Kimkim Trip Reviews

Sydney was great the Park Royal hotel has the best breakfast. Melbourne was fantastic and I highly recommend the lanes walking tour.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Grand Chancellor Brisbane

Spring Hill

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grest clean hotel

Reef View Hotel

Whitsunday Islands, Queensland

Authenticity & Character

Updates

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Update clean more

The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins

Melbourne

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great area able to get everywhere

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PARKROYAL Darling Harbour

Sydney

Best breakfast and great room service.

Authenticity & Character

Nice clean hotek

Location

Within walking distance to everything or transit options

Staff

Great room service and excellent staff at breakfast

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

New Years Eve Cruise - MV Jerry Bailey (Shared Cruise)

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bartenders were great

Transport

Great boat

Full Day Blue Mountains Hike the World Heritage

Sydney

Great guide lots of information and taken to done great spots

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great drivers and clean comfy van.

Transport

My wife and I had a great trip to Costa Rica -- we didn't have time to plan it, but had some ideas. Adam was very attentive and had great suggestions as starting points and adjusted the plan to our desires. Kimkim's communication with us was just right -- not too much but just enough. Once we were in Costa Rica and had travelled some, we realized we needed to instead rent a car and drive ourselves (my wife suffers from motion sickness, but if she drives it's much better) -- Kimkim came through for us with the adjustment and got us a car for the rest of our trip. We enjoyed all of the guided trips we went on and saw lots of Costa Rican wildlife and birds. Overall, Kimkim was responsive and helpful before and during our trip and we had a wonderful first trip to Costa Rica. Thanks Kimkim!!

This was such an amazing trip, it will take a while to fully review.
All the transportation was excellent with only two small exceptions. Our standout driver was Nico in Mendoza
All the hotels were perfect and all had great staff, facilities and location. Our standout hotel was Hotel Eco Boutique Bidasoa, with Blanca Patagonia Boutique Inn being a close second. Everywhere we were well welcomed. Casa Glebinias was absolutely lovely and Casa Sur Ricoleta well located.
Our guides were excellent and our standout was Andrea in Mendoza.
The wineries were wonderful and our favourites were Santa Rita, Bodega Benegas, but Luigi Bosca was the standout for sure.
Other tours were great with the standouts being touring the markets and cooking with Chef Tatan in Santiago. It was truly amazing! We also loved the Captain’s Table cruise to the glaciers in Patagonia - what an experience! The ranch in Buenos Aires was lovely and the Gala Tango show was very enjoyable.

Vicky planned a wonderful trip for us. We had well appointed lodging and a good variety of activities.

Hotel Reviews

The Hotel Britomart

Auckland

Wonderful room and location. The staff were very friendly and even came up to our room on arrival to show us how to use the smart features.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Awesome location and hotel!

Regent of Rotorua

Rotorua

Decent hotel but nothing special

Authenticity & Character

Location

A better bar

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Quest Cathedral Junction

Christchurch

Stained sofa seats

Authenticity & Character

No stained furniture! Also spill water and when wiped up you could see the dirty floor.

Location

Didn’t like the food coming into our room. Also no windows in the bedroom.

Staff

Not there for arrival and no outreach for things to do.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Warn and smelly

The Hermitage Hotel

Mount Cook Village

Amazing view and lovely room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Only one elevator functioning for a large hotel.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel St. Moritz

Queenstown

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise - Real NZ Fiordland Navigator

Manapouri

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ramada Suites Queenstown

Queenstown

Short visit, not much to review

Authenticity & Character

Location

Big hill getting downtown.

Adina Apartment Hotel Melbourne on Flinders

Melbourne, VIC

Great location and roomy space. We had trouble with the washer dryer unit. It ran all night and in the morning it still said 4 hours to go to finish. It never stopped even

Authenticity & Character

Nothing special regarding character but nearby a lot of character.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adina Apartment Hotel Adelaide Treasury

Adelaide

Wonderful staff a comfortable room.

Authenticity & Character

Historic building, bedroom door was awkward.

Location

Close to the market

Staff

Helpful getting us an early breakfast due to an early activity.

Cleanliness & Comfort

QT

Sydney

Great location and loved the quirky hotel that was once a theater. Giving 4 stars because they were delayed in responses to request for additional amenities such as a blanket and extra pillow. We’d definitely stay at this hotel again.

Authenticity & Character

Remnants of the old theater.

Location

In the heart of the CBD and next to the tram.

Staff

Very kind staff. It would be nice to have them ask how they could help, such dining recommendations and more information about the restaurants on site.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Waiheke Island - The Gourmet Food & Wine

Auckland

Fun and beautiful tour. I would suggest a more neutral food than oysters.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rotorua to Auckland via Hobbiton and Waitomo Caves

Rotorua

Te Puia - Te Pō combo (Te Rā Guided Experience + Indigenous Evening Experience)

Rotorua

A little long for the tour in the craft school.

Christchurch to Kaikoura Whale Watching Day Tour

Christchurch

Saw a bit of the sperm whales. Videos were helpful too.

Mt Cook to Christchurch 1 Way Tour (Small group)

Aoraki / Mount Cook Village

Would have liked more stops and more time off the bus.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Glacier Explorers - The ultimate ice adventure in Aoraki/Mount Cook

Aoraki / Mount Cook Village

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Queenstown to Mt Cook Tour (One-Way)

Queenstown (NZ)

Wish we were better informed on what stops we’d be making. Appreciated the guides who told us what to expect for the day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bike the Valley of the Vines from Arrowtown- Return Shuttle from Queenstown

Queenstown (NZ)

Love this ride and flexibility to stop when we wanted. Beautiful scenery and yummy wine.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Foodie Discovery Walking Tour

Melbourne

Great variety of foods and fun guide. Loved it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Laneways of Melbourne

Melbourne

Wonderful tour. Would recommend doing this on day one.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Luxe Bus Great Ocean Road with Wildlife Wonders

Melbourne

Loved this although we were cut short for fires.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phillip Island Penguin Parade Small Group Eco Tour

Melbourne

Loved this!! I wish we would’ve been told to dress warm.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The F Factor Food Tour

Adelaide

Sweet guide but too many chocolate and nut stops.

Quality of Experience

More variety

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kangaroo Island in a Day Tour from Adelaide

Adelaide

Great sites but too much butt time. Would’ve liked our lunch to know what we had ahead of us.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Taste the Barossa - Premium Day Tour: Small Group Tour

Adelaide

Sydney’s Hunter Valley Wine Tasting Tour

Sydney

Our guide was great. Would’ve liked our lunch spot preset up for us. The restaurants were busy so we only had one quick option.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

New Years Eve Sydney Harbour Cruise

Sydney

Panoramic Sydney Sights - Half Day Tour

Sydney

Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Samara was a welcoming face when we arrived! He ushered us from place to place with ease and although he’s led a lot of tours including tours simultaneous with ours, he treated us like we were top priority when he was with us. Khaled did a wonderful job showing us Cairo by night and getting us into a VERY popular restaurant in a timely manner for a delicious Egyptian meal add a wonderful dining experience. Lastly, Michael was top notch - experienced, personable, and efficient. We visited EVERYTHING we wanted to visit which was a feat given the time allowed. Highly recommend!

We loved our guides and drivers in every city—they were extremely helpful and knowledgeable. The logistics were perfectly organized and we knew we were in good hands. All three hotels we stayed in were nice, with very good free breakfast options, and we particularly like the Saga Hotel in Hoi An. It made a huge difference to have Lucy’s help in choosing locations and organizing local assistance.

Our experience booking with Kim Kim and Trang was the best service and holiday booking experience we have ever had. The tour and hotel recommendations were perfect. In particualr the Allegro Hotel in Hoi An which was a small slice of paradise. We also love the Ocean Bay resort in Phu Quoc our biggest disappointment was not booking more time. The beach was pristine and the water was clear and warm. We did go to other beaches whilst there and they didn't compare and were less spotless. Our tour guide in Hanoi, Ben, was fantastic during our Jeep tour. We loved the personal touches such as taking us to his uncles apartment to see how people live in old Hanoi. I definitely recommend the egg coffee. Lunch was incuded and he showed us how to eat the local traditional food. It was a bit chilly but the Anatole hotel was located close to UniQlo to buy a warm jacket. The hotel was small and ideally located for the old town. In Hoi An our tour guide was Destiny and we were so lucky to have her as our guide. She was increadibly knowledgable and we recommended her to others visiting the area. Ho Chi Minh was probably our least favourite place and I know many reviews can be mixed - people see to love it or loath it. It is a BIG city and very bustling bt again our guide Richard was amazing. We stayed at the Le Vela hotel which we found to be a fairly generic hotel you migh find in any part of the world unlike the other hotels we stayed in during our trip - it should be noted this hotel is popular with locals on the weekend for weddings and birthday parties - so our Sunday arrival was perhaps more hectic than usual. We did have an issue with the airconditioning which appeared to be set permanently at 25c and despite having staff look at this it was not fixed - it appeared to be a default temperature. However, there was a fantastic french restaurant acorss the road and it was amazing food. Our 5 days in Phu Quoc was great and relaxing but was quite busy with Russian tourists. I think our choice of booking with a local person was evident throughour with fantastic almost daily communication from Trang. This was an absolute bonus when Vietnam Airline changed our flight back to Ho Chi Minh to a later time meaning we would not make our International connection home. However, Trang got straight onto this and rebooked the flight to allow us plenty of time to make our connection. We know if we had booked with an agent in Australia we would not have received such a quick response. It was sad we had to leave earlier meaning a 26 hour trip back to home but it was out of everyone's control. Ho Chi Minh airport is expensive so make sure you buy all of your souveniors prior to setting to the airport. Everything about the trip ran smoothly from the drivers to the tour guides. I could not recommend Trang more highly for your trip to Vietnam - you will not be disappointed. Thank you Trang your service was amazing and we are so delighted we choose you to book our memorable trip to Vietnam

great service and thoughtful tour guides

The trip was wonderful. It was well put together and made it easy to see the different areas of Costa Rica. The activities and guides were on fun and educational. Enjoyed seeing all the rich diversity and climates the country has to offer. The Accommodations were all wonderful and provided the luxury and uniqueness we were looking for. The tour was very well put together we lots of activities but also having time to relax and enjoy the beauty of the rainforest and beaches. Everything flowed easily allowing us to enjoy our vacation on not stress about transfers or planning.

Hotel Reviews

Capitán Suizo Beachfront Boutique Hotel

Tamarindo

Awesome beachside resort.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

The location and views were amazing. An extremely peaceful place to relax.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa

Fortuna

The hotel and service was wonderful and the thermal springs are amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

We had an amazing trip planned by KimKim. Our driver Khalid was fantastic. We truly enjoyed every experience. They did a great job of listening to our needs and planning the trip.

Hotel Reviews

Le Casablanca Hotel

Casablanca

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Euphoriad

Rabat

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Fes - Relais & Châteaux

Fes

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Desert Luxury Camp Erg Chebbi

Merzouga

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Ksar Ighnda

Ait Benhaddou

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Maison Arabe Hotel

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Guided Tour in Marrakech

Marrakesh

Kudos to Juan for his expert experience in planning a very memorable trip and for his prompt response to all inquires. We loved the tours in Patagonia including the glaciers, hiking and rafting and the Iguazu Waterfalls (and in particular to fast boat into the falls) is not to be missed. Great trip.

Hotel Reviews

La Reserva Virgin Lodge de Selva by DON

Puerto Iguazú

Nice setting in the forest with a balcony

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Alto Andino Hotel

Ushuaia

Beautiful upstairs views, room was comfortable but in the basement

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Cantera Hotel Boutique

El Calafate

Authenticity & Character

Location

A little up a hill but very nice

Staff

Very helpful on our departure date giving us an extra hour to stay before our transport

Cleanliness & Comfort

Awwa Suites & Spa

Buenos Aires

Nice hotel in the heart of Palermo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Huinid Obelisco Hotel

Buenos Aires

Very nice, centrally located hotel with a nice breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Boat trip in front of the Perito Moreno Glacier

El Calafate

Nice to get up close to see the glaciers

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Little information from the staff but boat driver did a good job

Transport

Full day at Glaciares National Park: Perito Moreno

El Calafate

Amazing scenery.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide provided a lot of information on the bus but I noticed a number of guides that accompanied and provided explanations at the glacier as well

Transport

Buenos Aires Walking tour, La Boca & City centre

Buenos Aires

Great tour guide. Great tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Terrific guide. Had been to Buenos Aires before but learned a lot.

Transport

Gran Aventura Navigation tour

Puerto Iguazú

Spectacular. We absolutely loved it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half day tour to the Iguazú Falls (Brazilian side)

Argentina

The scenery is amazing and perhaps even more spectacular than the Argentinian side but feels a bit redundant after the Argentinian side particularly given the time and effort to get to Brazil (along with getting an expensive visa).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The scenery is amazing and not to be missed. The guide, though very pleasant, added essentially no value. Likely could have done this trip on our own.

Transport

Full day to the Argentinian side of the falls

Argentina

The scenery is amazing and not to be missed. And the boat ride was one of the top highlights of our trip. The guide, however, though very pleasant, added essentially no value. Likely could have done this trip on our own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide, though very pleasant, added essentially no value. Likely could have done this trip on our own.

Transport

Trekking & Canoeing in Tierra del Fuego National Park

Ushuaia

Beautiful hike and fun rafting

Quality of Experience

Very muddy hike but gorgeous

Food

Very much appreciated the ability to ensure our dietary restrictions were met

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide went above and beyond to help and ensure everyone was well taken care of

Transport

Our trip was amazing from start to finish. The whole team helped make our dream vacation come true. We ran into unforeseen circumstances before our scheduled departure and everyone did everything they could to help us move things around so we could still do the trip. Once in Costa Rica every transfer was on time and every hotel was perfect. rideCR drivers were particularly great, they were more like tour guides than transfer drivers. The agent recommended tours were the highlights of each location. Would definitely recommend using KimKim!

Hotel Reviews

Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience

San Carlos, Alajuela

This hotel had a lot to offer. The hot springs pools were incredible and the included breakfast was the best we had anywhere in Costa Rica! The only downfall was the lack of activity, we never saw anyone else in the hot springs pools or at the bar.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Karahé Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

We loved Karahe! We saw more wildlife on the property of this hotel than in the national park. We stayed on the beach side of the property and I would recommend that. The beach was incredible and the staff were very helpful and friendly. Would 100% stay here again if we ever come back to Manuel Antonio!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Only steps from a perfect beach!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Lost Canyon Waterfalls & Rappelling Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was the highlight of our trip! The guides were so much fun and super helpful. Rappelling was incredible and the journey traveling between waterfalls was just as action packed. We didn’t stop smiling the whole time!

Quality of Experience

Better than expected!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had no idea where to go but wanted to see Vietnam and Laos in a limited time frame. In that regard, KimKim did a fabulous job and we wish we had more time to see more of the country.

KimKim did a good job planning our itinerary and we didn’t once have to wait to meet up with our guides who were always on time. Our last guide, Richard, also the youngest, had the best English. He had also researched the history of Vietnam and the wars throughout their history and had prepared his own material to show us, further explaining them.

All our guides were knowledgeable but they were all also sometimes hard to understand as their pronunciation was often challenging to us. None of them really understood our questions when we strayed from the subject.

Our final excursion to the floating market was interesting to see but I’m not sure it was worth the long drive and it was one we would have skipped, especially given how bad our driver was.

Hotel Reviews

Can Tho Ecolodge

Can Tho

Location is away from anything but it is an eco-hotel. Quiet, large rooms, mediocre food. Pretty grounds.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eden Star Hotel & Spa

Ho Chi Minh City

Nice rooms, clean, ok food. Last two nights the pool and rooftop bar were off limits due to private parties but they did arrange access to a neighbouring hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hoi An Delicacy Hotel & Spa

Hoi An

Hotel was nice and certainly clean. Location was a little out of town but an easy enough walk. Quiet…/

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Paradise Sails

Cabin was good and food basic except for lunch the first day. One day trip and we did not go very far. Activities were basic and a little too crammed together. The bay is full of other tourist boats and the water is filthy although the landscape is pretty.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lalita Boutique & Spa Ninh Binh

Too far from town and not that nice of a hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

There were other hotels in same price range in town. This location required walking on a long, dusty and busy road to go anywhere.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hanoi Pearl Hotel

Hanoi

Great location in the heart of Hanoi but the room was basic.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Souphattra Hotel Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang

Comfortable hotel with large room and rating only suffered due to the location which is about 1.2 km from anything. Staff was great - food mediocre.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Sadly, can’t relocate the hotel.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Can Tho - Cai Rang Floating Market - Biking to Explore Local Villages and Orchards - Ho Chi Minh city

Can Tho

We had to travel too far with a lousy driver only to have a mediocre experience. This was part of the trip we would have been happy to skip. The floating market was interesting but not overwhelming and the bike ride was also lacking much interest.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a great one week winter get-a-way to Puerto Rico. We knew we wanted to visit the islands of Culebra and Vieques but didn't know anything about either one. After just a brief conversation with our agent, Harry, at KimKim we knew we had the right person to create a memorable trip for us. Harry fully understood our travel preferences and delivered transportation, lodging, and excursion options that absolutely hit our sweet spots. Everything was great and the entire trip transpired very smoothly. Besides the excellent trip plan, we were very pleasantly surprised with how our travel team stayed in touch with us during the trip. They made themselves available to answer any questions we had. The trip went so smoothly that we didn't need much help, but it was nice to know they were always available. This was our second trip to Puerto Rico and we really enjoyed it. It is an easy place to travel, the Puerto Ricans are super friendly, and the scenery is beautiful. We really enjoyed Vieques. It has a super laid back vibe but with all the amenities and services you could need. The beaches were great and easy to access. And the snorkeling was good. We would definitely consider another vacation to Vieques. Thanks to the team of travel experts for putting our vacation together and for the excellence service they provided during our time in Puerto Rico.

Hotel Review

El Blok

Vieques,

El Blok is a very nice hotel in a great location in Esperanza on Vieques. We loved the vibe of Esperanza. The staff at El Blok were super friendly and helpful and could answer any questions we had about Vieques. We rented a 4-wheeler right across the street from the hotel and Banana's Restaurant just down the block was one of our favorites. There is a nice beach right across the street from the hotel and it is a perfect place to watch sunsets. Would definitely go back to El Blok.

Authenticity & Character

It seems like a newer hotel. It has a cool layout and very well maintained. Nice restaurant that was also open for morning coffee and breakfast.

Location

Right across the street from a nice beach and close to many restaurants and food trucks.

Staff

The front desk staff were all very personable and helpful and seemed like they liked their job. The make the hotel a very friendly place.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Seems like a new hotel. Super clean, great beds, the rooms were well appointed and everything was completely up to date.

Activity Review

Mosquito- Vieques Bio Bay

Vieques

The year before we visited a different bio-bay on the main island near Fajardo that we found absolutely amazing. So we were very excited about visiting the Vieques bio-bay. Although the bay itself was very cool, the overall experience was a little disappointing. First off, the long road in and out of this bio-bay is extremely rough. As in "what in the hell are you thinking" rough. Holy moly, smooth the road out! Also, I get the profit motive, but once at the bio-bay we felt like cattle being processed. The different venders were absolutely speeding people off the buses to the kayaks and then out of the kayaks back to the buses. The Fajardo bio-bay was a way more relaxed experience and in our opinion a much better experience. I would recommend the bio-bay but shame on the vendors for the crappy road and the rushed experience. But, I must also add that it was our anniversary the day we went. And somehow the KimKim team told the Bio-bay provider. So, a very sweet woman named Mayra (or maybe Maya?) who worked for the vendor actually made us a Wedding Anniversary cake and gave it to us on the excursion. That was amazing and delicious! So, thank you thank you thank you Mayra, you are an amazing baker. (Tell your boss to convince the powers that be to smooth the road into the bay)

Quality of Experience

Transport

Felipe helped us plan and replan our trip again and again with the utmost professionalism, patience and great responsiveness and in the end it was the perfect trip. Having a local person who knew the best places to see and experiences to have and then set us up with the best guides and drivers you could imagine. Then Felipe and his team including Fabian and Margot stayed in touch with us throughout our entire trip. Making schedule changes when we needed or wanted, it feels like they are part of our family. Our guide Hugo was the best ever, simply cannot say enough good things about him, he took such great care of us and made sure our time was the most enjoyable and safe it could be. Our driver Hader seems to know everyone everywhere we went. In the village of Minka it was like being with the President. Being our first trip to Colombia and not speaking Spanish we were a bit nervous but Felipe and Hugo and Hader made us look and feel like locals and right at home. It was worth every penny and peso and we cannot recommend Aracanto Colombia enough.

Activity Reviews

Enjoy the rest of your trip in Colombia!

Colombia

Cartagena was story book, we stayed in the walled city and it was breathtaking. The Spanish Colonial architecture everywhere, great restaurants and more, you could photograph every door and courtyard and building in this beautiful historic city.

Quality of Experience

Historic and romantic and artsy, Cartagena had it all

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Diving in Cartagena Half-Day

Colombia

This might have been our best decision of all, Aracanto arranged a private diving trip to Rosario islands and it was incredible. Instead of being with a big group on a packed boat, we had the boat and dive master and crew all to ourselves and it not only made the most of our time but made it the best experience we have had diving yet.

Quality of Experience

The people of Diving Planet and Rosario Islands made it the best experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Andres and team were simply the best ever. They also do snorkeling trips and we sent some friends out with them after this trip who also had the best time!

Transport

Private car to private boat and crew, the best

Minca Tour and Marinka Waterfalls

Colombia

While visiting Santa Marta you must go visit the village of Minka and also the Marinka waterfalls. Minka was a super cool authentic village where we had an incredible coffee before going to the waterfalls and an unforgettable lunch after. The falls were something you see in a vacation commercial or movie, just incredible.

Quality of Experience

It was a nice easy day after a long hike the day before, relaxing in the waterfalls and just enjoying this authentic town and people.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Once again Hugo and Hader shined, getting us to the falls before the midday crowd so we had them all to ourselves. As we were leaving lots of people showed up. Hader was from Minka and seemed to know everyone, which made us feel like locals and in good hands.

Transport

Hader was the best, getting us there on schedule and when our 4x4 driver cancelled he acquired a vintage Land Cruiser an got us to the falls!

Tayrona National Park Tour

Colombia

No trip to Colombia is complete without visiting Tayronas National Park. One of the most stunningly beautiful places we have ever been. The wildlife was incredible also. You can walk the path or ride horseback.

Quality of Experience

The jaw dropping beauty and being immersed in nature and wildlife is hard to put into words. I have never seen a place like this.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hugo was a wealth of knowledge from the history of the Tayrona indigenous people to the plant life an animal life, we couldn’t have had a better guide!

Transport

Hader got us there smoothly and efficiently as always and hung a hammock in the trees and waited all day for us to return and brought us home safe and sound.

Short experience Snorkeling in Santa Marta area

Colombia

We loved our snorkeling trip with Gio and his team. Highly recommend them. Perfect spot where we saw amazing coral and sea life, and loved the boat ride!

Quality of Experience

Local authentic dive shop who know the area like the back of their hand.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Gio and the Captain were outstanding, we enjoyed the boat ride and sights from the sea almost as much as the snorkel!

Transport

Easy short walk to the beach and the boat picked us up right on the beach!

Welcome to Colombia!

Colombia

No trip to Colombia is complete without a visit to Santa Marta, a lovely seaside vacation town within driving distance of Tayrona National Park, Minka and more. Great dining and beaches and snorkeling and diving.

Quality of Experience

We were greeted with warmth by our guide Hugo and felt instantly at home

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hugo was the greatest guide and Hader was our all time favorite driver an the Aracanto Colombia Team of Felipe, Fabian and Margot were amazing!

Transport

Hader had a great car and was a pro, it was like traveling with the Mayor

We enjoyed our recent trip to Japan. Olivia, our local specialist was a big factor in the success of our trip. The language barrier in Japan was more challenging than we expected so we were grateful to have transfers, tours, and excellent tour guides organized by KimKim. These details ensured that our short time in Tokyo and Fukikawaguchiko was efficient and enjoyable. We had a nice balance of culture, history and local food mixed with glimpses of modern life in the busy cosmopolitan city of Tokyo, as well as a smaller town experience near mount Fuji by lake Kawajuchiko. We were fortunate to have a clear day with excellent views of Mount Fuji. We enjoyed the brave experience of bathing in the Onsen within the hotel supplied by a natural hot spring near the mountain.
Olivia checked up on us frequently and kept us up to date with timing of pickups and meetings with guides. Our trip was seamless.

We really had an excellent experience. The guides were terrific. Full of knowledge and often went beyond to make everything went well and everyone had a good time.
The only time we had an issue was one guide was delayed due to other people in the group being late. We weren’t contacted and thought they forgot to pick us up because we were waiting over a half hour.
I would just recommend to please contact the guests if guide is running late. Other than that everything was really good.
Juan was so helpful and responsive. Thank you for planning a wonderful birthday trip for me !!!
We loved visiting Argentina 🇦🇷 !!!

Johanna was wonderful helping plan our trip. However, she abandoned our account before our trip and her associate, Kristy, did not deliver. Our documents were slow to be delivered, she mishandled our plane tickets, and created increased anxiety over every aspect of our trip. Our hotel reservations were also made in the nsmes of travelers eho were no longer part of the trip. All information was given to her in advance of the trip but the errors in booking and communication were innumerable. We will never trust Kimkim again

Hotel Reviews

Palacio del Inka Cusco

Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Only complaint is size of the room

Tambo del Inka Luxury Collection Resort & Spa

Urubamba

Beautiful, amazing service, convenient

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half Day Cusco Tour

Peru

Again Simon was excellent in adapting this tour to our needs.

Quality of Experience

K

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

1-Day Machu Picchu Tour from the Sacred Valley

Peru

The train ride from Tambo del Inka was agonizingly slow. It would have preferable to drive to Ollantaytambo and catch the train there. The travel agents also failed to purchase the macchu picchu tickets that were promised( they were not timely in purchasing them on the day they were offered). The guide Roy was kind and informative but he was challenged to communicate in English. Still enjoyable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fly to Cusco, and transfer to the Sacred Valley

Peru

Despite our agents knowing ee were transferring from a cruise with baggage we were booked on the lowest economy level and sat crammed on the back of the plane and had to pay 190 dollars to cover our luggage. Fail

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sacred Valley Tour: Chinchero - Maras - Moray - Lunch at MV

Peru

Simon was an amazing guide

Quality of Experience

J

Food

Authentic, slow service but surprisingly delicious

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The entire team was helpful, responsive and knowledgeable. From Jessica to Athaya, our guide and driver were just wonderful. I especially enjoyed the purification ritual, the temple on the water visit Bodyworks Spa, lunch at the Beach Resort Cub, the coffee farm visit and the Happy Swing. It was a most memorable trip thanks to the KimKim team from start to finish. I will definitely recommend KimKim to friends and family.

Hotel Reviews

Pondok Mekar Villas

I was surprised to first see trash and trash barrels upon arrival at the driveway. This could be mitigated with a little gated trash stand which I saw on a short walk. It negatively colored my first impression of the place. Because of very loud night creatures it was impossible to sleep without earplugs. I only got into the pool after heavy rain. Before that the water looked a little murky.

Authenticity & Character

It is a more traditional Bali experience.

Location

It was just a little removed from shopping, but the services and restaurants were very affordable.

Staff

More detail to cleaning during the stay.

Cleanliness & Comfort

I was disappointed that my bathroom floor that obviously needed a sweep and this was not done.

Villa GoodFellas by Bali Superhost

Bali

It was really cool having a swimming pool in the living room! Loved the bathroom in my room as well. I do suggest that KimKim advise visitors to wear pool shoes or flip flops upon immediately leaving the pool. The tile floor is very slippery. The location was great for nearby shopping and services. We did inform the house staff that we found rat droppings on the stairs and upstairs hallway. Also, two times a kitchen garbage can was knocked over, probably by the squirrel we saw. Even with this our stay was enjoyable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to great shopping, spa services and restaurants.

Staff

The staff was very responsive to our cold water issue in the downstairs bathroom and quickly advised us of the internet outage and kept us updated on the progress to restore the damaged cable. Also, Putu quickly put out traps to address the rodent issue.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Farm to Table Cooking Class

Indonesia

This was a real threat from start to finish. I enjoyed trying the exotic fruits at the market and later the cooking class. I highly recommend this activity to others.

Quality of Experience

Our teacher was delightful, patient and expertly guided our class with humor and grace.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Safety, knowledge, kindness and responsiveness.

Transport

We felt safe with our driver as he maneuvered through the traffic of Bali.

Isabel was strong with knowledge, communication, and responsiveness. She was our "eye in the sky" throughout the trip guiding us through a wonderfully varied trip of discovery in Panama

Hotel Reviews

Palmar Beach Lodge

Isla Bastimentos

No cars. No crowds. Jungle. Private beach. Great staff. Good food. Loved it!

Authenticity & Character

500 meter walk on a jungle path leads to the hotel located on an isolated beach on Bastimentos. Covered, outdoor dining. The sounds of monkeys and birds throughout.

Location

No crowds. Easy boat taxi to other beaches, snorkeling, and Bocas Town.

Staff

Very helpful and responsive. Once minor hiccup upon check in was no safe. One was installed within 20 minutes. Water taxi coordination was very helpful. They even checked in with us one evening we were in Bocas Town to coordinate pickup convenience during a rain shower. Above and beyond!

Cleanliness & Comfort

With a cabin in the middle of the jungle, we expected bugs, lizards etc. Outside yes, but none in the cabin!

Boquete Tree Trek Mountain Resort

Boquete

Loved the hotel's unique "off the grid" feel with cabins and "pods". Lots of activities (canopy zip lining, hiking etc.) make this an ideal spot if seeking that experience.

Authenticity & Character

Isolated at higher elevation. Beautiful views. Unique within the context of our experience as travelers

Location

Beautiful, isolated location with spectacular views. Off the beaten path and about a 20 minute ride ($15 taxi)up the mountain from Boquete. There is a free shuttle that runs throughout the day. Also note that there was a marked difference in temperature due to higher elevation. Include layers and pajamas in your planning if staying here.

Staff

The staff was friendly and responsive. They knew our names and our cabin number making us feel at home during our two nights there

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our cabin was very tidy and well-appointed.

Central Hotel Panama

Panama City

Location, location, location! Walk to all sites and restaurants within Casco Viejo. Plus and easy $4 Uber ride to Amador for a bike rental to ride the causeway. We spent 4 nights here in total and it was the perfect location. Breakfast was very good. We had snacks and drinks on the rooftop on our first night arrival. Very good, though we found some better value around town during the week.

Authenticity & Character

100+ year old hotel that has modernized without losing old world feeling

Location

see above

Staff

Friendly, helpful, efficient

Cleanliness & Comfort

Well appointed rooms with plenty of space. Very clean

Activity Reviews

Isla Colón Unveiled: A Boat Journey Through Bocas’ Best-Kept Secrets

Bocas del Toro

Starfish Beach, Bird island, lunch on the water. Another super day on the water!

Food

A restaurant on the beach after visiting bird island. I asked Mikey what he liked, and he said he always orders the fish soup. it was good, just know they use all of the fish parts...lol. We also got the snails which were very good. The Balboa was cold, and Everything was fresh of course!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mikey was captain with his first mate, Jordan. They are a lot of fun. Terrific sloth spotters, they were able to find one that we watched and filmed for probably 45 minutes. Mikey also prepared a wonderful pineapple treat served on a platter of fresh cut banana leaves and adorned with gathered hibiscus. Another birthday treat, and a kind touch.

Transport

transport was the same boat we had been using all week, just a different captain (they all work together). It was fun getting to meat so many different people each day.

Cultural Immersion: The Chocolate Traditions of Bocas Del Toro

Panama

Green Acres Cacao Farm. Included a nature walk with Gary, the owner/conservationalist, where we met sloths, monkeys, and poison green frogs while learning about the flora and fauna of the area. Sampled raw cacao, as well as the various finished product. Took some home of course. Highly recommend

Quality of Experience

We knew we would be learning about Cacao and the process. The bonus was the nature walk that included so much more than the theme of cacao.

Food

A different waterfront restaurant that was at least as good, maybe better than the previous! Family run, they tie your boat up to their dock, see you to your table and cook the food on a grill right there on the dock. Loved it!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

-Alejandro was our boat captain on this trip. He was a lot of fun, and took additional pictures which he shared with us. -Gary is the owner of Green Acres. He is passionate about his mission, and makes the tour interesting and fun

Transport

Alejandro took good care of us throughout the day and we had a blast. Cooler stocked with water and Balboa. Upon departure, he helped us with luggage from the boat to meet the taxi that he arranged to take us to the airport.

Cayo Zapatilla: Snorkel, Savor & Soar in Bocas del Toro

Bocas del Toro

Blue water, pristine beaches, lovely scenery. Found a sloth, saw dolphins. Plenty of snorkeling, and beach time on Zapatista.

Quality of Experience

Zapatilla was beautiful. Our captain dropped us on one side of the island. We explored the trails, then lounged on the beach on the other side of the island where a captain picked us up a couple of hours later

Food

Great vibe dock restaurant on the water (Restaurante Jasmin). Can only get there by boat. Try the whole red snapper if they have it!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alejandro Robert was born and raised in Bocas. Knowlegeable, fun, and knew how to handle a boat. Cooler full of H20 and Balboa (Panama's National Beer) was a nice touch

Transport

On time. Well kept boat. Experienced and knowledgeable captain

Hiking Adventure in Boquete and Scenic Transfer to Bocas del Toro

Panama

Pipeline Trail was a good experience. Not a difficult hike for us novices. An area for bird watching, particularly the Quetzal, though not this time of year. Did cross some lovely mountain streams and saw a 1000 year old tree, which was cool!

Quality of Experience

As advertised

Food

A homemade picnic lunch prepared by Plinio was enhanced with a piece of cake, fresh strawberries, and local rum to celebrate a birthday. A surprising and kind gesture that is truly appreciated.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It was fun to meet Plinio's son Sebastian during the hike. Uncle Pepe was back in the drivers seat. he was much more animated on the trip to the seaport, and it was a unique and fun time hearing his descriptions of the damn, lake and pipeline...all in Spanish, mind you (which we know very little) but he got the points across (along with some translation from the passenger seat. It was funny and fun, we had a great time!

Transport

Beautiful drive. We got to the ferry port safely and in plenty of time

A Sunrise Adventure at Volcán Barú: Witness the Dawn from Panama's Highest Peak

Boquete

Stunning with views of Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as Costa Rica. A must

Quality of Experience

Needs to be seen

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The park only allows specifically licensed drivers to go to the peak. Plinio set us up with a driver who was experienced and had top notch equipment. While others were racing to the top, Elmer (sp?) just took his time and got us there in plenty of time. All of the vehicle drivers seemed to look after one another, which was reassuring.

Transport

On time, which is especially important at 330am. Elmer(sp?) knows what he is doing and has the right equipment to get it done.

Nature, Coffee, and Highlands in Boquete

Boquete

We are now big fans of Boquete! Plinio was a terrific guide. He started our visit at the visitors center which was a great way to get an overview of the area and set the expectation for the trip. Guided us through the local public park discussing history and pointing out flora and fauna. Butterfly House and Honey Tasting, then Coffee Farm tour and tasting. Full day, learned a ton, met a lot of nice people. Entirely enjoyable!

Quality of Experience

-The personalized coffee experience at Milagrosa with Plinio was a standout. Plinio knows the owner and is permitted to give a personal tour and tasting experience. Much different than a farm that has in house guides and schedule -the butterfly house and honey tasting was very interesting and relaxing. Lisa was our host there, and she spent much time teaching us about butterflies (and then honey). Liked this much more than we expected -We lucked out that the Boquete Flower Festival was occurring during our visit. Beautiful!

Food

Lunch in Boquete with Plinio and Uncle Pepe. Not a place would have found on our own, another reason to have a local guide. So good! He also recommended a restaurant (La Cueva del Pitufo) that he frequents with his family. Very good, and easy on the pocketbook!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Plinio is awesome! It was obvious that he is a popular/active citizen of the Boquete/Chiquiri. Everywhere we went, people waved, shouted, and greeted. He rode shotgun as his retired Uncle Pepe drove. Uncle Pepe spoke very little English, though he was a delight!

Transport

Plinio met us at the airport in David, and we were driven to Boquete (about 60 minutes). No hiccups and enjoyed the area overview as we rode.

Discover Panama: A Day of Culture, History, and Engineering

Panama City

Our guide Jean was essential in efficiently moving us through the canal experience at the Miraflores locks. We got there early to beat the crowds, and he had an app that showed us the ships that were scheduled to move through the locks while we were there. After the lock experience, he took us to a unique view of the American Bridge at the entrance to the canal from the Pacific. We were the only "tourists" at that spot and would never have thought to go there without Jean. The day also included canal zone history, a trip to Amador, lunch, and a walking tour of Casco Viejo

Quality of Experience

The Panama Canal is one of those "wonders of the world" bucket list items for us and it was thrill to see it in person. An added bonus was seeing it from the air on our flight back later in the week from Bocas del Toro. We were able to comtemplate what we were viewing much better after our on the ground tour. Jean brought the day to live with his local knowledge and fun personality

Food

Lunch in Amador. It was fine, but felt a bit touristy for our preference. Not a complaint, just one things we would change in retrospect.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jean is a terrific guide. Knowledgeable, friendly, and fun. Made us feel right at home, and removed the stress that can come from navigating an unfamiliar city while on vacation.

Transport

Easy and on time.

A Gastronomic Journey Through Casco Antiguo Panama

Panama City

We thoroughly enjoyed this experience of flavors from the area. Every plate was unique (at lease to us) and the wine well matched. All items were chosen for us, which was absolutely fine! One suggestion would be to provide a sheet describing each plate and noting the wine chosen for the pairing.

Quality of Experience

Well organized, great food. Glad Jean (our guide) joined us so that we could continue to pick his brain about the area.

Food

Fresh, well-presented, delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly and fun. Great job pacing the plate presentation

Transport

Easy walk from our hotel. Jean, our guide, joined us and had everthing set up