Kimkim Trip Reviews

Luigi was great!! His expertise guided us through all the decisions of what we wanted to do and he had incredible patience with our very busy work schedule. He just kept on reminding us to make decisions and stayed patient with us. We really enjoyed working with him. He listened to our needs add to be loved the hotels that he booked. We were guided through the whole process, and he was very responsive with the two small hiccups that we did encounter.

My wife and I recently booked a custom tour of southwestern Ireland through kimkim.com and were extremely impressed with the entire experience. We decided to use kimkim because it connects international travelers to local Irish travel companies and guides who provide customized itineraries you can't find anywhere else.

Our guide Linda W. from Ireland Walk Hike Bike truly made our trip unforgettable. The landscapes we saw, from the rolling hills of the Ring of Kerry to the dramatic Cliffs of Moher, went beyond our wildest expectations. But Linda's warmth, knowledge, and dedication is what really made our adventure magical. She brought Ireland's natural beauty and rich history to life, going above and beyond to satisfy our curiosity. By the end of our trip, we felt we had made a dear friend.

I would 100% recommend using kimkim if you want to see the real Ireland. The service makes it easy to craft a custom trip, and connect with wonderful local guides like Linda. She absolutely made our time exploring Killarney, Dingle, Galway, and beyond a trip we'll cherish forever.

I cannot begin to explain how amazing my trip to Bhutan was - arranged by Sebastiaan at Windhorse. Firstly, Baas organized and reorganized my trip around flights and worked with me to understand how international travel and time zones affected my trip. When I made a mistake on arrival dates he saved me and rescheduled a flight, despite being on vacation with his family. My guide Yonten and driver Tashi have become dear friends - they got to know me and arranged food, destinations and stops all based on my personal interests! I learned so much about Bhutanese culture and life from them and had an absolutely wonderful time. They were both very patient at my attempts to overcome fears of height - offering help when needed but calmly letting me cross bridges and climb mountains at my own snail's pace without a hint of impatience! I miss my guides and Bhutan and cannot wait to return!

Marc was great to work with and did a great job trip planning for us. Our driver on Lombok, Karna, was also great. Our favorite outing was snorkeling around Gili Layar and Gili Renggit - truly magical. Be prepared for lots of traffic when visiting the temples.

Hotel Reviews

Living Asia Resort

The resort was really nice. The rooms were spacious and comfortable. The overall facility was also really good. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Prime Plaza Hotel Jogjakarta

Jogjakarta

The one night stay at this hotel was fine. It was neither fabulous nor bad, just fine.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Family trek Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep Waterfalls

Indonesia

The hike was wonderful. It was a great way to explore the nature and the guide was very helpful. He even gave us an option to go for an additional portion of the hike which was more rigorous. My daughter and I opted for it and it was a great experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat trip and snorkeling around the Gilis island (Meno, Air)

Indonesia

This first snorkeling day was a bit crowded which wasn't really to my liking. But we did see a sea turtle which was amazing!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cultural family day - Visit Borobudur Temple

Yogyakarta

Just like the Prambanan Temple, having someone to explain the history and significance of the ruins was really helpful. It made the visit much more enjoyable and informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Prambanan: Indonesia’s Largest Shivaite Temple Complex

Yogyakarta

Having someone at the temple to guide us around and talk about the history of the ruins was really beneficial. The place is filled with interesting stories and the guidance made the visit more meaningful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Trip and snorkeling around Gili Layar & Gili Rengit

Indonesia

Beautiful fish and coral and hardly any other people!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was amazing and just what I needed. I love the flexibility and the immediate response from the staff. Harris went above and beyond to ensure the trip was seamless and enjoyable. From having a driver waiting for me right when I got off the tour boat, suggesting yummy places to eat, to the hotel packing me breakfast for my early morning departure. The addition of local help from Evyenia was also excellent! I usually like the process of planning trips but I didn't have the time this go around to do so. They thought of everything and plan on using KimKim again for my next travels.

During the preparation and planning, Long was responsive and helpful and planned a great trip for us, listening to our wishes and preferences well. Throughout the tour, he was in communication, checking everything was going well and it was reassuring to have his WhatsApp if we were to need anything (not needed!).
During the trip, everything from day one went very well. All our guides and drivers were helpful, friendly and spoke English. We had such a great time. Long had primed everyone that we had two coeliac travellers (gluten free diet) and the guides helped us with this.
A highlight in the North was Pu luong, such a beautiful place and our guide "T" was so interesting and knowledgeable.
Hoi An is a gorgeous place and our food tour there with Nancy was a highlight - we went back to the places she took us as they were so good.
HCMC - I would say the motorbike street food tour is a must, you really see the city and the drivers and guides took care of us so well and the food was so good.
Cambodia - Pin, our guide spoke excellent English, was so friendly and helpful with expert knowledge and made our trip there extra special.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Somadevi Angkor Resort & Spa

comfortable, huge pool, but breakfast not great and shower never got hot.

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Staff

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Cochin Zen Hotel

quiet base and very comfortable yet right in the centre of town, great roof pool and view.

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Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

ÊMM Hotel Hoi An

great location, lovely pool and very comfortable, lovely staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hue Ecolodge

great rooms, pool was lovely and the food they had in the restaurant was delicious

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Renea Cruise

Typical Halong bay cruiser looking at the others we stopped nearby, comfortable and functional.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pu Luong Retreat

Thanh Hoa

stunning location, beautiful views, comfortable rooms and the pools are great

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tam Coc Ricefield Resort

Ninh Binh

Only one night here but out of town and restaurant not great, rooms feeling tired.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tirant Hotel

Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

a peaceful haven, with the most comfortable beds. Roof pool a godsend at the end of a busy day

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day trip to Phnom Kulen National Park

Siem Reap

beautiful remote mountain area, swimming under the waterfall was rated 10/10 by our youngest son!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day Angkor Wat Sunrise and Temples Visit

Siem Reap

What a place and with Pin, our local guide, it was brought to life - he understood how much we as a family with kids needed and when to move on, highlights were the jungle temple and we attended for sunrise and waited for sunset so a long day but well worth it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mekong Delta Group Tour (My Tho) - Joint in tour (New)

Ho Chi Minh City

typical group tour and one day does not really do the area justice but nice to get on the boats and see the village life

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cu Chi Tunnels Half Day Tour - Joint in tour

Ho Chi Minh City

fascinating to visit this and our guide previously taught history and was very interesting

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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My Son Sanctuary Luxury Tour - Joint in tour

Hoi An

An interesting trip to the sanctuary. The dancing felt a bit touristy!

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Siem Reap arrival - Tuk Tuk street food tour

Siem Reap

Very much a local venue and street food authentic, going by tuk tuk was fun Pin, our guide was great

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Street food lover by motorbike (New)

Ho Chi Minh City

the bikes through Saigon were a great way to see the city, and the guides/drivers where excellent with great English, the food was lovely

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoi An Street Walking Food Tour with Dinner At Local Home

Hoi An

Nancy was so friendly, enthusiastic and her English was great, the event was excellent, the food superb and the whole evening was a highlight

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Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Discover Vinh Moc Tunnels & DMZ exploration

Vietnam

our guide was very knowledgeable and helpful making this a really interesting trip, especially as our boys have done theVietnam war in their history GCSE

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Hanoi - Hue Arrival - half day sightseeing

Hue

It is an amazing place to visit but we did all struggle a bit in the heat as there is no respite in the citadel/palace grounds

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi - Halong Bay - By shuttle bus

Ha Long Bay

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Pu Luong - Hanoi 2D1N

Vietnam

As per the previous Pu luong review - the scenery in this area is breathtaking

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Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Hiking and rafting in Pu Luong

Pu Luong Nature Reserve

A beautiful place and the walk was through a stunning location

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Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Hoa Lu - Tam Coc (Half Day)

Vietnam

The local boat people were on strike but we went to another venue and had a good boat trip that was infact longer - however, it was really very hot and the trip was in the afternoon sun.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Day Trip to Ba Vi Countryside & Cooking Class

Hanoi

We learnt to make rice paper spring rolls and ate them - delicious, along with some other lovely foods. The bike ride was fun, but hot!

