Marc Urban

Our driver Komang was always very helpful and professional

We had a fantastic time on out rip to Bali. The plan that was put together by Marc at KimKim, allowed us to do everything on our wish list (Haige a volcano at sunrise, white water rafting, great bike ride with a local guide, snorkeling and many cultural activities). Our driver that was with use throughout the trip was exceptional and all the activities were well coordinated.
Thank You for n amazing experience.

We had an amazing time in Bali. Marc helped me plan a custom trip at exactly the pace and level of investment we were looking for. The hotels he suggested were just perfection. Tejaprana in Ubud was absolutely phenomenal. I wish we could have stayed another week in that hotel alone- exactly what you picture when you think Bali and the food and staff were just beyond. Taman Sari in Pemuteran and our snorkel trip with Nyoman on West Bali Extreme were wonderful. We saw on a ton of unique things... read more

We had an amazing time in Bali. Marc helped me plan a custom trip at exactly the pace and level of investment we were looking for. The hotels he suggested were just perfection. Tejaprana in Ubud was absolutely phenomenal. I wish we could have stayed another week in that hotel alone- exactly what you picture when you think Bali and the food and staff were just beyond. Taman Sari in Pemuteran and our snorkel trip with Nyoman on West Bali Extreme were wonderful. We saw on a ton of unique things thanks to his keen eye. Marc’s suggestion of Setia for dinner was a win, best food we had on the island. And finally staying at Wapa De Ume in Sidemen left us feeling we were in a dream. Everyday our amazing driver Edi got us safely and quickly to our destinations with a smile and some insight on local culture. He got us to each ticket booth and stop we wanted to make sure we were in the right place. We spent a lot of time in his Van and it was always comfy, clean and cool with water and umbrellas if we needed. Thank you for giving us this taste of Indonesia, we know who to call when we are ready to come back!

We did a 10 day Java trip and it was amazing. Marc organized our drivers and hotels and activities and we loved all of it! Our drivers, Purwol and Sholi were excellent and very safe. We were well looked after and the hotels we stayed at were lovely. We climbed Mt. Ijen, Mt. Bromo and visited numerous temples. We went bike riding, experienced waterfalls and had a really fun time. Marc was excellent at helping plan and we can't say enough about how helpful he was on our trip with getting... read more

We did a 10 day Java trip and it was amazing. Marc organized our drivers and hotels and activities and we loved all of it! Our drivers, Purwol and Sholi were excellent and very safe. We were well looked after and the hotels we stayed at were lovely. We climbed Mt. Ijen, Mt. Bromo and visited numerous temples. We went bike riding, experienced waterfalls and had a really fun time. Marc was excellent at helping plan and we can't say enough about how helpful he was on our trip with getting back to us with any questions we had. He even arranged for a doctor to come to our hotel when we needed to see one. We can highly recommend Marc and Kimkim Travel. They make going on trips easy and fun!!

Marc was great to work with in our trip planning. He was open to providing more options for tours or lodging if anything was not a best fit. Additionally he answered lots of questions we had about itineraries, cultural norms, and made sure we knew who would be meeting at each trip stage and provided contact information for all drivers, and hotels, etc. I would highly recommend his services to others as his Bali knowledge was extremely helpful.

Our driver Jerry was was kind and helpful... read more

Marc was great to work with in our trip planning. He was open to providing more options for tours or lodging if anything was not a best fit. Additionally he answered lots of questions we had about itineraries, cultural norms, and made sure we knew who would be meeting at each trip stage and provided contact information for all drivers, and hotels, etc. I would highly recommend his services to others as his Bali knowledge was extremely helpful.

Our driver Jerry was was kind and helpful and was flexible to adding or changing any stops or plans we had made. He was open to answering lots of questions about Bali and made us feel welcome and safe at all times.

Thank you!

My husband had the most amazing time in Indonesia. We got to go on so many different adventures! I will never forget the Ijen Volcano hike to the elusive blue flame. And our boat cruise around Komoda National Park to see Komodo dragons was unforgettable! We seriously did things that most people never even dream of.... And our tour guides, as always, were fabulous! read more

My husband had the most amazing time in Indonesia. We got to go on so many different adventures! I will never forget the Ijen Volcano hike to the elusive blue flame. And our boat cruise around Komoda National Park to see Komodo dragons was unforgettable! We seriously did things that most people never even dream of.... And our tour guides, as always, were fabulous!

Hotel Reviews

Plataran Bromo

Wonokitri

Absolutely incredible hotel and ride to the top of the mountain. I'll never forget our breakfast above the clouds. The views were insane. I wish we had more time there!

Authenticity & Character

Location

You can't even begin to realize where you're going until you get there!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ijen Resort and Villas

Banyuwangi

Incredible hotel and incredible views. Staff and food was amazing. I wish we had more time there!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wapa di Ume Ubud

Ubud, Gianyar, Bali

We had the best NYE here! The NYE party at the hotel was so fun and so authentic. And we even had our own private pool in our villa. The resort grounds are to die for. Staff was amazing. Get the bubur ayam for breakfast! Best stay ever!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Private cruise trip in Komodo National Park

Labuan Bajo, Indonesia

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gending Kedis

Jimbaran

Gorgeous resort. We had a two-story villa with a private pool! I wish we had more time there!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

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

Nothing like I anticipated but worth every moment!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to Ubud

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Liveaboard Cruise: Discover Flores & Komodo

Komodo Island

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Komodo Island

The park is incredibly beautiful! Snorkeling was awesome.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Liveaboard Cruise - Departure Day

Indonesia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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 of Granary

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

Trek in the jungle - Meet the Orangutans

Indonesia

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

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 and traditions 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 of Granary

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

Trek in the jungle - Meet the Orangutans

Indonesia

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

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 and traditions 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

Mountain bike 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

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