Kimkim Trip Reviews for Vietnam

Guide Mae was super excellent. So too was Song.

Loved the Kimkim experience in Sapa.

Planning and delivery of our Sapa experience by KimKim was excellent and really made our holiday so much more enjoyable. We were greatly assisted by two separate and equally wonderful guides who went out of their way to ensure we had a memorable time and were able to better understand the lifestyle of the local village people. Drive up to Sapa from Hanoi concerning at times as driver appeared tired and at times distracted but return journey great with excellent driver. Very scenic and interesting drive. We had an amazing trip to Sapa and are thankful for the KimKim team's efforts in ensuring that outcome.

We had a wonderful trip to Vietnam and Cambodia with Asia Aventura: the culture in both countries was so rich and diverse, with immersive rural visits, shows, and truly incredible historical sites. The food of course was fantastic, thanks to recommendations from our guides, from street food to our own cooking course. All in all the trip was well-paced, comfortable, and full of memories we will treasure forever. Our guides Nhan, My, Sang, Lee and Sen were so friendly, knowledgeable, and fun. And thank you Trang for putting it all together and making our honeymoon so special! We would highly recommend Asia Aventura to anyone who wants to discover the beauty and charm of Vietnam and Cambodia.

From the first contact until the end of my trip, Ashley was the most amazing "travel agent" I have ever had! Hotels and tours where exactly chosen to my needs and communication was perfect and easy going.
I want to thank all of my guides who made this trip so wonderful, starting with the fabulous Ms Hay who showed me secret places in Hanoi and surroundings, followed by the mountaineer Mrs Lala in Sapa and Victor the cruise guy in Ha Long bay.
Mr Minh who took me on a food tour in the magical town of Hoi An and Mr Hays Vietnamese cooking class, a must for every visitor. Another highlight, the Cu Chi Tunnels & Ho Chi Minh City Tour with Ms Han and the day trip to the Mekong Delta with Ms Linh. You should not miss the Saigon Vespa tour after dark... super exciting, and I was so lucky to have Ms Linh at my side, we always had a pool position at the traffic lights ;-). Last but not least, Mrs Marada in Siem Reap, Cambodia, who had an answer to any question you asked her about the magical place of Angkor Wat and its surrounding temples.
I also have to mention all of our drivers who always drove carefully, and all of the cars were in perfect condition.
And of course, not to forget kimkim.com... I love the concept and will always come back to book further trips with you!

The holiday was excellent, Minh planned a great trip for me and Sarah.

Camellia was very responsive to all our questions and very easy to work with. Our trip in the loop was fantastic! Our guide Pho was knowledgable, flexible, personable and made my wife and I feel very comfortable during the 4 - 5 day tour. The scenery was breathtaking, and the local communities and it's people were welcoming. We'll definitely be using KimKim again.

Lucy was helpful but I stressed about my trip because of not knowing to book flight, hotel, in a certain order. Also visa was costly for me due to me ordering 3 visas.
However, once I got to Vietnam the stress of getting here was pretty much non existent.

KimKim and specifically Ashley really came through for me on my trip to Vietnam. I had planned to do a biking tour with another organization and they cancelled 2 days before I was leaving. I was in a panic but then remembered that a friend of mine told me she always uses Kimkim for all her trips. I reached out, filled out a simple form to indicate what I wanted to do and when I woke up in the morning my whole trip was planned! We made some minor adjustments in the morning and then I was off. I did this trip solo for the first time and loved having someone on the other end to help recommend local places to eat or things to do during my down time. I also loved having a driver to meet me at every event I did - got me to the airport, picked me up at the airport, took me on tours - it was amazing! And it's so great to have someone who knows the country. I will be using them for all my trips going forward (I told everyone on my trip about them!)

Hotel Reviews

Hanoi Boutique Hotel

Hanoi

What a great place to stay. The staff was so helpful and were always there for me when I had questions, needed to store a bag or even wrap my bag before going to the airport. And I loved the food at the restaurant! Great location, great bed and great staff!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful and kind

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cat Cat Galerie d'Art

Sapa

Such a beautiful hotel. I took the stairs every day so I could see all the art they have on every floor. The staff was super helpful and kind. Bed was very comfortable and the food amazing - would definitely stay here again

Authenticity & Character

Love the art - so beautiful

Location

Staff

Always willing to help

Cleanliness & Comfort

Halong Aquamarine Cruise

Ha Long

Such a fun experience. The rooms were really lovely - bed was so comfortable, I had my own balcony and the bathroom was huge! Really enjoyed the whole experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Silkotel Hoi An

Hoi An

Loved my stay here. My room was huge and the bed very comfortable. The staff was also so helpful and kind. And the location could not be beat. Close enough you could get to the shops but far enough away that you couldn't hear anyone. Loved it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to town but also quiet

Staff

Great staff - very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sapa Trekking & Sightseeing

Sapa

This is a must do when you go to Vietnam. It was just my guide and I - we did a 5 mile trek through the Mnong countryside - right through farms, rice fields, people's homes and villages. My guide was very knowledgable. I loved the local woman who joined us for the last 2 miles - she helped me stay upright so many times. Such a memorable experience that I would definitely do again.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walk To The Love Waterfall And Heaven Gate

Sapa

This was definitely beautiful but unfortunately a foggy day. Still worth the time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My Son Sanctuary Luxury Tour - Joint in tour

Hoi An

Very interesting and beautiful tour. Our tour guide, Michael, was the best part. He made the tour not just interesting but fun with his quirky style.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Biking trip Cam Thanh Village - Joint in tour

Vietnam

This is a must do when visiting Hoi An. An easy bike ride through the rice fields and villages. Then a fun boat ride on the river where you can catch a crab, throw a fishing net and spin in a boat. Great for pictures. Food was amazing!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi Street food walking tour

Hanoi

I wish I would have done this early on in the trip so I could better undetstand the food I like. I learned so much and can't wait to go to a local Vietnamese place to try some new things!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi - Halong Bay (Aquamarine Cruise)

Ha Long Bay

This was a lot of fun and an easy kayak day. We also got to get up close to some wild monkeys.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Halong Bay - Hanoi (Aquamarine Cruise)

Ha Long Bay

A must do when visiting Vietnam. I was so surprised at the rooms on the ship - so roomy and comfortable. I had my own deck outside my room which I loved. The staff was so nice and I met some really great people. Highly recommend doing this

Quality of Experience

Food

Great food!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi City tour - Joint in tour

Hanoi

I learned so much about Hanoi and some about the Vietnam war. Great way to get introduced to Vietnam and Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

KimKim provided us great service on our trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. They created a 15 day itinerary with us and were flexible along the way when we wanted to make changes. Our local specialist was very responsive and made sure we were happy with everything. the tour guides were prompt, knowledgeable and very friendly. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and would use KimKim again.

Hotel Review

Victory Star Cruise

Hanoi

Beautiful boat with a fantastic cabin, fresh delicious food and a very nice crew. The excursion to the cave and the hike were both fun. Very relaxing and rejuvenating few days at HaLong Bay. An experience not to be missed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Halong Bay - Train to Hue

Ha Long Bay

Train was ontime. We reserved a sleeping car (bought all four bunks for two of us). It was private. Bathrooms were dirty. Sheets were not clean.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Evening Walking Street Food Tour

Hanoi

We loved seeing the local environment and tasting local foods that we could not have at home. Our guide made it easy and made us feel safe!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful trip to Vietnam. Mr Tony’s guided tour through the Mekong Delta was very interesting and gave us a great example of local culture. The Hanoi city tour Mr Haun was great, we especially liked the food tour. The La Pandora cruise in Ha Long Bay was amazing! The food was great, the rooms very nice and our guide Victor was very professional and helpful.

