Kimkim Trip Reviews for Cambodia

Sleeping in the jungle is priceless! Everything from the food to the excursions were amazing. Highly recommended.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tasty set lunch at tourist restaurant.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is one of the nicest hotels I have ever stayed in. The attention to detail, the ambiance, and the staff were all incredible. It was also very quiet, and a great place to relax after a busy day

This was a very special tour, and I’m glad I got to meet hero rats. Would recommend everyone to check this out

Amazing pool, location and breakfast!

Beautiful and eco friendly!

Loved every minute of this place and wish we had more time, but we had to depart for lunch.

This facility and the rats are wonderful! The experience was eye-opening and holding the trained rat was incredible.

The acrobats and performers showed their skills in a cute, engaging storyline. Really enjoyed this evening!

Wonderful stay here. A beautiful property with superb location - a 10-minute walk to the markets and night life. The room was nice and large with a spacious bathroom. They provide an excellent buffet breakfast too! Staff and customer service was outstanding. I strongly recommend this property.

Very centrally located with excellent views. Great facilities. We enjoyed our stay here.

Very nice hotel located right in the centre of Siem Reap. Bit old building and facilities.

Located in Old Quarter. Rooms were spacious. Located in a narrow road and bit congested apartment block.

Located at very centre of Sapa. Very nice hotel with good facilities. Good views from the rooms.

Nice cruise ship.

Great location, nice room. Very friendly and helpful staff.

Nice rooms, friendly staff. Good food.

Nice room, friendly staff.

Rustic and wonderful. Be warned there is no ac, but sleeping under a mosquito net feels so authentic on this tiny island with no cars and few tourists!

Great fun!

Could have skipped this

A lot to do I n one day!

Everyone here was so welcoming. It was the perfect mix of feeling at home, yet being part of the Cambodian culture. The breakfast portions were massive, but delicious. The pool was great to cool down after biking / walking around in the morning.

Clean, and fun rooms / layout. Did the trick, and perfect way to end our trip.

Perfect walking distance to the market, and great street food just outside. The hotel itself did the trick, and had a great selection for breakfast. The beds were hard (common throughout Cambodia), but the rooms were clean and well air conditioned.

It was really cool to see how the pottery is made, and perfect distance to stretch the legs between Phnom Penh & Battambang.

One of our favourite meals. The shrimp dish was amazing, and so many shrimp! Massive portion sizes.

This was a fun experience and great way to start the trip. At first you are a little nervous being cyclo'd around on the busy roads, but within 2minutes you feel comfortable and at ease throughout.

It is a great way to learn about the royalty and their history (quite fascinating and to an extent different than other monarchies). That being said, it was quite long. It could have been done in a shorter amount of time, or almost given free time with no guide so we could do it at our pace.

Each dish was amazing. The portion sizes are massive, but was delicious. Even if you are not a fan of seafood, it was all delicious.

This is a MUST on the trip. It is disturbing how recent it was, and the torture that occured, but humbling and helps you appreciate Cambodians that much more. I would have spent more time at S21 over the Royal Palace any day.

This was probably my favourite parts of the entire trip. Just learning about different ways the locals cook with rice and make a living was really well done. Biking the roads and enjoying the calmness of the daily living was great.

Going at sunset instead of midday was the best decision made (in terms of weather and the scenery). The sunset was beautiful, and I think it would be even more beautiful during wet season, with the rice paddies being more green. However, the only time I felt bombarded / guilted on this entire trip was at the shops at the end of the ride. You go for about 10min, then you get off and there are a couple little shops. The kids all know how to say they're hungry and are poor, though none look malnourished. The parents also try to push that on you. And the only way for you to leave is back on the train, but the train driver is related to the shop owners, so they are in no rush. This probably would be the first thing I would remove if I were to re-do this trip.

This is one of the areas, that highlights how helpful a guide is. Sarrun helped us get a truck transportation up the hill. Even though we are a fit family, even we would not be able to walk the mountain in the heat. Also, having a spot saved for us at the bottom to see the bats leave was perfect. This was the first spot we saw the monkeys in Cambodia, and it was a humbling experience understanding the history of what became of the cave during the Khmer Rouge.

Definitely top 3 items on the trip to Cambodia. The performers had SO MUCH ENERGY throughout. Even if they did a little mess up, they wanted to do it again and everyone (including other cast members) would always cheer them on. It is only an hour, but it was really such a positive experience. Some of the tricks they do is at a level that international buskers strive to complete, so it was really cool to see.

I wish I had more time walking around Battambang. It is such a cool place, and has more of a hip / artsy feel to it.

It was cool to go to the market, get some of the ingredients, then actually cook those ingredients. The portion sizes are massive, and don't forget with every meal, you will get a massive bowl of rice. Very little english is known, so having a bit of french and the very basics of Khmer helped. The food was delicious, and it was really cool to actually learn to cook the Cambodian way (from cleaning the bananna leaves for the fish amok to mortar & pestle the spices to using the clay pot stove we saw in Ondong Roussey). It was such an amazing experience, and great to then taste our feast at the end. To top it all off, we were allowed to walk the gardens and they were so accomodating. We even asked what a specific fruit was (milk fruit), and they pulled one down for us to try, just because! Such a beautiful and fun experience.

The remork was a great way to get around and get some fresh air. Ta Phrom is a great temple. It was not too busy, and allowed us to take some great photos, but do prepare for some crowds at some of the main photo spots.

This was chaotically, hilariously, fun! It was a fun time, and they definitely are pushing the beers on you. But it was fun.

Seeing the fish drying / smoking was really cool. It's a nice and pleasant drive / boat ride out. It also is a nice change of pace.

I think out of all the temples, this was actually our least favourite. Be prepared for crowds during the sunrise. It is beautiful, but everyone talking and walking around (luckily not in front of the water / temple) takes away from the experience. Walking around Angkor Wat afterwards was still beautiful, but I enjoyed Angkor Thom, Ta Phrom, Banteay Kdei, and Pre Rup more.

The airport is closer to the hotel than you think. But great to have this additional transfer

Setting, atmosphere, people and food were delicious! The food was some of the best we had on the entire trip.

Powerful experience

It may help some travelers to have a bit more information about traditional homes and being culturally immersed in this experience. At moments it felt as if we were on a humanitarian tour not a holiday.

It was such a hot part of the day they only thing that seemed good to do was be poolside or indoors.

Great fun! Felt as if we were doing something that the locals do. The weather and sunset were fabulous.

I did not attend. Don and I completed a rating for this on the paper feedback form we submitted.

I did not attend this. Don and I completed ratings for this on the paper feedback form. He enjoyed it.

Our guide was extremely knowledgable about the history of the temples and made the experience comfortable with refillable water bottles and a kind remork driver. He also used a terrific book that showed visual illustrations of what the temples looked like historically as compared to today. We ended up purchasing several as gifts for friends and family.

Wonderful way to see truly see local people and families and the crafts and foods they make for their income.

This is a wonderful program that is very experiential. You prepare and feed the elephants and learn about their personalities and have a chance to touch their trunks with careful instruction. Great guide, great lunch.

This is a must-do for travelers that like the outdoors and want an off the beaten path cambodian experience. Great bird watching, beautiful and clean river, very kind staff and guides, delicious food. The 'glamping' set-up was very modern and comfortable.

Our guide Pich was so wonderful. Knowledgable, fun, and the absolute perfect pace for touring.

This was such a fun experience. We tried the most delicious street food and then ate a local restaurant. We even stopped for a cocktail. This was made truly excellent by our guide, Pich, who participated in eating with us. It was like having a friend show you around the food scene of Cambodia. SO FUN

This is a nice place to stay for a night, but it really leaves you feeling uninspired and isn't remarkable for either very good or very bad reason. While clean and safe, Hidden Charm ultimately lacks any real character. By trying not to offend, it's decor and atmosphere feel very sterile and impersonal. On the contrary the staff were all wonderful and incredibly accommodating even going to far as to provide us another room at a discounted rate. The breakfast was varied and had something for everyone. The walk into town was short and easy and also felt safe. Hidden Charm had neither extreme highs nor extreme lows, and sometimes that exactly what you want in a travel hotel.

Parts of this hotel reminded me of an Agatha Christie novel. The Hotel Perle is a gorgeous hotel at the end of a long road from town with stunning views, a hidden path to another beach, and a lobby and bar right out of the 1920's. The food was amazing, the atmosphere was inviting and warm, and the amenities like the spa and gym are top-notch. The two private beaches are just that, private. They are clean and sunlit and perfect for all types of travelers. Wish we could have stayed longer. We will certainly be back. Highest recommendation.

While the boat staff was friendly and welcoming, the cruise itself lacked any real personality or excitement. Guests are left mostly to take in the views of the stunning bay (although floating debris and trash is a real detraction). The activities offered feel half hearted and mostly done so the boat can say the offered them. There is a real lack of earnestness in this. The fishing for squid is a great example. It was not squid season, nor were we in a spot where you'd normally catch squid, but they gave us the poles and told us to try anyway. While this type of cruise might appeal to some, it wasn't for us and so I can't recommend it.

A serene and luxurious place to stay. The staff was amazing, the rooms were immaculate, and the food was delicious. Would love to stay here again.

After having such incredible experiences at our other hotels on this trip, this was a major let down. The rooms and beds were old and well worn. My room on the fourth floor had an ant infestation that I was only aware of after having a cup of tea in my room. The doors didn't latch properly and needed slamming which created it's own kind of disturbance as well. The location is central and walking to some parts of town is easy, but rides are required for any place really worth going. The staff was friendly but distant. Kind, but not really caring. The breakfast was also far weaker than any other place we stayed. Cold food that was supposed to be hot, dry tasteless breads and weak tea and coffee (you could buy a stronger brewed cup) made this feel more like a motel than a hotel. The pool was nice, but it wasn't anything special. While we felt both safe here and could endure the minor physical problems and blemishes this is not a hotel (and definitely not a resort) that I can recommend or would travel to again.

You cannot beat this location! However, in being walking distance to nearly everything, you also end up with lots of noise. Some of this is city noise and some of it is from the hotel, but regardless, if you're a very light sleeper, there might be a better option. The breakfast was superb and the wifi was strong through out the property. There was a small gym, but it was dated. What really sets this place apart though is it's location. While not affiliated with the hotel, the Blue Butterfly restaurant across the street was also delicious and offered generous servings.

After cycling for a couple hours, we stopped for a late lunch at a tourist dive. It was fine. Nothing special. It might have been authentic, but it was mass produce for tour buses. We walked around town on our own and found a great little hostel by the river which had bonfires set up and bar. That was the coziest part of our stay here. The next day we took a 45 minute boat ride first thing which was peaceful and uncrowded. It was nice until the boat operator stopped us in the middle of the river and tried to sell us the goods in her bag. We floated there for five minutes and kindly and politely said "no thank you" until she gave up and started rowing again. It was a major turnoff and we felt pressured to buy since her rowing was the only way for us to get to dry land. The ride through the cave and the peacefulness of the morning wasn't ruined, but it did spoil the moment prematurely.

This was a fantastic hike in a beautiful part of the island. Not too easy and not too difficult. A good stop along the tour.

I wish we had more time here. What a fantastic little town with stunning beaches. We sat and read and wrote and went for run. The LNY celebrations were loud and festive. We will definitely be back next year.

Our driver from the hotel to the pier left us on the dock with no instructions. Two hours passed before a boat came to pick us up. We asked several other boat skippers if they were our ride and they made calls to the Era on our behalf. Finally I called Alex who was able to get in touch with the boat. Mr. Lee called me and said 20 minutes. 30 minutes later he called again and said 20 minutes. We were very lucky the day was overcast and hot and sunny or raining as there was no shelter on the pier.

It was nice to get off the large boat and into a smaller one to explore the coastline more closely. The sun was coming up and we saw moneys in the trees and birds starting to stir. It was a peaceful time and nice excursion.

Exploring the old town and riding up the coast was a nice change to the tourist areas we had been seeing. Stopping by the inlaid wood artisans was nice although they pressured us to buy their art, we politely declined. The boat ride would have been nicer but the weather didn't cooperate which wasn't anyone's fault, just bad luck. However the highlight of this day was definitely the cooking class with Hu. The family owned restaurant was exactly the type of experience we were looking for. Hu was funny and quick and a great teacher. I would definitely recommend going to see him and his family if you want something of a more authentic interaction where no one tries to sell you tourist bobbles.

Good roads and an easy bike ride as long as the weather cooperates. Decent views from the top and lots of caves and history to learn about while visiting.

Walking around the old town is great for people watching and picking up more authentic souvenirs from local artists. There are a fair share of stalls and eateries and places to get cold drinks while looking at the different historic architectural styles. We enjoyed getting off the bikes and doing the walking tour.

Chu was a fantastic guide and gave us exactly the experience we were looking for. He was quick and agile and kept the tour from getting bogged down behind lines of tourists. He knew the shortcuts and bike trails which took us off the main roads and to the lesser known temples and ruins. His knowledge was excellent and his energy was contagious which helps when you leave the hotel at 5AM for the sunrise at Angkor Wat. Chu was by far the strongest cyclist and more fit than our other guides which allowed us to see and do more than a traditional van or bus tour.

A chance to try street food! My travel partner ate a fried tarantula and kind of enjoyed it! It was great to get away from the tourist lines and experience the city that the locals know.

The Landmine Museum is a MUST DO! To understand history, you must look at the parts that aren't as easy to digest and the museum does just that. Mr. Akira is a fantastic storyteller and we spent close to an hour with him learning about his life and mission.

Gorgeous grounds and beautiful pool. Our room was huge! Staff was super friendly. Also great location. Perfect stay!

Biking the temple complex is definitely the way to go!

Thank you so much for the incredible dinner!!!

The chef and his restaurant were incredible. This was a highlight of Siem Reap for sure!

Great learning experience!

The show and performers were super funny and friendly! Great show.