Kimkim Trip Reviews for Indonesia

This was an amazing adventure! We especially enjoyed all the interesting hotels we stayed along the way. A highlight to the trip was exploring the Ijen Crater and seeing Komodo dragons. The food experience was wonderful! All our guides were helpful. read more

This was an amazing adventure! We especially enjoyed all the interesting hotels we stayed along the way. A highlight to the trip was exploring the Ijen Crater and seeing Komodo dragons. The food experience was wonderful! All our guides were helpful.

Hotel Reviews

Plataran Bromo

Wonokitri

Incredible place! Would like to spend more time here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ijen Resort and Villas

Banyuwangi

Amazing place! Would like to spend more time here

Authenticity & Character

Location

I’m

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hike to the Top of Mount Ijen Volcano

Ijen, East Java

This was a highlight. Great guide! Excellent hike and got to see the blue flame

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Komodo Island

This was another highlight to our trip! Great crew on the boat!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

When thinking back on our adventures in Indonesia only superlatives come to my mind.
First attempts to make the itinerary were done via local Belgian travel agents. Very soon I found out that these lead to the same things over and over again. But then after googling some more I found KimKim. Never heard of them before but as huge US travel fans attracted by the fact they are HQ-ed in Chicago. after indicating our preferred destination and wishes we came in contact with Marc. oh gosh, this... read more

When thinking back on our adventures in Indonesia only superlatives come to my mind.
First attempts to make the itinerary were done via local Belgian travel agents. Very soon I found out that these lead to the same things over and over again. But then after googling some more I found KimKim. Never heard of them before but as huge US travel fans attracted by the fact they are HQ-ed in Chicago. after indicating our preferred destination and wishes we came in contact with Marc. oh gosh, this was a winner!! From the first moment Marc "listened" to our wishes and was thinking with us. The connection was there from the beginning and step by step he managed to set out the lines for our itinerary. I suppose there were times when he was pulling his hair because we wanted another change, another hotel ..... He never gave us the idea he was done with it, always there to adapt and to help.
We could reach him at any time before, during and after the trip. He is a true diamond for any organization so KimKim I can only advise you to take care of this one! Good team members don't come in easily and frequently.
along our trip we were in contact and taken care of by many locals. We have talked to them for hours as we love to meet the true culture and spirit of a country. They were all good and very helpful. the most knowledgeable was definitely Lucy how thought us many things and was always a nice company.
One person stood out of the many! Jerry, our guide and driver in Bali definitely deserves to be mentioned in person. He is a true jewel to the world. To us he was one of the reasons that our time in Bali will never be forgotten! He pampered us as if he knew us for years! He was always there to lean a helping hand and go the extra mile. He handled according to every of our wishes. Even after getting back home, he asked if we arrived safely. I'm sure we will stay in contact with him and hear about his lovely family.
Reflecting today there were so many things that stood out. Our main focus was nature. We were impressed every day by what each island has to offer. from Oeran-outangs over elephants to stunning sunrises, pink beaches and sunset dances by flying foxes!
We are more than grateful that we were among the happy people having the chance in life to discover this true paradise on earth.
Though our eyes and ears were spoiled on a daily basis what will stay forever as the deepest impression was the friendliness and kindness of the Indonesian people. No matter the island, no matter the religion .... they can teach the world on how to live together. We will never forget those smiles and helping hands.
Thanks to all that made this trip a memory for life!
For those that would love to see some pictures feel free to look on instagram/ judithdebrus

Overall, I really enjoyed my visit to Indonesia. Being a first time visitor, I thought I saw a good intersection of the country. My favorite places were the jungles of Sumatra, seeing the volcanoes around Mt. Bromo and just relaxing at the beach.

What I would improve is some of the sequencing. The first half of the trip was pretty aggressive, with early wake ups at 1-3AM to get a sunrise. With varying weather conditions, some of this was less than ideal. I also had some flight... read more

Overall, I really enjoyed my visit to Indonesia. Being a first time visitor, I thought I saw a good intersection of the country. My favorite places were the jungles of Sumatra, seeing the volcanoes around Mt. Bromo and just relaxing at the beach.

What I would improve is some of the sequencing. The first half of the trip was pretty aggressive, with early wake ups at 1-3AM to get a sunrise. With varying weather conditions, some of this was less than ideal. I also had some flight cancellations causing a lot of last minute running around. Marc was great at changing the schedule for the latter half of the trip to accomodate though.

In addition, some hotels although listed as 4 star, were definitely not as great. Definitely do your research if you're looking for better accommodations.

Hotel Reviews

Ecolodge Bukit Lawang

Bukit Lawang

Great experience and food!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

FM7 Resort Hotel Jakarta

Tangerang, Banten

The hotel had a lot of guests that were knocking on people's doors late in the night. The food was sub-par with no real Indonesian food in the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta - MGallery Collection

Yogyakarta

Food at breakfast was great. The location was also great, however the hotel quality was lacking. The couches were stained and the bathroom had a lot of black grout.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Plataran Bromo

Wonokitri

Loved this hotel. The overall space was beautiful. Service was incredible and it was easy to arrange services.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mimpi Resort Menjangan - CHSE Certified

Pejarakan

I loved Mimpi. The rooms were really unique. The food was great and the location for snorkeling was also amazing.

Bangsring Breeze

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Sun Heaven Ubud by Inara

Gianyar – Bali

I had an ant infestation in this hotel and had to get things cleaned and my room moved. It was also off of Ubud center.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Joya Biu Biu Resort

Jimbaran

Overall great stay. The food was catered to more of a western audience though.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Orangutan Tour

Bohorok

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Borobudur Temple

Yogyakarta

Couldn't go to the top. I wish we knew this ahead of the trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Family Dinner - Visit Prambanan Temple Complex

Yogyakarta

Couldn't go to the top, I wish I knew this ahead of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Mount Bromo

Mount Bromo, East Java

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike to the Top of Mount Ijen Volcano

Ijen, East Java

Got rained out although we hiked to the top. It was the right decision to turn around, but a bit of a shame.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkeling around Menjangan Island

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to Ubud

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit a Local Market & Enjoy a Cooking Class

Ubud, Bali

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cultural Immersion & Traditional Lunch at Rumah Desa

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was excellent. The planning was smart and thoughtful. Marc suggested traveling to Sumatra which was a good call. He suggested doing the activities in the first part of the trip and allowing for some days to rest at the end. He was right. We needed to rest on the last day after all the interesting activities that we experienced along the way.
Marc booked us into great hotels and planned an interesting trip that included Urang Utan watching in Sumatra, Volcano climbing in Java,... read more

The trip was excellent. The planning was smart and thoughtful. Marc suggested traveling to Sumatra which was a good call. He suggested doing the activities in the first part of the trip and allowing for some days to rest at the end. He was right. We needed to rest on the last day after all the interesting activities that we experienced along the way.
Marc booked us into great hotels and planned an interesting trip that included Urang Utan watching in Sumatra, Volcano climbing in Java, visiting Unesco world heritage temples, snorkeling, and learning how villagers in Bali live.
The teams on the ground were punctual and reliable. They showed up on time

Marc was flexible and helped us reschedule the trip due to a family emergency two months prior to our departure. He also helped us deal with a last-minute cancelation of an internal flight by adjusting the schedule and hotel reservations.

I recommend Kimkim and Marc, the local agent in Indonesia. I would use Kimkim as my trip planning platform in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Ecolodge Bukit Lawang

Bukit Lawang

Nice hotel next to the jungle.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel rooms were comfortable and in line with nature.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta - MGallery Collection

Yogyakarta

This hotel is historic and in the center of the city. The rooms were nice and clean. The bathroom in our room needed a little fix so we called a maintenance person for help.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jiwa Jawa bromo

great location, close to the mountain. The room was nice with a nice view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ijen Resort and Villas

Banyuwangi

Nice resort with a nice restaurant. Great place in nature.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adi Assri Beach Resort & Spa - CHSE Certified

Pemuteran, Bali

Great location with nice rooms. Nice swimming pool and access to the beach. The room had an outdoor/indoor shower which is fun to take shower under the sky. Easy access to the snorkeling site and to good restaurants in the nearby village. Note: The Airconditioner could be better. We had to call maintenance to adjust it. The hotel is close to a mosque, and we were called for prayer at 4:50 am.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Sun Heaven Ubud by Inara

Gianyar – Bali

Great rooms, great stuff, and a nice dinner place. We had local artists perform every night of our stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

out of the city among rice paddies.

Staff

shared with us their life and were very attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sudamala Resort, Sanur

Sanur Kauh, Denpasar Selatan, Kota Denpasar, Bali

The hotel is in a nice location and is in a secluded area. It is within walking distance from restaurants, shops, and the beach.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Orangutan Tour

Bohorok

A great tour guide helped us spot wild life, including monkies and orang utans.

Quality of Experience

The guide was informative and showed us the nature

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All were great

Transport

Visit Borobudur Temple

Yogyakarta

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Family Dinner - Visit Prambanan Temple Complex

Yogyakarta

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Mount Bromo

Mount Bromo, East Java

The weather was not good on the day that we visited but never the less it was a good experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I wish we had a guide on this section of the trip and not only a driver to understand what we are seeing.

