Cami Sarmiento

After a lot of research, my family and I booked this trip to Donsol for an ethical experience with whale sharks and we are so grateful that we did. I highly recommend this trip as it does not have a negative impact on the natural behaviour and environment of the whale sharks.

Our overall experience from the booking process to the trip itself was positive and enjoyable. Cami, our local specialist was very professional and organised meaning that we could relax and have a great time.... read more

After a lot of research, my family and I booked this trip to Donsol for an ethical experience with whale sharks and we are so grateful that we did. I highly recommend this trip as it does not have a negative impact on the natural behaviour and environment of the whale sharks.

Our overall experience from the booking process to the trip itself was positive and enjoyable. Cami, our local specialist was very professional and organised meaning that we could relax and have a great time.

Our guide Arisa was absolutely fantastic. She was very kind, thoughtful, helpful and friendly. She made us all feel very welcome.

Our accommodation at Elysia Beach Resort was serene and peaceful and the staff were so lovely and accommodating. My family and I are vegan and they went above and beyond to make sure we had food that we could eat which was much appreciated.

I loved how flexible this trip was. As scuba divers, we wanted to incorporate some dives into the trip and Cami easily organised this for us. Our dive master Bobby was fantastic and made sure we had a great day of diving. We did three incredible dives. One at Bobby’s Wall at San Miguel Islands followed by two drift dives at Manta Bowl Ticao Pass where we were lucky enough to see three giant oceanic manta rays!

We were very excited to see whale sharks in a natural calm environment and we were not disappointed. Our guide Joseph and the rest of his team were very experienced and we were lucky enough to swim alongside a beautiful whale shark, an experience we will never forget!

Thank you to everyone who made this trip possible!

Hotel Review

Elysia Beach Resort

Donsol

Elysia Beach Resort is absolutely stunning! I felt very relaxed and peaceful during my stay. The staff were so lovely, friendly and accommodating. My family and I are vegan and they went above and beyond to ensure we had suitable food to eat during our stay. I actually didn’t want to leave! I highly recommend them if you travel to Donsol!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Diving & Snorkeling in Ticao Island

Philippines

Diving Bobby’s Wall at San Miguel Islands and Manta Bowl at Ticao Pass was incredible! Our dive master Bobby was professional and he ensured we had a fantastic day of diving. We saw a lot of beautiful corals and marine life including three giant oceanic manta rays! The non divers also had a great time and were able to snorkel, relax and enjoy the beautiful weather. Overall it was an awesome experience!

Quality of Experience

Beautiful weather, wonderful dive master and crew, amazing dive sites and an incredible encounter with giant oceanic manta rays!

Food

We really appreciated the effort to accommodate us as vegans. We had rice and some eggplant but we were still a little hungry as it was a big day out diving and the portions were a little small. We also needed more drinking water.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our dive master Bobby was fantastic. I felt safe diving with him and he ensured our dives were fun and positive. The rest of the crew were also great.

Transport

The boat ride was fun and we felt safe getting from one dive site to another.

Whale Sharks

Donsol

Swimming alongside a whale shark has long been a dream of mine. But for me, the most important thing is to engage in positive experiences with wildlife to ensure we do not negatively impact their environment and natural behaviours. This experience fulfilled my lifelong dream and it was incredible. Our guide Joseph and his team were professional and very experienced. There were only me and my family on the boat and when we finally found a whale shark, it was just us in the water so the experience was calm and stress free. Seeing the whale shark swim on the surface alongside us for about a minute before descending into the deep is a memory that will always stay with me!

Quality of Experience

Although there were other boats also looking for whale sharks, there were not huge groups of people in the water and the number of boats were limited. What made this experience special was the fact that it was a natural encounter.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Joseph was very calm and relaxed. It was clear that he and his team were experienced.

Transport

Fireflies

Donsol

This was a nice addition to our trip to Donsol. Seeing the fireflies was a magical experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Árisa our guide was the most beautiful person
She went out of her way to make sure everything was perfect for us.
Both our tour guides for our whale shark experience and firefly experience were
Lovely too and very knowledgeable.
Overall we had an amazing time read more

Árisa our guide was the most beautiful person
She went out of her way to make sure everything was perfect for us.
Both our tour guides for our whale shark experience and firefly experience were
Lovely too and very knowledgeable.
Overall we had an amazing time

Our experience with Kim Kim and our travel advisor, Cami was beyond our expectations. Cami customized our trip for us and provided guidance based on her experience all along the way. She was in touch from the first day of our trip planning almost daily and in the days after our trip wanting to make sure we were reminded of flights, government registration, transportation pickups, names of local guides, emergency contacts, and general information to make our tours and overall trip a great... read more

Our experience with Kim Kim and our travel advisor, Cami was beyond our expectations. Cami customized our trip for us and provided guidance based on her experience all along the way. She was in touch from the first day of our trip planning almost daily and in the days after our trip wanting to make sure we were reminded of flights, government registration, transportation pickups, names of local guides, emergency contacts, and general information to make our tours and overall trip a great experience.
Our arrival in Manila was uneventful and the Belmont Hotel was ok but not great. While the proximity to the airport was great, the customer service was lacking; it was crowded and they handled overflow by placing dining tables in the lobby. On Sunday, we had a major problem with our flight from Manila to Legazpi on Sunday on Cebu Pacific Airlines. Our flight was diverted mid-air to return to Manila due to a problem with the landing gear. We had to stay in the air to burn off fuel which was a little disconcerting. Flight announcements were not made so many onboard were nervous to say the least. Upon our safe landing in Manila (Sunday evening), none of the emergency contacts answered the phone numbers which was very frustrating. I finally was able to get through to Carmel with WhatsApp. We were directed to an area near the baggage claim where we were given vouchers from Cebu Pacific. After more than an hour and a half, they took us by bus to a cheap and disgusting hotel (Royal Bellagio Hotel). There were prostitutes on the street soliciting passengers (including our husbands) and men trying to sell Cialis. We had to wait in line for over an hour to get on the elevator (maximum capacity of 2-3) to register on the 3rd floor. We were all lined up on the outside steps and through a restaurant to board the elevator. At approximately 8:00 p.m., we finally checked in and were promised dinner that did not arrive until 11:00 pm and it was inedible. We had to be ready to leave at 4:00 a.m. to depart on bus for the airport where there was no one there to meet us and let us know our flight number – we were directed all over the airport before finally getting our boarding passes. I would highly recommend any other airline other than this one.
We let Carmel know our flight number on Monday morning and she arranged for our airport transport to Donsol. Cami was back in touch to help us rearrange our itinerary so that we didn't miss out on anything. After a really rough beginning, our visit to Donsol was wonderful. The Elysia Resort was good but clearly our most “rustic” stay. While this was on the beach, the beach left much to be desired. It was dirty and there were dogs everywhere. They barked all night long. It was difficult to adjust the room temperature, the towels were pretty bare, the beds were only okay, but the food was good in the restaurant.
In Donsol, we were taken care of by Carmel and Ariza with Bicol Beyond; both were very accommodating, but Ariza was beyond our expectations. She was personable and very hands on. We really appreciated the rearrangement of our day to Busay Falls and the ability to switch it out with a second whale shark outing – all at no additional cost. Our first rearranged outing was our dive trip to Ticao Island and the Manta Bowl. Junery Azupardo (Jun) was our divemaster and he was assisted by July. They were both very, very good and experienced divers and we felt confident we were in good hands. Our first dive was a wall off Ticao Island and it was magnificent with colorful coral. Jun took photos and videos for us and hand delivered them to us on a thumb drive at our hotel in Legazpi – that is what I call “over and beyond” service. Jun and Ariza are both very good representatives for Bicol Beyond.
Because we arrived late, Cami worked with Bicol Beyond and Ariza was on the job. She rearranged our schedule for a second whale shark outing that was staffed with a great crew (including her husband who is a Butanding Interaction Officer [BIO]) and a university student, Aldwyn Calaguing, who was researching whale sharks also was onboard. Aldwyn was able to provide us so much information about whale sharks. Both BIOs on the boat were in the water with us and pushing us along to get the best from our swim with two different whale sharks; one was approximately 6 meters long (nicknamed Notchie due to a notch in his tail) and the other nicknamed Biggie because he was between 9 and 10 meters long. It was awesome! Ariza then arranged a special lunch for us. Her husband had hand-selected two large fresh crabs and she paired them with vegetables and rice. WOW! Our tricycle drivers (Mark) were so much fun and we enjoyed them so much. This company and the entire staff was wonderful!
The firefly river was fun and relaxing and our guide, Laura was good. We were able to see a couple trees where they were swarming so that was neat to see.
Our transfer from Donsol to Legazpi was uneventful and The Marison Hotel was very nice and the staff was very welcoming. We enjoyed our trip to Camalig province and the cooking demonstration was great – I must learn how to make that dish! I think it was Pinangat? It was delicious.
Our flight to Cebu City was uneventful despite a delay on Cebu Pacific airlines. We enjoyed the Marco Polo Hotel – the breakfast buffet was great and there were dining options. Canyoneering in Kawasan Falls was great and it was strenuous. I would suggest you have your clients watch a video of the trekking. We were by far the oldest people there but we had a great time- take that, you young ones!!. Justin and Vincent were our guides. When one of our group struggled with asthma and some of the climbs, Vincent and Justin he stuck by her side, holding her hand, and floating her through some of the river areas while we went forward and jumped all the cliffs – It was great fun!!
We enjoyed our trip to Bohol. It was a nice and relaxing day scheduled after a few days of very active tours. Both our tour guides were very nice. Christine accompanied us to the seaport and was there after our day to get us back to our hotel. Marichu (she gave her name as Sarah) was wonderful giving us a lot of information about Bohol, the Targsier Sanctuary, the Chocolate Hills, and the town. It was a very nice day aided by great tour guides who were clearly very interested in our comfort and needs.
The flight from Cebu City to Puerto Princesa on Philippines Airways was uneventful and it was a better airline experience. The Hue Hotel was good-clean and comfortable, and the location close to the Robinson Mall was nice. When we got in, we decided to chill by the pool and were seated but the bar staff asked us to move while they prepared for a private party. We moved to where we were directed and after 5 minutes, they approached us again and asked us to move. They suggested a location in the sun and after finishing our drinks, we decided to leave. The way this was handled was very poor. Later, we visited the pool which is badly in need of repairs. Many tiles were missing and the edges of the plaster were sharp.
The underground river was a nice experience. Rich is a very good tour guide who clearly knows the area well. Like all our guides, he offered to take group pictures for us and we got a really good guide for the mangroves who sang to us. It was quite entertaining.
Our trip to El Nido was interesting. We had someone pick us up but were taken to a gas station where our driver and van were switched. The driver didn’t appear too engaged or interested.
El Nido was great and the Funny Lion is a great hotel. We were greeted by the hotel manager who welcomed us and offered his assistance with anything we needed. He checked on us daily. The rooms were clean and beds and pillows were great. The pool was wonderful. Our island hopping was good but we were shocked at the amount of coral that is dead or dying. I know some of this is due to Typhoon Odette but this was not the best for snorkeling. The boat crew was wonderful and attentive and they prepared two great lunches on the boat. It was great, great fun.
Overall, we really enjoyed our trip and all of the transfers, guides, and details were attended to very well by Cami who continually checked in on us.

On a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the best, we rated the hotels:
• Belmont Hotel – “3”
• Elysia Beach Resort – “2.5 to 3.0”
• Marison Hotel – “4”
• Marco Polo Hotel – “4.5”
• Funny Lion Hotel – “5” – this staff went way and beyond. The rooms were nice. The linens and towels were great. Food was good. Pool was wonderful and the outside showers, bathrooms and foot wash was really convenient and useful.

For publication (here is a condensed review but feel free to use specific information about the tour guides, tour companies and the individuals as you feel appropriate). Most of this is designed to be helpful to you in further trip planning.
We planned a trip to the Philippines with KimKim Travel and were very pleased with their services. Our agent, Cami, helped us to customize a trip specific to our wants and needs. She provided guidance based on her experience. After a couple of months in getting the itinerary finalized, flights confirmed, submittal of needed documents, and answering our many questions, she sent a comprehensive summary of our trip with emergency contacts, tour guide names, details about transfers, and suggestions for restaurants, shopping, and additional activities. She kept in touch with us almost daily and made recommendations throughout our vacation. She sent us reminders throughout our trip and provided troubleshooting when we had a canceled flight that disrupted our schedule. She and the tour companies and guides in the Philippines rearranged things for us so we were able to regroup and continue our trip with very little problem. We highly recommend KimKim and Cami Sarmiento.

Hotel Reviews

Belmont Hotel Manila

Pasay City

Belmont Hotel was ok but not great. While the proximity to the airport was great, the customer service was lacking; it was crowded and they handled overflow by placing dining tables in the lobby. A special request to use the pool in the afternoon on our last day was a major issue as check-out was at noon. After escalating our request to a manager, we were allowed to use the pool.

Authenticity & Character

The service was "so-so" and staff was not customer-centric. Rooms were clean, dining was okay, phones did not work, some electrical outlets did not work, and the air-conditioning could not be adjusted. Overall, I would choose a different hotel with some character and better service.

Location

Staff

Not interested in helping or accommodating anything out of the ordinary.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and comfortable but maintenance was needed for phones and electrical outlets.

Elysia Beach Resort

Donsol

The Elysia Resort was good but clearly our most “rustic” stay. While this was on the beach, the beach left much to be desired. It was dirty and there were dogs everywhere. They barked all night long. It was difficult to adjust the room temperature, the towels were pretty bare, the beds were only okay, but the food was good in the restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

A little more luxury would be nice. It did appear that the management of the hotel was interested in cost controls more than guest comfort. A rating of 2.5 is more appropriate

Location

Proximity to our tours was great.

Staff

Staff was polite and helpful but not over the top on service.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were a little hard, towels were pretty thread-bare, linens were clean. A little 'up-grade' would go a long way.

The Marison Hotel

Legazpi

The Marison Hotel was very nice and the staff was very welcoming as we checked in. The rooms were comfortable and had everything we needed. The restaurant was good and all staff from bell staff, to desk clerks, to restaurant servers were all very, very good. Great view of the volcano - wish it hadn't been so cloudy!

Authenticity & Character

Very nice - standard character.

Location

Great view of the volcano.

Staff

Everyone was great.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were very clean and the beds were super comfy.

Marco Polo Plaza Cebu

Cebu City

We would rate this a "4.5". All staff was very welcoming and helpful. There were multiple dining options. The pool area was a nice place to have a late meal. Breakfast was really good and plentiful with food and selection.

Authenticity & Character

It's a large and more luxurious hotel. The dining areas were really nice.

Location

With the city being so large, it is hard to rate the location but it was close to a lot of shopping.

Staff

Service was fast and easy.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were comfortable.

Hue Hotels and Resorts Puerto Princesa

Puerto Princesa

The Hue Hotel was good-clean and comfortable, and the location close to the Robinson Mall was nice. When we got in, we decided to chill by the pool and were seated but the bar staff asked us to move while they prepared for a private party. We moved to where we were directed and after 5 minutes, they approached us again and asked us to move. They suggested a location in the sun and after finishing our drinks, we decided to leave. The way this was handled was very poor. We had ordered beer - San Miguel Light but got the wrong beer. We approached the bar and they provided the correct beer but we watched one of the servers putting caps back on the beers we returned - that was a little alarming! Later, we visited the pool which is badly in need of repairs. Many tiles were missing and the edges of the plaster were sharp.

Authenticity & Character

Facility needs maintenance.

Location

Great location to road and next door to a mall.

Staff

Pool bar staff needs training. All other staff was good.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maintenance was needed.

The Funny Lion El Nido

El Nido

The Funny Lion-El Nido is a great hotel. The rating we gave was primarily due to the over-the-top service we received. From the management staff to every single employee there, it was clear we were the number one priority. We were greeted by the hotel manager who welcomed us and offered his assistance with anything we needed. We were provided with welcome and departure gifts - they weren't much but the thought was lovely. The manager checked on us daily. The Food and Beverage Manager was very attentive and was present in the restaurant and breakfast area each day. Like his manager, he was very focused on our satisfaction. The rooms were clean and beds and pillows were great. The pool was wonderful.

Authenticity & Character

The design of this hotel is really great. The pool was the center of the hotel and was beautiful. All facilities were open to the pool and fans kept everything cool and comfortable. There is a large bathroom at the end of the restaurant with showers and toilets if you want to use them as you come in from the ocean.

Location

Close to town. New facility on road where transportation was readily available.

Staff

If we could rate them a "10", we would. Their attention to our every need was just wonderful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were clean, towels were fluffy. Bedding and beds were very comfortable. Drying areas for beach clothing were available out of the front door and on the balconies.