Hotel Review

La Pandora Cruises

Hai Phong

The whole trip was amazing! Great food, comfortable rooms and professional and helpful guides.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very courteous and helpful staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dark and Bright Cave - Ha Long Bay (La Pandora)

Vietnam

The boat ride was beautiful and Victor’s knowledge of the area was fascinating.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ha Long Bay - Lan Ha Bay (La Pandora)

Vietnam

The entire trip was amazing! Beautiful views and fun excursions.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hanoi City Sightseeing & Street Food Tour

Hanoi

We especially liked the food tour with Mr Haun. The food was delicious!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Trip to the Mekong Delta (Ben Tre)

Ho Chi Minh City

We enjoyed learning about local culture and getting to travel on various forms of transport.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hi, as mentioned here's a detailed rundown of our recent Vietnam adventure. Overall, this was a 5 star trip, and your rating reflects that. Dat was first class in terms of his overall approach, responsiveness and knowledge. He knows the country well and we benefitted from his experience. And his English is very good. The logistics on the trip were excellent throughout. We never worried as to whether a guide/driver would show up on time; they were always a few minutes early and went out of their way to welcome us. The hotels were generally all good choices for different reasons. But I did not like the Silk Palace in Hue, partly because the hotel has no charm, I was sick (stomach) and the room was too small for the 3 of us. On the guide front, Bobby was the standout. He is very kind/friendly, and attentive while giving us breathing room. The only guide we were not keen on was Quoc in Hoi Ann; he came across as either being not trained as a guide at all or poorly trained. His English was poor, and he simply repeated things when we asked questions as opposed to addressing them/finding out. We also didn't feel that he was necessarily keeping us safe when it came to food. Quoc has good potential, but he needs to be professionally trained. But overall, we would highly recommend KimKim and look fondly on our recent Vietnam adventure.

Activity Reviews

Saigon after dark night food tour

Ho Chi Minh City

Amazing guides and experience. This is a must do!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hoa Lu And Tam Coc Exploration

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Second eco lodge sucked. So this is less about the food and more about the food at the hotel.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Halong - Lan Ha Bay - Frog Lagoon Area (Capella)

Ha Long Bay

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great communication from Dat while planning our trip - he made useful suggestions and booked everything. Hotels, the cruise, the tours, and the guides were great! Would definitely recommend to anyone interested in visiting Hanoi and north Vietnam.

Hotel Reviews

Soleil Hanoi Boutique Hotel

Hanoi

Excellent service and breakfast (made to order pho and eggs!). Small but serviceable gym. Rooms are well-provisioned, with good bathroom placement, plug locations, and amenities. Single elevator can be a hindrance when very busy, but not usually an issue. Small infinity pool on rooftop with staffed bar, seating area, and bathroom.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to old town sights/restaurants

Staff

Excellent service

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable

La Pandora Cruises

Hai Phong

Excellent facilities, food, and activities. Enthusiastic tour guide and staff. Clarity of schedule could be a bit better, but that could be the individual guide. Shuttle from Hanoi comfortable and safe. Cabins on the boat are well-designed and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Hanoi Evening Walking Street Food Tour

Hanoi

Quang took us to amazing places! Highly highly recommend this tour to anyone, especially with Quang.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amazing. We are a family of four with 2 boys 6 and 9 planning a trip with a tight 14 day timeline to north and south vietnam and Cambodia. We wrestled with whether to choose KimKim because it is significantjy more expensive than do it yourself tour making. But after the tour I would say for our needs it as the nearly perfect solution. There was no time or frustration lost in organising details like hotels, guides and transportation. Each of the guides was nearly perfectly suited for us - they were passionate about their work and their country and understood how to adjust to the needs of kids. What we saw, who we met, what we tasted, what we learned was a life changing experience.

Our only criticism would be that some of the hotels weren’t great given how much we paid for the trip. It is true that we asked for three star but the hotels selected in Saigon in particular was not great; the picture linked suggested that the Emm hotel had a pool and it did not which is a big deal for kids in this steaming hot city of glass and cement.

I think Siem Reap was the favourite part but there were we incredible parts at every stop of the trip.

A memorable trip across Vietnam from the North to the South. Mr Thien (or “T” as he prefers to goes by) was our guide and he made this great trip even better for his knowledge, his dedication to his job and his sense of humor.

Or guide in Hue was Sammy (“Tam”) and she was also fantastic giving us a very unique perspective and a taste of salted coffee, a specialty from Hue.

The food and the people of Vietnam are truly special and we spent two amazing weeks. We wish we could have stayed longer.

Hotel Reviews

Le Clos Du Fil Hotel

Ninh Binh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Renea Cruise

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Alba Wellness Resort

Hue

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hanoi Allure Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pu Luong Retreat

Thanh Hoa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Pavillon Hoi An Luxury Resort & Spa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Liberty Central Saigon Riverside

ho chi minh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hiking and rafting in Pu Luong

Pu Luong Nature Reserve

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Pu Luong Nature Reserve

Pu Luong Nature Reserve

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Massage Session

Hanoi

Hanoi City Sightseeing & Street Food Tour

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Ba Vi Countryside & Cooking Class

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pu Luong to Ninh Binh

Pu Luong Nature Reserve

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat trip to Thien Ha Cave & Thung Nham Bird Garden (Ninh Binh)

Ninh Binh

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ninh Binh to Halong Bay & Cruise

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hue Sightseeing

Hue

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ho Chi Minh City Highlights

Ho Chi Minh City

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to the Mekong Delta (Ben Tre)

Ho Chi Minh City

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trang was very helpful in planning Vietnam trip. She is always available in chat Or what's app to answer all the questions and doubts..

Overall she managed all bookings and services well. It was hasslefree and a memorable vacation

10/10 would recommend to anyone. I also needed the trip planned in 72 hours and they were able to accommodate which was awesome.

Camillia was extremely helpful with our planning. She was prompt, courteous, friendly and professional. Charlie, Luk and Vivian were fantastic! Very flexible and informative. Awesome experience!!

So great having local assistance in trip planning with Long and Realistic Asia! Most enjoyable was the day in BaVi Countryside; local market, bike ride , rice wine making/tasting, cooking class and lunch, tofu making, and tea leaf harvesting! Coung was delightful. The trip to Ha Long Bay was lovely although the stops at Pearl Shops both on the way there and on our return were frustrating. Lodging was excellent and we were pleased with our six night stay in Ha Noi and the surrounding areas. We would definitely use Long and realistic Asia again when traveling Vietnam. We will also use KimKim next time we travel.

Ashley was wonderfully responsive and helpful throughout, from the planning stage to the last day of the holiday. She would respond to messages and questions quickly and helpfully and would send us reminders of meeting times and the names of our drivers for each new destination. The organisation was flawless and seamless. At each destination in a complex itinerary we would be met with guides who were impressively knowledgeable as well as friendly and helpful. I guess Johnny stood out as exceptional; he showed us the Cu Chi tunnels, Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta. He fleshed out our understanding of the Vietnam war (locally known as the ‘American war’) with many human stories of how individuals lived through it. Also, he was such good company! Funny, warm hearted and erudite. But actually every guide was great. Even Ms Huong who only spent a few hours with us, picking us up from the airport on the last day, took the trouble to find out our plans and gave us much useful advice about where to do the shopping we planned. It was actually a privilege to get to know these guides as their stories really gave us an insight into the life and culture of Vietnam and Cambodia.

Hotel Reviews

Salinda Resort Phu Quoc Island

This was very nice. It was on the beech. There was never a problem about enough chairs, the Vietnamese food in particular was really good and the staff were attentive and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

It was lovely, the Vietnamese food was amazing, but it could have been in Thailand. Did it need a Pizza and Indian restaurant?

Location

On the beech, lovely palms, well kept and clean.

Staff

So warm and friendly. They couldn’t do enough for you.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Indochine Palace

This felt so spacious and luxurious. Everything was perfect. This was actually my favourite hotel of the trip.

Authenticity & Character

It captured something of the French Indochine feeling of Vietnam.

Location

Near the the citadel.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Victoria Can Tho Resort

This was very comfortable. Lovely pool, lovely environment. We wish we could have stayed longer.

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adora Art Hotel

Very well located in Zone one of Ho Chi Minh City. But actually a bit tired in some respects. The rooftop bar and pool (small) were nice, but the ‘gym’ was one running machine and one bike. It felt like a three star hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to the central market.

Staff

Very inflexible. Not able to offer even half an hour extension on check out. We’ve never experienced this before. Apart from the door staff not particularly warm or welcoming.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palm Garden Resort Hoi An

Authenticity & Character

Location

On the beech

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Somadevi Angkor Resort & Spa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Saigon By Night - Vintage Vespa Street Food Tour

Ho Chi Minh City

This was really great. The two young men who were our drivers spoke good English, were very safe as drivers, and took us to some very interesting places. I would definitely recommend this. The Vespas were actual Vespas and were authentic from the sixties.

Quality of Experience

This was a real close up of Ho Chi Minh City, seeing many aspects you would not normally see. Really colourful. We saw the flower market and saw how people lived in that part of town. It also included a visit to an old Viet Kong weapons store and hide out in the heart of the city.

Food

Visiting various street market food venues. Making up our own soup! Being shown how to make a proper serving of Vietnamese coffee.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lam was very knowledgeable about Vietnam history. Also friendly and fun to be with.

Transport

Old Vespas! The real deal.

Explore the Cu Chi Tunnels

Ho Chi Minh City

Anyone who has an interest in the Vietnam war really needs to see these tunnels. It is really worthwhile to have a well informed guide for this visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover the Mekong Delta (Ben Tre and Can Tho)

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Chansar village & Wat Thmey (Killing Field)

Siem Reap

The exhibition at Wat Thmey is relatively small but still devastating in its impact. Visiting the village was just lovely. They gave us the best lunch, cooked by someone who was also the village hairdresser. Seeing the village and understanding something about their way of life was very memorable. The welcome was so warm.

Quality of Experience

Food

The lunch was served and cooked in a shelter in the forest surrounding the village. It was without a doubt the best food we had in Cambodia. The wile experience was really charming.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ho Chi Minh City Half-Day Tour

Ho Chi Minh City

Really nice introduction to the city, covering the main sites. Well managed by the guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

Lunch was really good. Hoa Tuc restaurant is in what used to be an opium factory. The food was outstanding. We went back later when we came back to Saigon.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was so well informed. He also managed the tour very well so we saw a lot but were not tired by the end.

Transport

Touch the History of Former Imperial Capital - Hue Full Day Sightseeing

Hue

This was fun. The guide gave a a great insight into the imperial way of life before the arrival of the French. The summer residence (and burial place) of one of the emperors was very beautiful. all the stories about the imperial dynasty (kindly provided by our entertaining and knowledgeable guide) weee fascinating.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ms Thao was well informed and organised and relaxed and pleasant company.

Transport

Very courteous and attentive driver. Also very safe.

Banteay Srei - Angkor Wat - Apsara Dance Show

Siem Reap

Angkor wat is astonishing. The dance show was a bit so so, bothe for quality of food and music. The hotel we stayed at did it better.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Angkor Thom, Preah Khan & Ta Prohm Temples

Siem Reap

I think we scheduled too many temples in this trip. It was a long and hot day.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Always helpful and courteous.

Private Cooking Class With Local In Hoi An

Hoi An

This was really good fun and I came away with at least one delicious dish that I could do in Wales.

Quality of Experience

The mango salad!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visiting the Floating Villages on Tonle Sap Lake

Siem Reap

This was really fun and interesting. The floating schools and villages and a way of life built around a lake that floods the surrounding country for miles every year. The crocodiles were also fun to see. Who knew that they do not have a tongue and that the inside of their mouth is bright yellow?

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vietnam was a wonder experience thanks to the organization provided by Ha.