Kimkim Trip Reviews

Hannah was beyond amazing in planning our trip and working out an adjustment on the fly when our arrival was delayed! Iceland is incredible and we’re already starting to think m about the next trip - and hoping KimKim can help us plan it!

Our Australia/New Zealand trip was such a wonderful, memorable trip! Liz’ activity suggestions were all great! We appreciated the small group tours ( no more than 12 people) and the tour guides were top notch. All of our airport and tour pick-ups were on-time/ early. It was so nice to see someone greet us at the airports and not having to arrange our own transportation. Even though we had intentionally selected mid-range hotels, they mostly exceeded our expectations and we had some amazing views from our room. The complementary breakfast at each hotel was also nice. We will certainly recommend Kimkim and Liz to our friends and family!

All in all we had a great trip. Everything was well organised and ran very smoothly.
Our guide Emelia in Cusco was so good and when Machu Picchu was shut down she handled the new itinerary etc very well. Also a big thank you for the refunds processed so quickly. The highlight of the trip for us was the train between Cusco and Puno. 5 star service and amazing scenery.
The guides who helped us through the land border Peru/Bolivia were amazing as was the guide who assisted me with getting the Bolivian visa. We would have struggled to do this all ourselves.
We loved the personal service and private tours and being able to connect with KimKim any time via the email link was excellent.
All the hotels were great, just to our liking especially Antigua Casona San Blas in Cusco.
Thank you.

Pros - most of the guides who looked after the group were knowledgeable and enthusiastic. (Though we were not very happy with the local food tastings in Mexico City and Oaxaca, they could have been of a better quality. )
Cons - hotels were pretty average, some of them have certainly seen better times.

The van provided was a total disaster! With tiny windows that you cannot look out from and enjoy the sightseeing. BUT above all the van was insufficient for the group luggage and daily it was such a struggle to fit ourselves and the suitcases in! When 18 of us reached Oaxaca airport, the suitcases could not fit so we had to hire a taxi on our own initiative and till date have NOT got reimbursed for that. This is not acceptable because we had warned you that Indian women will travel with the maximum luggage possible and to provide a vehicle accordingly, but this never happened, though you were aware of it right from day one . BTW this was a commitment and not a favour.
The driver for an airport transfer on the last date turned up more than 20 minutes late! Once again this is not acceptable, besides there was far too much follow up required on a daily basis.
So the overall Mexico experience is rather disappointing, I am sure you will understand why.

My mother had wanted to see Angkor Wat in person for 70+ years--ever since she wrote a middle school paper about it. Time flies and it seemed like she might miss her chance. But then in early 2023 we found KimKim and Travel Asia A La Carte. Steve quickly responded to my inquiry and created an interesting trip in Cambodia for us that would accommodate an 82-year-old who struggles in the heat, walks very slow, and needs help getting up and down steps. All throughout the planning process, Steve was quick to respond, friendly and accommodating. He organized a fantastic trip for us that included enriching experiences that highlighted Cambodia's history and culture. Ra was our driver throughout the trip, Pich was our guide from Phnom Penh to Battambang and Siem Reap and Kin was our guide throughout our time in Siem Reap and back to the airport. These people are outstanding and made our trip The Best. The activities, accommodations and meals were all super--loved every one of them and everyone we met--but what made the trip great was Steve and his team--Ra, Pich and Kin--and the care they gave to us and especially my mother throughout our time in Cambodia. They were always friendly and respected my mother's slow walking pace, accommodated her when she needed to stop and rest, and never tried to rush her. They helped her up and down steps and in and out of boats and challenging seats and strategized ways to get her to see as much as possible without having her walk more than necessary or miss anything interesting or important. Any they were always friendly and joyful about it. This trip would have been impossible without these wonderful, loving people. Thank you to all.

