Kimkim Trip Reviews

Dhanushka has been a really great support and help to plan our perfect trip in Sri Lanka. He listened to our request and always made changes according to our new wishes. Communication with him was simple and he always replied really fast.
Our local guide in Sri Lanka, Mahee, was amazing! Always smiling, giving us good explanations and listening to our questions and queries. We loved our trip and we definelty recommend working with KimKim. We'll for sure use their services again in the future.

Everyone who helped us with our two week trip to Chile went so smoothly. The hotels, guides and transfers were 5 star quality- kind, reliable, and excellent service.

Amazed throughout the tour on how rich the country's history is. Tour was very lovely and worry free.

Bert did a great job; I would like to rate him 4.5. My reduction comes from the fact that I don’t think he was actually in Japan - I think he is in the Greater Asia area. I have always valued having someone actually in the country or with intimate knowledge of the country on the front end of my planning.

Hotel Reviews

Kyoto Tokyu Hotel

Kyoto

Kyoto Tokyu Hotel was wonderful. We thoroughly enjoyed the Japanese breakfast here and the options of American/Japanese food in the other restaurant. Hotel is beautiful; staff friendly and helpful. Highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shiba Park Hotel

Tokyo

Shiba Park Hotel is in a great location and is a beautiful hotel. We enjoyed the Japanese breakfast very much. And we had American/Japanese options in the other restaurant. The staff was very helpful and nice. The library feel was pleasant! Highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Inn & Suites Shin Osaka, an IHG hotel

Osaka

Holiday Inn and Suites Shin Osaka was perfect for our needs. We loved the room with small kitchenette and washer/dryer; we loved the morning breakfast; we loved the staff. Try out the restaurant around the corner!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full day Kyoto Tour by Private Vehicle and Guide, Fushimi Inari Shrine, Gion District, Nijo Castle,/

Kyoto

Kyoto is beautiful and this was nice introduction to it. It would take several days to do Kyoto justice, and we had one day. We are glad to have had the overview of this beautiful place.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ho - thank you for our pictures! That was a nice bonus.

Transport

Full Day Himeji Excursion from Osaka by Private Car(Himeji Castle, Kokoen Garden)

Osaka

Great to see Himeji Castle and garden. This was a good first day option for us. Thank you.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Hiroshima excursion from Osaka by Private Car(guide meets with clients in Hiroshima, Peace Memorial Park, Miyajima Island) :

Osaka

We loved this tour - it was a long day. We would not have wanted to Miyajima Island - it was so nice to see. Perhaps we could have used just a little less time in Miyajima and more time actually in Hiroshima proper - we were a little rushed at the end.

Quality of Experience

Food

Ho was so nice to take care of us in the food category. He carefully chose our restaurants and offered a variety of options. We experienced much more local food options than we would have without Ho. Thank you!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Perfect!

Transport

Half Day Nara Excursion from Kyoto by Private Car (Todaji Temple, Kasuga Taisha, Deer Park)/

Japan

Nara was a wonderful surprise to see! We didn’t know about Nara before we came to Japan, and we thoroughly enjoyed this tour. The temple with the giant Buddha is beautiful, as is the shrine at the other end of the park. The Park is beautiful to walk through and the deer are fun - don’t miss the fact that some of them have learned to nod their heads gratefully to the humans offering them food.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ho was such a great person to do all our arrangements!! We highly recommend Ho as a logistics guy and a kind and helpful guide!

Transport

All of our drivers on our trip were so very nice and helpful.

Mr Elisio Teba and Mrs Teba, and Auri owners of pousada Santa Barbara and pousada Bawary, respectively, are a great asset to Kim Kim. They provided professional assistance, great living quarters and they made you feel at home. The indigenous guide , Claudio, was very competent and I am happy he brought his son as an apprentice because it made the venture pleasingly personal.

I am grateful to kimkim for creating a wonderful Norwegian experience. All of the guides, including Krista, Fenne, & Julia were so helpful and so quick to respond to all of my questions. We loved every city we stopped in but wished we had more time in Bergen. The day trip to Bergen was too much travel - boat (amazing), bus, train, bus again - and then we got lost for an hour trying to walk to our hotel as we did not have clear instructions on how to get to our hotel. We ended up only sleeping in Bergen.
The highlight of the trip was Kirkenes and we were blessed to see the Northern Lights there!

Activity Reviews

Snowhotel Kirkenes Visit & Dinner Incl. Transfers

Kirkenes

Luggage Transfer Service

Norway

Husky Experience - winter 13:00

Kirkenes

Norway in a Nutshell Tour

Norway

The boat trip on the fjords was beautiful. The rest of the "tour" consists solely of moving from one mode of transportation to the next, without any real sightseeing.

Hunting the Northern Lights by Bus

Kirkenes

Private Floating Sauna Experience

Norway

We were a group of 8 joining a cruise to Thailand and Vietnam. Most of us have never been to Vietnam and not familiar with any of the landmarks. In addition, because of the geographic location of the ports of calls which shortened the time we had touring, posed challenges. We contacted KimKim whom by chance I saw in an internet advertisement. A tour plan was then devised for us. We are all very happy that we went with KimKim.

Trang, our main agent in Saigon from the very beginning answered all our questions, walked us through the payment process, and was keen to accomdodate all our needs throughout the trip. It was a surprise to us that at all the port of calls we had both an English speaking guide and a driver. The 8 of us sat in a roomy 14-16 seater at every stop, and at Halong Bay we had a private boat just for our group to tour the Bay for six hours. The tours were not overly ambitious and the guides were good in controlling the pace so we never felt rush but were able to see most of what we should see. They, like Trang were very accommodating.

I read many of the KimKim reviews before going with them. I saw that a prevalent complaint in the few negative reviews that the price was higher. We thought that the price we paid was reasonable for the level of service.

If you've never been to a place and have little knowledge of the landmarks and not sure of where to go, and want a higher end experience, I recommend KimKim. Everything is planned for you and your group and you just sit back and enjoy.

On very short notice Camila and the folks at Kimkim help me develop the most amazing vacation to Argentina. Their hotel and tour selections were spot on. Each local tour agency throughout Argentina was very professional and made every activity seamless and worry free. In the middle of our trip we had weather related flight cancellations and Camila was there to reschedule our flights and provide an unexpected hotel stay. All the guides and drivers were very courteous and professional. This was my first overseas trip that I did not plan and arrange myself, after this marvelous experience I think I’ll use Kimkim again.

Erin and team planned a wonderful father-son trip to Chile for us. They curated a custom trip based on feedback from us and it was wonderful. From Santiago, Patagonia, wine country, and more, every experience and accommodation was as planned and top notch. Guides were great, transport was on-time and easy. We would recommend the Kimkim team to anyone traveling to Chile!

Hotel Reviews

Refugio Paine Grande

Puerto Natales, Chile

Neat experience, gorgeous location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Alma Sur

Punta Arenas

Wonderful hotel and breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Ismael

Santiago

Great boutique hotel. Very nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Big Sur

Puerto Natales

Very accommodating staff. Good location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit the Isla Magdalena Penguin Colony

Punta Arenas

Great day. Windy. Very cool!

Grey Glacier Boat Tour

Chile

Full Day Excursion to Cajon de Maipo

Santiago

Way prettier than expected. Great guide. Cool experience and saw a ton.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided hike to Las Torres lookout [Central - Base - Central]

Chile

Wonderful tour company and guides. Rewarding experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We planned our honeymoon/first anniversary trip through Kimkim, and our main contact was Anna. Working with her was absolutely fantastic. Coming from the USA, we had a special request for a photoshoot on our anniversary Anna and her team went above and beyond to ensure we have the best photographer in town.

Even before we arrived, we faced visa issues, but Anna and her team provided incredible support, assisting us with the paperwork. They were incredibly accommodating to all our requests. It felt like having friends looking out for us. Throughout the entire trip, we didn't encounter any issues. I genuinely hope their business goes global because we'd love to book with them again for future travels.

Big thanks to Radheeka for making Cape Town unforgettable and to Corlia for smoothly handling our transportation in Jo'burg. Your personal touch and efficiency made our trip extra special. Much appreciated!