Activity Reviews

Diving in Ticao Island

Philippines

Junery Azupardo (Jun) was our divemaster and he was assisted by July. They were both very, very good and experienced divers and we felt confident we were in good hands. Our first dive was a wall off Ticao Island and it was magnificent with colorful coral. The manta bowl was a challenging dive with some strong down currents but Jun and July made sure we were safe and taken care of. When our first dive had to be cut short, we went to the other side of the bowl, and were able to see a large manta. Jun took photos and videos for us and hand delivered them to us on a thumb drive at our hotel in Legazpi – that is what I call “over and beyond” service. Jun, July and Ariza are both very good representatives for Bicol Beyond.

Quality of Experience

The wall was beautiful and our dive team was really attentive. They went above and beyond.

Food

Wow! We really didn't expect such a great meal.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jun and July - you have to have good dive masters - they were familiar with the locations and our safety and comfort was their priority.

Transport

Boat crew was very helpful.

Whale Sharks

Donsol

Ariza arranged our schedule for a second whale shark outing that was staffed with a great crew (including her husband who is a Butanding Interaction Officer [BIO]) and a university student, Aldwyn Calaguing, who was researching whale sharks also was onboard. Aldwyn was able to provide us so much information about whale sharks. Both BIOs on the boat were in the water with us and pushing us along to get the best from our swim with two different whale sharks; one was approximately 6 meters long (nicknamed Notchie due to a notch in his tail) and the other nicknamed Biggie because he was between 9 and 10 meters long. It was awesome! Ariza then arranged a special lunch for us. Her husband had hand-selected two large fresh crabs and she paired them with vegetables and rice. WOW! Our tricycle drivers (Mark) were so much fun and we enjoyed them so much. This company and the entire staff was wonderful!

Quality of Experience

An experienced crew focused on giving us the best experience possible.

Food

Ariza arranged for a fresh crab lunch - it was delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staffed by licensed Butanding Interaction Officers [BIO]) and a university student, Aldwyn Calaguing, who was researching whale sharks. Arranged by Ariza with Bicol Beyond who was so hands on and arranged for a fantastic lunch for us.

Transport

Boat and crew were great!

Fireflies

Donsol

Fun and relaxing. We found an area where the fireflies were swarming and it was interesting to see the synchronization.

Quality of Experience

Pretty and relaxing

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Laura was very nice.

Transport

Picked up on time; back to hotel afterward. Easy and close.

Busay Waterfalls Adventure

Philippines

Not applicable - we canceled this tour.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Canyoneering in Kawasan Falls

Cebu City

Canyoneering in Kawasan Falls was great and it was strenuous. I would suggest you have your clients watch a video of the trekking. We were by far the oldest people there but we had a great time- take that, you young ones!!. Justin and Vincent were our guides. When one of our group struggled with asthma and some of the climbs, Vincent and Justin he stuck by her side, holding her hand, and floating her through some of the river areas while we went forward and jumped all the cliffs – It was great fun!!

Quality of Experience

Great scenery, good exercise, fun!

Food

Freshly prepared - healthy

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Justin and Vincent were great.

Transport

Bohol Island Day Tour from Cebu

Philippines

We enjoyed our trip to Bohol. It was a nice and relaxing day scheduled after a few days of very active tours. Both our tour guides were very nice. Christine accompanied us to the seaport and was there after our day to get us back to our hotel. Marichu (she gave her name as Sarah) was wonderful giving us a lot of information about Bohol, the Tarsier Sanctuary, the Chocolate Hills, and the town. It was a very nice day aided by great tour guides who were clearly very interested in our comfort and needs.

Quality of Experience

Relaxing day following a very physical prior several days.

Food

Very good food, nice restaurant!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All tour guides were knowledgeable and very customer oriented

Transport

Puerto Princesa Underground River Day Tour

Philippines

The underground river was a nice experience. Rich is a very good tour guide who clearly knows the area well. Like all our guides, he offered to take group pictures for us and we got a really good guide for the mangroves who sang to us. It was quite entertaining.

Quality of Experience

The caves were beautiful

Food

Variety

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Rich was a great guide! Friendly, helpful and very knowledgeable.

Transport

Island Hopping in El Nido - Tour B

El Nido

Our island hopping was good but we were shocked at the amount of coral that is dead or dying. I know some of this is due to Typhoon Odette but this was not the best for snorkeling. The boat crew was wonderful and attentive and they prepared two great lunches on the boat. It was great, great fun.

Quality of Experience

Mike was really a great guide and he and the boat crew were very attentive.

Food

It was delicious and freshly prepared just for us. What a spread they put on.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

So very nice - all of them.

Transport

Boat crew was great

Island hopping in El Nido - Tour A

El Nido

Our island hopping was good but we were shocked at the amount of coral that is dead or dying. I know some of this is due to Typhoon Odette but this was not the best for snorkeling. The boat crew was wonderful and attentive and they prepared two great lunches on the boat. It was great, great fun.

Quality of Experience

Food

Awesome lunch prepared fresh on the boat. We even had fruit carved beautifully.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mike and the boat crew were great!

Transport

Thank you Kimkim and Cami for planning such a wonderful 15 days Honeymoon trip for us. Cami was always very helpful from the start of planning to the very end of our trip without missing out the tiniest details. We sincerely felt that she had planned the trip to the best of our interests. Even when I fell sick and couldn't make it for one of the tours, she made numerous activity proposals for me so I wouldn't waste a day.

Transfer arrangements was on time even when there's a last minute... read more

Thank you Kimkim and Cami for planning such a wonderful 15 days Honeymoon trip for us. Cami was always very helpful from the start of planning to the very end of our trip without missing out the tiniest details. We sincerely felt that she had planned the trip to the best of our interests. Even when I fell sick and couldn't make it for one of the tours, she made numerous activity proposals for me so I wouldn't waste a day.

Transfer arrangements was on time even when there's a last minute changes to our connecting flights. All accommodations were lovely. All the staffs we met were friendly and helpful.

All the tours and guides Cami arranged were amazing. Shout out to Ariza from Elysia Beach Resort, Planet Action from Cebu, Jhonas from Coron, Jen from The Funny Lion Coron, ElBacuit from El Nido for make our trip unforgettable and amazing.

We highly recommend planning your Philippines trip with Cami.
With Cami, you won't have a single thing to worry about.

We had such an incredible trip and I would not hesitate to recommend kimkim and Cami in particular. From the initial booking, Cami was really responsive and receptive to our requests and gave us really great advice. The trip itself was just perfect and exactly what we had hoped for. The Philippines is such a beautiful country and the trip was really good value compared to other holidays I’d seen. A special shout out to Jhonas in Coron, and also to Christian from The Funny Lion in El Nido who... read more

We had such an incredible trip and I would not hesitate to recommend kimkim and Cami in particular. From the initial booking, Cami was really responsive and receptive to our requests and gave us really great advice. The trip itself was just perfect and exactly what we had hoped for. The Philippines is such a beautiful country and the trip was really good value compared to other holidays I’d seen. A special shout out to Jhonas in Coron, and also to Christian from The Funny Lion in El Nido who led our complimentary beach tour to Papaya Beach (highly recommend staying in The Funny Lion in El Nido and leaving a day free so you can take the complimentary tour - the beach is so beautiful!). Thank you for everything!

Our trip planned by Cami was amazing. Everything was planned down to the T. Nothing went wrong. Our transfers were always on time and our guides were so accommodating, friendly and knowledgeable. The communication from all parties was great.

Jody- Whilst trekking through the rice terraces over 3 days with Jody I felt I was with a friend rather than a guide which is what you want. He knew everything about the area and is very popular with all the local people. I loved staying in the... read more

Our trip planned by Cami was amazing. Everything was planned down to the T. Nothing went wrong. Our transfers were always on time and our guides were so accommodating, friendly and knowledgeable. The communication from all parties was great.

Jody- Whilst trekking through the rice terraces over 3 days with Jody I felt I was with a friend rather than a guide which is what you want. He knew everything about the area and is very popular with all the local people. I loved staying in the hostels along the way. We’d often saw glimpses of Jody helping the local people which I admired. A great guide and an even better man. I said I’d be in touch again to climb the 3rd tallest mountain in the Philippines with Jody.

Guides:

Charles- Driving from Manila to Banaue and back is no small feat. Charles was very hospitable and a great driver. He’s your man if you want to get from a to b in good time.

Rich- Although we only spent a small amount of time with Rich our experience was great. He’s a Puerto Princesa local so knows his stuff. The meal prepared in Ulugan bay was a banquet. One thing I would say is the snorkelling here wasn’t great and Coron is definitely the spot to see amazing fish, lovely coral and wrecks.

Zean- It was a great to spend the last day with Zean seeing Pinatubo Volcano. We discovered we both were fascinated by anthropology. Zean put up with my 101 questions and I learn’t a lot. Definitely will be in touch to plan some more adventures. The jeep ride was really an experience and I loved every second.

Admittedly, the schedule was intense but that’s the only way you can see that amount of things in 2 weeks. If you want a relaxing holiday chilling ( which I didn’t) this is not the itinerary for you.

The highlight for me had to be the north. It was eye opening seeing the villages: how resourceful and clever the locals are. I’ve never seen anything like it. Was eye opening.
I enjoyed watching Jody show us how the rice is made with a local man. We could learn a lot about the way they live over here in the west. There’s a really community feel. If you love walking and amazing views then this trek is perfect. The world heritage site was breathtaking. Looking back I wish I’d included climbing Mount Pulag.

Accommodation:

The Manila hotel did the job. We were a bit gutted that on the last day before our flight they didn’t let us use a room for a shower despite staying with them the night before and checking out at 2am.

Banaue homestay, Cambul guesthouse and the Hillside Inn were amazing. Simple but effective. Food was good, people were lovely no complaints. I would say that the accommodation you suggested in Pula is very very simple hence why we went with Cambul which is a better option.

Atremaru was lovely, rooms were amazing and food was good. Great massage also! Although, we did have no electricity all night which meant no fans so we were very hot.

Sangat island was really a cool location, and so remote. Great for padel boarding. The food was a slight let down though.

The houseboats really were an experience and I suggest working with them as it’s not often you can sleep slap bang in the middle of the twin lagoon.

The only real limitation with the trip was it was only 2 weeks! I’ll certainly be back and I’m so keen to see the vast array of other areas the Philippines has to offer. An amazing country with great people.

Cami who planned our whole trip was amazing from the very start. Her communication was great and the hours of conversation planning are not forgotten. I highly recommend planning your trip to the Philippines with Cami. Thank you again Cami!

Our trip was amazing! Cami made everything easy and was very responsive and easy to reach even during times where we ran into hiccups she was there to help problem solve. Our excursions were fun had the best tour guides. Awesome hotel accommodations I will definitely use Kimkim in the future. Thanks Cami :)

Cami put together an amazing itinerary for our scuba-loving group. We went to Bohol and Coron, staying in quality resorts with all the amenities we needed. We had a couple older people with us who were catered for brilliantly as well, lots of snorkeling and moderate activities for them so they never felt left out. What's more, Cami continued to be there for us the whole time we were traveling. We had to make a few changes to our schedule and planned activities, and Cami was in constant... read more

Cami put together an amazing itinerary for our scuba-loving group. We went to Bohol and Coron, staying in quality resorts with all the amenities we needed. We had a couple older people with us who were catered for brilliantly as well, lots of snorkeling and moderate activities for them so they never felt left out. What's more, Cami continued to be there for us the whole time we were traveling. We had to make a few changes to our schedule and planned activities, and Cami was in constant contact with us and with the staff on the ground to make sure our changes went smoothly. We always felt secure knowing she was there to help. She is knowledgeable, hands on and proactive, highly recommend.