Hotel Reviews

Palace Gate Hotel & Resort

Phnom Penh

Loved it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maisons Wat Kor

Battambang

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Treeline Urban Resort

Siem Reap

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Afternoon introductory Phnom Penh City Tour

Phnom Penh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Siem Reap to Phnom Penh Airport via Spean Praptos, Santuk Silk Farm & Skuon (for Beth & Betsy)

Cambodia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phnom Penh to Battambang via Ondong Rossey & Floating Villages

Cambodia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Traditional dance performance and dinner

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Bamboo train ride

Battambang

Quality of Experience

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Sunrise (and return to hotel for breakfast)

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

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Phnom Sampeau sunset

Battambang

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Dinner at Jaan Bai

Battambang

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Food

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National Museum & Royal Palace

Phnom Penh

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Phare, the Cambodian Circus (Seat A , reserved seating)

Siem Reap

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Dinner at Eleven One Kitchen

Phnom Penh

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Tuol Sleng & Killing Fields

Phnom Penh

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Banteay Srei, Landmine Museum, Banteay Samre & local noodles

Siem Reap

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Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Half day countryside local industries by remork

Battambang

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Ta Phrom (afternoon by remork)

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Additional airport transfer

Phnom Penh

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Paul was excellent and the resulting itinerary was what the group wanted. However, when we arrived at some of the locations, the itinerary was not what we had planned with Paul. It would seem that local people did not get information from Paul or ignored information from Paul/Kim-Kim. Transfers were handled well except at Las Torres Hotel.

Atacama: Thoroughly enjoyed the stay in Atacama. One of my favorite parts of the trip.

Punta Arenas: Enjoyed the Magdalena Island tour from Punta Arenas. However, the hotel room was awful - small for two people in twin beds. Window did not open, AC did not work. Others on the trip had much better rooms. Also did not have good information on options for dining.

Patagonia: Long trip by van to Hotel Las Torres. This part of the trip did not go well. We had communicated with Paul about each of our desires for activities during our stay. But the excursions were not personalized according to each of our requests. The following were problems:
(1); Horseback riding for Martha was approved after many exchanges via email before we arrived. However, when we arrived she was told that she couldn't do horseback riding. Martha has been horseback riding for over 40 years, owns her own horse and rides every week. I had to get firm and somewhat aggressive with Chris and eventually Martha got her rides. But it was a bad start to the time we had there.
(2): Hikes and other excursions: Again, the group had worked together and each of us had our preferences for activities. However, I question the sensibility of assigning myself and Richard to two 13km hikes in one day for people who were 74 and 85 years old! While I can do a single 13 km hike - two in one day was not possible. That left me with a free afternoon and not much was offered in terms of activities.
(3): The transfer from Las Torres Hotel to Punta Arenas Hotel was initially supposed to be in late morning - providing us time for a leisurely breakfast and some exploration around the hotel (including an easy hike). However, at the last minute that morning we were told that we had to leave right away because another couple had to get to the airport. That left no time to enjoy the park that morning. In addition, the van was crammed full, a flat tire had to be repaired in route, and there was no plan for what we were going to do with the 6-7 hours we would have had at the airport. Fortunately we worked with the driver to get us transferred into town at a hotel that kept our luggage, provided an opportunity for a nice lunch, and found a van to take all of us back to the airport at the appropriate time. What frustrates me is that 7 hours could have been spent at Las Torres enjoying more of the area.
Overall I was disappointed with the arrangements in Patagonia.
Easter Island: Amazing! Great guide, interesting history, wonderful hikes. Great hotel. So glad we added this to the trip.
Santiago: Wine tasting tours were excellent and the Santa Rita tour of the garden was an unexpected treat! We arranged a separate tour of the city on our final day - great tour guide.

This trip was extremely well-planned by Columbus Travel in Antigua. Catherina and her team worked hard to understand exactly what our goals were and why we were coming to Guatemala. We had very specific requests and they listened intently to us, making sure we would have the experiences we were seeking. Many of the villages we visited had few to no tourists, and we really were able to see up close and personal the way the Maya K'iche' and Ixil people live their daily lives. We had many, many conversations one-on-one and were able to ask and answer questions, take photos, and dive deeper into the culture than any other type of travel could have provided for us. There were, of course, changes in schedule and plans due to unexpected opportunities or weather shifts, but Columbus Travel was always there to accommodate our needs and make it work for us on the spot. The guides and drivers were always in communication with Catherina and she with them, making managing the trip very smooth for us. The second part of our trip was the fun, more touristy, part, but even during that part, Catherina made sure we kept our cultural focus and were always met and guided by Mayans and visited Mayan sites. It was a true pleasure to work with such travel professionals who were also quite personal with us and got to know us well. I highly recommend this organization and this mode of travel planning. Kim Kim is lucky to partner with Columbus Travel!
GUIDES
Our primary driver and guide for the first half of the trip was Luis Medina. He was absolutely the best choice for our trip! He was informed, open, helpful, patient, and fun to be with. We had many speed bumps (literal and figurative) along the way and his mild temperament always came shining through. On many occasions, he saw opportunities for us to have unique experiences and he always moved forward to make them happen for us. The success of our trip was largely due to his on the spot, professional trip management skills.
Our K'iche' guide, Carlos Chaclan, also provided us with a homestay in Totonicapan and was a gracious host. We so enjoyed spending time with him and his family. They were all so sweet and relaxed with us and made us feel at home. On the road, Carlos never failed to connect us with our mission - to get to know the Maya K'iche' of Guatemala. He helped us engage with them; he taught me useful phrases so that I could begin speaking directly with them; he made suggestions about what we might want to do and experience that was authentic; and he was informative in providing history and meaning when we asked him about specific places and historical markers along our route.

We had constant support from both our Kim Kim representative (Francesca) and the local travel representative (Kristy, of Miski Travels), who worked very well together to help us through each step. We arrived in Argentina as a "decent size family group of 10 people", during (yet!) another relative turbulent moment for the country: just after a major storm in Buenos Aires, with many flights cancelled and changed, a general strike, etc. In a very chaotic moment, Kim Kim proved to be always very present and very helpful.
The local guides were always genuinely very nice, knowledgable and willing to help; the hotels and all places suggested always very nice and very much in line with what we expressed as preference when discussed the trip.
Overall, a great experience. We already travelled with KimKim in the past and certainly recommend it.
Thank you again.
Simone

Hotel Reviews

La Aldea De La Selva Lodge

Puerto Iguazú

Great location, nicely set in the local vegetation to give that sense of secluded place. Very nice rooms, and so the dining area, serving always good food (and a very nice cellar). Staff always very gentle and attentive.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Krista Boutique Hotel

Buenos Aires

Very good location, that allows to go pretty much everywhere within a short walk or short ride. Very nice rooms and certainly very nice staff, who's been always as helpful as kind.

Authenticity & Character

it's a modern building, modern rooms, it doesn't have to have a "character". It's ok as it is.

Location

walking distance from very nice areas and only a short drive from other main destinations.

Staff

everyone very helpful, well coordinated and thoughtful. Well done guys.

Cleanliness & Comfort

very clean rooms and communal areas.

Kau Yatun Hotel & Estancia

El Calafate

Just enough outside El calafate to give character to the place, but still close enough to enjoy the walk to town. Simple rooms, but very clean and well kept.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

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Alto Andino Hotel

Ushuaia

very good location, central and two streets up from the now-very-touristy-busy San Martin, it's quiet and it features a nice view over the port and the city (particularly from the top-floor bar). Staff always very helpful. Rooms comfortable, quite and clean.

Authenticity & Character

modern building with modern rooms, it doesn't need to have "character" and it's very good as it is.

Location

central position and still very quiet, as two streets up from the now-often noisy San Martin. The view from the top is truly nice.

Staff

very helpful, they all helped with many tasks, very well coordinated and genuinely kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Fly to Puerto Iguazu

Argentina

we landed in Buenos Aires and took off the same day to Puerto Iguazu. Everything very well organised, with the guide coming to the airport effectively just to receive us. He took our extra luggage to the hotel where we would have stayed on a few days. That helped a lot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

always very punctual, nice, accommodating and with vey nice, clean cars and vans.

Exploring the Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls

Argentina

Both sides very impressive, definitely important to visit the Brazilian side to get the full sense of the place.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Day of Adventure at Iguazu Falls: Exploring the Argentinian Side

Iguazú Falls

both sides very impressive. Important to visit both and definitely worthwhile to go with the boat rides.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fly from Puerto Iguazu to Buenos Aires

Argentina

Areolineas did its best to disrupt our plans, but KimKim did its best to rearrange everything impressively well in a very short time (over Christmas Eve!!). So.. great job Kim Kim and great job Francesca!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

(Kim Kim transport... not Aerolineas!)

Buenos Aires Walking City Tour

Buenos Aires

Such a beautiful city.. the tour was very well organised and kept into consideration the variety of people in our group. Very well paced and focussed on those unmissable places. We had a few extra requests (visit to one of the old train stations...) and the guide/driver always helped. great experience, very comfortable, very informative for kids and adults.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cafe de Los Angelitos Dinner & Tango Show (Executive Menu)

Buenos Aires

as Aerolineas changed our flights, we did not go to Los Angelico's but to El Aljibe. As a group of 10 and with children, we could only go to a "more touristic" type of show, nevertheless it was very nice, very well organised, engaging and in a very nice location, where they served a nice dinner. So..approved! And again, arranged by Kim Kim at the very last minute for Christmas Eve. Impressive.

Quality of Experience

Food

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Boat Excursion to Tigre

Buenos Aires

definitely worthwhile. Impressive to see what nature is still creating just off Buenos Aires and how people are settling in this area. fascinating.

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Perito Moreno Glacier Boat Tour

El Calafate

a very nice, safe and easy way to see this beautiful giant from close. Recommended.

Quality of Experience

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Fly to El Calafate: Glaciers, Culture, and Natural Wonders

Argentina

Smooth flight, El Calafate is now more of a touristic destination, but still preserved its character. The surrounding are very beautiful. Worthwhile visiting the ice museum.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Exploring Estancia Nibepo Aike: A Day of Horseback Riding, Sheep Herding, and Traditional Roasts

El Calafate

very nice way to peek and get the sense of what was the life in these estancia. It is now very much of a touristic approach, very disciplined and "civilised", but particularly if you travel with kids and family, it's the best solution. And they are always very kind.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Fly from El Calafate to Ushuaia

Argentina

all smooth, drop off and pick up very efficient and attentive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Tierra del Fuego National Park and End of the World Train Excursion

Ushuaia

Very nice tour. Lovely trekking for those who can and very nice old-train-ride through the park. Worthwhile.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Beagle Channel Navigation: Sea Lions, Cormorants and Penguins

Ushuaia

we didn't noticed it was a 6h tour.. we went with Rumbo Sur. They are well organised and the tour is nice. Perhaps to long if you travel with kids.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Fly from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires

Argentina

Aerolineas changed the flights with some horrible ones. We managed to mitigate the trouble and Kim Kim provided us with very good logistic support to make it as smooth as possible.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Departure Day: Farewell to Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

thanks to Kim Kim the disruption caused by Aerolineas was mitigated... they helped with transportation and logistics.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Erin did a top notch job for us - 4 high school friends coming from 3 continents to Chile, celebrating our big birthdays together. All 4 of us were able to co-create the itinerary in the chat which was great. Erin's responsiveness and advice on where/what/how was just what we needed to get the perfect itinerary. Our questions on all the details and options or alternatives were quickly answered and resolved (especially getting us into the refugios and off the waiting lists and out of the tents! All the tickets, vouchers were right on point, easy to understand and worked like magic. We just got back and everything was perfect and executed just as designed. Nara was excellent answering last minute questions. The excursions and providers were all great, just as described. If you want to do Patagonia or Chile, highly recommend Erin, Nara and Laura.

We booked a two-week trip to Thailand, working with Elena. The planning process was easy and Elena worked with us to come up with a wonderful itinerary that suited us perfectly. She promptly answered all of our questions, came up with great suggestions, and tweaked our itinerary until we were satisfied. I am usually a DIY traveler, so having someone else take care of the details was a new and wonderful experience. Our guides (Wee in Bangkok and Bam in Chiang Mai) were friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. Every detail of our trip went smoothly and we thoroughly enjoyed the activities Elena booked. Our flight was delayed an entire day and Elena was able to quickly rearrange our schedule to accommodate this last minute change, saving us a lot of aggravation. Because of the delay, Wee also tweaked our Bangkok itinerary and we really appreciated this flexibility (Note that the hotel and missed activities were non-refundable and our credit card insurance did not cover these costs). It was a real pleasure to be able to enjoy our trip without the hassle of figuring out logistics and knowing that if we ran into an issue, we could contact Elena or the local contacts in Thailand. I highly recommend KimKim!

