a lounge area up top. The lounge area could get very hot so we weren't up there much. The food was plentiful and good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It's a boat. No location

Staff

If I could give the staff ore than 5 stars I would. Happy, helpful. hard working. I can't say enough

Cleanliness & Comfort

The whole boat and our rooms were cleaned multiple times each day. We even saw the bartender Roberto taking down the dinner bell he rings to give it a good shine

Patio Andaluz

Quito

The hotel was clean and lovely. It included breakfast which had lots of options. The staff were friendly and helpful and the location was very good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very central in the city - allowed for easy walking

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was very clean, the bed was comfortable, the shower was good. I was uncomfortable with the rosary and cross above the bed. Not all tourists are catholic.

Activity Reviews

North Seymour Island

Cruise Ship

This island houses several icons Galapganian bird as well as many many sea lions. It did small a it like kitty litter because of that but there was so much to see

Chinese Hat Islet

Galapagos Islands

More of the same amazing things - penguins, sea ions, giant sardine balls, blue footed boobies from the panga. We also went kayaking and snorkling. Again it was like being in an aquarium - so many fish, sharks, star fish etc

Rabida Island

Galapagos Islands

Beautiful island with red sand. We saw pink flamingos, did a fairly easy hike to a beautiful view. Sea lions playing at the shore line.

Santiago Island: Egas Port

Cruise Ship

The walk in the morning was fine. e saw a couple of fur seal pups but not much else. The snorkeling after that was amazing, Warm calm waters, tons and tons of fish - it was like swimming in an aquarium. We also saw sharks, sea turtles, flightless comerants swimming, marine iguanas eating.

Isabela Island: Vicente Roca Point

Cruise Ship

Zodiak ride was great - saw some cool cliffs, caves and birds, The snorkelling was good too but to as good as some other spots. Later in the day we crossed the equator and got to go to the bridge to watch the latitude change to 0.0.0

Fernandina Island: Espinoza Point

Cruise Ship

this was a long walk over lava fields. The main attraction here was the marine iguanas although there were some seal ions and lots of Sally lightfoot crabs. There were hundreds and hundreds of marine igunanas and we learned a lot about them. We did some terrific snorkeling that same morning too

Isabela Island: Tagus Cove

Cruise Ship

Great snorkelling - awe saw sea turtles, penguins, sardine balls and a ton of fish. It rained very hard after the snorkel so our afternoon hike was cancelled as it was very steep and slippery after the rain and wouldn't have been safe, We watched a Disney movie about sea ions instead!

Isabela Island: Urbina Bay

Cruise Ship

We did a short walk around the area - lots of giant tortoises and land iguanas. We learned a lot about both species. we also did a quick snorkel at the beach. There wasn't a ton to see in the water but it was nice and refreshing. There were some sea Lions, pelicans and iguanas on the beach

Isabela Island: Elizabeth Bay

Cruise Ship

We did a panga ride around the mangrove lagoons which was great. We saw a ton of wildlife there and the weather was perfect.

Isabela Island: Moreno Point

Cruise Ship

The panga ride to the nuke was amazing - we saw so many birds and lizards - marine iguanas, penguins, flightless cormorant, blue footed boobies, pelicans. The hike itself was a bit challenging. It was all irregular lava rock with lots of cracks and crevices. It was also very very hot up there

Isabela Island: Arnaldo Tupiza Breeding Center

Cruise Ship

It was interesting to see but I feel like it was all things we could have learned while seeing the tortoises out in the wild

Isabela Island: Wetlands

Cruise Ship

We hiked to Sierra Negra volcano which was amazing to see. The hike wasn't hard at all but it was about 6 km.

Isabela Island: Las Tintoreras

Cruise Ship

The itinerary changed and we didn't actually go here.