Booking this trip through my guide, Cami, was the best decision ever. She took care of everything. I had the piece of mind knowing that all my activities were taken care of. She was always accessible and responded very quickly. I had zero issues during my 2 weeks by myself in the Phillipines. She was even kind enough to give me suggestions for my off days. I wouldn’t go with any other company. 10/10 would recommend to anybody. I’m already planning my next trip and can’t wait to book with Cami again!

Cami put together a great vacation for us to the Grand Canyon and Sedona. The format of the offering was different than what I had previously gotten from KimKim, namely she put together an itinerary but did not book the trips (I don’t know if this is the new format KimKim is adopting.) While I would have preferred a more full service offering, Cami put together an excellent itinerary and give us detailed information on how to book activities and other reservations easily on our own. She hit... read more

Cami put together a great vacation for us to the Grand Canyon and Sedona. The format of the offering was different than what I had previously gotten from KimKim, namely she put together an itinerary but did not book the trips (I don’t know if this is the new format KimKim is adopting.) While I would have preferred a more full service offering, Cami put together an excellent itinerary and give us detailed information on how to book activities and other reservations easily on our own. She hit all the highlights at both sites, including some fun side excursions. The night sky tour at Lowell Observatory was a highlight! I also appreciated that she followed up with us even after the itinerary was built, to let us know about new tour and activity openings as Arizona opened up from the pandemic. Thanks Cami for putting together a great itinerary and helping us plan a family vacation that we all loved!

Our recent family vacation to Palawan and El Nido was a delight for this group of "landlubbers". The arrangements-hotels, travel arrangements and activities were top notch. Our local guide Stephen Tuboc was friendly and an epitome of knowledge.
I have never seen such beautiful turquoise beaches before which were not swarming with tourists. The activities were planned with a lot of thought, so nothing seemed rushed. Snorkelling in the midst of lovely corals and multicoloured tropical fish was... read more

Our recent family vacation to Palawan and El Nido was a delight for this group of "landlubbers". The arrangements-hotels, travel arrangements and activities were top notch. Our local guide Stephen Tuboc was friendly and an epitome of knowledge.
I have never seen such beautiful turquoise beaches before which were not swarming with tourists. The activities were planned with a lot of thought, so nothing seemed rushed. Snorkelling in the midst of lovely corals and multicoloured tropical fish was a "once in a life time experience". I would definitely reccommend this trip to anyone who loves nature!!

We had a wonderful trip to Zion, Bryce and the Grand Canyon national parks, and to the Antelope Canyons. The self-guided guide prepared by Cami was very useful in pointing us to places to stay and dine, and popular areas to visit/see based on our schedule. We just followed the guide and had the best time! Thank you Cami!

Thank you to everyone at Kimkim, especially Cami who was so helpful in putting together my trip to Colombia.
I visited bogota, Santa Marta, Cartegena and did the Lost City Trek.
Cami helped put this altogether as well as arranging trips, tours and transfers meaning all I pretty much had to was get on the plane and the rest was taken care off.
Special mentions to the tour guides of Jhon and Alvaro for showing me around Bogota and Cartegena.
For the Lost City Trek I'd like to thank Denis,... read more

Thank you to everyone at Kimkim, especially Cami who was so helpful in putting together my trip to Colombia.
I visited bogota, Santa Marta, Cartegena and did the Lost City Trek.
Cami helped put this altogether as well as arranging trips, tours and transfers meaning all I pretty much had to was get on the plane and the rest was taken care off.
Special mentions to the tour guides of Jhon and Alvaro for showing me around Bogota and Cartegena.
For the Lost City Trek I'd like to thank Denis, Gostavo, Luis and Samir who were amazing guides and helped make the whole adventure truly memorable.
Thank you to Kimkim for being a major part of giving me a fantastic Colombia experience!

We had a fabulous time in Columbia. Cami did a super job in setting up
the middle part of our week, which I think was so successful because of the several conversations we had on kimkim.

We were picked up promptly by our driver, Luis. I know he was called in late, as our our original driver was unable to. My one concern was that he had driven through the night to get us and we had a 6-7 hour drive ahead of us. In spite of that, he was a very cautious driver, talked with us, stopped when we... read more

We had a fabulous time in Columbia. Cami did a super job in setting up
the middle part of our week, which I think was so successful because of the several conversations we had on kimkim.

We were picked up promptly by our driver, Luis. I know he was called in late, as our our original driver was unable to. My one concern was that he had driven through the night to get us and we had a 6-7 hour drive ahead of us. In spite of that, he was a very cautious driver, talked with us, stopped when we needed to, or when we had to though out the construction zone. I learned much from him about Columbia and never felt in danger.

We arrived late to Hacienda Venecia, but still took lunch and had a very informative tour of the coffee farm by Johan. Again, we learned a lot and he was most generous with his time.

We loved this place and wished we would have had more time there, if only to watch the birds! Just beautiful and the accommodations and staff very nice.

Milton and Victor picked us up promptly in the morning for our trip up to Nevada. Milton gets an A+ in my book. He has a broad and deep knowledge of the region and was eager to share that with us. The paramo was awe inspiring, but I think he felt that way about it too. I did not expect him to stay with us long when we returned to Manizales, but he did and we enjoyed our tour there as well.

The one place I had mixed feelings about was the place we had lunch at. We decided not to take in the hot springs, so enjoyed watching and feeding the hummingbirds in the garden. I also enjoyed talking to one of the employees about the hummingbirds, who obviously was quite taken by them as well.

Milton had asked if we could have lunch in the warmer room, and it seemed that they agreed to it, but when we returned they had put our food in the colder room (we had just come down from the paramo) even though there were no other guests. Two of us had also wanted the traditional soup and lunch, and our driver I think wanted something off the menu, but we were told we could only order off the menu and that Milton and our driver had to have the traditional food. It did not seem quite right, but I do not know if that is culturally accepted. If not, I feel the treatment would have been enough for me to not want to use this place (which is too bad because the hummingbirds were such a treat). By the way, the little cafe we stopped at on the way to the paramo was a treat where we had the traditional cane soup and cheese. Perfect!

After touring Manizales, we were dropped off at the Quo hotel. Very modern and nice-much more than we needed, but very comfortable.

Victor picked us up the next morning and promptly delivered us to the Pereira airport. It was fun to talk to him about the area.

Thank you SO much for putting together a package that so perfectly suited our needs. We loved Columbia! Everyone we met was so friendly, kind and helpful. I hope we get back someday, but in the meantime will highly recommend it to friends (and kimkim). We wish the country and its people well.

With much gratitude,
Cindy

Our guide Milton was absolutely fabulous. A wealth of knowledge, and a great human being. In my opinion, the day we spent with him was the best day of our trip. Visiting the paramo and the volcano was an experience of a lifetime. Being introduced to this beautiful country and unique ecosystem, while at the same time talking about social and contextual issues was quite meaningful. While everything worked out quite fine, I do want to raise one personal concern. Our driver from Medellin... read more

Our guide Milton was absolutely fabulous. A wealth of knowledge, and a great human being. In my opinion, the day we spent with him was the best day of our trip. Visiting the paramo and the volcano was an experience of a lifetime. Being introduced to this beautiful country and unique ecosystem, while at the same time talking about social and contextual issues was quite meaningful. While everything worked out quite fine, I do want to raise one personal concern. Our driver from Medellin to the coffee region, Luis, was quite fine. There was lots of road constructions o we were forced to go very slowly. I was concerned, however, that he had driven through the night to get to Medellin to pick us up, and then drove us at least 6-7 hours back, with still 2 more hours of driving to get home, all without any sleep. Not only is this a safety concern, but I hope KimKim does not expect this of its drivers. Our entire experience was fabulous, but I wanted to make sure to mention this.

The trip we experienced had some wonderful highlights. However, the hiking on the second and third days, was not properly described. This created a dangerous situation in which my wife was hurt. She had to stop hiking. The only way she got out was on horseback. Luckily, she has experience riding and the farmer who owns Jordan finca was skilled at guiding the horse down 10k of extremely steep, rocky paths and then through 5k more of just wet, slippery paths to safety.
Specifically, the... read more

The trip we experienced had some wonderful highlights. However, the hiking on the second and third days, was not properly described. This created a dangerous situation in which my wife was hurt. She had to stop hiking. The only way she got out was on horseback. Luckily, she has experience riding and the farmer who owns Jordan finca was skilled at guiding the horse down 10k of extremely steep, rocky paths and then through 5k more of just wet, slippery paths to safety.
Specifically, the description of the second day: from Petosi to Jordan is very misleading. The description says: "you will arrive at Jordan farm by "mid-afternoon." The hike is 22K! The second half starts with slippery, muddy trails and quickly turns into steep rocky pathway for about 5 miles. It took us 11.5 hours to complete. A group of younger hikers did it in 10 hours. What's so crazy is that the third day continues with 6.2 more miles of steep, slippery rocky paths. So no way could Carol, who twisted her knee on the 22k leg complete the hike back to the road.I have hiked 100s of miles. Really (Wonderland Trail completely in 8 days, the Superior Hiking Trail, Pukasqua, etc.) If this trail had an accurate description I would not have taken my wife (who I clearly described as 73 years old and normal fitness) on this trail. I'm not asking for a refund, but days 3 and 4 were a frightening and extremely unpleasant experience for me and bad for Carol too, because the safety of my wife was at risk.
If you do not change the descriptions of these days, I will spend time and effort to expose the carelessness of your agency. Check with the guide Freddy if you think any of this is innacurate.
GOOD STUFF: Our guide Freddie Cardona (I will check on his last name) was excellent and was invaluable in getting Carol through this dangerous situation. The bike riding day was great fun. The Cocorra valey was beautiful. The packaging lists were accurately and helpful. Both hotels were nice, with Quo in Manizales having an excellent room and exceptionally helpful staff.
The score for Cami is based on the description of the hike, not on her being helpful.
I guess the bottom line is that what could have been a great trip was ruined by an innacurate description of the risks. Fortunately Carol got by with a very sore knee. Take the hike yourself, then write the description. Explain that this hike is appropriate for experienced hikers who can handle 22K of steep, rocky, muddy pathways that can be trecherously slick, at altitudes over 10000 feet.
Finca Jordan is lovely. Finca Petosi is a pit. Dirty, toilets withot seats that are barely clean. The owners of both fincas were friendly but Mary Luz at Jordan is an exceptional host, as was her husband Mario.

I loved my trip to the Philippines—especially the two-day boat trip from Coron around the Calamian Islands. Spending the night on tiny, nearly-deserted Pass Island under a sky full of stars was beyond memorable, and our guide Jhonas planned each day to perfectly avoid the crowds at popular spots. I've never seen coral reefs like the ones I saw there, and we had the opportunity to learn free diving, kayak from the boat in quiet lagoons, etc.

The day tour of Bohol with Scarlett was also very... read more

I loved my trip to the Philippines—especially the two-day boat trip from Coron around the Calamian Islands. Spending the night on tiny, nearly-deserted Pass Island under a sky full of stars was beyond memorable, and our guide Jhonas planned each day to perfectly avoid the crowds at popular spots. I've never seen coral reefs like the ones I saw there, and we had the opportunity to learn free diving, kayak from the boat in quiet lagoons, etc.

The day tour of Bohol with Scarlett was also very interesting, and it was made easy with a seamless airport transfer and made comfortable with an air-conditioned van (it gets HOT there!). A Bohol highlight was the Lomboc River lunch cruise—it sounds touristy and I never would have booked it for myself, but it was actually a total delight. The Butterfly Sanctuary was not for me, though perhaps worth a stop for the homemade ice cream on site (try the Cacao or Durian flavors!).

My one piece of advice to travelers booking with Cami is to be explicitly clear about the type of hotel and transport you want throughout your trip, as this was the only issue we ran into. Get the hotel names and look into them ahead of time to be sure they meet your expectations, and if possible, get on the phone with Cami to confirm everything—she is great at answering questions asked before the trip. In terms of tours, food, activities, etc, you're in fabulous and knowledgable hands.

Miguel was a very competent careful driver. The driving part of the trip was longer and tougher than expected - 9 hours day 2, 7 hours day 3, 6 hours day 4. There was a lot of extreme poverty with many beggars requesting water and rice because they were so hungry. The main sites to visit were nice enough but the scenery along the way much less interesting than I had imagined. Taroa dunes beach is lovely. Places we stayed at understandably very primitive. Food monotonous but we did not... read more

Miguel was a very competent careful driver. The driving part of the trip was longer and tougher than expected - 9 hours day 2, 7 hours day 3, 6 hours day 4. There was a lot of extreme poverty with many beggars requesting water and rice because they were so hungry. The main sites to visit were nice enough but the scenery along the way much less interesting than I had imagined. Taroa dunes beach is lovely. Places we stayed at understandably very primitive. Food monotonous but we did not get sick.
We very much enjoyed the boat trip in camarones. Carlos, our boatman and guide was well informed and we saw many flamingos and red ibis. Learned about Wayuu which interested me. Would NOT recommend trip to others unless they have some real reason to be interested in area.

Step Tuboc was a fantastic guide. He gave good explanations and really knew his flora & fauna, especially birds.
The individual guides were good with 3 being exceptional. The 2 girls that took us to Rasa Island and Mike in the El Nido region.
We enjoyed the hiking, going to the caves, and boating. The highlights were hiking through the rivers to the village, traveling to Rasa Island, & all of El Nido.
We had a great time. We have traveled a good bit (I think this makes 46 countries) and we would rate this in our top 3 travels.
Thank you.

Overall, this was a rewarding trip, however, not without some issues. In general, too much time was spent traveling from place to place, especially with some of the long car rides for activities that were only a few hours in length. EVERY flight we took on Avianca experienced delays, significant delays or cancelation. By and large, our guides were excellent, except for our experience on Day 2 going to Chingaza (see below). No events / activities were planned for any of the evenings and it... read more

Overall, this was a rewarding trip, however, not without some issues. In general, too much time was spent traveling from place to place, especially with some of the long car rides for activities that were only a few hours in length. EVERY flight we took on Avianca experienced delays, significant delays or cancelation. By and large, our guides were excellent, except for our experience on Day 2 going to Chingaza (see below). No events / activities were planned for any of the evenings and it might have been nice if we had been able to attend some sort of cultural event or to be directed to a special restaurant. Some specific comments follow:

Day 1- Edgar met us at the Hotel just as the World Cup match ended with Colombia's victory. He was excellent. He took us around the park nearby, to a Sunday craft market, and he made several good dining suggestions. He was also our guide on Day 3 which was also an excellent tour of places in Bogota. At our request, he brought us to the main food and flower market and introduced us to numerous indigenous fruits. In retrospect, we should have flown to Pereida at the end of Day 3 to give us more time in coffee country.

Day 2 - Chingaza was interesting but not worth the long trip. We met our guide in La Calera but the vehicle was not large enough for all the passengers. At the park, it was cold, raining, windy and at high altitude. We needed extra layers of clothing and waterproof footwear. Our guide was completely immersed in her discussion of the surrounding environment, would not stop talking for the entire time we were with her and didn't properly assess my wife's level of discomfort and desire to return. The park was interesting but I think it likely that there may have been other activities near Bogota that would have be more interesting.

Day 4 - By far the best day of the trip. The visit to the coffee farm was without a doubt the highlight of the trip. We very much liked our guide, Juan.
Day 5 - Salento and the Cocora Vally hike were nice but we needed to end early to fly to Medellin. Worst day of travel on the entire trip. No direct flights on Avianca so we needed return to Bogota. Our first connecting flight was cancelled and the later flight was 2 hours delayed. In all, it took us 8 hours. It would have faster to drive and even faster to fly on EasyFly direct in 1 hour.

Day 6 - Medellin, we had a nice morning touring Medellin but it probably should have been the entire day. We did not see as much as we would have liked. Then we spent two hours driving to Guatape, a beautiful town with some stops along the way. Unfortunately, we arrived in Guatape late in the day and during a rain downpour and were not able to walk around much. The visit to the town should be been the priority of the trip, not the side stops. Long drive back resulted in a very late dinner.

Day 7 - Rafting. The trip itself was great and worthwhile but our departure from Medellin should have been earlier, not 11am. Consequently, we didn't get back to Medellin until it was almost too late to go out to dinner.
Day 8 - Cartagena. Excellent day touring the City with Richard.
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Day 9 - Isla del Encanto. Two problems. 1) We were not instructed to bring towels and I had to rent them for 60,000 COP. 2) The guides explained the set up of the resort to all the passengers in Spanish on the boat before docking. After docking, they repeated the explanation to a group in English. It was a busy day (national holiday). By the time they finished us giving information about the resort, more boats had docked and every cabana chair on the beach and near the beach were taken by people who had exited the boats earlier. We asked the staff to help but pretty much got a cold shoulder. Given that we probably paid twice as much as everyone else, we were fairly irritated by this sequence of events. Otherwise, the visit was nice.
Day 10, we spent in the old city on our own before going to the airport.