Hotel Reviews

Ariyasom Villa

Bangkok

This hotel is a former residence at the end of a side street off a main road. We were only in Bangkok for a short time but it seemed to be conveniently located. The hotel was charming and our room was comfortable, although a bit dark. The staff were very pleasant.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Phra Singh Village

Chiang Mai

This charming hotel is conveniently located near Wat Phra Singh. Our room was large and extremely comfortable, the breakfast was fantastic, and the staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful. Highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

500Rai Floating Resort

Surat Thani

This is a magical place reached by boat where you can enjoy the natural beauty of the lake. Our room was very comfortable and we loved the gentle rocking motion of our floating bungalow. Our package included meals (we ate the Thai meals and they were delicious) and activities. Note that there is one main activity per day. We stayed two nights and one day, which was perfect. We chose not to do the caving excursion on the day we were there but went on the evening safari and early morning sightseeing tour. Other than that there are some activities at the resort or you can swim in the lake or pool, use the provided kayaks outside your room, or go paddle boarding. It was a very unique, tranquil, and relaxing experience.

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Outrigger Khao Lak Beach Resort

Phang Nga

This is a lovely hotel located right on the beach. We stayed in a bungalow with a private pool and really enjoyed it. The staff were fantastic. I wish I could remember all of their names, but every person we encountered was helpful and kind, especially Natty at reception. The beach is beautiful! The hotel breakfast was fantastic and we also ate in the restaurant a few times, which was fine. There are other restaurants on the beach that are perhaps a bit more interesting. The smoothies at Lomlay next door were very good and the massage at Amma, also next door, was wonderful.

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Activity Reviews

Grandma Home Cooking school - Join-in class - Evening session

Chiang Mai

We loved touring the garden and then preparing a delicious meal with fresh ingredients! The whole experience was wonderful and very well organized.

Quality of Experience

Food

This was some of the best food we ate in Thailand.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Similan Island Snorkeling Joining Tour by Speedboat

Khao Lak

This trip is well organized but there is a lot of sitting around when you arrive that could perhaps be avoided. The Similan Islands are beautiful and the staff were wonderful but on the day we went the water was full of tiny jellyfish so snorkeling was very limited and in any case nothing special - very little variety in the marine life.

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Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Elephant Nature Park half day visit

Chiang Mai

Quality of Experience

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an absolutely lovely time in Vietnam and it was all down to the plan Hien was able to put together, we thoroughly enjoyed every destination we visited, Cong in Hanoi and Anh in Hoi and were particularly welcoming and friendly!

Hien worked really hard to put together a plan for us that we really enjoyed, she took time to ask us questions and make alterations that suited us. We also asked a lot of questions having never used travel agency before, Hien was patient and thorough with all of this. Every detail was taken care of and she checked in with us throughout the trip to make sure things were to our liking!

We had an incredibly early flight when we left Vietnam and Hien even went out of her way to make sure we had breakfast boxes to take away with us, which was very kind of her!

We will definitely visit Vietnam again, but more importantly definitely recommend using Hien who is absolutely lovely and detailed, which made for one of the best holidays we've ever had.

Thank you for everything Hien!