Santa Cruz Island: Highlands

Cruise Ship

So many Giant tortioses! And they're really big! The lava caves were also very cool

Bartolomé Island

Cruise Ship

Amazing snorkling - swam with sea lions

Quality of Experience

Day trip to Cotopaxi National Park

Quito

This was amazing but hard. The views are spectacular and it's a great sense of accomplishment to make it to base camp. But the air was thin for someone coming from sea level, even though we'd been in Quito for a few days by then. The walk u to base camp was hard work

Otavalo Market & Cuicocha Crater Lake

Quito

The market was fun as was seeing and learning about the cities and villages along the way. We had a short boat ride around the lake.

Visit the "Middle of the World"

Galapagos Islands

This was very fun. All the 'experiments' on the equator. We also learned a bit about the indigenous population. Our guide spoke English fairly well but she spoke quickly and was hard to understand at times because of the accent.

Quito City Tour

Galapagos Islands

Very interesting and it's always fun to learn about a new city and culture. There were just too many churches in the tour - lots of amazing architecture but too many

We appreciated the careful planning and arrangements for our trip to Costa Rica in January 2026. Arriving in Liberia - Guanacaste airport late because of flight delays, we found our driver after leaving the chaos of the airport and inefficient customs. Our driver brought us to Lomas Volcuna Hotel over twisty, bumpy roads late in the evening. Of all the arrangements, the only thing I would change was perhaps staying closer to the airport and taking the arduous trip the next morning. The hotel in Arenal surpassed all expectations. It was quiet, luxurious, and clean with the individual cottages. The landscaping lifted the senses and there was a trail in the woods for enjoyment. The North Fields chocolate and coffee experience informed us of all the complexity of these crops; the guide used excellent teaching methods to keep us engaged. The next day, our boat ride on the river found more wild life than any other adventure of the week. The guides spotted monkeys, sloths, caiman, iguana and several bird species. All week the guides had telescopes to see the animals and they outfitted our phone cameras for pictures. Our last day, we hiked up the side of Arenal; the climb was aduous for some of our party but the guide supported the members who needed help. The trip to Manuel Antonio was another long bumpy trip but the Mariposa Hotel destination was worth the drive. Great views, wonderful restaurant, infinity pool and capochin monkeys everywhere. Manuel Antonio park did not handle the crowds well, wildlife was distant, but the coast was beautiful. Back up the mountain to the cloud forest and Monteverde. The hotel, Fonda Vela, had a great pool, the best cooking of the trip and beautiful natural wood rooms. We traveled the hanging bridges which were very manageable even for our members who had difficulty hiking. Our night hike in the forest revealed the creature that come out after dark. Guides showed us toucans, other birds, a viper, and a frog. Seeing a frog made me realize that all the ecology and conservation in Costa Rica has at least saved this one little reptile. We just don't see frogs in the US like I did as a child. Kenny our driver brought us back down the mountain to Tamarindo bay. The resort had a gorgeous ocean front that we walks every morning at dawn to our extreme delight. The town and vendors could be overwhelming at times, but the evening shows with traveling Mariachi bands, jugglers and circus acts were entertaining. Photos of the week will be dear to us; a video of stills and video clips helps to recall the good times!

Hotel Reviews

Fonda Vela Hotel

Monteverde

The Fonda Vela Hotel in Monteverde had the best food of all the hotels we stayed at, thanks to its wonderful chef. The accommodation also featured a beautiful pool, which was a little too warm, but still made for a pleasant stay.

Lomas del Volcán

Fortuna

Lomas del Volcán was my favorite hotel during our trip. The accommodation consisted of charming little cabins with a back porch perfect for morning coffee and offered stunning views of the volcano. The beautiful gardens added to the serene environment. Overall, it was an absolutely fantastic location that I'm considering visiting again.

Activity Reviews

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

The Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike was my least favorite activity due to the large crowds. We did see some wildlife, but the experience was hindered by the inability to comfortably view the animals, such as sloths being barely visible.

Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Farm Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

The Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Farm Experience provided the best instruction and learning during our trip. It was fascinating to learn about the production processes and added a depth of cultural understanding.

Night Excursion at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde

Monteverde

The Night Excursion at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde provided a thrilling adventure as we explored the forest at night. We saw a variety of fascinating wildlife, making it a memorable part of our trip.

Guided Hanging Bridges Walk

Monteverde

The Guided Hanging Bridges Walk in the Cloud Forest at Monteverde was absolutely stunning. Walking over the trees was an unforgettable experience, offering beautiful views and a unique way to explore the forest.

Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Safari

Arenal/La Fortuna

The Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Safari was a surprising highlight of our trip. We enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere and saw an impressive amount of wildlife during the tour. It was a wonderful way to experience Costa Rica's nature.

This was our first trip to Morocco and the kimkim team and MOBT made it a huge success. Our planner, Yassine, tailored an itinerary that combined all of the best of what we were looking for. Yassine was also able to seamlessly modify our trip, first to add an extra member of our party, and then to change our city of departure to accommodate our best flight home. Our driver, Younes, was extremely knowledgeble, and helped us get around both Marrakesh and Casablanca. We were very glad to have a professional driver for the Marrakesh part of our visit. Ahmed and Mohammed, out tour guides were exceptional, and the food tour around Jemal el Fnaa and the waterfall and Berber village hike were lifelong memories. We were well prepared and got great advice and recommendations from the whole team throughout our trip. Thanks for everything!

Activity Reviews

Day Trip to Ourika Valley: Hike to a Waterfall

Morocco

Mohammed was an excellent host and shared so much about his village and Berber culture. Sharing a meal in his home was an amazing experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Evening Food Tour in Marrakesh

Marrakesh

Ahmed seemed to know everyone in Marrakesh. We're still talking about many of the stops on this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Two weeks in Thailand was incredible. With three in country flights, three hotels, transfers and excursions, it was a lot to handle. Bella did an excellent job ironing out the wrinkles when they occurred, couldn’t have done it without her.

Ken & Mimi

This trip was perfect. I want to especially mention a few of the guides. First and foremost, Ahmed Boufdam, our driver/guide, was outstanding. He is a great asset to the company. He is smart, funny, attentive, and a great driver. He really made our week into a spectacular trip. He made it look easy, and I know that's the sign of someone very good at what they do.
Hisham (Abdou's brother!) and Rashid were also incredible - in Marrakech and Fes. They are so good at what they do - consummate professionals with loads of experience and great delivery. Hasania in Rabat was also a standout.
The accommodations were perfect.
The itinerary was excellent; there's never enough time to do all you want to do, but we had a good mix, and I loved getting to see the spectacular Moroccan countryside. It was stunning.
Overall, I was very pleased with the trip, and would recommend the trip to anyone considering a trip to Morocco.

Activity Reviews

Private Cooking Class w/ Souk Tour

Morocco

Naul and her daughter were lovely. It was not the most hands' on cooking class I have ever done, but it was thoroughly enjoyable, and the food was excellent!

Afternoon Guided Tour of Rabat

Rabat

Hasania was a great guide!

Fes to Rabat via Volubilis and Meknes

Morocco

This was cut short by rain - nobody's fault, but means I can't give it a 5-star review -

Guided Tour of Fes

Fes

Rashid was great!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Merzouga to Fes via Midelt, Azrou, & Ifraine

Morocco

Dades Valley to Merzouga via Todgha Gorge & Tinghir

Morocco

Marrakech to Dades Valley via Ait Ben Haddou

Morocco

Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Hisham was excellent!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our trip to China was truly spectacular, the Great Wall totally met our expectations and to visit it during snowfall made for a uniquely beautiful experience. Xi'an is a lovely, warm-hearted city that we really enjoyed strolling through. Our excellent Xi'an local guide Coco was very well paced and knowledgeable. She had a cheerful, welcoming personality, and was happy to answer all our questions about the old city. She shared so much of the city's interesting history with us, adding even more to our feeling of awe. In the scenic area of Guilin, our local guide, Fei, was very eager to share the beauty of her home with us, ensuring we went to all the best spots. Chongqing, our last destination on the trip, totally blew us away with its futuristic cityscapes. Our local guide, Yudy, was so energetic and excited to introduce us to all the mesmerizing sights of Chongqing. Yudy spared no effort in ensuring we did all we wanted to do and made our Chongqing experience so captivating that we would love to return. Of course, our local specialist, Heidi, was such a great help every step of the way, checking in to make sure all was well and that we were making all our transfers successfully. We are so happy with how the trip turned out!

Our trip to New Zealand's north island was amazing. Our agent did a great job of finding activities that matched our interests.

Hotel Reviews

Abstract Hotel

Auckland

Seemed nice, but it was pretty hot in Auckland when we arrived. There is no A/C and the windows only open about 3 inches, so no way to cool the room. We did appreciate that the laundry facilities are free for guests to use. Staff was very nice about accommodating a change to our reservation, offering a refund way after the change deadline.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Regal Palms Resort

Rotorua

Noce hotel. Pretty busy area of Rotorua. No restaurant and not much to walk too. However, the room was spacious and clean. There was A/C in the main area. Had a big jacuzzi tub in the bathroom. Lots of onsite activities. We used the pool which was quite nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Forgotten World Motel

Taumarunui

Convenient to the tour, but a little run down. No A/C, fans only. We had ants. Not much to do in this town other than the Forgotten World tour. The shower bottles were marked incorrectly (shampoo, body wash). Not great washing hair with body wash. Staff leaves early, so if there are problems, no one onsite to help.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Park Hotel Ruapehu

National Park Village

Nice hotel with a (not free) shuttle to the Tongariro Crossing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kapiti island accommodations

Kapiti Island

Highlight of our trip. Exactly what we expected a "glamping" experience to be. If you want to see native birds, can't imagine a more location. Accommodation included food and snacks which were tasty.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Naumi Hotel Wellington

6141

Loved the location and ambiance of this hotel. We liked the neighborhood and thought their signature cocktails were creative and fun.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Eco Zip - Flying Fox ziplines & Native Walks Experience

New Zealand

Felt very safe and the walk back though the old growth forest was fabulous.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hobbiton Movie Set Tour

New Zealand

We all agreed that this was much better than we expected (and heard that from other travelers as well). The sets are beautifully preserved and the house you go into has an amazing level of detail. They allow you to touch and enjoy the house fully (you can get in the tub, the bed, etc) and take pictures. After the tour, you get drinks at the Green Dragon where they also have snacks if desired.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Starlight Gourmet Kayak Tour - Glowworm Caves

Rotorua

This was a fun evening. We were a small group 6 = 2 guides. We kayaked a doable distance across a lake where we had dinner (sausages and salmon) and had use of thermal pools. Once it was dark, we went back across the lake to the cave. The glowworms are great. We also got some of the myths surrounding them during the activity. The stars on the return paddle, were the best I have ever seen.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hell's Gate Experience (Geothermal site and Mud Bath and Sulphur Spa)

Rotorua

This was a fun day. The trails are nicely maintained and have good information. The carving experience isfun and worth stopping for. The spa was fun. Can now say I've done a mud and sulfer spa. Really nice gift shop.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Te Pā Tū - Maori Cultural Experience

Rotorua

This was a great experience. I thought the pre-dinner activities were fun, well done and just the right length. The show part was again fun and just the right length. The food was excellent. We ended up purchasing the non-alcoholic pairing and would recommend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wai-O-Tapu

New Zealand

Very interesting

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Forgotten World Highway - 10 tunnel tour

Taumaranui

This was a good experience. The lunch was basic, but adequate. This area is really beautiful and seeing it by rail is probably the best way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overnight Kiwi Spotting

New Zealand

We had a great time on Kapiti Island. We all agreed that it was one place that we could have spent more time if our itinerary allowed. We arrived in the afternoon and had time to do the hike from the resort to the top of the hill. We did the night time Kiwi spotting walk. We did end up spotting a kiwi! Though, the KaKa's and Weka's really stole the show. We left in the morning. We did not have time to do the hike on the other side of the island, or swim in the cove. Take a flashlight with a red light option if possible. That way you can continue looking for KiWi after the guided tour is over.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wellington - Full day Lord of the Rings location tour

Wellington

We had a great day on this tour. Ended up being just our group which we appreciated and didn't expect. Guide, Dean, was knowledgeable about Wellington and LOTR. We saw a number of filming sites and also learned a lot about NZ and Wellington. Appreciated the Stansborough tour. Much more interesting than we expected. Weta Cave was also fun, but I expected more LOTR content there. Not this tours fault.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

THANK YOU MONIKA - NEW ZEALAND TRIP

This was our 4th trip in a row that we have booked with KimKim and again it was everything we had hoped for.

Monika, you were amazing in everything you did for our recent 3 week bucket list vacation to New Zealand, which went seamlessly. Your blend of the north island on the first part of the trip and then flying to the south island to spend much more time was perfect. All of the accommodations were superb and a very nice mix of traditional and modern. Since we are active people we asked you in the beginning stages of planning this trip, to include unique daily excursions. The things you booked were fantastic and every day was different in their own ways. On the north island, a few of the things that we really enjoyed was the nighttime kayak trip to see glow worms in the caves, The Hobbiton Movie Set and the performance and dinner at the Maori Village which was highlighted by the Haka dance. Once we arrived on the south island for over 2 weeks, your choices of things to do is really too much to describe as we did so many things. If I was to list some of our favourites, they would be as follows. Starting out in Queenstown, the full day jet boat ride up a river and then returning in a 2 person inflatable Funyak (kayak) ride back down with the current was so much fun. Also, the overnight in a beautiful 20 person catamaran in the fjord laden Milford Sound which included kayaking in the Tasman Sea was amazing. On to the nighttime viewing of the blue penguins, sperm whale watch, hiking and much, much more. But, one of the top highlights for both of us was the HalfDay Heli/Glacier Hike at Mount Cook. Hiking on top of the glacier and down into beautiful ice caves was something we will always remember.

I could go on about more things we did on this trip, but I would like to finish with saying how much we appreciate everything you did to make this trip one our top trips ever. Your organizing skills with our itinerary, your punctuality in getting back to us so fast during the planning process, your professionalism and being a genuine nice person, truly was second to none and we highly recommend you!

Thanks again Monika and thanks to Kimkim for being our No. 1 choice to handle our travel plans.

Bryan and Jill Turkstra
Canada

Really enjoyed our wine-focused trip to Central Chile. Working with Nara was great - she was responsive to our desires for the trip, and she did a great job finding us terrific wineries to visit. Felipe was a wonderful guide - knowledgeable, personable, and easy to be around.

Hotel Reviews

Clos Apalta Residence

Santa Cruz

This is a stunning property. Everything was wonderful, from the casita to the restaurant to the wine tour. Highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Casona at Matetic Vineyards

Lagunillas

Lovely relaxed winery stay. Comfortable room, beautiful grounds, very good restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gran Hotel Gervasoni

Valparaiso

This is a lovely period building, and the decor is simple and elegant. However, the bathroom in our room was on a lower floor, accessible only by a steep spiral staircase. Breakfast was good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Accessibility

Hotel Solace

Providencia

Good solid choice for lodging in Santiago. Breakfast was comprehensive, although nothing fancy. Staff was helpful. Location is great for getting around the city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Convenient

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Santiago City Tour

Chile

Jose was a great guide - knowledgeable and very proud of his city. Unfortunately, we scheduled our trip for Monday, when most of the attractions were closed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine Tasting in Aconcagua Valley

Chile

Escorial Winery was our favorite of all the wineries we visited in all the valleys. Their story is inspiring, and the wines were delicious. Sadly, they do not export to the States, so we spent a great deal of our limited take-home wine allowance here!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maipo Valley Wine Experience

Santiago

All the wineries we visited were impressive in their own ways, but we particularly loved El Principal and Haras de Pirque.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great itinerary loved the diversity of locations and the fact the team worked with me to craft an agenda the fit our wants. To break it down:
First Stop – the airport reception and half day tour was very trouble free, and I appreciated the guide being flexible with our ask including finding a very local spot to grab lunch and making sure we had time at all the spots we wanted to see.
Second Stop – Lucky was very knowledgeable about everything and was a very gracious host. We very much enjoyed our day on the boat and all the activities that were planned. I would not change anything about that.
Third Stop – Our guide in Da Nang was extremely knowledgeable about local history and culture and made the trip very enjoyable from a cultural experience. All the activities and transportation including the hotels were top notch.
Forth Stop – We enjoyed our time in the city and more importantly we had a great experience on the bay. The cruise ship was very well managed, and accommodation was excellent. Again, it would not change a thing.
Overall.
Hotels – Top of the line, great rooms and great service
Guides – All very attentive and professional, felt like they wanted to make sure we enjoyed ourselves.
Transportation – Did not miss a beat, on time and great coaches at all stops.

Hotel Reviews

Indochine Grand Cruise

Quang Ninh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

GM Premium Hotel Hanoi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Sands Oceanfront Danang Hotel

Da Nang

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Silverland Mây Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

VIP Fast Track Service (including visa application)

Vietnam

Not nessasary, did not feel like we gained anything with this. The regualar service was fine.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

How the weather really is so you can pack the right clothes for where you're going and what you're doing . We were not told how chilly it was in the rainforest . We brought NO jackets . We were told that it was the dry season and that was not true for the region we were in. We had to leave rainforest early to get to a warmer climate . So over all we made the best of things but we were a little disappointed . We missed a few activities that we paid for , zip lining .....

Hotel Reviews

Capitán Suizo Beachfront Boutique Hotel

Tamarindo

Staff is great but be prepared NO tv in the rooms

Authenticity & Character

Location

right on the beach

Staff

The people of Costa Rica are super nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rio Celeste Hideaway Resort

Bijagua

Phenomenal hotel , highly recommend if you want to be in the rainforest. The staff is second to none

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

second to none

Cleanliness & Comfort

beautiful rooms

Activity Reviews

Tapir Valley Reserve Night Tour

Bijagua / Rio Celeste

Never made this tour had to leave early because of the weather that we were not informed of.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tenorio Volcano and Rio Celeste Guided Hike

Bijagua / Rio Celeste

If your near the state park tour do it but wear hiking shoes its a workout but a must do

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rio Celeste Zipline

Bijagua / Rio Celeste

how to miss because of the weather

We loved the whole trip! Bella did a great job! The elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai was amazing, as was the hotel. We enjoyed Koh Lanta and all the drivers that were organized. Our guide in Bangkok was also phenomenal. Well done Bella and KimKim

Ariel was incredible - always responsive, helpful, and there when we needed. Everything was well organized, from the pick ups at the airport or hotels, to the excursions themselves. Ariel created the perfect itinerary for my family based off what we were looking for. Would highly recommend using kimkim (and Ariel!!) if you’re looking for the perfect trip to the Galapagos!

Hotel Reviews

Albemarle

Puerto Villamil

Acacia Galápagos Boutique Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Beautiful hotel with a great breakfast. Perfectly located. Super clean with nice bathrooms and very comfortable beds. Staff was extremely nice! Would recommend!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Old Town Quito Suites

Centro Historico, Quito

Great location and super unique hotel. Very nice and large rooms with a cool authentic feel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

All day experience but so worth it! You will be on a very cool sail boat for about a 2.5 hour ride (both there and back). We were served a delicious breakfast and lunch. Snorkeling was great, as were the views from the top of the hike!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkel at Los Túneles

Galapagos Islands

We snorkels in two locations - both were great. The first was through the tunnels themselves which was so cool and in the next we saw a TON of sea turtles, as well as a sea horse and reef shark. Darwin was an incredible guide. We also had a delicious lunch on the boat. My family’s favorite activity we did while in the galapagos. It was also nice because we left at 11:30 and returned by 5:30, so it didn’t take the whole day!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Darwin was awesome and super knowledgeable!

Transport