Hotel Reviews

HYDE Hotel Rosebank

Johannesburg

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Protea Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Waterfront Breakwater Lodge

Cape Town

AC was not effective

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Simbavati Hilltop Lodge

Hoedspruit

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dinner at GOLD Restaurant

Cape Town

Soweto Bicycle, Walking, or Tuk-Tuk Tour with Traditional Lunch in Outdoor Kitchen

Johannesburg

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Soufiane is the best driver and tour guide I have ever encountered. He is kind, supportive, caring, flexible and open. I had the most amazing Moroccan experience because of how fantastic Soufiane is. He listened to my objectives, we made a plan and he helped me see and do everything I wanted during my stay in this incredible country. Soufiane has in-depth knowledge of every place we visited—from Casablanca, Fes, Merzouga, Aït Ben Haddou to Marrakech. Every day Soufiane made sure I was comfortable. He is a very careful driver as we traveled long days, he always made sure we would stop at places that piqued my interests and had helpful information about local places whether it was for food, drinks, scenic spots or best places to experience local cultures. I cannot emphasize how amazing my trip was due to Soufiane’s professionalism and character. I would not have had as a memorable trip to Morocco if Soufiane wasn’t my driver. I am so thankful to have experienced a new country and culture with him as my guide.

The whole experience and everybody involved were excellent. Michael in constant contact was very reassuring. Hotels were lovely, full of character. We loved the places Michael advised on. The airlines left our luggage in Madrid and Michael helped us with communicating with them. All three guides were great as were the drivers. We learnt alot. We would recommend Kim Kim to others and in fact already have

Hotel Reviews

GHL Hotel Armería Real

Cartagena

Lovely views, well located near old town, full of character

Authenticity & Character

Roof terrace and courtyards

Location

Near old town and view over harbour with roof terrace

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Plazuela de San Agustín

Villa de Leyva

Full of character, very central and lovely staff

Authenticity & Character

Beautifully decorated

Location

Next door to centre of town

Staff

Attentive and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit the Salt Cathedral at Zipaquira

Colombia

An amazing place, unique and very moving

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

San Alberto Coffee Tasting

Cartagena

We did not do this asthey changed time. Michael kindly reinstated but by that time we had decided on relax time

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

None of above applies as we did not do it

Rosario Islands Day Trip

Cartagena

A lovely day out, not too crowded and service great. We had massages which were great, very relaxing

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Salsa Experience

Cartagena

Only because we did not really want to do the class but the two professional dancers were great

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to San Basilio de Palenque

Cartagena

Very interesting to learn about the history of this town

Quality of Experience

Food

Local cuisine delicious

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cartagena City Tour

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit of Saquenzipa Valley

Villa de Leyva

The museum especially with the history of the fossil was fascinating

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour to Ráquira pottery town & La Candelaria Monastery

Villa de Leyva

Pottery class great fun and we loved the town

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking Tour of Villa de Leyva

Villa de Leyva

Very informative and good to know history

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Guatavita Lagoon

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We recently returned from an 18-day customized trip to Vietnam with Alex from Realistic Asia, and I cannot express enough how phenomenal and carefree the experience was. From the bustling streets of Hanoi to the serene beauty of Phu Quoc, every moment was meticulously planned with our travel style in mind. And every hotel was not just a place to rest but also a part of the immersive experience that took guesswork out of our travel. The charming boutique in Ninh Binh with the fabulous pool, the trendy hotel in the bustling center of Hanoi and the serene beachfront resort in Phu Quoc were all highlights.

Realistic Asia's local expertise was evident starting with the upfront planning. Alex was patient and knowledgeable crafting our itinerary with the popular tourist spots and insightful details which made each destination unique. In Hanoi, Kuong took us through the heart of the Old Quarter, sharing stories about the city's rich history and culture that you wouldn't find in guidebooks. One of the highlights of the trip was our time in Hoi An, a town that effortlessly blends history and charm. Realistic Asia went above and beyond by making real time changes due to weather for our biking adventure and arranging an amazing cooking class at Red Barn, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the local traditions.

What truly sets Realistic Asia apart is their unparalleled flexibility. Throughout the trip, some of our plans evolved in real-time, and Alex seamlessly adapted to our requests and solved problems real time. Whether it was adjusting our schedule to spend more time on Phu Quock or rearranging our accommodations in Ha Long Bay, Realistic Asia's team demonstrated an impressive ability to cater to our desires on the fly. It felt like we had a personal concierge service at our disposal, always ready to tailor the journey to our preferences.

Our 18-day adventure through Vietnam with Realistic Asia exceeded all expectations and if you're seeking a personalized and unforgettable journey through Vietnam, look no further than Realistic Asia. They don't just provide tours; they create memories that will last a lifetime.

I personally really loved our walking tours as the highlight of highlights. The whole trip had too many special moments to list but for me and what I personally enjoyed the most, seeing the cities with someone local is about as good as it can get.

Hotel Reviews

Vila Galé Cascais

Cascais

Def not a super fair review because they were remodeling their entry when we arrived so getting in and out of the main lobby was a mess. The hotel itself felt a bit dated overall but the location and views (especially at sunset) were amazing. The staff also did their very best to help us feel welcome.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The front door remodeling left a lot of dust in the air and the bedroom wasn’t super comfy

PortoBay Teatro

Porto

The location was amazing but was a bit modern for my taste. Nothing bad at all just totally a question of personal taste. The staff was nice but had more of an upscale hotel feel with staff helpful but a bit distant.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Britania Art Deco

Lisbon

This one grew on me the most with its location and staff really providing a consistent welcoming and comforting atmosphere.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Lisbon Walking Tour + Delicious Portuguese Flavours

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was amazing

Transport

The trip was great and a wonderful way to see some of the country. Our driver, loxley, was great. Incredibly knowledgeable and nice!
The leopards nest was a great experience - we were the only ones in the resort so we had a private experience!
Next stop was Mahoora Tented Safari - for those needing AC, it was a little warm in the tents but the staff at the camp were absolutely wonderful! And the food was incredibly good.

Thank you again!

Tamer was really helpful, especially when we had last minute changes on our trip. We appreciated the hospitality and assistance he provided. He is very knowledgeable and accommodating.

The hotels we stayed at were all very lovely. I especially enjoyed the hotel in Cotopaxi and in Quito.

We had a handful of guides. Danny was very eager and wanted to give us the best experience. Viví was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about sharing the Galapagos with us.

Hotel Reviews

Ikala Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Helpful staff and service! Very accommodating and beautiful rooms with great AC.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Floresta

Baños

Great location in town, breakfast was yummy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Opuntia Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chilcabamba Lodge

Machachi

Great food and ambiance. It rained in the evening and we had a lovely lounge room to play board games or watch TV. The room was cozy with its own fireplace. Lots of options for things to do at the resort.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Very clean, breakfast was a delicious continental spread. We had the option for to go breakfast as well and the hotel was accommodating when we didn’t want a sandwich for breakfast. Rooms were very clean. No AC.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Free morning on San Cristobal until Departure

Isla San Cristóbal

Walked around town and waited to go to the airport.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cotopaxi National Park - Quilotoa Lagoon - Baños

Ecuador

Beautiful area to see, lots of hiking and photo opportunities. Cute town to visit.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito - Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

Beautiful to see when there aren’t a bunch of clouds. Lunch isn’t really an option during their excursion so it would be nice to have a snack or to go lunch option. Lots of hiking options

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Expedition to Mindo Cloud Forest

Quito

Cool to see the cloud forest and hike. Waterfalls were cool to see. Cable car was slightly terrifying but worth it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Speedboat to San Cristobal Island - Interpretation Center - Tijeretas Hill

Galapagos Islands

We had a modified day to snorkel instead. The snorkeling was alright mainly because it was cloudy and a bit cold. The guide was helpful and interactive with us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands (Plant a Tree) & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Tortoises were very cool to see. The lunch was delicious. The Darwin center wasn’t terribly busy and cool to see baby tortoises and the work that the company is doing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Travel planning at its best!!

Very happy with Berat and his group. The guides; Volkan and Hatice were incredible!!!! The drivers very professional, courteous and safe driving.

We are extremely pleased with the itinerary, guides, places we visited, communication. If I was to do it all over again, I would not do it any other way!! Berat and her team did a marvelous job!!

Travel planning at its best!!

Very happy with Berat and his group. The guides; Volkan and Hatice were incredible!!!! The drivers very professional, courteous and safe driving.

We are extremely pleased with the itinerary, guides, places we visited, communication. If I was to do it all over again, I would not do it any other way!! Berat and her team did a marvelous job!!

We had a tremendously interesting and enjoyable 2 weeks in Cambodia, thanks to Steve & Travel Asia a la Carte. One of their sample itineraries on kimkim.com mostly matched our wish list and Steve tweaked it to accommodate all our requests. He was extremely responsive, replying to queries within a day and offering good advice, even stopped by our hotel to say hello. The itinerary was wonderfully varied, well-organised, and went off seamlessly, at a packed but manageable pace, with great guides & drivers, nice hotels. Steve & his team took much of the stress out of travelling in a developing country and we have no hesitation in recommending them.
Of the places on our route, of course we were thrilled to finally visit Angkor Wat, Bayon, Preah Khan, Ta Phrom & other stunning sites in Angkor park. But we also really enjoyed the Apopo "HeroRats" demo, Phare Circus, Kampot’s shophouses and Old Cinema Hotel, Kep's seafood market, La Plantation, Santuk silk farm, our beach interval on Koh Rong, the heritage tour of Phnom Penh by tuk-tuk & tablet, and driving through the countryside. The food experiences were a riot, from fried tarantula to stuffed frog, nam ben chok noodles to authentic Portuguese cuisine in Kampot!
Best of all was the lovely Cambodian people we met, their ready smiles, openness and sense of humour, despite their horrific recent history that touched almost every family. The children just melt your heart and their families seem happy to engage. Even the persistent vendors were more friendly than pesky. Our guides were highly professional and delightful personalities, especially Ms Dy and Mr Sothea, who made late changes to cater to our interests and comfort. We felt in safe hands with the drivers, especially Mr Ya and Mr Date (sp?), who always aircon-cooled the car before we got back in – we felt thoroughly pampered. All the hotel staff were smiling & obliging, especially Tina, Chanthy and Sophan (possibly the most attentive waiter we've ever met) at Sohkkak Boutique Resort.

Hotel Reviews

Vakara Hotel

Kep

Very nice, new, modern hotel, on the edge of a national park and not near Kep town, so better to have your own transport. Our spacious deluxe room (finally with a sofa!) plus large balcony looked down on the huge swimming pool and towards the forested hills of the national park. We saw no other guests (only 7 of the 70 rooms were occupied the night we stayed) so it was extremely quiet. Breakfast, served by the pool, was fine, with 11 set menus to choose from!

Authenticity & Character

Not much character but ideal for families, with chalets on the grounds, kid's playground, big pool and lots of space to run around

Location

Staff

Staff were all smiles and eager to please

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sparkling clean. Comfy firm mattress.

Long Set Resort

Koh Rong

Hotel is on a gorgeous beach - turquoise sea & powdery white sand shaded by palms - but there weren't enough sunbeds for guests (and you're warned not to lie on a towel on the sand due to sandflies). Decent beach-facing restaurant/bar serving fun cocktails and okay food. Resort could use a refresh, eg worn cushions, broken sunbeds, misaligned doors. Room just adequate but well-cooled. Occasional very brief power cuts, not really bothersome. Complimentary use of kayaks & SUPs, snorkel mask & fins, small gym.

Authenticity & Character

Typical mid-range beach hotel in the tropics, not luxe but fine for 3 nights

Location

Only half-hour boat ride from Sihanoukville port. Short stroll from pier.

Staff

Lovely, smiley, obliging staff. Runy served us the most - she's a sweetheart. Louise was great about rebooking our snorkelling trip.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfy bed. Good aircon & shower pressure. Toilet paper has to be thrown in a lidded bin, not flushed, but room is cleaned daily.

Sokkhak Boutique Resort

Siem Reap City

Beautifully appointed 12-room hotel. Small pool but great for cooling off in. Very good breakfast choices, cooked to order. Always smiling, helpful staff who greet you with cold towels & tea every time you return, book remorks, recommend restaurants (albeit in the same Chanrey Tree Group), break up US$100 bills, tell you about Sin Sisamouth. Deluxe room not big, no sofa or chair, but has balcony. Very comfortable firm bed. Powerful aircon and shower pressure.

Authenticity & Character

Elegant local furnishings and decor, lotus flower arrangements, lush landscaping in pool area

Location

10 minutes remork ride from town. But just down the road from Apopo visitor centre

Staff

Tina, who obligingly sprayed my husband's legs with the hotel's lemongrass-scented bug repellent every morning! Sophan, super-attentive waiter who remembered our breakfast preferences and just a very sweet guy. Chanthy who brought cold drinks & cold beer to our room

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mattress was firm and very comfy, as in all the hotels we stayed at

Penh House

Phnom Penh

Pretty, greenery-filled hotel in great neighbourhood, near the palace. Lovely, small, rooftop pool with city views. Good breakfast spread with enough Western & local options eg eggs cooked to order, noodle soup, and plenty of assorted fruit. Deluxe room tastefully done with effective aircon & little balcony; unfortunately faint odour of drains in bathroom.

Authenticity & Character

Exhibition of photos of Angkor in lobby

Location

Surrounded by small eateries & cool shops

Staff

Helpful in giving directions, booking tuk-tuk

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean overall but occasional slight sewage odour in bathroom

Hotel Old Cinema

Kampot

Absolute gem of a hotel. Our favourite of the trip. Excellent adaptive reuse of a former cinema building and superbly restored, then beautifully decorated. Aesthetically pleasing details in every corner. Even the breakfast was a visual (and tasteful) delight. Lovely little restaurant/bar. Tiny pool inside but open to the sky. Our superior room with king bed had a small balcony facing the indoor garden, very quiet.

Authenticity & Character

See above

Location

In centre of town, surrounded by French colonial-era shophouses. Walkable to many restaurants, open-air food court and the riverfront promenade.

Staff

Jilly was great, happy to answer questions on history of the hotel and developments in Kampot, and book restaurants for us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

High threadcount linen and firm mattress made for best sleep

Activity Reviews

Apopo HeroRats, Banteay Srei, Banteay Samre, Noodle Village, & Ta Phrom

Siem Reap

At our request to avoid heat exhaustion, Steve and Dy rejigged the schedule: we visited Apopo and Ta Phrom in the morning, returned to hotel 12-2pm, went out again at 2pm for late lunch and visit to Banteay Srei, skipping Banteay Samre. This was perfect and we were able to enjoy the temple visits much more. Apopo HeroRats: must-do, fluently narrated by guides who know their stuff. The landmine-detecting demo was fascinating and HeroRats so cute; we "adopted" one for a year for US$100 - an eminently worthy cause. Ta Phrom: very atmospheric to wander around, even with people lining up to take the iconic photo of tree roots gripping the ruins. Ms Dy skillfully manoeuvred us into strategic spots and snapped some great pictures. Interesting to learn about the hollow spong trees. Noodle village: deliciously different nam ben chok rice noodles, eaten with 2 sauces & fresh veggies. Also tried stuffed frog at a roadside stall in Pradak village and almost tried whole roast pig-on-a-spit but it was still roasting. Banteay Srei: must-see, exquisite carvings in dusky pink sandstone, well preserved. A bridal couple in traditional costume were taking photos there, which added to the ambience. The drive there through villages & countryside was interesting too, stopped to buy palm sugar.

Quality of Experience

We loved the variety of experiences interspersed between temple visits

Food

Loved the nam ben chok noodles. Stuffed frog with tamarind paste was a first for us - yummy.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ms Dy was an outstanding guide, flexible, open, chatty, answering questions fully, diligently pointing out details, repeatedly explaining till we got it. We learned a lot from her. Also a born story-teller, with an extraordinary family history of survival and achievement. With our careful driver Mr Ya we felt we were in responsible hands. He was a sweetie too.

Transport

Mr Ya was unfailingly punctual, his car comfortable and clean.

Tuol Sleng, Central Market & Killing Fields in the afternoon

Phnom Penh

Central Market was worth visiting even though we're not avid shoppers. The building is humongous and houses scores of stalls selling everything, from gems to galangal, plus cubicles where you can get a massage, hair wash, nail varnish. The food stalls section was fun; we snacked on grilled squid there, would've tried other stuff that looked interesting if we knew what it was (our guide didn't come in with us). Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and killing fields were even grimmer than anticipated, but well organised with a set route (no guide necessary) and descriptive boards in English. Glad we dressed appropriately.

Quality of Experience

S21 heightens appreciation of the Cambodian recovery and resilience of its long-suffering people, why they'd rather put up with a dynastic autocracy than oppose it.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide could accompany guests into Central Market to help with translation & questions, instead of waiting outside.

Transport

Car & driver was always waiting for us

Kampot Walking Tour

Kampot

Very interesting tour on foot and by car of the French colonial-era shophouses and riverside cinema-turned-Starbucks, Cham Muslim village & mosque, Chinese temple & school, Buddhist monastery, gilded wat & funerary stupas. Many photogenic scenes of monks soliciting alms, entire families on motorbikes, massive durian roundabout, dating couples on the riverside promenade ...

Quality of Experience

Charming laid-back town, less touristed, yet has incredibly good local & European cuisine. At La Tertulia, we had the best Portuguese meals outside of Portugal, so good we ate there both nights.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mr Sothea would tell us the plan for the day so we knew what to expect, then flexibly adjust it along the way depending on our interests. He thoughtfully or humorously answered every question, took us to his favourite eatery for lunch, escorted us across roads safely, just looked after us like family! He made the trip more local and authentic than if we'd done it ourselves, and was great company throughout.

Transport

Mr Date was at our beck and call, always on time, his car spotless, his cooler full of ice water

{{start_location}} to {{end_location}} with La Plantation pepper farm visit

Cambodia

Fascinating tour of a sustainably-run pepper plantation overlooking a lake, enjoyed the pepper tasting in a beautiful old Khmer house. Learned a lot about pepper cultivation and processing, eg that black, white, green, red peppercorns come from the same stem. Bought all our gifts for home at the shop.

Quality of Experience

Admirable agritourism project. Happy to support a social enterprise that funds a school for its rural community and helps other small farmers

Food

Delicious pepper-themed 3-course lunch at the restaurant, trying the various pepper-infused sauces.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Informative in-house guide who welcomed questions

Transport

Mr Date and his 'golden elephant' safely transported us over potholed dirt roads

Grand Circuit morning tour

Siem Reap

We visited 3 more sites in Angkor Archaeological Park this morning. Each had its own character and distinctiveness. Especially enjoyed Preah Khan and the WMF interpretation gallery there. The rectangular symmetrical layout, surprising 2-storey columned sanctum, massive garudas, graceful apsaras, made it special. Also loved smaller-scale Ta Som, its well-preserved four-faced towers and unusual devatas. East Mebon was interesting as a brick-built temple to honour an earlier king’s parents and its stone elephants an irresistible photo op. After clambering around its big laterite steps under a blazing sun we were happy to call it a day.

Quality of Experience

Glad we added an extra day in Siem Reap to see these, particularly Preah Khan, in addition to the more famous wats.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ms Dy again expertly guided us through all 3 sites, explaining what's known about the history, the scholarly theories, pointing out details and distinctive features. In Preah Khan's hall of dancers she demonstrated the hand gestures of the apsara carvings that Khmer dancers still practise today. She also helped us old fogies climb the high uneven steps and led us on easier paths. We could not have asked for a better-informed or more considerate guide.

Transport

Mr Ya waited for us at each stop. Nothing beats an aircon car to ferry you around in the heat!

Kep Crab Market

Kep

Very fun and tasty grazing on bbq squid and deep-fried mini-crabs as Mr Sothea guided us through this seafood market by the beach. Tubs of fresh blue crabs, octopus, squid, shrimp, big pots steaming over wood fires, assorted fresh fish grilled over charcoal - worth coming to Kep for this market, as well as the sun setting behind the surreal giant crab sculpture and seeing local families enjoying themselves on the beach.

Quality of Experience

After a scrumptious meal of crab, fish, shrimp & squid the previous night (less than US$50 for 4 people!) at one of the nearby seafood restaurants, good to see where it all came from.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mr Sothea always looking out for us. My husband the foodie was tempted to sample the fresh local oysters on display in the market but Sothea sensibly cautioned against it as we had a long drive to Phnom Penh ahead of us.

Transport

Our route included a couple stretches of really bumpy, rutted, dusty roads that Mr Date handled with aplomb

Sunset river cruise

Kampot

Relaxing cruise upriver, passing fishing boats heading the other way out to sea. Typical SE Asian rural scenes of mangroves, coconut groves, fish traps, riverside tourist chalets. Very pleasant as the sun sank behind Bokor mtn.

Quality of Experience

Fun to dangle legs over side of wooden boat

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mr Sothea bought fresh coconuts, beer & snacks for the ride. Friendly boatman, tried to find fireflies for us.

Transport

Phare, the Cambodian Circus (Seat B - open seating in the rear half of the middle seating area)

Siem Reap

High-energy dancing, acrobatics, juggling, mime, live music on Khmer instruments and drums - with a creative Cambodian angle ... great fun for a good cause.

Quality of Experience

Wonderful experience of contemporary Cambodia and its talented youngsters

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ms Dy met us at the venue, showed us all the food stations, took us to our seats under the tent. Mr Ya waited for us with his car till the show ended.

Transport

Appreciated the door-to-door service, particularly as many people were trying to flag tuk-tuks on the street after the show.

Afternoon and sunset at Angkor Wat

Siem Reap

We visited Angkor Wat at midday when it was 33C and remember it through a heat haze. There's no shade on the causeway, no breeze around the wat. Ms Dy valiantly kept us going with rest breaks and fanning as we struggled to pay attention to her detailed commentary. We had no energy to clamber to the top level. That said, the site is breathtaking & baffling (how did Khmers build this in the 12th century?!) and the long bas-relief galleries stunning, especially the Churning of the Sea of Milk which I'd long wanted to see. We did not stay for sunset as my husband was exhausted from the heat and wanted to return to the hotel.

Quality of Experience

see above

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ms Dy’s deep knowledge and patient explanation of the sites, Hindu-Buddhist hybridity, deities, S2 and J7, restoration & conservation with minimal intervention, and much much more.

Transport

Remork driver drove safely, had iced water in his cooler

Angkor Thom (morning) by remork

Siem Reap

Exhilarating to finally be in Angkor park and then within the Bayon, discerning the differences in enigmatic facial expressions on the towers; having details in the bas reliefs explained by our guide; seeing the actual length of the Terrace of Elephants. The vast size of the park and how green it is dawns on you as you putter around it by remork.

Quality of Experience

The scale, artistry, exactitude (in the 12th century!) similar in jaw-drop factor to Petra (tho that was 1000 years earlier). Apart from the romance of the jungle setting, the sheer engineering involved is mind-boggling & mystifying

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Ms Dy's excellent commentary really added value to the experience. She took some fantastic photos for us too.

Transport

Fun to tour by remork, iced water provided too.

{{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Skuon & Spean Praptos, Kompong Khleang,

Cambodia

Very interesting and fun stops on the long drive to Siem Reap. Husband ate a fried tarantula for bragging rights. I tried a fried grasshopper - crunchy. Learned a lot about silkworms at Santuk silk farm, first time we saw up close silk threads produced from the cocoon; bought some silk scarves. Enjoyed the boat ride on Tonle Sap to Kompong Khleang and learning about life on the lake, seeing the kids playing in the water (though surprised there's no treatment of sewage at all before it goes into the lake!)

Quality of Experience

The variety of interesting experiences

Food

Tasty, simple lunch at the silk farm

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mr Sovann enthusiastically and earnestly answered our many questions, and we could understand about 60% but didn't want to keep asking him to repeat himself.

Transport

Safe driving all the way by Mr Ya

Lunch at Srah Srang

Siem Reap

Tasty set lunch at tourist restaurant.

Quality of Experience

Food

Found out there are regional variations of fish amok!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phnom Penh Heritage Tour

Phnom Penh

Novel way to tour historical sites with narration & old photos/maps on a tablet - brilliant idea, particularly when guide's English is hard to follow. We got off the tuk-tuk to take photos at some stops and also entered a couple of the 22 sites.

Quality of Experience

Fun new way to sightsee

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Always fun to travel by tuk tuk.

National Museum & Royal Palace

Phnom Penh

Palace: Besides gawking at the ornate architecture, it was interesting to watch the monks & local devotees. Museum: beautiful French-designed, Khmer-style building around a lovely courtyard, worth visiting even if not too interested in the exhibits, which are mostly pre-Angkorian and Angkorian sculpture and carvings - annotated, including those returned to Cambodia by US, UK etc.

Quality of Experience

Both places evocative - the museum evoking French colonial patronage , the palace the reverence for the monarchy especially former King Sihanouk (who was imprisoned there by the Khmer Rouge).

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mr Bunna was our guide (subbing for Mr Sovann, who was busy that day) - more understandable English than Mr Sovann and very jolly. Tried hard to explain the Sisowath and Norodom royal family trees but we were still confused!

Transport

So cool to have an aircon car waiting for us!

There were good things and not so good things
1. Good things -
a. very quick replies during planning process and during the trip;
b. desire to help ;
c, amazing guides
2. Not so good
a. Car trips took definitely longer than marked on the plan
b. Non tailoring of itinerary - some of the places we went were very touristy and cater to more senior people (e.g. hanging bridges) - it would have been great if they could have worked with us starting with understanding who the clients are, how active, what type of things we are interested in so that the itinerary could have been tailored. It felt a very standard itinerary. some agencies I have worked with have used a survey followed by a conversation to gather this info
c. Lack of good connections with local aviation company - I found out about changes in flight hours through fellow travelers that were using another agency. Also we had asked for a specific flight that was told several times it didn´t exist and in the end it did. That added around 5 hours to our trip ...
d. No water during car travels and they were long....