Transport

Hike to the Top of Mount Ijen Volcano

Ijen, East Java

The guide was great and took us to the best location possible. He gave us information to understand the mountain and its significance.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkeling around Menjangan Island

Indonesia

The location and guides were great. snorkeling was broken into two sessions of 45 minutes in two sites.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A very good guide explained and took care of us during the session. He also took pictures and shared them with us.

Transport

Transfer to Ubud

Indonesia

Nice trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit a Local Market & Enjoy a Cooking Class

Ubud, Bali

Nice experience

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cultural Immersion & Traditional Lunch at Rumah Desa

Indonesia

Very nice visit with good explanations. We learned a lot and also experienced life in a village.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cycling from Batur to Ubud

Indonesia

The cycling was supposed to be easy. However, a few factors caused it to be more challenging than expected. 1. Most of the ride was downhill and required us to hold the brakes. 2. Part of the ride was on roads (and not only on paths between rice paddies). The roads were busy, and we were not ready for it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tibumana waterfall

Ubud, Bali

A short walk, a short waterfall, and not so impressive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marc Urban, specialist and coordinator for my recent Indonesian travel is exceptional. I would rate him with additional stars. Marc went above and beyond throughout our planning process, addressing all the details, particular interests and needs. Marc is an exceptional and attentive communicator. Many thanks to him for a beautiful time spent in Indonesia. And thanks to guides Dian and Budi for teaching me so much. As well as, drivers Rifky and Edi. Their kindness is immeasurable. This is my... read more

Marc Urban, specialist and coordinator for my recent Indonesian travel is exceptional. I would rate him with additional stars. Marc went above and beyond throughout our planning process, addressing all the details, particular interests and needs. Marc is an exceptional and attentive communicator. Many thanks to him for a beautiful time spent in Indonesia. And thanks to guides Dian and Budi for teaching me so much. As well as, drivers Rifky and Edi. Their kindness is immeasurable. This is my second experience traveling via KimKim. It’s the way to go with custom travel.

Both our drivers were excellent. The hotels were lovely except the ibis in Surabaya which was fine. The Plataran hotel at bromo was fabulous. The M-gallery at solo was lovely although many of the things we tried to order (drinks and food) were not available as it was getting back on its feet post Covid. The M-gallery in Yogyakarta was also lovely and seemed to have everything we ordered. Its location is great as it’s near the Main Street. It was expensive though as tax and service were not... read more

Both our drivers were excellent. The hotels were lovely except the ibis in Surabaya which was fine. The Plataran hotel at bromo was fabulous. The M-gallery at solo was lovely although many of the things we tried to order (drinks and food) were not available as it was getting back on its feet post Covid. The M-gallery in Yogyakarta was also lovely and seemed to have everything we ordered. Its location is great as it’s near the Main Street. It was expensive though as tax and service were not included in its prices. The sunrise at bromo was great. The temples near Solo were lovely albeit not as spectacular is the ones near Yogyakarta. You need cash for tipping and some guidance on this might be helpful. You also need cash for visa on arrival. The traffic in the cities is very bad. Not as bad as Hanoi but progress is slow. Motorways work well. We bought some excellent batik at very good prices in solo and an artwork batik in Yogyakarta. We really enjoyed all the arranged tours.

Hotel Reviews

Plataran Bromo

Wonokitri

Lovely hotel. Very beautiful and classy. Great service.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ibis Surabaya city center

It’s did what it said on the tin. But nothing outstanding.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Royal Surakarta Heritage - MGallery Collection

Authenticity & Character

Looked much older than it was but done so well it added to the experience.

Location

Beautiful hotel.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Dafam Signature International Airport Yogyakarta

Great brand new hotel. Lovely view from out north facing room. Really nice staff. Still awaiting an alcohol licence so we could not order the cocktails we wanted.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Perfect for the airport. Free transfer. At 5 am.

Staff

They provided us with a hot pack up breakfast with coffee at 5 am. Lovely check in staff too. Really helpful. New hotel so some staff appeared to be still being trained. But everybody was great.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta - MGallery Collection

Yogyakarta

Lovely hotel near the best shopping and eating street.

Authenticity & Character

Looked fabulously traditional despite being fairly new. Felt authentic.

Location

Short walk to great street food and restaurants, bars and shops. Near railway station.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Mount Bromo

Mount Bromo, East Java

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bumpy. Early start but great trip.

Sukuh & Cetoh Temple

Solo

Long but interesting drive. Very nice fairly small temples.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Taman Sari and the underground mosque

Yogyakarta

Really nice palace. Sadly underground mosque closed due to Covid hangover.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sultan Palace

Yogyakarta

Lovely palace. But mostly exhibitions showing the life of Sultans.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Family Dinner - Visit Prambanan Temple Complex

Yogyakarta

Like a smaller older Angkor Wat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Puppet & Batik making

Yogyakarta

Lovey quality of craftsmanship. We bought a beautiful batik created by our guide. No pressure to buy which is nice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Borobudur Temple

Yogyakarta

Quite a long way from Yogyakarta in terms of travel time. But it’s an amazing Buddhist temple. Sadly you can’t go into the temple post Covid but still fabulous to walk around.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was amazing my favorite part was the Munduk Plantation Resort. It had an amazing view. My personal driver was also very nice and always on time. read more

The trip was amazing my favorite part was the Munduk Plantation Resort. It had an amazing view. My personal driver was also very nice and always on time.

Hotel Reviews

De Moksha Eco Friendly Boutique Resort

Tabanan

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Munduk Moding Plantation - CHSE Certified

Gobleg

This is probably one nicest and best hotel I stayed at. The view from the infinity pool was amazing

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adiwana Bisma

Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Puri Santrian

Denpasar

The hotel is Nice because it’s right next to the beach. But the rooms are very outdated

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Private cruise trip KOMODO

Labuan Bajo, Indonesia

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Joya Biu Biu Resort

Jimbaran

Besides the Munduk Plantation Resort, This was an amazing hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Travel from Tanah Lot to Munduk via Taman Ayun Temple and Pupuan Road

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Aling Aling Waterfall- short trek

Munduk, Bali

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Banjar Hot Springs

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Day - Munduk

Munduk, Bali

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Travel from Munduk to Ubud via Jatiluwih Ricefield & Batukaru Temple

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience Ubud VW Safari Car Tour

Ubud, Bali

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

Komodo Island

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Komodo Cruise Day 3

Komodo Island

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Bali's Most Beautiful Beaches & Explore Uluwatu Temple

Jimbaran, Bali

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guide Dennis, and our driver Surya were excellent. Also, at Ecolodge in Bukit Lawang, our guide Zul and the assistant, Jat were a very good team for finding orangutans and birds.
The trip overall was exciting and mind-broadening. read more

Our guide Dennis, and our driver Surya were excellent. Also, at Ecolodge in Bukit Lawang, our guide Zul and the assistant, Jat were a very good team for finding orangutans and birds.
The trip overall was exciting and mind-broadening.

Hotel Reviews

Ecolodge Bukit Lawang

Bukit Lawang

Hotel rooms very basic, not in a bad way, but because the hotel is ecologically -oriented, some features, such as no hot water for the showers, may not be good for everyone. It was fine for us.

Authenticity & Character

Very committed to the environment

Location

Great place for orangutans

Staff

Friendliness, and helpfulness

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Emerald Garden

Clean, decent pool, good breakfast buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Closer to airport if just staying there for the convenience before flying out.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sinabung Hills Berastagi

Berastagi

Very short stay so hard to say, but was very clean and nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tabo Cottages

Sumatera Utara

Nice location, nice rooms, good food, staff very friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Trek in Gunung Leuser National Park

Bukit Lawang, North Sumatra

Orangutans very easily seen. Our guide and assistant very good at spotting and identifying birds, which is not usual for them, we felt, but they were very open to helping with the birds.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trek Leuser Park - Day 2

Bukit Lawang, North Sumatra

same as day 1

Trek Leuser Park - Day 3

Bukit Lawang, North Sumatra

same as day 1

Quality of Experience

Sunrise Mount Sibayak Trek & Travel to Samosir Island

Indonesia

Long drive but good driver, good sights.

Travel from Bukit Lawang to Berastagi

Indonesia

Good driver, interesting sights.

Travel from Samosir to Medan Airport via Pematang Siantar

Indonesia

Long but good driver, interesting sights.

Alisha did an incredible job organising our entire trip throughout Bali. We experienced a mix of all the things we requested and much more due to having a wonderful and attentive driver, Ketut.

Ketut was friendly, informative, punctual and reliable- our trip was incredibly flexible and we really appreciated his attitude

Thank you again.

read more

Alisha did an incredible job organising our entire trip throughout Bali. We experienced a mix of all the things we requested and much more due to having a wonderful and attentive driver, Ketut.

Ketut was friendly, informative, punctual and reliable- our trip was incredibly flexible and we really appreciated his attitude

Thank you again.

It was a great trip!
Very friendly and helpful drivers
Nice hotels - we especially liked Jogja Village Inn!
We liked having private guides at both Borobodhur and Prambanan in order to learn more about the history
We definitely couldn't have explored Indonesia without kimkim!
Thanks kimkim for another great trip! Hopefully we will be able to use kimkim for our future travels! read more

It was a great trip!
Very friendly and helpful drivers
Nice hotels - we especially liked Jogja Village Inn!
We liked having private guides at both Borobodhur and Prambanan in order to learn more about the history
We definitely couldn't have explored Indonesia without kimkim!
Thanks kimkim for another great trip! Hopefully we will be able to use kimkim for our future travels!

Hotel Reviews

Dusun Jogja Village Inn

Yogyakarta

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bromo Cottages

Pasuruan

Staff was friendly and helpful Were willing to provide breakfast after hours when we got back to hotel after Bromo Housekeeping did not clean our room The shower water did not get very hot

Activity Reviews

Kota Gede District, Plaosan and Sewon Temples, Prambanan Temple and Ramayana Show

Yogyakarta

Loved having a private guide to teach us more about the history! We got to explore the Sewon temples without many tourists because not many people walk past Prambanan. Definitely worth it! The Ramayana show included a 3 course dinner with a beautiful view of Prambanan Temple lit up at night.

Visit Borobudur Temple, Pawon Temple, Mendut Temple, and Yogyakarta Market

Yogyakarta

Loved having a private guide to teach us more about the history!

Overall it was a very interesting trip with a lot of beautiful things to see and new memories being created. All the drivers and guides were friendly and always helpful. The standard of the accommodations booked were up to my expectations.

I’m so happy with the Bali service of kimkim it’s beyond words! My guide Yohanes & driver showed me Bali the way I always wanted to see it. They were amazing!

Bali is beautiful and I really enjoyed the different places visited. The choice of the location was great because the sceneries was very different at each places.
I greatly enjoyed the accommodations at each of the location. They were very comfortable and well located. Having a guide and a driver was very convenient and time effective for our vacations.
The Gili's beaches and the sunrise hike at Mt Batur was probably some of the highlights of the trip.
I also highly enjoyed swimming in... read more

Bali is beautiful and I really enjoyed the different places visited. The choice of the location was great because the sceneries was very different at each places.
I greatly enjoyed the accommodations at each of the location. They were very comfortable and well located. Having a guide and a driver was very convenient and time effective for our vacations.
The Gili's beaches and the sunrise hike at Mt Batur was probably some of the highlights of the trip.
I also highly enjoyed swimming in Gili's water, seeing the Monkey's in Ubud and the fresh food in Bali.

Here are some constructive suggestion for improvement:
- We had on several locations difficulties to find the driver. It might be effective if he/she wears a recognisable T-shirt and/or banner.
- The sunrise hike schedule was too buffered: we hiked up in less than 2 hours and then had to wait for 2 hours for the sunrise
- While the description of the trip itinerary is great to book the trip, it would be convenient to have a calendar-based summary of the trip once booked with the critical information needed every day: departure/arrival time and location, accommodation address, contact number, activities proposed ...

Nadia, our specialist, was very helpful in booking our trip to Bali. After a couple of messages, we had a fantastic trip plan ready to book. She also helped us during our trip with recommendations and booking transportations for an extra person who joined last minute.

Our guide John and driver Benny were fabulous. They took us everywhere on the itinerary and even included extra stops. It was a lot of fun visiting Bali. They were very knowledgeable and flexible. Skipping an activity,... read more

Nadia, our specialist, was very helpful in booking our trip to Bali. After a couple of messages, we had a fantastic trip plan ready to book. She also helped us during our trip with recommendations and booking transportations for an extra person who joined last minute.

Our guide John and driver Benny were fabulous. They took us everywhere on the itinerary and even included extra stops. It was a lot of fun visiting Bali. They were very knowledgeable and flexible. Skipping an activity, leaving earlier and other last-minute changes were not an issue.

Highlights of the trip were Mt Batur hike at sunrise and Gili Trawangan, great car-free island, where we enjoyed snorkeling with turtles, swimming in crystal clear water and glorious sunsets every night.

Couple things could have been better:
- I couldn't find my driver at the airport, I had to take a taxi. Luckily Nadia made up for it and comped us the value.
- We didn't really enjoy Candidasa. The hotel was very average compared to the others. Walking on the beach, we've counted 10 unsightly oil tankers and an oil terminal. Not very appealing.

We had an amazing time in Bali. We planned the trip with Ayu from KimKim and later communicated with Thomas who seamlessly continued where Ayu left off. Our driver Agun was most helpful throughout the trip, friendly and always showing us the best. And if we had any questions during the trip Thomas was available on Whatsapp, which made the experience easier as it was our first time in Indonesia. We can't wait to go back to Bali again!

Ayu was responsive and had put together a nice itinerary. She was quick to help us upgrade at our last hotel.

Some of the places that stood out were the monkey forest and sideman, and the last resort, samabe, was stunning and good value. The local day was also very nice. The best experience we had was planned from the hotel, samabe, which was paragliding. Biggest highlight of the trip.

Though it was great to see some of the main attractions like the temples, I think we would have liked... read more

Ayu was responsive and had put together a nice itinerary. She was quick to help us upgrade at our last hotel.

Some of the places that stood out were the monkey forest and sideman, and the last resort, samabe, was stunning and good value. The local day was also very nice. The best experience we had was planned from the hotel, samabe, which was paragliding. Biggest highlight of the trip.

Though it was great to see some of the main attractions like the temples, I think we would have liked to include some more off the beaten track locations if we were to do it again.

Our driver, Gustu, was kind and punctual. We’d definitely recommend him.

Ayu did a perfect job planning our 3 weeks Indonesia trip (Bali, Java, and Nusa Penida).
She was very responsive to our needs and requests, and her choices of drivers and guides were excellent. About half of the trip was in various parts of Bali, and we only had a driver in that part. Our driver's name was Agus, and in our view he did a very exceptional job with our trip. The only reason he was a driver and not a guide was, his English is a bit limited, but it was more than enough for us.... read more

Ayu did a perfect job planning our 3 weeks Indonesia trip (Bali, Java, and Nusa Penida).
She was very responsive to our needs and requests, and her choices of drivers and guides were excellent. About half of the trip was in various parts of Bali, and we only had a driver in that part. Our driver's name was Agus, and in our view he did a very exceptional job with our trip. The only reason he was a driver and not a guide was, his English is a bit limited, but it was more than enough for us. (Agus knows Japanese and is often a guide for Japanese groups). Agus was very informative and friendly, and at the end of the trip he was a dear friend to all of us. The remaining guide/driver choices of Ayu were also excellent; we had no difficulties during the entire 3 weeks(from landing to Bali to taking off). I highly recommend both Ayu as a travel specialist, and Agus as a guide/driver.

I booked a trip to Bali for my honeymoon. We found the trip was overall very enjoyable. Ayu was very responsive before and during our trip. We began our stay in Ubud at the Kayon Jungle Resort and it was most memorable. They upgraded us to a Premium Suite as a surprise. It was one of the nicest places we've ever stayed in, and the staff were so considerate to our needs. Highly recommended if you are looking for the real Bali honeymoon experience.
We decided to go more casual for the rest of... read more

I booked a trip to Bali for my honeymoon. We found the trip was overall very enjoyable. Ayu was very responsive before and during our trip. We began our stay in Ubud at the Kayon Jungle Resort and it was most memorable. They upgraded us to a Premium Suite as a surprise. It was one of the nicest places we've ever stayed in, and the staff were so considerate to our needs. Highly recommended if you are looking for the real Bali honeymoon experience.
We decided to go more casual for the rest of the trip, and all the hotels were clean and comfortable. The only complaint we had a few times was in regards to privacy. Any couple, especially a honeymooning one, values sound insulation. Unfortunately our stay in Gili Air at the Villa Karang and in Canggu at Frii Echo Hotel did not provide that. In both hotels, you could hear your neighbors as if they are next to you, which was not ideal for us.
However the Puri Lumbung Cottages in Munduk were a dream (we loved our stay in Munduk, we recommend booking a coffee roasting tour with the hotel), and my husband surprised me with a room upgrade at the Jimbaran Bay Beach hotel so the room was very nice and overlooked the water.
Our driver Gung Man was excellent and very considerate. The car was comfortable and had working A/C, perfect for napping between locations.
Our guide in our trek up Kawah Ijen, Mamu, was great. He was very patient, especially at the beginning when we were still very tired (we did the sunrise hike, so we got up at 1am). Unfortunately there was a downpour of rain that blocked our sunrise and it was freezing cold when we got to the summit, but that's just bad luck.
Overall it was a lovely and memorable honeymoon, we had a great time exploring Bali and recommend Ayu, Shanti Travel, and Kimkim to anyone who wants to go.

Awesome experience!! Ayu took care of everything.

Like previous trips, everything was great and handled expertly by our KimKim team (Nadia). Everything went according to plan and all recommendations were spot on and excellent. Nadia event went the extra mile for us in helping get a stranded bag to us at the airport during a tight connection. I would recommend KimKim to anyone who wants the help of a travel expert and all details taken care of. Great product!!

Blair

My Bali trip has been a dream. Beautiful island, warm and friendly local people, rich culture. Our local specialist Ayu had been so wonderful throughout the consultation and booking process. She advised and helped us book everything we needed/asked for to make sure we have a wonderful vacation. Our driver Krisna Arimbawa had been above and beyond our expectation. He was so friendly, resourceful, helpful and always with a big smile. Nusa Penida is so worth the trip to visit. Highly recommend... read more

My Bali trip has been a dream. Beautiful island, warm and friendly local people, rich culture. Our local specialist Ayu had been so wonderful throughout the consultation and booking process. She advised and helped us book everything we needed/asked for to make sure we have a wonderful vacation. Our driver Krisna Arimbawa had been above and beyond our expectation. He was so friendly, resourceful, helpful and always with a big smile. Nusa Penida is so worth the trip to visit. Highly recommend the Authentic Balinese Day - you will get to meet and experience the humble and wonderful lives of a local Balinese family (they were absolutely wonderful, warm and loving).

Our guide Tony and driver Daniel were fabulous. They took care of everything we needed and wanted. For example we had never had the opportunity to taste durian. Daniel knew a particular fruit stand that sold the best. He drove us through heavy traffic to find it. Tony made sure the fruit vendor sold us a tree ripened fruit. It was a very interesting taste. They recommended restaurants for us to try and took us there to compare menus. One evening we went to see the classical dance. It was... read more

Our guide Tony and driver Daniel were fabulous. They took care of everything we needed and wanted. For example we had never had the opportunity to taste durian. Daniel knew a particular fruit stand that sold the best. He drove us through heavy traffic to find it. Tony made sure the fruit vendor sold us a tree ripened fruit. It was a very interesting taste. They recommended restaurants for us to try and took us there to compare menus. One evening we went to see the classical dance. It was pouring rain. Daniel sat in our hotel lobby while we changed and drove us there so we would not have to order a taxi.

The activities were well suited to our interests. We enjoyed the archeological sites, markets, palaces and batik. The birdwatching and cycling through the small village were highlights. Whenever we wanted to stop and take photographs Daniel accommodated us.

The trip was AMAZING! So great to see and explore so much of east Java in such a short amount of time; Plateau Ijen, Mt. Bromo, Yojakarta, Borobudur and more :) The landscape is breathtaking (especially the sunrise over Mt Bromo) and I found myself time and time again in awe of the lush green surroundings.

A few things to call out - 1) underestimated the amount of time you spend traveling from one spot to another due to bad traffic, a lot of time spent in a car, and 2) the travel agency was... read more

The trip was AMAZING! So great to see and explore so much of east Java in such a short amount of time; Plateau Ijen, Mt. Bromo, Yojakarta, Borobudur and more :) The landscape is breathtaking (especially the sunrise over Mt Bromo) and I found myself time and time again in awe of the lush green surroundings.

A few things to call out - 1) underestimated the amount of time you spend traveling from one spot to another due to bad traffic, a lot of time spent in a car, and 2) the travel agency was a primarily french agency, so challenges finding an english speaking guide for our group - should have more explicitly called that out from the start.

Ayu was so helpful and professional in booking our trip to Bali. With all the information available online, it is overwhelming to know where to go or what to do. She gave us invaluable information on which beach city was the least touristy and helped us come up with an itinerary that minimized travel time. Our Guide Leni and Driver Mady were so warm, personable and helpful throughout our trip. It was an amazing experience.

Our trip was amazing! From start to finish we were taken care of. Sharif and his crew were very friendly and their hospitality was great. Sharif was very knowledgable about the area, spotting Mantas, Dolphins and baby sharks! We had some enforced changes to our itinerary, as we were unable to see Padar island which was a disappointment, but we always had interesting places to go, snorkel and view the wildlife. The crew cooked us a banquet for every meal, so we never went hungry! The... read more

Our trip was amazing! From start to finish we were taken care of. Sharif and his crew were very friendly and their hospitality was great. Sharif was very knowledgable about the area, spotting Mantas, Dolphins and baby sharks! We had some enforced changes to our itinerary, as we were unable to see Padar island which was a disappointment, but we always had interesting places to go, snorkel and view the wildlife. The crew cooked us a banquet for every meal, so we never went hungry! The facilities were basic, but we had everything we needed.

The highlights of the trip were definitely the animals we saw. The Komodo dragons on Komodo island, swimming with Manta Rays at manta point and watching the flying foxes exodus in their millions against the backdrop of the sun setting were really special.

The 3 days on the boat were an amazing experience and we would both highly recommend it to anyone.

We had a wonderful visit to the Botanical Gardens on Bali with Susan the bird guide who accompanied us was impressive with her knowledge of the bird song enabling us to have some really wonderful views of the birds.
The arrangements worked very well, we were collected promptly from our hotel by the taxi, had a lovely lunch in a local restuarant and enjoyed our visit to the local fruit amd vegetable market.
Overall it was a very enjoyable day.

Keith Gooday

Was an excellent trip, the guides on the ground were great, the communication in advance was very good. There were a few issues but aren't there always.

We have Yudi for a day I Yogyakarta , then Ovan for the rest of Java with Obbie driving and lastly Merta in Bali. Jessica was the initial contact and office based organizer.

The local guides had a deeper understanding of the best order to do things, when something should be busy or quieter - so whilst the things in a day were the same,... read more

Was an excellent trip, the guides on the ground were great, the communication in advance was very good. There were a few issues but aren't there always.

We have Yudi for a day I Yogyakarta , then Ovan for the rest of Java with Obbie driving and lastly Merta in Bali. Jessica was the initial contact and office based organizer.

The local guides had a deeper understanding of the best order to do things, when something should be busy or quieter - so whilst the things in a day were the same, the sequence in the day was shuffled by the local guides.

Highlights were the Ijen trek, the Kalibaru plantations and Jatiluwih rice terraces

I only had a few days to plan my trip. Despite my time constraints and our travel plans being in high season, our trip went very smoothly. They ensured there was ample time to travel between places. There were a few pleasant surprises put in for us. We had our honeymoon planned with Wise Steps Travel and all of our accomodations are arranged with cute and small romantic touches.

We had honeymoon pictures taken in Bali, the photographers recommended to us were professional and very friendly people.

As Leni said before we left. We left our hearts here in Bali.

Had a terrific experience with Ayu and also with Leni our tour guide and driver. I have some feedback which is given with the intent to help you in the future with travellers visiting Bali and how to better serve them!!
(1) Travel Truama is a real thing in Bali - it takes a very long time - on average 60 - 120 minutes to get from one temple or sight to Ubud or to another temple or sight.
(2) On Day One - we saw two temples: Tirta Empul and Gunung Kawi and were meant to go to Tegalalang and... read more

Had a terrific experience with Ayu and also with Leni our tour guide and driver. I have some feedback which is given with the intent to help you in the future with travellers visiting Bali and how to better serve them!!
(1) Travel Truama is a real thing in Bali - it takes a very long time - on average 60 - 120 minutes to get from one temple or sight to Ubud or to another temple or sight.
(2) On Day One - we saw two temples: Tirta Empul and Gunung Kawi and were meant to go to Tegalalang and Fire Dance and dinner. We probably spent 4 hours in the car getting to and from these locations. We had to drop the Fire Dance and were never going to get to Tagalalang as it was late and we were road weary
(3) On the second day we drove 2 hours to get out of Ubud and to Kintamani volcano,
temple Ulun Danu Batur, Les Village (for snorkeling). Again - on that day we spent at least 5 hours in the car to get to and from these places which limited our time when we actually got to them.
(4) Day three: Batu Karu Temple and Jatiluwih and we also got to the Tegalalang. We easily spent another 5 hours in the car. We spent more time in the car these three days combined than at the locations we were driving too.
(5) We ended up not doing the Nyambu Village - as once we got to Bali Eco Stay - we realized that the next day would have taken us 5-6 hours in the car. Not what we wanted.

Thank you Kimkim and Shanti for creating the best honeymoon experience for us! It was an unforgettable experience and we have fallen in love with Bali and all its culture. Wayan was an excellent driver and we will always be grateful for him. He took us to many of his favorite local warungs and even ordered our food for us and made sure we were ok (when there was a language barrier with the staff). Our trip would not be the same without him!

Matthieu was also wonderful. During our meeting, he... read more

Thank you Kimkim and Shanti for creating the best honeymoon experience for us! It was an unforgettable experience and we have fallen in love with Bali and all its culture. Wayan was an excellent driver and we will always be grateful for him. He took us to many of his favorite local warungs and even ordered our food for us and made sure we were ok (when there was a language barrier with the staff). Our trip would not be the same without him!

Matthieu was also wonderful. During our meeting, he made sure we were comfortable with our program and reassured us that he would be there at any time if we had any issues down the road. I am highly allergic to mold, and our initial room at Abian Ayu was covered in it. My husband and I are very low maintenance when it comes to room arrangements, but there was no way I would've been able to be comfortable in that room. Alvin contacted Matthieu, and within a matter of minutes, the hotel staff apologized and made other arrangements for us.

The service at The Alena was absolutely incredible. We felt so welcome everywhere we went, and the staff even remembered our names.

Places we visited that stood out the most: our entire stay at Gili, Uluwatu Temple (used on our free day), and Tirta Gangga.

All in all a fantastic, memorable experience. Thank you for everything!