Kimkim Trip Reviews for Indonesia

Just returned home from our longest international and fourth trip using KimKim. It was truly a pleasurable experience! Marco put together a fantastic trip and was extremely helpful when we needed to make a couple of changes ( one change in a room, and another to our itinerary). All of the guides we had were amazing, and our two main drivers, Putu and Sifel) went above and beyond. Our experiences of hiking Mt. Ijen, river rafting, biking, snorkeling, trekking etc. were all very delightful and are highly recommended. Thank you KimKim for employing quality people and delivering a quality experience for us. We will continue to use KimKim for our travels.

It was a most perfect trip to Bali. We visited Ubud, Munduk, Nusa Lembongan and Jumberan and KimKim was a huge help. Thanks to Marc who was patient with our every request and gave us enough information to make good choices. You will see much more detail in the reviews of Kim and Wendi who were our master Bali planners. Their reviews speak more specifically to the success of the trip they planned with Marc's guidance.
We would recommend using KimKim to any traveler.

We traveled with another couple who are our dear friends. Our travel expert Mark Urban was excellent, he was extremely patient planning with us as we were navigating our desires and he directed us on the perfect path! We had an amazing time in Bali for 2 weeks then Nusa Lembongan for the final week of our 3 week journey.

We had a driver who was very knowledgeable and kept us alive, entertained and educated as he navigated us thought the streets of Bali. He was a joy and so kind, we can highly recommend (Renda), he felt like a family member by the end of the trip!

We had a couple of things that needed to be changed while we were traveling and it all went very smooth with great communication during our whole trip! Mark was a delight and very helpful!

We stayed at Kappa Senses, about 20 minutes from Ubud center. The resort was wonderful with many amenities including massages, excellent food and service. It sits in the middle of rice fields and was perfectly picturesque!

In Munduk, we stayed at Munduk Molding Plantation which was amazing and is basically a self sustaining property! The grounds were so beautiful and the rooms were divine! Everyone was beyond helpful and sweet as can be! I got a bit sick and they brought me flowers and all kinds of herbal remedies, teas and it helped so much to be so well taken care of!

Finally in Nusa Lembongan at Batu Karang Hotel, on the water with great food and service. A small little chill town with other areas a close walk, drive or boat ride away!

We were welcomed and felt the generosity of Bali and its wonderful people, cultures and scenery!
Mark helped us to locate all the stays and excursions! It was a fantastic trip and I would highly recommend Kim Kim and Mark !

I enjoyed this trip . A trip with varieties. Our two drivers/main guides were both good. They were friendly and helpful. The highlights for this trip for me are the Mount Bromo sunrise trip and the blue flame hike the following morning. But for the blue flame hike, too bad I did not walk fast enough . By the time when I got to the spot, the blue flame burnt out already. If we started 30 minutes earlier or if we skipped that morning refreshment, I would be able to see the blue flame. Hopefully the tour organizer would consider this point so that other tourists who love to see the blue flame would not miss it.

The 3 cruise days trip to Komodo National Park was interesting too. I enjoyed the beautiful coral reefs, sunrise and sunset there. The cruise crews were good.

For the day trip to Nusa Penida, I wish they could provide us big towel so that we could have it to cover our body when we were going to our next snorkelling spot. It was a bit cold after we got out from the water after snorkelling. Or they told us before so that we could bring our big towel.

Overall the trip was great. I enjoyed it. Thanks.
Ling

Such a wonderful time….our trip to Bali & beyond! As 2 couples, our first time there, & for 3 weeks total, the experience was unforgettable! Kimkim & our travel expert Marc Urban were extremely helpful in making it happen harmoniously & with attention to every detail. The recommendations, coordination, responsiveness, and professionalism were spot on. Marc checked up on us throughout the process and provided active support while we were there, answering questions and making adjustments in the moment, all while being polite, caring & on it!
Adventurous, yet selective in our pacing, vibe & style of travel, we were able to gear things as we desired & felt no pressure to do things otherwise. As friends in our 60’s/70’s, we had plenty of time to relax and enjoy our wonderful accommodations together (some in shared villas & others separate) and still fit in the activities we wanted…. a cooking class (in a multigenerational & self-sustained home) and bike ride through rice paddies in Ubud, a hike & canoe ride at Tamblingan Lake & excursion to Sekumpul waterfalls in Munduk, as well as snorkeling & kayaking on the nearby island of Nusa Lembongan, and visiting Jimbaran & Ulu Watu (watch out for those monkeys!) just before flying home. Seeing temples & waterfalls throughout, having massages & great meals, being treated so graciously by the Balinese people….all was amazing!
The transfers, including boats, hotels, airport, & a wonderful driver that we bonded with so well throughout the trip (thank you Renda!) were beyond helpful. Can’t imagine doing it all without Marc/kimkim’s guidance. Thank you guys so much for all you do! 🙏❤️🙌

Hotel Review

Kappa Senses Ubud

Ubud

This was a wonderful place to stay with no complaints. The only downside is that the town was a bit too touristy and chaotic with lots of motorcycles. However, the people and the hotel itself were great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cycling from Kintamani to Ubud

Indonesia

This was an incredible bike ride that was really great, though it was longer than I had anticipated, lasting for around 6 hours. The views were amazing and the overall experience was fantastic.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Munduk & Tamblingan Lake Exploration

Indonesia

This was a wonderful experience. I was initially worried because the location seemed pretty isolated, but the activities turned out to be fantastic. It was really worthwhile and the tour guides were excellent.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sekumpul Waterfalls

Indonesia

This tour was awesome. The guides were really good and the waterfall was breathtaking. It's a must-visit if you're in the area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our local guides on the trip ( Wayan , kutuk, adit, etc) were all incredible and shared their vast breath of knowledge about the country in their own unique ways. One of my favorite parts about the trio was visiting the Uluwatu temple. This temple had one of the most gorgeous views at sunset and flooded with naughty monkeys which made the trip fun. Ending it with a fire dance and dinner at rock bar was incredible.

From arranging the destinations to solving the minor issues through the trip, Ana has been helpful and responsive. We probably should have taken her advice and took advantage of the free/rest days in between ... While we're seniors in relatively good shape, the hikes to Bromo / Ijen are strenuous ones. It might be a good idea to give future participants a heads up, e.g. set expected arrival times for various stops up Ijen so they would know if they could make it on time to see the blue flames.

Saiful was great for the portion around Yogyakarta - helpful, informative and courteous.

Nyoman went all out - including the birding trip to West Bali NP and the attendance at a Ngaben. From taking us to the laundromats to retrieving the glasses from the monkey at Uluwatu, Nyoman is attentive and more than helpful. And he takes the time and effort to explain the Bali culture and attractions. My wife and I are more than pleased with his assistance!

Revan was simply great throughout the Komodo cruise. He is knowledgeable and goes out of his way to help us - whether it's trekking up the hills or guiding us during the snorkeling trips.

Trip to Nusa Penida was a complete waste of a day - poor infrastructure, average snorkeling, no sightings of Rays after a long rough ride and finally had to turn back from the beach because of traffic. And the communication from the drivers/guides were lacking ...

VW day was less than satisfying - after getting over the initial excitement of riding open top, we're sucking fumes the whole day. The guide speaks little English and provides no explanation of the attractions. Could have used our own driver/car to go to all those destinations.

The Balinese day provides varieties and was a lot of fun.

The long stay at a relatively isolated hotel in Ubud was a bit inconvenient. But the staff and the services provided at the hotel are more than adequate.

Hotel Review

Arkamara Dijiwa Ubud

Bali

The hotel was great, but the location was too secluded. We couldn't easily walk to restaurants or explore the local area. It was nice for peace and quiet, but not convenient for exploring.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Experience Balinese day in Sidemen

Indonesia

This was a fantastic experience. We spent the day learning about the local culture, visiting rice fields, and more. It was a great way to immerse ourselves in Balinese life.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunrise Trek to Mount Bromo

Mount Bromo, East Java

The trek was challenging, especially for our group in our 60s. Our guide was optimistic about our abilities, but we had to start at 3 a.m. and some of us couldn't make it in time to see the blue flame. I wish our guide would have managed our expectations better or suggested an earlier start for those of us who are slower.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience Snorkeling in Menjangan

Pemuteran, Bali

Snorkeling was a great experience, but the equipment was subpar. Despite the equipment issues, the variety of things to see, the high visibility, the warm water makes snorkeling at Menjangan a superb experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience Nusa Penida snorkeling- Manta Point + Mangrove tour

Indonesia

This was a disappointing experience. The ferry ride was chaotic with tons of people waiting and multiple ferries departing. The drivers did not speak English well and the location was overwhelmed with tourists. The roads were congested, narrow, and bumpy, making the trip uncomfortable. The snorkeling was supposed to include a manta ray sighting, but the rays were a no show that day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wonderful trip to Indonesia. We loved our local drivers and guides. Everything was well planned out and the hotels were spectacular. We much preferred the island of Java to Bali as there were much less tourists and we felt we could experience the culture and people more. On Bali we stayed in Ubud which felt a little like Vegas to us. Lots of people drinking and very crowded. We would definitely return to Java, it was magical, beautiful, spiritual and the people were very kind. Bali is not a place we will return to. We have used Kim Kim for many trips now and it has always been a great experience. They are our go-to company.

Dear Ana and the Kim Kim team. What an amazing adventure trip we had to Malaysia and Indonesia! No tour operator could assist us from Africa and we came across Kim Kim on the internet who connected us to Ana. We did some research as to what we wanted to see and learn about and experience on our adventure getaway, and with Ana's guidance and patience and working through many options, we finally settled and decided on version 9! Starting in Kuala Lampur and visiting the Batu Caves, the Aquarium, the Kuala Lampur Bird Gardens to name but a few things. We then travelled to Bukit Lawang where we started our jungle trek to Gunung Leuser National Park. To see the fauna and flora and experience the jungle with all the different primate species and birds, reptiles and mammals. Orangutans, Thomas Leaf Monkeys, Gibbons, flying lizzards, dragon lizzards, squirrels, butterflies to name but a few. Hearing the sounds of the forest. Camping by a river was just amazing. Then proceeding onwards to Betestagi and climbing Mount Sibayak Volcano and seiing the sulphur vents. To Lake Toba and Samosir Island and learning about the Batak peoples. Then visiting an orchid farm on the way to Medan with hundreds of species of orchids. Making our way onwards to Flores Island to catching our private boat trip to Rinca and Komodo Islands to see the great Komodo Dragons around the Flores sea. We went snorkeling with turtles and the abundant underwater life around these islands. Then onwards to Gili Meno to slow down and take a rest. Stopping over in Bali to experience the culture of the peoples of this island. Learning about Luwak coffee, visiting an amazing local art gallery. Then back to Kuala Lampur. Our getaway holiday trip involved learning about cultures and peoples and seeing amazing wildlife. Eating the most amazing food Malaysia and Indonesia had to offer. We would not have changed anything on our travels and every step was well organised by Ana and the Kim Kim team to provide a hassle free holiday. Absolutely nothing went wrong throughout our travels!
A huge thank you to Ana and Kim Kim as well as all the guides who picked us up at each place and taught us so much about the land and country of Indonesia. To the guides at Gunung Leuser National Park, Atte and Sudhar, to Zulkifli who showed us around Sumatra. To Agung for showing us around Bali. To Yuris who guided us on the boat to Rinca and Komodo and showed us the wildlife wonders underwater as well as on the islands. Truly, this was an amazing adventure and Indonesia and Malaysia are amazing countries to explore and have an adventure getaway!
Thank you.
Wynand and Petra

Ana did an amazing job planning and executing out trip to Indonesia! Our driver, Wes, was wonderful and took very good care of us. He really went above and beyond to make our trip special! All of the hotels that Ana suggested were great. The 4 dat private cruise thru komodo National Park was an absolute highlight! All of our connections went smoothly! It was truly an awesome trip!

Our trip with Kim Kim was very well organised - first Borneo with our lovely boat crew and great guide Johanes. We have no bad comments here we loved every minute but it may be worth mentioning to other western travellers how basic the facilities in the boat are as some may find this off putting.
Next to Tanah Lot - after the mix up with hotels, we were very happy. Then Ubud - what a great hotel - a real hidden gem and so central for the town.
The Komodo cruise was great also but again facilities are basic and I think, if you want to avoid complaints, this should be stressed. The crew and guide here were fine but not as friendly as in Borneo
Jimbaran was our next stop and again, after changing rooms twice - the first time the shower didn’t work, the second room, workmen were working in our wall with kango hammers. We were then upgraded and very happy with the Villa 😊
Ana has been available to us throughout the trip for any problems - even when she was on leave so again, we can’t praise her enough.
Most of all, we wound like to state how absolutely Amazing our Bali driver was. He has always been on time and reliable, listened and changed itineraries at the last minute when we have wanted to, kept our luggage for us while we have gone on 4 day trips, queued for hours for tickets while we enjoy looking at something else and taken us to specialist shops at our request. He knows the island ( and roads/shortcuts) so well and is great at recommending what to do If anyone is thinking of a trip to bali, I can highly recommend him. Thank you Subrata Yasa for making our trip so fantastic 🥰

Hotel Reviews

FM7 Resort Hotel Jakarta

Tangerang, Banten

Great for an easy one night stop over and

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

A little noisey

Bali Agung Village - CHSE Certified

Seminyak

Good bar and restaurant here and a pool big enough to swim in

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right near beach

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Artini 2 cottage

A hidden gem !

Authenticity & Character

Amazing character place

Location

Right in the Center but quiet and peaceful

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Artotel Sanur

Sanur

Great location for airport

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Private cruise trip in Komodo National Park

Labuan Bajo, Indonesia

We expected very basic facilities but the doors to cabin and bathroom did not shut and there was no comfortable seats. Borneo did it much better

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Puri Pandawa Resort

Uluwatu, Bali

Needed 2 room changes for simple problems the hotel would have been aware of

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Experience Borneo Cruise Day 1

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience Borneo Cruise Day 2

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience Borneo Cruise Day 3

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience Borneo Cruise Day 4

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience the Tanah Lot trek

Tanah Lot

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience Ubud VW Safari Car Tour

Ubud, Bali

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience Rafting in Ayung River

Ubud, Bali

Only downside is the 600steps down to the river and 300 back up !!! Some people may not make this and spoil the whole experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunrise trek to Mount Batur

Indonesia

Definitely not for the faint hearted !! This is a very callanging walk/climb

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Komodo Cruise Day 1

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Komodo Cruise Day 2

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Komodo Cruise Day 3

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Visit Taman Ayun Temple

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Visit Goa Gajah Cave

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Komodo Cruise Day 4

Komodo Island

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience Nusa Penida snorkeling- Manta Point + Mangrove tour

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Bali's Most Beautiful Beaches & Explore Uluwatu Temple

Jimbaran, Bali

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience Sunset Cruise and BBQ

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jessica, was always available throughout the planing and execution of the trip .She made sure she understood my needs and expectations and crafted an itinerary that meet them all.

once arrived at destination my local specialist was making sure all war as expected , the drivers and guides were professional and reliable. all my guides were very knowledgeable and shared a lot of details about the places we visited , the culture, history etc.

it goes without saying that I had a lovely time and as a solo traveler always felt safe . Traveling solo allows for beautiful encounters and flexibility

Hotel Reviews

Adiwana Svarga Loka

Ubud

beautiful hotel ideally located close to everything yet far from the noise . all the staff was helpful and nice room was clean . I loved that there was a temple on site .

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tropical Beach House

Seminyak

Authenticity & Character

Location

right by the ocean and action yet calm and quiet place

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta - MGallery Collection

Yogyakarta

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) Domestic Arrival Airport Meet and Greet

Indonesia

amazing was right there to welcome and assisted me . very professional

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cycling in Kintamani

Indonesia

This activity was lots of fun and allows to interract with real people

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Tegallalang Rice Terrace

Indonesia

nice rice field and fun to be able to walk all over

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Alas Harum

Indonesia

the place is beautiful it is just not my thing highly touristy and all man made infrastructure

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

guide was super

Transport

Visit Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

Indonesia

beautiful place can walk lots of shade

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Visit Lempuyang Temple

Indonesia

Even though this is highly touristic I think a trip to Bali is not complete without a stop here

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Visit Tirta Gangga Water Palace

Indonesia

beautiful set up !

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Visit Ubud Art Market

Indonesia

nice market just way to much tourist trap for me

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Visit Ulun Danu Beratan Temple

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Visit Uluwatu Temple

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Watch Kecak Dance Performance

Indonesia

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Transport

Rock Bar

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Visit Angel Billabong

Indonesia

nice place just a lot of traffic to see a beach just for the photo

My trip to Indonesia was absolutely amazing. Incredibly well organized and extremely versatile. Every day drivers and guides were punctual. Everything was smooth, and I was also able to change or revise plans in real time by interacting with my local guide based on the weather or my personal interests. Guides were knowledgeable and very professional. Everyone made this trip a memorable experience. 100% recommended!!

Hotel Reviews

Villa Nini

Bali

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bintang Flores Hotel

Labuan Bajo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Greenhost Boutique Hotel

Kota Yogyakarta

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit Banyu Wana Amertha Waterfall

Indonesia

Visit Tanah Lot

Indonesia

Island Hopping in Komodo Island

Indonesia

Snorkeling and Trekking in Komodo Island

Indonesia

Visit Borobudur Temple

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Keraton Yogyakarta (Yogyakarta's Palace)

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Batik Workshop

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Time in Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pottery Village Tour

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Prambanan Temple

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Jatiluwih Rice Terrace

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Ulun Danu Beratan Temple

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

However I do not believe that this trip was value for money. I believe I was cheated and the trip was overpriced. I only realized this after being there that the quality of service was sub par for the money I paid. The hotel in Jakarta was terrible, small room and poor quality. My primary reason for the trip was for scuba diving, I was made to believe that there was no availablity except the 2 dives which were booked . This was not true, once there I made arrangements on my own to add further dives. I was misinformed.
Very disappointed with Kim Kim. This is going to be my last trip with Kim Kim. Prices are over inflated with the trip not curated to meet my needs.
I expect Kim Kim to refund part of the cost of the trip as based on my calculations of the cost of the trip I was upcharged a 100%.

My husband and I would like to heartfully thank you for your assistance that helped us to organise our trip on such a short notice.
We appreciated your ability to adapt to the circumstances and our requests.
We are satisfied with your all your drivers and guides. They were very professional, respectful, and courteous.
Your service is of high quality.
We had a great time in Indonesia. We will recommend Kimkim and Jessica to any of our acquaintances that is interested in visiting Indonesia. Thank you so much for everything.

Amazing trip to Bali with a perfect balance of cultural sites, activities, and pleasure time. I really loved this tour and would definitely use this tour company again.

Ana connected us with Shanti Travel driver Nengah Suarma, and he was amazing. If not for Nengah, the trip would have been very different. Nengah was a safe driver, who was also knowledgable, smart, and possessing of amazing English language skills. Nengah was enthusiastic every day about seeing us and taking us to places we guessed he had been to 1,000 times before. He was also very flexible about any day's planned itinerary and was able to help us shape our travels in the moment to get the most out of our visit to Bali. I highly recommend Nengah Suarma as a driver and local guide.

Indonesia is a beautiful and incredible country. Myriam was quick, knowledgeable, responsive, and kind at every portion of this experience. She made it simple to plan a long and distant vacation for six people and was incredibly helpful throughout the trip as well. The trip itinerary was excellent overall and the drivers were all willing to adapt and change minor details to adjust for how we were feeling in the moment. There were some minor hiccups along the way, but none of them were Myriam’s fault nor the fault of her travel agency. In fact, Myriam was instrumental in helping us through these hiccups as they came about. If I was traveling to Indonesia again, I would be sure to reach out to her to plan another itinerary.

Hotel Reviews

FM7 Resort Hotel Jakarta

Tangerang, Banten

The hotel itself was exactly what we needed after 36 hours of traveling. The rooms were solid (nothing special), but the facilities (spa, steam room, sauna, etc.) were perfect for us to reset our batteries. The one major red flag with the hotel was their ability to help us with transportation. The airport pickup was not smooth, the hotel struggled to find us adequate transportation to our dinner for the one night we were there, and they struggled to get us to the airport in the proper shuttle for our flight out the following morning. Next time, I would try as hard as possible to avoid spending a night in Jakarta at all because the air quality is so poor. However, if I had to spend a night in Jakarta, it is worth it to stay near the airport at the FM7 and I would recommend figuring out some form of alternative transportation (not through the hotel) if you want to go to dinner or do some sort of activity.

Authenticity & Character

Nothing special

Location

Right near the airport

Staff

Some staff was good, but there were some language barriers (more so than in other places) and the transportation situation was quite challenging

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta - MGallery Collection

Yogyakarta

Hotel was perfect. Staff was lovely, location was lovely, rooms were perfect, and the breakfast buffet was excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jiwa Jawa Bromo

This hotel is gorgeous. Our only regret is not staying here longer. The staff was beautiful and the view was beautiful. It was a short trip to the peak of the volcano which makes the location ideal, although difficult to get to.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sumberkima Hill Private Villa Retreat

Pemuteran

Like paradise on earth. This resort was maybe the nicest place I have stayed in my entire life. We had three three-story villas for six people that overlooked all of northeast Bali. We could watch both sunrise and sunset from our roof and we could text a WhatsApp chat with all the staff from the hotel in it if we needed anything at all. This place was unbelievable and I could stay for weeks at a time.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Margo Utomo

The hotel was not as nice or upscale as the other accommodations. The rooms were basic and small and the resort was nothing special. However, the staff was incredibly nice and the rooms were satisfactory. Additionally, the hotel runs the tours to the plantation and that tour was spectacular. I would not stay here unless I am going on those hotel tours, but I am glad we had this experience.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel was very authentic and Indonesian.

Location

Location was perfect for the coffee and agricultural tour we were doing the next day.

Staff

The staff was very nice and accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was very very basic. Some of the showers weren’t working great, the beds were small, and the hotel was akin to a resort-style hostel. I would not stay here for more than one night but it is worth the stop for the agriculture tour if you are in East Java heading to Bali.

Kaamala Resort

Ubud

After waiting a week to write this review to reflect on my experience, my opinion of the Kaamala Resort is unchanged. If I could give this place 0 stars I would. Day 1/Night 1: We arrived at around 6:30 PM after a long day of driving. We were then escorted to our three hotel rooms, which smelled so bad that a pile full of dead animals would have helped mask the foul stench. We kindly asked the hotel to investigate the smell, as we had to make a 7:30 dinner reservation. The receptionist assured us that it would be fixed and that we would have rooms to stay in. Nearly four hours later, we got back from dinner and the receptionist escorted us back to our three rooms. Not only was the smell not gone, but it had gotten even worse. At this point, we asked to be moved to alternative rooms for the evening so that we could get sleep, as it was clear that the smell in the other room was not going to go away. The next three hours could not have been more stressful and frustrating. At various points, the hotel told us that they had no rooms, that they had one room, that they had no cots, that they had two cots, and everything in between. Ultimately, we settled down for the night at 2 AM. After we carried our luggage back and forth between the rooms several times (the staff did not help), we dragged two cots and piles of linens across the hotel premises. At the end of the night, we squeezed four people and three beds into one room, and two of us were forced to sleep in the spa on massage tables. We understand that hotels sometimes make mistakes and have slip ups. What made this hotel despicable, however, was not the smell or the difficulty getting situated; it was the staff’s subsequent response. Day 2/Night 2 The next morning, we went to speak with the manager about what had happened and we kindly requested that our three rooms be refunded for the previous night (because all three were uninhabitable). After informing us that the rooms that we were supposed to stay in smelled because the sewage system leaked into them, the manager told us that they have a strict no refund policy. Even after explaining the situation to him and the staff’s assistance—or lack thereof—he still would not budge. The manager said point blank that, even though we did not get any of the rooms that we paid for and even though there was sewage in those rooms, a refund was not an option. We continued to share our experiences and frustrations, and the manager assured us that he would figure out an alternative way to compensate us to our satisfaction. What followed could only be described as a game of “deal or no deal.” Frustrated because of the situation, the lack of sleep, and the fact that we had missed several morning activities due to the problems, we told the hotel that if they were not going to refund us for the rooms, we wanted a dinner comped by the hotel and spa appointments for the four of us who wanted them. All of these things together would still not even reach the price of the three rooms that we did not get, not to mention the time we lost and the stress that the hotel cost us. Over the next hour, the receptionist continually called my room and offered new “deals” that the manager was proposing. After each, she tried to convince us that it was enough to make us happy. First, she offered a free breakfast. This offer meant nothing to us since we had already paid in advance for included breakfast at the resort. Over several other phone calls, the receptionist, acting as a middle man between us and the manager, offered us spa appointments and 15% off one dinner, then spa appointments and one main course each, and then spa appointments, one main course and one non-alcoholic beverage each. After being bothered so many times with counteroffers and justifications of why we should not be frustrated, I told the hotel to please leave us alone. We constantly reiterated that all we wanted was a meal where we could relax and forget about all the inconveniences that the Kaamala Resort had caused us. All we wanted was to forget what happened and enjoy our limited time in Ubud. Despite this, the receptionist continued to call with new deals. It got to the point where I had to tell them to please stop calling and offering us new things because the constant pestering was ruining our vacation. At the outset, all we wanted was a place to sleep that was habitable. While on the second night they finally provided that to us, the discomfort that the hotel continued to impose on us for the remainder of our stay continued to be quite absurd. First, we felt like we were being watched, as every staff member asked us for our room numbers everywhere we went. By way of example, one of us went to use the bathroom at breakfast and the hostess stopped him to ask him his room number. Second, the hotel continued to tell us how we were allowed to enjoy our stay. When I told the hotel that we were leaving at 8 am and that we did not have time for breakfast one morning, they told me that they want us to get to breakfast at 7 so that they could compensate us with a free breakfast (which, by the way, we had already paid for). Further, when we sat down to dinner on our second evening, the waitress began by giving us a limited pre-set menu and insisting that we could not order off the complete menu. Then, after we asked several times for the full menu, she told us that we were each only allowed to order one main course. When we told them we planned to order whatever we wanted and not worry about anything, they continued to give us pushback. Additionally, the hotel continued to slip up and respond poorly for the remainder of our stay. For example, at this same dinner, after agreeing that we could order what we wanted to, the restaurant then forgot to serve us four of the dishes we ordered. The waitress insisted that we had not ordered those things and then told us that the kitchen was closed. Despite us reminding them that we were missing plates and despite two of us not eating enough, the dishes were never brought out and the restaurant closed. Although some of us were still hungry, we went to bed to try and rest up for the day ahead. Day 3/Night 3: The next day, we left first thing in the morning to avoid any more complications with the hotel. After spending the entire day away from the hotel, we began to prepare for our departure the following morning. On the eve of our last night in Ubud, we looked forward to leaving the Kaamala resort and to doing so, hopefully, on a high note. We got back to the hotel after a terrific dinner elsewhere and told the hotel that we were being picked up by our driver at 5:30 AM to go to the airport. We met the gentleman who would be responsible for bringing our bags to the front of the resort the following morning via golf cart and confirmed no less than four times that he would be at our rooms at 5:15 AM ready to take us to the front. We went to bed with assurances that the hotel would help keep our check out smooth. Day 4: The next morning, we had a storybook ending to our stay at the Kaamala resort. For the first time in our nearly two week trip, it was pouring rain. Sure enough, nobody was at our room to pick up our luggage. We dragged our bags through the rain for the 10 minute trek to the front of the resort only to be greeted by the gentleman who promised us that he would be at our rooms in the morning. When we asked him where he was, he said that we should have called him this morning to tell him to pick us up. I have been to over 20 countries and to hundreds of different hotels, resorts, hostels, inns, motels, etc. in my life. Never have I stayed at a place where the customer was this wrong. To say I do not recommend this hotel is an understatement. The way they treated us provides a new meaning to the word inhospitable. Further, the fact that we were not refunded for even one room on one night for our experience is nothing short of robbery. Please ensure that NOBODY comes here again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Only good thing about this hotel.

Staff

Could not have been less hospitable.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Private cruise trip in Komodo National Park

Labuan Bajo, Indonesia

Best part of the trip hands-down. Amazing activities, amazing food, amazing crew, and an overall unbelievable time. If you get seasick bring Dramamine but otherwise this will be the most relaxing and adventurous part of your trip at the same time.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sudamala Resort, Komodo, Labuan Bajo

Labuan Bajo

Not a unique hotel in any respect, but exactly what we needed before our flight to relax, repack, and collect ourselves before we left Indonesia. Staff is excellent and the hotel was clean and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit Borobudur Temple

Yogyakarta

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Candi Rejo - local experience

Yogyakarta

Easily one of the best activities we did. Our village guide Robi was fantastic.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Prambanan Temple Complex

Yogyakarta

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunrise Adventure at Mount Bromo

Indonesia

Unbelievable day, but plan on being up at 2:30 AM and hiking a lot before getting back to the hotel at 9 AM. Worth every second of it though.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kalibaru Plantations

Indonesia

Such a great experience. The raw sugar cane tasted unbelievable. The coffee part came at the end not the start so don’t come in expecting to get many different cups of coffee. Also bring cash to buy the coffee, chocolate, etc. to take home.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkeling around Menjangan Island

Indonesia

Very cool experience!

Quality of Experience

Food

Food was very basic but got the job done.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jatiluwih rice paddy fields by ebike

Indonesia

The biking was too difficult for me and I could not do it. More like mountain biking. The paths are very steep and narrow so come prepared. You also have to bike on the main road for a portion and that part is easier than the part through the rice fields. The rice fields themselves were beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit a local market & enjoy a cooking class

Ubud, Bali

One of the best things we did the whole trip! Great cooking class and great group of travelers that we cooked with. The chef sends you home with a recipe book as well!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Liveaboard Cruise: Discover Flores & Komodo

Komodo Island

Best part of the trip. My only regret is that we did not have another day on the boat.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Liveaboard Cruise: Komodo dragons, beaches, snorkelling and manta rays

Komodo Island

Same as above! Unbelievable three days.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Liveaboard Cruise - Departure Day

Indonesia

Same as above.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Hotel Reviews

Prime Plaza Hotel Jogjakarta

Jogjakarta

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Living Asia Resort

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Boat trip and snorkeling around Gili Layar & Gili Renggit

Indonesia

Beautiful fish and coral and hardly any other people!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Prambanan Temple Complex

Yogyakarta

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cultural family day - Visit Borobudur Temple

Yogyakarta

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Indonesia

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

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Family trek Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep Waterfalls

Indonesia

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

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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