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Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Hanoi City Sightseeing & Street Food Tour

Hanoi

Having our guide (Quin) show us the site and then the foods of Hanoi at the start of our trip was great and we had an insight into some of the history and issues that Vietnam has faced. We had so much delicious Vietnamese food too.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Day Trip to Cam Thanh Village

Hoi An

fun trip - cycling through the village and veg gardens lots of people/tourists on the boat trip

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Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Esther was incredibly patient, thorough and attentive to detail and helped us plan a very memorable family holiday to South Africa!

She had lots of tips, and was flexible and accommodating to our requests and changes. Esther also remained in touch with us throughout the trip for follow up, feedback and was there to support any issues, queries that arose! She was very professional throughout and certainly ensured everything went smoothly.
We can’t wait to plan our next adventure with her guidance and expertise!

Kevin Perry-did an amazing job. All the recommendations were spot on. All the tours were perfect- the day trips in Heidelberg, Bamberg were wonderful. It was a perfect mix of free time and organized activity- we will definitely use KimKim again- Great job Kevin and Amandine

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Metropol

München

This hotel wasn't our favorite. The location wasn't the best, and the hotel itself seemed a bit worn down. The rooms were okay, but the surrounding area wasn't very appealing. However, the staff was friendly, and the stay was comfortable overall.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Leonardo Royal Hotel

Nuremberg

This hotel was fine, but it wasn't as nice as the Scandic in Frankfurt. The location was convenient, being close to the train station, but the ambiance wasn't as appealing. The rooms were okay, and the included breakfast was a plus.

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Frankfurt Museumsufer

Frankfurt

good spot- close to train station for day trips- rooms were clean and breakfast was perfect- even for gluten free persons.

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Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Highlights of Munich Bike Tour with Beer Garden Stop

Munich

fun and great way to see the city- Sarah was great guide- perfect mix of history and local / current lifestyle

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Former Nazi Rally Ground Tour

Nuremberg

great history- very good knowledge of the guide Kevin

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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van A/c did not work

Heidelberg Short boat trips (Private/1.5Hours)

Germany

beautiful boat- very comfortable and 1st class

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Frankfurt Panorama Cruise (1h)

Frankfurt

big boat- cruse was fine- nothing special

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Angela was wonderful. She always responded quickly and coordinated an incredible trip around our desires

Our tour guide, Jason, was fabulous. His knowledge and interaction with us was great. He worked to explain so many details about the places we visited and their historical significance

The transportation was comfortable and the drivers worked to serve us Wow!!

Hotel Review

Sweet Home Hotel

Athens

We had a great experience there. We would go back in a minute

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the middle of the Plaka with great shops and sites.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Argolis with licensed Guide (Epidaurus – Mycenae – Nafplion)

Athens

Again, Jason was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Greek Cooking Classes in Athens

Athens

This was an important part of our Greek experience. The director of this class was great and the food we made was delicious. We cannot wait to share this with our friends at home.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Athens of the Classical Era (Acropolis & Acropolis Museum)

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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We cannot begin to express our appreciation to Raquel and her team for planning a fabulous trip for us to Lisbon, Porto, and Barcelona. There were absolutely no hidden surprises and tour, guides and drivers were always on-time and the hotels, H-10 in Lisbon and Yeatman in Porto and Le Meridian in Barcelona were wonderful. Guides and drivers, Kaoa, Berta, Miguel, Jasper, Craig, Jordi, and Mickael were fun and extremely knowledge! We were a parry of 4 family members. Booking a trip like this requires a lot of trust in your travel agent. Raquel was beyond our expectations!

Activity Reviews

Gaudí Highlights tour

Barcelona

Another amazing day learning about Gaudi. The Sagrada Familia is something everyone should see in person. Our guide Jordi was fabulous!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Day-trip to Girona and Figueres

Barcelona

Another major highlight of our trip!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Sidecar tapas tour

Barcelona

So fun!!

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Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Wine tour in the Douro Valley

Porto

A must see to appreciate! Learning about Port and tasting was fun and we had a great lunch at the winery.

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Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Porto city tour

Porto

Porto was very special and we all could have stayed longer. Miguel was a world of knowledge and we all enjoyed our time with him.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Lisbon to Porto via Coimbra and Aveiro

Portugal

University was a wonderful experience. Aviary was an added trip and it was lovely.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Daytrip to Sintra

Lisbon

Wine tasting and beautiful beaches. Because of the heat and fire danger we could not see the main castle.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Dinner and Fado

Lisbon

A must do event

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Lisbon city tour

Lisbon

An amazing day ...we kearney so much about the history of Lisbon.

Quality of Experience

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Using Jane (and Stephen and Flora when Jane was not available) for planning our trip and during our trip was amazing. Her suggestions during the planning stage were so helpful to us and helped us avoid being overwhelmed. Jane’s guidance and the team’s support while we were on our trip was also awesome ~ if a minor issue arose or we needed confirmation of something the responses were always quick, relevant and helpful. There is no question in our minds that using Jane and the team enhanced our enjoyment of our UK and Paris trip!

Cami’s (our local specialist) planning was fantastic. I had to change my trip dates several times and she remained incredibly patient with me and ensured everything went smoothly through the entire planning process. The trip itself was amazing. There was one slip up regarding a driver showing up very late to pick us up from our hotel, but it was not at all Cami’s fault or the hotel’s, and she was very quick to reach out to the company who dispatched the driver. I was very hesitant at first because I had never used this service. However, the overall experience was incredible and I would highly recommend both a visit to the Philippines, as well as Kim Kim’s services.

Hotel Reviews

Sea Cocoon Hotel

El Nido

This hotel was amazing, from the location to the staff to the breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Unique

Location

Perfectly centered in El Nido’s best area.

Staff

Helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean

Holiday Inn Express Manila New Port City

Pasay

Location is very convenient. Right by the Manias airport, as well as several restaurants and places to shop. The hotel itself was very clean and the staff was friendly. Also, the breakfast buffet was fantastic.

Authenticity & Character

N/A

Location

Convenience

Staff

Helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean

Activity Reviews

El Nido via ferrata

El Nido

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Island hopping in El Nido - Tour A

El Nido

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thank you Nick and Tamer for creating an excellent itinerary for our trip to the Galapagos. We appreciated your willingness to work with us to find suitable day dive trips as well as land activities. We were fortunate to have wonderful guides and support as we explored islands in just 7 days. Thank you again for helping us plan such a memorable vacation!

All the best,
Tessa and Jimmy

Hotel Reviews

SeaSide Hotel

Galapagos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Acacia Galápagos Boutique Hotel

Puerto Ayora

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discovery dive in Santa Cruz Island

Galapagos Islands

Upon arriving the day shop realized we had our licenses and thus a discovery dive was not appropriate (only for travellers without a dive license). Luckily the dive shop was able to take us on a different dive that was more suitable for our experience level! Thank you to the dive shop for being so accommodating!!

Embracing Nature: Discovering Wildlife on Española Island

Isla San Cristóbal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was my first trip using Kimkim. I was unsure of how to book a successful trip to Peru from Los Angeles. I was very quickly contacted by Jessica who worked with me for a couple of months to hammer out a wonderful itinerary. This included several changes to dates and travelers but there were never any problems with updating the arrangements.

I would like to be clear that this trip was absolutely amazing. Everything Jessica booked for us was wonderful. We had great accommodations and knowledgible and fun tour guides throughout the trip with all of our transfers and driving handled. (We did need to book our own air travel but Jessica was very up front about that so it was no problem).

We even had some problems come up (a strike in Peru that would limit road travel) and Kimkim hopped on it to make sure our days in Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu went well. This was Kristy who jumped in and got us moved to a hotel that would not disrupt our trip. Even better, that day we took a fairly exclusive alternate tour which was still super fun and interesting. Kimkim's communication and initiative made that possible and we are very appreciative.

I would recommend this group again and again. It made for a fun and painless trip that was truly memorable.

I planned this trip VERY last minute, and Maria was very responsive and helpful with a nice itinerary that took into account somewhat limited availability due to high-season. The final itinerary was terrific. But, alas, the day before we arrived there were torrential rains and flooding that knocked our bridges and highways, so our journey to Bergen on the railroad was cancelled. Flights were already fully booked, but Maria offered the option of renting a car, or staying in Oslo for a longer period. As a Californian, driving was not appealing, so we opted to stay in Oslo for a full week. What a great choice! We had an absolutely wonderful time, and while we hope to come back to see Bergen and points north, this really couldn't have been a more splendid trip. While in-country Fenne and Meree provided amazing on the ground support, responding almost instantly to our questions and helping us roll with the punches. Also, having missed the Bergen portion of our trip, Meree was able to refund us the costs associated with that component. Above and beyond!

Planning our Bali trip with KimKim was super easy and Ana was super present with us as we had questions/changes. This was our first time in Bali so we relied on Ana's expertise in planning. The lodging was excellent. We were pampered for sure. Highlights were massages and an Indonesian cooking class. the VW tour we took was great. Wayan was a great guide and we had a great day. Highlights were a coffee tour and the rice terraces. All the drivers were prompt and knew where to go. At times, we needed to advocate for what we wanted/didn't want to do, but they were flexible. I am not sure we would climb Mt Batur again (at 3am), though it was beautiful to watch the sunrise (bring 2 jackets!). Nusa Penida was also spectacular for snorkeling.

Overall our trip was amazing. The Katla Ice Cave was a highlight and Maria from Troll Expeditions was great. Also, kayaking at the Glacier Lagoon and our whale watching excursion with Laki tours in Olafsvik were both fantastic.

Activity Reviews

Katla Ice Cave

Iceland

Really enjoyed the ice cave, such a unique experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon Kayaking Tour

Iceland

Was such a great experience to kayak around the icebergs in the glacier lagoon. Very serene and beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Whale Watching Olafsvik

Iceland

I have wanted to go whale watching for years but am so glad I waited to do it in Iceland. Laki Tours was so well organized and we were fortunate to have perfect weather, calm water and amazing sightings!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable and personable

Transport

Sorrento and the VueD Orr were the best, but all the hotels were really good and hospitable. The guide for the bike tour was excellent and the bike tour and catacombs were a real highlight of our trip

Our trip was fabulous! I so appreciate all of the help and guidance given by Majid during the planning process. He was thoughtful and considerate of our requests and delivered exactly what we requested. Our diver, Hamid, was absolutely wonderful! He shared so much with us about Morocco's history and culture and knew so much about each region we traveled through. His enthusiasm for his country was contagious and he authentically shared so much wonderful information. He took us to a "bar b q" restaurant on the side of a road in a random small town that was incredible! Our 3-day journey from Marrakech to Ait Benhaddou to Merzouga to Fez (I learned of this itinerary from another Kimkim review) was long with a lot of hours in the car, but it was worth it and the best way to see a lot of Morocco. Hamid made it all worthwhile and enjoyable. I hope to book more trips with Kimkin in the future! Many thanks for such a memorable experience.

Ashley was extemely helpful and accommodating from the start. She planned a trip with all our preferences and desires. She planned a great trip leaving me with a great vietnamese experience. We got a taste of the local culture as well as fine dining and some rest and relaxation.

Hotel Reviews

Semabu Hills Hotel Nusa Penida - Bali

Penida Island

The view is everything! The rooms we got were amazing. The sunset was beautiful! The pool area also had a great view. Staff was nice and helpful. The massage therapist did a great job.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sadara Boutique Resort

Everyone was welcoming. Food options in hotel were good. Spacious hotel room. The pool area had a great view and had a very relaxing vibe.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bebek Tepi Sawah Villas and Spa

The hotel location was great.It was far away and close enough. I loved that our room was so close to the pool. Everyone was nice and accommodating. Towels provided for water activities. Breakfast options were tasty.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Snorkeling at Crystal Bay & Beach Relaxation

Nusa Penida

The sea life while snorkeling was beautiful!

Climbing Mt. Batur & Natural Hot Spring

Ubud, Bali

The activity was demanding but very worth the view and experience. They do have like 2 stops with drinks and snacks for purchase. Gets cold at the top but during the hike it can be warm.

ATV & Ubud Surrounding

Ubud, Bali

I really enjoyed this adventure. The staff tried to make it as safe and fun. You get a break for a drink or ice cream to purchase. Showers and towels offered at the end of ATVing.