Uncharted Earth

Great Experience with Leo and kimkim. Leo understood our project and his proposal after a slight tune-up was perfect. The trip was incredible, from day one up to the end. We had a very interesting discovery of Las Vegas landmarks, and an enjoyable show by Shania Twain. But most of our trip was dedicated to discovering the wanders of National and State parks of Arizona and Utah. All the guided and self-guided exploration were perfect. The Grand Canyon was more than an experience, it’s an emotion, the sun set, and sun rise were magic, not to forget the star gazing events organized by the park rangers.
Antelope canyon guided tour was amazing, we had a wonderful and very insightful guide (Orin Yellowman). We were also thrilled to discover Snow canyon state park and the wonderful Red Mountain resort next to its entrance, for sure we will go back, only 2 hours from Vegas, worth going straight from the airport to discover the beauty of all the trail with very kind support from park personnel.
Thanks to Leo who helped us create the best vacation possible.

We have taken seven trips with KimKim, and Leo was one of the best, if not the best, hosts we have had. His communication and follow-through were the best yet. We had hotel complications, not because of Leo, but I called him directly, and he fixed everything immediately and was so easy to get a hold of while traveling. He knew the trip guidelines well, we like to go out of the box, and he would let us know when ideas weren't that great and offered other ideas that I didn't think I would like but LOVED! I usually don't want to get a rental car or drive over 5 hours on a trip, but Leo said that's the way to go, and he was right. It was great having our car and doing all the national parks/ recreation spots we could fit in from San Fran to Las Vegas. Thank you for being the most wonderful travel planned we have had so far with all of our Kimkim trips.

Leo did an amazing job with planning our trip. Paul our trolly wine tour guide was awesome (and so was his music play list). He was very knowledgable about the info in the Sonoma area. Our trip to Napa had a remarkable wine tour with Tessa Bowen at Platypus tours, she took us to 3 small wineries, which were awesome and we purchased wine from 2 of the 3 places.

The whole process using Kim Kim and Cami was amazing. The minute we arrived and picked up everything went smoothly. We enjoyed all the hotels, tours and islands we visited! A perfect plan, day of rest and then a tour day. We will definitely use Kim Kim again in the future.

Ana Santos, the tour leader was extremely helpful in addressing any questions we had during our tour. Cami Sarmiento did an excellent job organizing our trip. The hotels were great. We were picked up and dropped off on scheduled on every occasion. The local guides were always on time and they did an excellent job ensuring we engaged in the activities for which they were responsible. Local guides always answered ur questions with the appropriate level of detail.

It would be helpful if, in the future, you provide tour participants guidelines for who should be tipped during the tour and the percent or amount that is appropriate. We have traveled extensively with organizations such as National Geography, Overseas Adventure Travel, Kensington Tours and Insight Travel. And, these organizations typically provide this type of information to avoid confusion and surprises.

Very happy with Kimkim service. Our trip to the Philippines was made special. Leo planned everything according to our budget . Allowing time for us to chill and rest when needed so Everything was planned perfectly well. All our guides were very nice and friendly. The drivers tours and guides were always on time. Also our guide kept in touch to make sure all was going well. The hotels chosen all had good standard. All our day tours for the island hopping were amazing. I highly recommend kimkim for their professional services! Definitely five stars ⭐️

The trip was outstanding, the planning, Organization. Visits, guides, tours, hotel and flight, recommendations…everything was perfect. Thanks to Cami who is tireless and would immediately reply to my queries and whatever concerns I had. Local guides were wonderful in each location were wonderful. Ana Santos, Cami’s representative and my guide in Manila was exceptional. There was not a single glitch, nor delay nor any problem.
Thank you Cami

Hotel Reviews

Bayleaf Intramuros

Metro Manila

Very central in Intramuros, walking distance to the touristic sites. Staff extremely helpful and attentive, good breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the heart of Intramuros the historical center of Manila

Staff

Very helpful and attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable pillows and bed

Coco Grove Beach Resort

Wonderful resort in Siquijor, the grounds, the rooms, comfort, staff, the beauty of the place is outstanding.

Authenticity & Character

Location

I did not leave the resort as it was my R&R before starting my Philippines escapade

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Marco Polo Plaza Cebu

Cebu City

Very comfortable and clean . Has all the modern amenities. Staff very helpful and attentive

Authenticity & Character

Very modern

Location

Not central you need a car to visit

Staff

Very helpful zndxattentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Extremely clean

The Marison Hotel

Legazpi

Stayed only one night. The hotel is very central and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Elysia Beach Resort

Donsol

Lovely hotel and nice location on a beautiful beach. However it is a bit neglected and needs an overhaul . The AC is very noisy and old. However it is comfortable with a beautiful swimming pool.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff is wonderful and very attentive and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hue Hotels and Resorts Puerto Princesa

Puerto Princesa

Wonderful and comfortable hotel. Near a shopping mall and restaurants in the area. Very comfortable

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Funny Lion El Nido

El Nido

Lovely hotel in the center of El Nido and walking distance from the market and the center. The staff is amazing and very helpful. It is clean and comfortable

Authenticity & Character

Very original and modern

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Two Seasons Coron Bayside Hotel

Coron Town

Lovely hotel in the heart of Coron with a beautiful pool and view esp during sunset. Extremely comfortable and clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to the center but preferable using a tricycle because the road is not good

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Belmont Hotel Manila

Pasay City

Wonderful hotel near the airport. Great location if you want to he near the airport. Excellent breakfast, comfortable bed and pillows. A practical but very busy hotel. Walking distance from a shopping center and surrounded by variety of restaurants

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Manila Day Tour

Philippines

Excellent tour thanks to Ana Santos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a fantastic trip! The hotels were perfect for our needs and in great locations. The daily adventures were so much fun and we still had plenty of free time to adjust our schedules for other suggested activities. Thanks so much for all your help. Will definitely use again!

Activity Reviews

Biking tour of San Francisco: Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito

San Francisco

Loved this! Riding across the Golden Gate Bridge was amazing! E-bikes were a must for this hilly city!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Adam the guide was friendly and infomative

Transport

walking distance from our hotel

Napa wine tour with picnic lunch

Napa

Great day. Loved that we were picked up from the hotel and dropped off there at the end of the day. Lunch was great and it was nice to have someone pick the wineries for us, how do you choose out of 400??

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Calistoga Hot Springs and Mud Baths

Napa

Fun afternoon relaxing in mud?! We were sure about this, but everyone said we'd love it! Staff was friendly and professional.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sonoma Walking Food, Wine & History Tour

the United States

This was a great tour! Abby was super friendly and we ended up having a private tour for the group price! I would never have thought about tasting olive oil/balsamic vinegar, but it was a good learning experience. Fun afternoon despite the rain and ended with a rainbow!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Napa yoga class

Napa

Great experience and professional staff.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking Class in Napa

Napa

This class was so much fun! Chef Sara was great and the food was delicious. We came home with knowledge for our own kitchens, some new recipes and an apron! Would definitely do this again.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This is the second time we have used Kim Kim to plan a trip and I would not hesitate to recommend them. From our initial contact all the way through the planning process Cami was available, helpful, friendly, knowledgable and nothing was too much trouble. I would message Cami day and night with big and small questions and she always replied promptly and patiently (even though I'm sure I asked the same questions over and over). Cami listened to our requests, our needs and our budget and planned the most phenomenal holiday ever. Along the planning process, the detailed day by day itinerary/trip plan we received with photos was a wonderful way to decide on activities and get a clear picture of the trip. The holiday was fantastic. Every trip that Cami organised was so unbelievably good. the guides were lovely and couldn't do enough for us. On occasion they altered the trip to accomodate us. The transfers were always on time and in really good, safe vehicles. Everything was ticketed for us and hotels paid and awaiting our arrival. Our trip highlights were canyoning in Kawasan Falls, swimming with the sardines and the beautiful snorkelling off Coron. The guide we had for 2 day trips in Coron, Jhonas was wonderful. He was so obliging even making us a fabulous feast for lunch. All of the island hopping tours were magnificent. If you have a picture of paradise in your head the island, lagoons and the aqua blue, warm water are that. The Filipino people are beautiful. I simply cannot fault our trip and I cannot recommend Cami highly enough. Anyone looking for a wonderful adventure should use Kimkim (Cami) and travel to the Philippine Islands.

Hotel Reviews

Amorita Resort

Loved the hotel, the position is perfect, up on the headland looking down Alona beach. The absolute best place to view sunsets. The pool is gorgeous and the staff fabulous. IThe only thing I'd change is my room type as ours didn't have a balcony and I do really like to have a balcony off my room. Otherwise rooms were lovely.

Authenticity & Character

Staff and set up

Location

The best location. On the headland, away from the crowds but easily accessible by foot to town. Best sunsets ever and great pool. Paradise

Staff

Beautiful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cebu Seaview Dive Resort

Moalboal

This is a great hotel for travellers who are out of their rooms through the day and just need a room to sleep in. Rooms are clean and tidy and beds comfortable. The pool and bar are very welcoming and a great place to watch the sunset. Would definitely stay again if had full day activities booked. Staff are lovely

Authenticity & Character

Location

On the water, great sunsets and great snorkelling out the front to the left.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Two Seasons Coron Bayside Hotel

Coron Town

The hotel is old and needs upgrading. The hallways and rooms are tired/ The pool has no shaded areas around it and there's a lot of concrete which makes it extremely hot and uncomfortable. We couldn't;t utilise the pool due to this. The location on the water is good and if they fixed up the pool area, brought in plants and shade it would be a lot more attractive. The rooms and premises definitely need an upgrade.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Belmont Hotel Manila

Pasay City

We just day transited here. I wouldn't want to stay here any longer than a day transit in the rooms we had which were small and looked into a central courtyard onto other rooms. It was fine for our purpose but would not like these rooms if staying overnight.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Don't know about location, only there on a day transit

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Inn Cebu City

Cebu City

Very clean and comfortable, in a good location for an overnight stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Don't really know about location as we only overnighted here before a flight.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dolphin Spotting and Snorkeling in Balicasag Island

Philippines

the dolphin spotting was amazing! Coming from Australia where dolphins are pretty common we weren't expecting much but the sheer number of dolphins and the show they put on is unrivalled. Dolphins fantastic. The first snorkelling spot on Baliscag Island was not good. It was crowded with tourist boats and tourists who could not swim clinging to boats in their life jackets. There was nothing to see and snorkelling was difficult because of the shgeert number of people there. The crew listened to our concerns and took us around the back of the island and it was completely different. The snorkelling was lovely and there were fish and coral to see. so much better than the first location.

Quality of Experience

Food

Food is ok. They try really hard and are lovely but food is average (everywhere)

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Canyoneering in Kawasan Falls

Moalboal

This was our absolute favourite day in the Philippines which is a big call because everything was great. It was so much fun, trekking through the water, jumping from the cliffs (they do give you options) and going through the caves. The water is beautifully clear, the activities fun, the guides exceptional. A must do!!!

Quality of Experience

Exceptional guides, beautiful place and so much fun

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Just lovely. One guide carried my phone above his head for the whole day photographing and videoing my family. We would never have the photo memories if it wasn't for him.

Transport

Island hopping in El Nido - Tour A

El Nido

So so pretty, the lagoons and islands are just lovely. Water is crystal clear and warm, boat comfortable.

Quality of Experience

Food

Transport

Half-day Snorkeling Tour from Moalboal

Moalboal

Oor snorkelling was cancelled due to the weather but we did swim with the sardines which was amazing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coron Shipwrecks & Corals Day Tour

Coron

This was a very close second best of all our activities. We had the most awesome guide Jhonas who went out of his way for us and used his own go pro to photograph and video our families day. The snorkelling on this trip is the best we did. The first snorkel was at a sunken Japanese warship and that was just fabulous. The ship is relatively close to the surface so you can free dive down to it. The coral growing on the wreck and the fish are amazing. The second snorkel was even better, some of the best snorkelling we've ever one. There is an abundance of coral and fish. it is just beautiful. Jhonas....unbelievable. Thank you

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jhonas is a legend. Definitely ask for Jhonas

Transport

Coron Lagoons & Lakes Day Tour

Coron

Another fabulous day with Jhonas. This area is SO beautiful. the snorkelling and water activities were amazing. You just have to see the waterways off the Philippine islands to appreciate them. Jhonas also used his own go pro to video and photograph our whole day. Such a generous man.

Quality of Experience

Everything was special

Food

Jhonas prepared us a traditional Filipino feast and served in on banana leaves. He went to so much trouble, it was fabulous.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Best guide in the Philippines. Go Jhonas.

Transport

El Nido via ferrata

El Nido

It is worth doing. Really just a walk/climb up to a lookout for views over El Nido, but the view was very pretty.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport