Kimkim Trip Reviews for Thailand

My husband and I had a fantastic stay here. Rooms were clean, food was delicious, staff were extremely kind and accommodating, beautiful balcony overlooking the pool, bathrooms were nice, shower water temperature & pressure good, great location, included breakfast was awesome- the noodle soup here was our favorite breakfast food on our entire trip. Bottled water is complimentary. It did take us a bit to figure out the AC (not self explanatory), but once we did it worked fine. Would definitely recommend and would stay here again!

Overall, my husband and I had a good stay here. Clean rooms, amazing large bathrooms, decent food, large breakfast buffet, kind staff, excellent water pressure and temperature, comfy beds, excellent AC, good location. The rooms are a bit small.

We didn't end up staying here. Much to our surprise, they do not allow flushing of any toilet paper- this was the biggest issue for us. We only found this out upon our arrival at the hotel. The AC unit blows air directly onto the bed which is uncomfortable. The floors are extremely slippery. The shower water didn't seem like it could get hot enough. Although it seems quaint, it was not for us. Knowing what we know now, we never would have allowed kimkim to book this place.

I picked this place after doing some research, and I was overall not disappointed in my choice. Beds could be a bit comfier but they were fine. Rooms were relatively large with beautiful views and wildlife abundant. Huge and awesome balcony. AC worked fine. Water temperature was good. Water pressure in shower was severely lacking at times, but only momentarily. Breakfast was lacking- very small and not many options. Staff were kind and accommodating. Food was delicious. We loved that you can book excursions through the hotel- we did the half-day jungle trek at Khao Sok National Park and it was one of our favorite experiences on this entire trip. The biggest con was that the window shades don't close all the way. They do have a pool but it is small. Would recommend and would stay here again!

We didn't end up staying here. This hotel does not allow flushing of any toilet paper- this was a huge issue for us. In addition, multiple Google ratings mention dirty rooms, poor water pressure, and poor water temperature. Knowing what we know now, we would not have allowed kimkim to book this hotel for us.

If we could rate this 0 stars, we would. This was one of the worst travel experiences we've ever had (and we are long-time world travelers). Kimkim had on the itinerary that this was a "small group" activity; however, it turns out that this was actually a large group of well over 20 people. Not to mention, our group interacted with countless other large groups so there was no intimacy whatsoever. Every single place we went was absolutely packed full of tourists. At Maya Bay, you could barely walk because there were so many people. We were given the option to go swimming at Pi Leh Lagoon, but there were so many boats and so many people that you barely had any room to swim. Bamboo Island was no different- the snorkeling area was overwhelmed with bodies. It was absolutely horrible. It took an entire hour via boat one way to get anywhere. Not only is this travel time excessive, but it wasn't worth the experiences. The fish at Bamboo Island were extremely aggressive. I was bit multiple times even though I was quietly and peacefully floating at the water's surface. The bathroom situation for this excursion was horrible. There were literally no functional bathrooms on Bamboo Island and we were stuck there for 1.5 hours (and no soap/hand sani or toilet paper). Maya Bay bathrooms were overcrowded and had no soap or hand sanitizer. The boat did not have any bathrooms. Snorkeling was a major let down for so many reasons. Note: We've been snorkeling before at world-class snorkel sites and are not beginners. Firstly, the equipment sucked. The mouthpiece was faulty and water kept filling your mouth and the snorkeling tube. They didn't use any defogging material either so after about 5 seconds your goggles would fog up and you couldn't see anything. They didn't supply you with flippers. They didn't give a snorkeling lesson whatsoever, so most people were splashing around and swimming loudly and scaring the fish away.

My husband and I had a magnificent time at this cooking class. It was just me and him which was SO nice. We traveled with our instructor to a local market to pick out fresh ingredients. My husband has dietary restrictions and our instructor was more than willing to accommodate. We were shocked that our class included so many meals- we made one appetizer, two main courses, and dessert. Our instructor explained things very clearly and was very funny and kind. The food tasted so delicious and you get a cookbook at the end. Highly recommend!

This is an activity we specifically requested that kimkim include in our itinerary (and I picked the specific location/company after doing my own research). Staff were incredible. Views and scenery were incredible. Ziplining was so fun! I felt very safe and taken care of. The lunch buffet at the end was decent. There are bathrooms at the beginning. You traverse the ziplines with a small group. You have the option of paying a photographer to take pics & videos of you ziplining which was well worth it. They have small free storage lockers. I would highly recommend this activity and would suggest that kimkim add this into potential activities.

Overall, this was an awesome experience. It was so cool to see a world wonder (angkor wat). Ta Prohm was probably my favorite part of this day - seeing the massive trees enveloping ancient temples was magical. However, this was an extremely long day in the heat & humidity and with direct sun exposure. I suffered from heat exhaustion.

My husband and I had a good day exploring Bangkok with our lovely tour guide. We saw several temples, all of which were cool to see.

This activity was specifically requested by my husband and I. We really enjoyed it! Everyone was very professional and it was quite relaxing.

This experience was so awesome! We started out at the Mae Klong Railway market. We got there right in time to see the train come in. There were a ton of stalls/vendors and we did quite a bit of shopping. Next, we went to a coconut sugar processing facility which my husband and I thought was really cool. The people there were very nice. Finally, we did the Damnoen floating market. This was our favorite! It was so beautiful. It felt like the Venice of Thailand. There were tons of vendors and really delicious foods. A very unique experience.

Note: Not recommended for vegans or vegetarians. Our guide took me to Chinatown where I tried a wide array of unique food items (including jellyfish!). There were SO many food vendors selling so many different kinds of food- mostly items containing meat. I ate so much! The guide paid for everything which was nice. I had a good time.

A life-changing experience. My husband and I did a private tour. Note: This particular sanctuary strives for the ethical treatment of its elephants. We started off by feeding three adult female elephants sugar cane. We were instructed by staff how to properly do this. Next, we mixed and crushed together an array of medicinal herbs to feed to the elephants for their wellbeing. Then, we took a small stroll with one of the elephants to a mother and her calf. The baby was so playful and cute and fun to watch. It kicked around a soccer ball! We then headed to the river where an elephant was bathing and we helped bathe and splash it. The water was ice cold! Our guide then made us lunch over an open fire and served it to us in a section of bamboo tree trunk. It was delicious! (Note: My husband has dietary restrictions and our guide asked about this prior to making food. He was very accommodating). We next walked a short distance to a waterfall. Finally, we took a ride on a long bamboo raft down the river. You will get wet! This was beautiful and serene. Overall, we had an amazing experience here and would highly recommend!

The hotel was close to the walking street but it’s on was located on a busy street.

Very beautiful modern hotel with great amenities such as a pool , bar and nice gym

Absolutely loved our stay at the Anavana resort. It felt like a true Thai resort with individual huts. It’s a very small resort so it’s not crowded and the restaurant view on the beach was fantastic

Very busy resort but with a Thai feel. The lobby and restaurants are all in bamboo therefore you feel like you are in the tropics. Our room was nothing special but the other rooms closer to the beach seemed nicer.

Over the top luxurious hotel with great amenities - rooftop pool and fantastic gym. It also had the best buffet breakfast

I’m not sure I would stay at this hotel again

Very nice hotel with beautiful pool and very nice rooms. The buffet breakfast was excellent

Excellent catamaran excursion with great attentive staff, delicious snacks and great bbq. Would charter from blue voyage again.

The guide was excellent and informative. Enjoyed the Opium museum I gave it a 4 instead of a 5 as the golden triangle was interesting but not scenic as expected. . It was fun going to Laos but the vendors are a bit pushy.

Loved visiting the blue temple early without the crowds. The white temple was magnificent. Our guide was excellent. The drive to Mae kampong was extremely scary as the drive was unsafe. We never got to see the village and walk around as the driver was scaring us and we missed the meeting point. Unfortunately that made our excursion a disappointment

We ended up being the only two on the excursion. The bikes were in amazing condition. The guide was great and patient ( very safe when we had to cross highways). The lunch provided after the bike ride was delicious.

We loved our cooking experience at grandma S kitchen. Extremely well organized. They would prepare all the ingredients ahead of time and we got to cook and eat - a soup, pad Thai and a curry and dessert. They would clean up our station in between courses. Very efficient excursion with a funny chef

Loved the similar islands although this is definitely not a small group - we were about 40 people side by side in A speed boat. It’s still worth it as the water is beautiful. There are a lot of other tour boats - so it’s crowded. The food provided after by the company was ok - not great.

We got to see several elephants rose freely including two 1 year old ( who were funny and kept escaping)We were 4 people to take care of 2 elephants - loved the one on one experience. The fruits at the end were sufficient for a snack

Absolutely amazing! The room, the staff, the food and the location was incredible!

Horrible location, staff didn’t speak English and the room was horrible especially the bathroom.

They initially tried to put me in a horrible room in an awful building but they helped me upgrade. You couldn’t swim in the ocean in front of the hotel because it was next to all the boat taxis so there was so much gas in the water. Pools were nice and they had a yoga/meditation class, which was great.

I got very sick, but the staff were very nice and the room was fine.

It was an incredible experience to get to see Bangkok. Once in a lifetime bike ride!

Changed and went to see the elephant, which was amazing.

I didn’t get to go because I was sick and had to stay in the treehouse with air conditioning.

I had to change from taking the boat to my next destination to getting a driver which Kim Kim took care of for me and the drive and vehicle were very nice.

Beautiful location that the company took us to, but the boat was way over packed and their staff were so rude. There wasn’t enough places to sit and eat, and they had limited communication skills.

The accommodation at De Chai The Deco Hotel in Chiang Mai was absolutely fantastic. It was the only place that was part of the original plan, and we loved it. Everything met our expectations, and there were no issues at all.

The Quarter Hua Lamphong in Bangkok was nice overall. The main downside was that only one elevator was operational during our stay due to construction, which caused delays. Other than that, we were happy with the place.

Not worth the hype. I asked for our tour guide to take us down the side streets through the local markets behind the railway. That was more interesting than the main attraction.

don't miss this. very cultural and immersive. Or guide, Ms. Anita explained so much to us. she was incredible!

Or guide, Yee, made this a fun and exciting experience. Riding on the scooters was fun (and felt very safe), the information provided, and food we tasted was great. Another good event.

This was not bad. Beautiful national Park, but nothing too special. The temples built by the Airforce were grand but also very... contrived?

THE BEST THING WE DID AND ATE IN Thailand! So, full disclosure, I'm a professional chef, and wife is pretty adept as well. The cooking instructor meet us and took us to the market. She had a plan, but I opened it by telling her what I wanted to learn. And she said "Game On!". Okay, she didn't say that, but she would have. She revised her cooking class for us to make the things I wanted to learn and she killed it! The food we made was So good, and because it was only my wife and I, we got super hands on personal lessons. I also had a couple of beers while we cooked and ate, and it just made for the best experience. Beginning to end, from the ride to the market, to shopping, to cooking, then eating, 11 out of 10 experience. THANK YOU!!

I applaud and support the effort of protecting the elephants. Everyone seemed to enjoy this activity, but wasn't my thing. But that's a "me" problem.

Another super touristy event. I would skip the majority of it, and just go snorkeling. We woke up super early (which was fine) to be the first on the tour before the beaches got over crowded... but they were overcrowded from the moment you arrived. also Sunrise happened before we even got on the boat so it was nothing spectacular. Visiting the beach where they filmed the movie "The Beach" is just a beach and not that exciting. go figure. Snorkeling was cool, otherwise the motorboating around was just a waste of time.

The hotel was clean and comfortable in a great location. The gym and pool were quite nice.

Very nice hotel with lush gardens that create an oasis in the middle of Siem Reap.

Fantastic location in the Old Quarter and within easy walking distance of the water puppet theatre and Hoan Kiem Lake. Rooms were clean but rather plain and ordinary.

The ship was pleasant with clean, comfortable rooms. The cruise itself was disappointing. We would have liked to spend much more time underway to see the stunning scenery go by. Instead we spent too much time at anchor, for kayaking and a land excursion to a cave. Those two stops were interesting but not worth the time that could have otherwise been spent underway. Most of the sailing time happened during the night, when it was too dark to see the scenery. The staff was great, especially Ducky, our waiter, and Jasmine, the cruise director.

Fantastic location right on the river and within easy walking distance of town, vendors, street food, etc. We upgraded to premium deluxe rooms, which were great.

Amazing places: very interesting and well worth doing.

Bich Dong Pagoda, which is built into the mountainside was well worth the hike up to see it. The Hang Mua Viewpoint has good views but was too crowded with tourists. The boat ride along the river was incredible, with rice fields on either side and mountains rising straight up out of the fields. That experience was definitely one of the best parts of our trip and featured some of the most unique and beautiful scenery we've ever seen.

Super fun with lots of great food.

We enjoyed our visit to the primate rescue center, and it was great to see the important work being done there. The turtle rescue center was less interesting. The hike through the jungle was a good way to get an up-close experience of the jungle but otherwise was unexceptional. This was a good outing, but I wouldn't do it again and don't necessarily recommend it.

Good cultural experience, but some dances were more interesting than others. It would have been helpful to have a detailed program to explain the origin and meaning of the various dances. The food was unexceptional.

The ship was clean and comfortable, and the staff was great. The best part of the cruise was when we were underway, so we could see the beautiful scenery going by. Unfortunately, we did not spend that much time underway, which was disappointing. Much of the daytime was spent at anchor, for kayaking or a land excursion to visit a cave. Sailing seemed to mostly happen overnight, when people were sleeping and it was too dark to see the scenery anyway. I would definitely recommend a different cruise that skips land excursions, spends more time underway, and takes in more of the amazing scenery of Ha Long Bay.

Absolutely worth seeing. Despite knowing that we were visiting ruins of great temples, it was still a bit shocking and disappointing to see the state of disrepair that the ruins have fallen into. We hope that over time Cambodia will be able to invest more into preservation and restoration. Ta Prohm, with trees growing directly out of the ruins, was amazing.

The cave was interesting but not particularly special. We would have preferred to skip the excursion altogether and spend more time underway to see the beautiful scenery and natural rock formations of Ha Long Bay.

Somewhat interesting and fun to go by Jeep, but probably not worth an extra day in Siem Reap.

A great experience. The chef who conducted our class was very personable; he made the class fun and interesting. It was more of a cooking demonstration than an actual class, but he did give us some tasks to do. The tour of the local market to buy produce and other supplies was great. The meal we (mostly the chef) prepared ended up being one of the most delicious meals of our trip. Highly recommended.

Interesting experience. We were amazed by the vastness of Tonle Sap. This excursion has limited impact in the dry season, which is when we visited, but may be better in the rainy season. The houses do not actually float; they are built on stilts. In the dry season, you see the stilts rise dozens of feet above the water, because the lake level is so low. In the rainy season, the houses probably appear to float.

Great visit to the Temple of Literature and the Ho Chi Minh complex: well worth doing. It was great to see these two sites, but I wish we had seen more of Hanoi. A full-day tour probably would have been better for us.

Amazing show. We were a bit skeptical about it ahead of time but were so glad we did it. Don't miss this fantastic show!

One of the highlights of the trip. Our guide Bach took us to some amazing spots and vendors and was willing to keep going for as long as we were able to keep eating!

We have stayed at many lovely resorts but this one is in a class by itself. The Amanpuri effortlessly and graciously exudes elegance. We were picked up at the Phuket airport and dropped off at the hotel's open-air lobby; the setting is breathtaking and set the promising vibe for our entire stay. The staff were so attentive and polite, seemingly with only one objective in mind...ensuring that our visit was amazing. And thanks to them it was. The physical setting is out of a storybook...stunning buildings, spectacular amenities (especially the restaurants...the food is so darned good), incredible rooms and beachfront location that can't be beat. For all of the resort's physical attributes, they pale in comparison to the men and women who made the place tick, from the General Manager (who personally greeted us when we arrived) to the restaurant wait staff to the team on the beach attendants who adjusted our towels and umbrellas and made sure that all of our needs were taken care of. And best of all, this service was discreet, seamless and elegant. We will definitely be back...even though our flight to Phuket took 25 hours in each direction!!!

Sena Cruise was an incredible experience. The cruise director did a great job, and they efficiently arranged for our early departure to catch a changed flight. The entire process was handled smoothly, and the staff ensured we were well taken care of, even putting us on a speedboat when needed. The level of organization and care they showed made the cruise a highlight of our trip.

La Niche d'Angkor Boutique was a fantastic hotel with wonderful staff who looked after all our needs. The facilities were great, and the entire stay was enjoyable. However, the beds were very hard, which made the first two nights uncomfortable as we struggled to sleep. By the third night, we were either too exhausted or had adjusted to it.

This was much better than expected. Loved going to the market and learning about the food and culture. Our guide was amazing and kept it very fun

One of the best tour guides. Loved Anne jist knowledgeable

We enjoyed everything about this hotel except the location. The room was wonderful as was the service, the pools, the breakfast. Regarding the location, it’s about 1.4 km to the bleach and the action of Patong, a nice walk except that the road is very busy and there are stretches with no sidewalk. Consequently we ended up eating at the hotel restaurant 2 nights. The food was good but we would have liked more options.

The islands are beautiful. The downside is the long run by speedboat which was pretty bumpy and the number of people also visiting. The first stop (Maya Bay) in particular was just dense with people. We spent more time in line getting back to the boat than we did at the Bay.

Really enjoyed this, more than we expected. Going in we were concerned about the ethics of these elephant preserves, but once we learned that all the elephants are “rescues” from lives of hard labor and unable to be returned to the wild, and we saw how they are treated, we relaxed and enjoyed the interaction with these incredible creatures and learning more about them and the Preserve.

Wow, that was a lot of fun! Jim made it an educational and fun experience right from the start, with the visit to the market. He really focused on the ingredients and what each brought to the four dishes that we prepared. Once at the school, everything went like a well oiled machine as we prepared the various ingredients, then cooked and ate our delicious meal. We had attended another cooking class in north Thailand on another tour; this was more fun and we really liked that we got detailed recipes should we want to try and replicate at home.

One of the highlights of our 6 week trip to SE Asia. A slower, but much smoother ride out to the islands. The ride around James Bond island was probably sufficient; didn’t need to actually stop. Then the best part: the trips through the sea caves by inflatable kayaks piloted by a crew member to the various hidden lagoons! What an experience! Then to have an entire beach to just our boat (~25 people) was fun. Lastly the dinner and Loy Kratong prep and ceremony was special.

Our stay at the Jungle Camp was overall pleasant. The accommodation matched the natural setting of the National Park, and while we didn't expect luxury, it was comfortable. The only downside was that the local guides organized for us by the hotel didn't speak English, which was a bit of a barrier, especially when noticing that other groups had guides fluent in English. Still, it was a minor glitch in an otherwise good experience.

The Night Street Food Tour After Dark by Tuk Tuk was perfect. We had a fantastic guide named Rodjana, who made the experience enjoyable. She was perhaps the best guide we had in Thailand, making the tour a highlight of our trip.

The Railway Market & Floating Market tour was good despite being crowded. The bustling markets are a must-see, and even though the crowds can be overwhelming, the experience is worth it.

The Golden Triangle – Chiang Rai Sightseeing & Art tour was good. The guide was knowledgeable, and the tales of history and stories about the Golden Triangle were fascinating. Even though there's nothing spectacular to physically see, the stories made it worthwhile.

Hotel is old and musty. Proximity to the airport is its strength.

Room had a lovely balcony and view over pool to beach. I would not stay in any room except this highest level as they faced the run down neighboring properties. Room was clean, cold and quiet. Breakfast was wonderful. Exterior and hallways of this hotel are in terrible condition. Pretty beach, but beach vendors and weed smokers were overwhelming. Location was good for walking to restaurants, but the many weed stores attracted an unsavory crowd. I would stay in an area of koh samui different from Cheweng beach.

Lovely hotel with rustic luxury bungalows. Please note that you arrive by boat and you must be able bodied enough to climb out of the speedboat, into the water and to walk through the water to the shore. The food is average, but there is a fun local village on the backside of the resort we enjoyed in the evenings. We scuba dived here at the resort and had a good experience. Pool is lovely.

Our beachfront bungalow was quiet, clean and well appointed. The breakfast was lovely, and the beach stunning. We could walk to beachfront restaurants, or take a tuktuk to more local spots.

This hotel is even prettier in person. The decor is fresh and modern. Lovely breakfast, nice location. Pool area is a sanctuary from busy Bangkok

We enjoyed this day. Some might find it objectionable that guests can feed, bathe and touch the elephants. Guide was very difficult to understand. Tie-dying and cooking activities were very fun.

Definitely do this! We saw parts of the city we wouldn’t have otherwise, and really experienced local food, restaurants and Bangkok culture. So fun to be with fellow travellers from other countries!

We really enjoyed getting out of Cheweng and seeing the countryside.

Beautiful beach free of beach vendors.

We only had a 1 hour canal tour, and returned on the train.

Beautiful hotel that makes you feel welcome/like part of the family. Daily massages, personal touches and a true caring touch.

A beautiful oasis in the southern part of Bangkok.

Stunning, peaceful getaway in Chiang Mai. Incredibly kind and attentive staff and beautiful, calming environment.

Absolutely beautiful, peaceful oasis. Fantastic amenities, private beach and pool - all gorgeous.

Pookie was an amazing guide - absolutely fantastic experience learning with her.

I did get sick from this experience - I would encourage the guides to carry hand sanitizer as hand hygiene is not always perfect at these markets.

Khao Soi was to die for!

Chili Paste tour guide was super fun and the food was excellent!

Nana was a fun, experienced guide - really made the investment of time worthwhile!

Absolutely wonderful experience - so much fun, and delicious!

Was a great park but tour felt a bit long + repetitive.

Basic but perfect for the location and our stay

We loved our stay especially your breakfast

Nice overnight ride to Chiang mai

Great and cozy to stay

Not much to explore

Great. The elephant ride was unforgettable

Not much time to explore

Great experience