Hotel Reviews

Elite of the Seas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Sinfonía Majesty Hotel and Spa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa

Quảng Nam

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chen Sea Resort & Spa

Phu quoc

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel des Arts Saigon - MGallery Collection

Ho Chi Minh City

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hanoi Street food walking tour (S)

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Hoa Lu And Tam Coc Exploration

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Onboarding Elite of the Seas Cruise (2D1N)

Ha Long Bay

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Visiting Dark and Bright Cave - Disembarking Elite of the Seas (2D1N)

Ha Long Bay

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Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Cycling in Cam Thanh & Thanh Dong Organic Farm Visit

Vietnam

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Food

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Ho Chi Minh City Half-Day Tour

Ho Chi Minh City

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Food

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Hanoi Fullday City Tour with Train Track Coffee Enjoy

Hanoi

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Food

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Liz put together for us an amazing 18-day self-driving journey through both the North and South Island. She was very patient, flexible and able to accommodate our specific wants such as a focus on culture, nature, food and wine, but limited physical activities such long hikes. Also, our travel dates had been set before talking to Liz and she was able to fit it all nicely while still giving us plenty of "free" time, which we then filled with some of her suggestions and some self-Googled highlights. Because of our points and status with hotels, car rental companies and airlines, Liz gave us the flexibility to make our own reservation where we could benefit from the status or use point/earn. The hotels she selected were, with two exceptions, excellent. I could have better communicated the level of comfort and service we like. We will be more specific when booking our next trip with KimKim. Due to rain and wind our flight back from Milford Sound to Queenstown got cancelled and we returned by bus. The refund for the missed flight was received within a few days. Greatly appreciate the prompt and honest service. Overall a wonderful experience and thank you Liz for your time and dedication to make this New Zealand trip one of our best world exploration adventures.

Although we were not originally planning to have a private guide, my husband and I decided to take a chance with Tarun and we were not disappointed. Tarun created a personalized itinerary prior to our arrival based on our interests, but was also flexible to make changes based on things that came up or that we decided that we wanted to see once we got there. He balanced our schedule with the primary tourist attraction but also afforded enough time and flexibility for us to explore at our own leisure. He went the extra mile to seek out experiences off the beaten path that only a local know. He was very friendly and personable and we often felt like we were travelling with an extra friend rather than a host. If you are looking for a turnkey experience, we definitely recommend Tarun and Holiday Adventure Tours for a personalized experience, no matter how long you plan to visit Slovenia, and we will be in touch with him when we book a trip to India in the future.

Miglé made this the most seamless, stress-free international trip I’ve ever been on! I cannot recommend her enough - trip of a lifetime!

Hi Liz

It was a great trip. My wife and I had a wonderful time with our friends and enjoyed Peru greatly. We will recommend you to other friends who may want to experience Peru.

Thank you

Gary

We went to Cambodia for two weeks and the trip was exceptionally organized by our local operator, Steve. All the transports were flawless, the experiences (especially with the local families) amazing and the hotels very nice: The guides were great and we’ve loads of fun together. Couldn’t recommend it more. Cambodia is a great and highly undervalued country which really deserves a visit outside of Angkor Wat.

KimKim helped us plan our first trip to Morocco and we absolutely recommend using KimKim if you are planning a trip to Morocco! KimKim connected us with Organic Tours in Morocco, and Ali and Said with Organic Tours arranged everything (even at a busy time of the year and with very late notice). After we specified what we wanted to do, and what our likes and dislikes were, they put together an itinerary that covered almost all of Morocco and allowed us to experience all the wonders of the country.

Ali and Said also selected our driver Tayeb, who was with us from the first day to the last, and the several guides in the individual cities we visited. And, although we thought it might not be for us, they talked us into spending two days in the Sahara in a tent camp, riding camels and drinking tea with the nomads living in the desert, and this turned out to be the part of the trip we have talked about the most since returning!

While we usually plan our travel, it was great having this trip planned for us, particularly since we did not decide until two weeks before the trip that we were headed to Morocco. The details on the places we visited: Casablanca (1 night), Rabat, Tangier (1 night), Chefchaouen (2 nights), Fez (3 nights, including day trips to Volubilis and Meknes), then the tent camp in the Sahara near Merzouga (2 nights), Skoura (2 nights) and finally Marrakech for the final 5 nights.

We can very strongly recommend that you use KimKim and Original Travels for travel to Morocco, and we will be using KimKim for our next adventure, when we decide where to go next!

And, if Morocco is not in your travel plans, we strongly recommend that you reconsider! A beautiful country with friendly people

This is the second time I’ve used Kimkim for a holiday. I normally do them myself but for harder destinations which require more research I find Kimkim perfect. We had a fantastic trip of a lifetime to Chile and Jesse was super helpful, always so responsive even when on holidays such as Christmas etc so that was something we really appreciated.

We had given Jesse some feedback about some small things eg one of the hikes we went on in Patagonia was described as a half day walk in the blurb but it actually turned out to be a full day walk (which is quite important to know when you are hiking as the distance/time is something which is important in terms of planning for food and water etc and also night activities afterwards) and some other things which she took onboard. But overall it was a good trip and I would book with Jesse and Kimkim again

Amazing trip and excellent communication. I plan to use them again to plan another trip!

I cannot recommend using KimKim to plan and book a trip enough! Start to finish the process was incredibly simple and quick and transparent. Our local specialist, Long, was always quick to respond, helpful, passionate about travel and always willing to adjust the itinerary to ensure we were happy and comfortable with it. He always had a different activity to suggest or a route for our trip that made the most sense but also maximized our experience and destinations! We had 12 days to work with in Central and Northern Vietnam and Long made sure we had the perfect balance of guided sightseeing tours and free time to explore ourselves. Before departure, Long was also very helpful with answering questions about our Visas and double checking all the information to ensure we didn’t have any problems at the airport or upon arrival in Vietnam. Once we arrived, Long checked in with us to welcome us to Vietnam and ensure we were taken care of almost immediately. From then on, Long checked in with us at appropriate intervals to ensure we were having a good time and had no issues. It was so comforting to know we had a solid contact in Vietnam for any issues or questions! The trip itself was beyond incredible. Hoi An was magical with all its lanterns and amazing restaurants and cafes. We had a delicious private food tour and sightseeing tour with Mr Chanh (please forgive the spelling if it’s incorrect) and it was clear how passionate he is about Vietnam but also providing a great experience to his travellers. We also took part in Ms Vy’s cooking class which was an amazing experience where we got to visit the Hoi An market to see where all the ingredients are sourced from and then took part in many cooking demos and tried so many wonderful dishes. We even got to meet Ms Vy at the end and have her personalize her cookbook for us which is such a special souvenir now. We also had stops in Hanoi, Ninh Binh and Halong Bay. Hanoi, the most hectic of all, was also meticulously planned. We enjoyed a great sightseeing tour and food tour there as well. We really enjoyed all the free time we had to explore and walk around ourselves. Ninh Binh was breathtaking and I’m so grateful to Long for not letting us miss it or skip it on our itinerary. It truly was one of the highlights! Our 2 night cruise on Ha Long bay was nothing short of incredible. A few days before our departure to Vietnam, Long contacted us to let us know that he has received some concerning reviews from a traveller regarding the cruise we were originally booked on. Long was quick to reassure us that he took it upon himself to rebook us on a better cruise and that there would be no impact to us, our wallet, or our schedule. That right there solidified our confidence in Long but also in Realistic Asia. What a special gesture to ensure our satisfaction and experience. It truly meant a lot to us and the result was a wonderful cruise with absolutely no issues and service to the highest standard! Every hotel that Long suggested and booked was top notch, and so was every activity and mode of transportation. We cannot wait to plan future trips with KimKim! Thank you, Long, and to all our guides and drivers!

Hotel Reviews

Silkotel Hoi An

The hotel is centrally located and is within walking distance to the old town and many other amazing restaurants. It’s also a very short 10 min drive away from An Bang beach! The rooms are large and very comfortable and clean. The staff were so accommodating and so incredibly helpful when the airline lost our luggage upon arrival in Vietnam. The front desk staff went out of their way to speak to the airline and airport to find out information for us. The breakfast buffet was really great each morning with different dishes to choose from daily and lots of fresh fruit!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Soleil Hanoi Boutique Hotel

Hanoi

The hotel was in a really great location. Only a few minutes walk to the old quarter and a couple minutes away from train street. The location could not have been better. The only downside was the size of the room which was a little small compared to other hotels on the trip but I know that was because of the style of hotel and how narrow the buildings are in Hanoi. It would be quite difficult to open a medium or large sized suitcase in that room so we ensure we only used our small carry-ons for that part of the trip and it was fine. The staff were exceptional and very kind and accommodating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Clos Du Fil Hotel

Ninh Binh

The hotel was gorgeous and it was immediately clear how committed they are to every detail! The embroidery theme was evident immediately with beautiful touches in the room and throughout the property. The room was large and comfortable and had a gorgeous view. It was also in a perfect location to walk to restaurants and lounges along the Main Street. We had the best massage of the entire trip at this hotel! They even accommodated a later time for our treatment because they were fully booked.

Authenticity & Character

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Erina Cruise

Incredible experience on this cruise! From the moment we boarded, we had Mr Vodka assigned to us as our server and assistant for the duration of the 2 nights. Vodka was kind and funny and ensured we were well taken care of! My husband got sick right before the cruise and had to miss out on some activities but Vodka was so kind as to check in on him and bring up a plate of refreshments for him when he missed lunch. The large jacuzzi was great and their cocktails were also incredible! The restaurant and food were all top notch and I cannot rave enough about the standard of service and the staff. The excursion to Cat Ba Island was also out of this world and a major highlight of the entire trip!

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hoi An Sightseeing and Food Tour

Hoi An

This tour was fantastic. We visited so many points of interest within the Hoi An old town and it was clear how passionate and knowledgeable our guide was! The food we tried was amazing as well! We got to try a lot of the Hoi An specialities like white rose dumplings, Cau Lao and Banh Mi. We were stuffed by the end of it. The only downside and something that I think could be done better is the stops at the tailor shop and silk factory. We were not interested in either and felt the sales tactics were a bit pushy by the staff at those locations. Perhaps the guide can ask the visitors before starting if they are interested in visiting those locations to get their feedback.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was mostly a walking tour but we did take rides to some further locations which was quick and efficient.

Ms. Vy’s Cooking class - Holiday Master Class - Joint in tour

Hoi An

We really really enjoyed this experience! We had a very small group (4 people) which was great. Our guide, Autumn, was so passionate, funny and knowledgeable. Our walk through the Hoi A market was amazing and she did such a great job explaining everything about the ingredients and teaching us how they are used. The cooking class portion itself is more like many different demos than a full cooking class but it was still really enjoyable. We got to try so many different dishes and had a chance to taste everything. We were stuffed! Come hungry!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi Evening Walking Street Food Tour

Hanoi

We really enjoyed walking around the old quarter and trying Banh Mi and Pho with our guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Explore the History and Beauty of Hanoi - Full Day Sightseeing

Hanoi

This tour was really great. We visited temples and pagodas and Ho Chi Minh complex. Unfortunately some of the museums were closed that day because it was Monday but it did not take away from the tour. Our guide was quick to suggest different points of interest and we also stopped at a beautiful lacquer art factory where we bought incredibly beautiful art to bring back home that is very unique to Vietnam.

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Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Trip Exploring The Natural Beauty of Trang An & Visit Hoa Lu Ancient Capital

Vietnam

The boat trip was really beautiful and a highlight of this trip. We really enjoyed trying mountain goat for lunch as well and the sightseeing of the temples and surrounding area.

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Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Onboarding - Lan Ha Bay – Ba Trai Dao/ Tra Bau (Erina Cruise)

Ha Long Bay

Truly a first class experience from beginning to end. The service, food, quality of drinks were all top notch. The room was spacious and gorgeous, the balcony was great and the large bathtub with a large window to see the views was breathtaking. Nothing but praise, appreciation and accolades to the whole Erina cruises team.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cycling At Viet Hai Village – Kayaking & Swimming (Erina Cruise)

Ha Long Bay

Such a wonderful excursion. Beautiful sights on the boat trip to Cat Ba and so much fun riding bikes in the island and exploring a bit of the national park. Kayaking was a massive highlight! It’s just so beautiful and peaceful!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Dark & Bright Cave – Disembarking cruise (Erina Cruise)

Ha Long Bay

A really fun way to end the cruise! Really enjoyed the boat tour through the cave and the views and company.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport