Kimkim Trip Reviews for Australia

Fantastic place to stay, great location and beautiful surroundings in a private vineyard. Wonderful local provisions provided and super comfortable bed.

Great staff, excellent food. Really good value for food and drink. Good family place. Loved the tours on offer

Lovely hotel, it was a shame that the hotel restaurant was closed over a holiday weekend.

Fantastic room on the 15th floor, beautiful night views of Adelaide

Easy to find for pick up and drop off

Jackie was our guide and we thought she was really informative and interesting.

Excellent tour with a local guide who explained the significance of the drawings in the canyon and told stories about his people in a quiet way. Really enjoyed this tour

Our family of three stayed three nights at the Adabco. It's less of a "boutique" hotel than a small conference centre created out of a former boys boarding school. The rooms are on the small side and the decor a wee bit tired, though quite clean. On the other hand, each floor has a full kitchen and eating area, while the ground floor has several large meeting rooms. The staff was amazing, esp around early and late arrivals/departures. Location is just outside the main downtown area, but still withing walking distance of the Central Market food court, the Botanic Gardens, and shopping / dining.

My family of three stayed five nights at this highrise hotel south of the river. Mercure is a reliable brand - the rooms were impeccable; the hotel coffee bar made breakfast simple adn easy. The location is handy to many great restaurants and the arts district. Just across the river you can catch several free CBD trams to get around the downtown.

Our family of three stayed for five nights. We were upgraded to one of their apartment units, which really helped for our longer stay (and young adult daughter's privacy!). Somewhat modest, but well equipped and perfect for our needs - bonus was a small apartment complex pool, which helped on the hot humid summer days. Location was a couple of blocks from the waterfront boardwalk, just outside the main downtown area, and about a 15-minute walk to the harbour. Although we didn't take it, the bus route to the beaches north of the city runs right past it. Also a short walk to convenience stores and cafes. One bonus was the authentic Balinese restaurant on site, which produced a memorable rijstafel for us. Staff was lovely and accommodating.

We joined a group of ten to explore the perimeter of the CBD. As we made our way from the port to the Botanic Gardens, the sports complexes, the inner suburbs, and the State Library, among other sites, our enthusiastic guide stopped to give us bits of Australian and Melbourne history. We had two snack stops along the way. The tour went at a good pace for the varying abilities of the group and the intense heat of the February summer day. The bikes were n excellent condition and easy to ride. Our guide made sure we were all safe as we navigated traffic. A great way to explore beyond what you could reach on foot in the same amount of time.

We joined a small coach tour with Oceania Tours for a long but rewarding day. Trying to cover the Great Ocean Road in one day is going to be a whirlwind no matter what, as well as a race to get ahead of the many full size coaches all going to the same stops at the same time. Luckily we had a nimble van driven by our amazing guide who was not only able to stay a step ahead, but also take us off the beaten path to where the larger coaches can't reach. We first wound past incredible views of the "surf" beaches, stopping to catch a glimpse of koalas in their tree habitats. We had lunch in Apollo Bay, with a short visit to put our toes in the ocean. We finished with a somewhat crowded stop at the Twelve Apostles rock formation and a short exploration of neighbouring formations, all the while getting lots of great stories about the unfortunate folks who had washed up on these inhospitable shores centuries ago. In between was my favourite part - a visit to the ancient rainforest of the Otway Ranges, one of the last original sites of untouched wilderness in Australia. We got a final bonus stop to view a huge flock of white cockatoos. Our guide was very knowledgeable about each area's natural and cultural history. She was very accommodating of the group's varying walking abilities. She also supplied an enjoyable Aussie soundtrack for the trip, which helped make the long drive back fun. Would recommend!

Why not kill two birds with one stone? You can join this Walk Melbourne Tours backstreet crawl to discover the many alleyways of Melbourne and have some great food at the same time! Our guide was a long time Melbourne resident eager to let us in on the secret spaces of her city. We learned about the origin of alleys and how they were planned as integral part of the original city - and have since morphed into nooks with lots of tiny but respectable cafes, boutiques, and lots of fascinating street art. We found a hidden art deco gem, a few converted industrial spaces, and stayed protected from the harsh afternoon sun. Our food adventure took us around the globe and through several small but satisfying courses, including of course Melbourne's famous coffee. Our group was small enough we bonded quite well and even hung out for drinks at the end. Even for those coming from big cities, it would have been tricky find our way through the maze of alleys on our own and to suss out the best places to stop. Very much worth doing!

Our family of three started the tour from our hotel. Our bus driver was very punctual picking us up at 6.15 ahead of getting folks at the bus station. The 90 minute ride to the ferry docks was filled with lots of useful info about the countryside we were travelling through. The ferry itself was modern, with lots of comfortable seating, toilets, and even a bar to keep everyone happy for the 45-minute crossing. Once we got to Kangaroo Island, we lucked out and were the only ones on this small group trip, so we were able to get a bit of a private tour. Our mini-coach made several stops to do short walks both inland and at the sea shore, our guide pointing out wildlife along the way and talking about how the wildfires of 2020 had affected this island. Lunch was a fun picnic in a secluded riverside BBQ area. The highlight of the day was definitely the seal sanctuary, where a certified ranger brought us down to the beach where we could see the seals relatively close up, lounging in their natural habitat. On the way to our hotel, after visiting eucalyptus and honey farms, we stopped at a gin distillery (at our request), where we got to see a koala right above our heads. Our accommodation at the Mercure at American River was amazing - a very comfortable room in a serene and beautiful setting right on the water, where we could watch the sunrise and many birds, as well as go on short walks in the surrounding area. Dinner there was very good as well. Day Two we stopped at some more beautiful beaches, explored the incredible Remarkable Rocks formation, and saw the sea lion colony below the cliffs, plus enjoyed another picnic lunch. The dinner time ferry ride and long bus trip home got us back well after dark, but we ended up sleeping on the bus anyway after two long days of sunny sightseeing. Taking two days and a small coach to see the island was a great way to get around and see almost everything. Definitely recommend.

The tour started in the remote port area of Adelaide. Our kayaking guides made sure we were well sunscreened and hydrated before taking us out in double boats. We paddled around a calm area of the port, exploring mangroves and a couple of old shipwrecks lying the shallow water. We saw many birds, but it wasn't until we were almost back to shore that we spotted out dolphins - a whole little family coming through, right past us. It was a long wait, but worth the effort! This trip is suitable for people of all ages and abilities, even if you have never kayaked before.

We had been expecting a ride on the famous Kuranda Scenic Railway, but the tracks had been washed out during a December cyclone, so the company had to readjust the tour. Instead, we were taken from our hotel by coach to a "Rainforestaion" about half way up the mountain, followed by another coach ride after lunch to the village of Kuranda at the top, then a gondola ride back down. We weren't expecting much (in fact we worried the whole thing was a Disney-fied version of Australia) , but the Rainforestation turned out to be a fun morning. We got to see several wild animals up close in the refuge section, including a cassowary, several friendly wallabies, koalas, snakes, Tasmanian devils, and two massive crocodiles - we were lucky to witness croc feeding time and learn a very healthy fear of these prehistoric beasts. We also got to learn about Aboriginal traditions, watch spear throwing and dancing demonstrations, and try our hand at boomerang throwing. We also learned about the rainforest in during a ride in an amphibious army "duck" vehicle. Lunch was a nice though unremarkable buffet. Kuranda village includes a main street and "village" of various artisan vendors, which we didn't spend much time in. There is also the original hippie Kuranda village, with lots of little kiosks built into the hillside at all angles, which was more fun to explore. We decided to spend our time taking a short hike though the forest before catching the gondola back to the bottom. The trail was well marked and easy to follow. For the gondola ride there is an app to download and listen to - we managed to mis-load it, so didn't get the full experience, though the view is spectacular no matter what. We did get off at the two stops on the way down to see and hear the incredible waterfalls. Once at the bottom we got a coach ride back to our hotel.

Two of our group scuba dives, the other one doesn't so we needed a trip that could accommodate everyone. Reef Magic turned out to be great for all of us. Their comfortable boat took us out to their private pontoon on the reef. At the reef, there was an area roped off for snorkelling. There was lots of equipment for everyone, so although many folks rushed to grab suits and snorkels, you could also take your time and not worry about missing out. They encouraged everyone to try it, even the non swimmers, whom they offered life jackets and pool floaties to help with buoyancy. They even supplied special suits to protect folks form jelly fish stings, common in February. For scuba newbies there was a Discover Scuba option, which was also a very safe way to get folks in the deeper water. For those not getting into the water there was a glass observation deck and even a "semi-submersible" little boat ride my daughter went on after scuba diving. My two scuba dives were well led; my husband's snorkel safari was also fun. While the dives weren't the most adventurous, they were a good length and we saw lots of amazing sea life. The staff included marine biologists who gave demonstrations and did a fun and informational fish feeding. Lunch was a very good buffet, again with lots of food for all. The staff on the boat were excellent at taking care of us and our safety and managing the needs of a huge crowd of folks. The only thing that sort of ruined our day were the really rude group of tourists who made us move our gear bags and then later stole our seats. Overall a great way to access the reef in a safe and enjoyable way.

The regular Billy Tea Safari tour was edited somewhat owing to several roads having been washed out during a cyclone in December. Nevertheless, we explored quite a bit and got a full sense of the rainforest and its inhabitants. Our guide was a local who was passionate and very knowledgeable about nature. On the long drive from our hotel in Cairns to the edge of the Daintree we learned a lot about the flora and fauna, as well as the impact of the cyclone on the area, its industries and residents. Among the various stops, we got a fabulous view from near the top of the mountain (after a vertigo-inducing set of switchbacks getting up there), a river boat crossing where we attempted spot crocs, a short walk along a riverside boardwalk to see ancient ferns and gushing waterfalls (and spiders!), and a chance meeting with a wild cassowary. We enjoyed delicious lunch at the Heritage Inn, where we also had a cool dip in a crocodile-free water hole. Later in the afternoon we got homemade ice cream at a small plantation that grows its own tropical fruit. The drive home featured lots of great Aussie rock tunes.

This day was amazing. I was apprehensive about snorkeling as I had a previous bad experience. The crew that went out with us were so patient and helpful. Basically if you wanted a crew member would escort you out to reef , take you around to different locations and then return you to boat. It totally put me at ease and made my snorkeling experience so enjoyable

Great Location. Within walking distance to the Britomart, the cruise ship port and some really great shopping and coffee shops. The room was comfortable but just ok. Our shower had some mildew in it and the kitchen was lacking in utensils. We only had 1 fork, fortunately most of the eating we did was out. The hotel lobby was good and had a restaurant for breakfasts and late-night eating too.

Great location. Within walking distance to all things downtown (if you don't mind hills), though plenty of local transportation available. Breakfast buffet was ok. Hotel was clean and beautifully decorated.

Though you can tell the buildings are older they are well maintained for the nature of the environment, like the heat and the bugs outside. They are beautifully decorated inside and very clean. We enjoyed the pool and the ease of walking to the Town Square. It was nice having laundry facilities available to use.

The Visit to Te Puia and the Maori Cultural Experience were the highlight.

Absolutely amazing trip from start to finish. From the coordination of the taxi (ride to Air Milford) that picked us up to Tom, our pilot who did an amazing job and the views were stunning. The tour operator was on top of communicating from the moment of booking.

We loved the visit to the Australian Reptile Park where we got to personally experience the koalas and kagaroos. It was a fun place. The winery was nice and the lunch at Ben Ean was delicious. The drive was very pretty.

While my husband and I did the Fly Cruise Fly, it was my sister in law and her husband who were traveling with us that did this particular tour and they really loved it.

This tour far exceeded our expectations. We enjoyed the visit to the Anangu Cultural Center. It was so nice watching the sunset on Uluru. The dinner set up was fantastic as well as the food they prepared. When the candles went out after dinner, we were in awe of the stars that were out. The hosts knowledge of the constellations was impressive. What a wonderful evening! Well done!!

Location on the Harbour is great - easy to get around - clean - good breakfast

These accommodations were awesome - had a kitchen and washer / dryer - gave us a chance to wash everything 1/2 way thru the trip

Good location close to ward - near everything - breakfast is ok - staff helpfull

This tour is all day but worth it - the mountains and valleys are breathtaking. Listen to the driver , full of great facts.

This is a good activity and great way to kick off Urulu. The sunset is amazing

This is a great tour - very interesting- the tour of Ayers Rock is fascinating

This is a full day tour, very interesting- saw so much

Beautiful!

It was expensive but so worth the luxury after a week off grid on Lord Howe Island. The views of the Opera House, Sydney Harbor Bridge and all the beautiful ocean liners coming and going from the 27th floor were spectacular. The bed, pillows, and linens were luxurious - just what I needed after five weeks of busy travel. The room had everything I needed, and then some! The valets were very responsive - never a bag did I have to lift. They even helped me get the rental car back to the hotel after I got lost in the city. Taking about the city, it was awesome to be only a stone’s throw from Circular Quay where I walked to catch buses and trains. I was so close to the Opera House, The Rocks, Museum of Modern Art, and Botanical Gardens, that I could stroll over to any of them within a few minutes. There’s a great little cafe in the lobby that caters for early risers or those who need a quick coffee. That would be me LOL!!! Next time I visit Sydney, that’s going to be my destination hotel. You have to spoil yourself once in a while - next time I’ll stay longer so I can really enjoy sleeping in one day and making the most of the best bed of my entire vacation!

Great Hotel in the heart of darling Harbor! Easy to walk around the city and shop. Could use laundry facility in the hotel otherwise it was a great hotel and beautiful area.

Lovely hotel in the desert, WIFI could use a little boost otherwise everything was beautiful and as expected. Very clean. Free Laundry facilities a plus!

Great hotel in a wonderful area, we felt like we were in the rainforest every morning with the bird sounds. Great location, close to the Esplanade and Marina.

Great experience! So fun watching the sunrise and having the experience of riding the camels through the desert!

Drone show was cancelled due to the winds. Laser light show instead

Lovely sunset experience, There was sparkling wine and cheese and crackers given out during sunset

Excellent breakfast and morning watching the sunrise, then over to to Uluru

Snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef experience was amazing! Long day, could have used it to have been a little shorter of a day otherwise it was perfect

During my two-night stay at Pacific Hotel Cairns, I was impressed by the stunning views and comfortable accommodations. The hotel staff were friendly and helpful, making my stay enjoyable.

My one-night stay at Rydges Sydney Airport Hotel was convenient and comfortable. The proximity to the airport was a plus, and the hotel amenities were great. The staff were helpful, and the room was clean and cozy

My two-night stay at Desert Gardens Hotel in Uluru was unforgettable. The hotel's location was perfect. The hotel staff were knowledgeable and provided great service.

Highly recommended activity to do, it has our highest points!

This activity was memorable, snorkeling in this location was one of the higlights of our trip. The guides were awesome!

Excellent location!!! Hotel could use a refresh.

Excellent location!!

Wonderful tour of the city. Service and food very nice.

Lovely day out with a nice small group. The venues we went to were nice and the hosts were informative. Lunch was especially nice at a golf club with quick service and scenery.

The cruise was definitely a highlight of our vacation. The staff were exceptional and very helpful. The gear provided was in great shape and we appreciated the stinger suits with the jelly fish in the area. The morning there were a lot of waves/rain but it didn't stop the adventure. The staff were very considerate to those that were experiencing sea sickness. The lunch provided was ample and tasty. The second location was particularly exciting but more because the weather had shifted and we weren't combating the waves as much so we were able to enjoy it a bit more. We took advantage of the glass bottom boat ride and appreciated the marine biologist giving us further insight into what we were looking at below. Overall a 10++ experience.

We took the skyrail both up and down as the train was out of commission due to flooding.

It was a pleasant evening. The food was good and the staff very pleasant. As it was a rainy night we didn't really get to enjoy the outside view.

Great day out exploring the rainforest.

Great location. Had the all basics and a pool. Not luxurious but clean and comfortable

Good location. Hallways and rooftop were not clean. Rooms and bath were small but comfortable

Very large room with kitchen. Location was excellent. Some deferred maintenance needed...peeling paint on ceiling and around sliding door; rust on hinged glass over bathtub

We had a fantastic experience on the Reef Magic outer reef cruise. All of our trips were excellent, and this one was no exception. The tour was well-organized, and we got to explore the beautiful outer reef. The entire experience was smooth and enjoyable.

Our day with the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and Kuranda Scenic Railway was mostly great. We had a funny incident with the train, but our guide, Jon, handled it brilliantly. Despite a small hiccup, we were impressed by how well everything was managed. The scenic views were breathtaking, and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

The Great Ocean Road Day Tour was a memorable experience, although it was quite a long day. The tour guides worked hard to ensure we saw everything, and the sights like the kangaroos were amazing. We felt the tour could have been condensed a bit as it was a full day excursion, but overall, we were happy with the experience.

Everyone at this hotel was wonderful. They were very helpful and gave us maps and good recommendations. It is within walking distance of many great parts of Sydney.

Loved this hotel. It was so comfortable and in a great location. Very close to the Harbour where there are many good restaurants.

Great buffet, beautiful boat, very friendly staff. Highly recommend!

Not to be missed! Gavin our guide was great. Very knowledgeable and passionate about the rain forest. Great experience.

Food was great, checkin and disembarking went smoothly. Got to do 4 dives and the ‘Sharks in the Dark’ was a hit. Great experience.

Well worth a visit. Very interesting.

Beautiful drive into the mountains. It rained most of the day but Patricia our driver/guide got us to some great spots.

Couldn’t have been any better. Great experience snorkeling and staying overnight was a highlight. Great attentive staff, especially Skye and Thomas. The room was much larger than we were expecting. Highly recommend!

Clean rooms , deck 2nd floor at back to sit outside , enjoy the sounds ,weather & just relax ,maybe have a beverage or read a book . Happy Hour was nice ,staff were very courteous . A few stairs to get to things . Good exercise but if mobility is a problem .

Large rooms ,good beds , necessary utensils in Kitchen . Staff warns you to keep sliding doors closed when not using as Cockatoos will walk into your room & destroy everything looking for food . Nice view from room , pool & Ocean . Coffee cart located outside lobby 7 am opening was nice to grab a great coffee to enjoy outdoor tables or on your balcony .

Beautiful Hotel Great breakfast

Clean very nice

The bridge climb is very safe the preparation is good & all questions answered . The guide talks to you for the climb & tells you history of bridge & all interesting facts . Looks a lot tougher then it actually is . A few tight spots so if your a large person forget this adventure . Everybody on our climb had HUGE smiles after .

Great location close to town. Friendly front desk personnel.

My least favorite accommodation of the trip. The resort was a couple of miles out of town and lacked amenities due to changes from COVID. The restaurant had been closed for a couple of years, and even basic services like housekeeping and access to water were limited. Not the best experience.

I stayed at Crowne Plaza Auckland for one night. The location was pretty good, there was a lot of construction nearby. Overall, it was fine for a short stay.

Our stay at PARKROYAL Darling Harbour was great. The location was fantastic, and we had a pleasant experience overall.

Jess did an amazing job in taking us through tunnels and caves to see the glow worms...stunning! She also showed us the southern cross and orion constellations - very knowledgable!

Cool to see the geothermal mud pools, geysers and boiling pools at this location.

Our originally-scheduled time slot of 4:30 had to be changed due to a flight cancellation. Onsen was able to move our time slot to the following day at 9:30pm - which happens to be sunset this time of year. It was stunning. The glass of champagne and chocolates was perfect and 1 hour was a perfect way to end our busy day!!

Super interesting to learn about the design, construction and operations of Sydney Opera House. We enjoyed it so much that we squeezed in a trip back to see a play while we were there (FYI - there are several venues in the Opera House in addition to the Concert Hall).

While I've never seen any Lord of the Rings movies, this was a very interesting and beautiful tour.

Wonderful exposure to Maori culture with the dinner and show. Great job!

The weather the day of our visit was PERFECTION, which I hear is not normal for Milford Sound since it rains there 180+ days a year. We had perfect blue skies and the scenery was gorgeous! The boat tour was awesome! Highly recommend!

One of the highlights of our trip! Anna did an amazing job in leading us to the summit of the bridge - perfectly clear night so we could see the Opera House, Sydney Skyline and wonderful views of boats in the harbor! Definitely recommend!!

Great overlook for Queenstown! Would highly recommend!

Great overview of Sydney! Seeing Bondi Beach and the Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge was very cool, among other sights!

Loved this hotel for its location, easy walking distance to our needs and beautiful room view. There was only 1 King sized bed in our room but worked out just fine for the 2 of us travelers. Friendly and helpful staff were an added bonus.

This trip was canceled due to weather but we separately booked the Shotover Jet Boat ride on the Dart River in its place and super happy that we did! This review pertains to the Shotover ride instead. Such a beautiful and pristine area with the river and mountain ranges. Our boat ride was exhilarating and our driver, Hamish, was the best. He knew how to handle that boat and make it dance on the shallow water, coming perilously close to the nearby cliffs and then 360's where possible. Woo-Hoo!

Have seen numerous times on television this iconic masterpiece. To actually be there in person to touch, feel and see the building was a bucket list item. An amazing work of sculpture, art and functionality all rolled into one design.

Yet, another highlight of our trip was going to Rottnest Island. What a blast it was to ride bikes on the well paved paths, snorkel in the beautiful blue waters of the Indian Ocean and see all the cute little Quokka's. Really enjoyed biking around the island and going as far west as possible to Radar Reef and Fish Hook Bay.

This may be one of the best highlights of our trip, actually climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Such a surreal experience where, despite being so high, felt very comfortable, due to our pre-training and strapped securely into the harness. The views were amazing along the way and the stories of the build fascinating.

Having read several books about this area and time, I thought I was mentally prepared for the experience. I was amazed at at how serene and beautiful the area had become over the years. The historical plaques located by the major structures were very informative and helped remind visitors how awful a place it was during its heyday. Very much enjoyed the short harbor cruise as well as the gardens, Such a lovely place now...