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active 10 hours ago

Paula Adams

I grew up in a very small rural town called, Humpty Doo which is 30 minutes outside of the city of Darwin, in the Northern Territory. I lived the true outback life with wallabies jumping in my backyard, waking up to kookaburra’s laughing, and going hunting for food with my family. I moved to the United States in 1996 and began my travel agent experience working for 2 South Pacific wholesale companies in Los Angeles. I took long hiatus from travel and decided to focus on being a stay home Mom to my 3 beautiful children. I’m married and have lived in the United States for 27 years.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"I specialize in creating customized itineraries throughout the South Pacific for singles, couples, families, and small groups. I enjoy finding interesting ways for travelers to get to know our destinations by experiencing something different then the norm. So instead of the typical coach city tours, I like to offer something more unique like, a walk with an indigenous guide, a pub crawl through historic pubs, a progressive dinner to the hottest new restaurants or a surfing lesson with a local. My goal is for my clients to make unforgettable memories, romantic moments, family bonding experiences, a chance to meet locals in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti, Samoa, Vanuatu, the Cook Islands, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and New Caledonia. "

How did you get involved in travel?

"I have always enjoyed travel from a very young age. My family would drive across Australia during school holidays. Some of our vacations would be driving from Darwin to Western Australia, Sydney, Melbourne, and South Australia. I enjoyed stopping in the small towns like, Kathrine, Alice Springs, and Coober Pedy and seeing the amazing country of Australia. Those fond memories we made started my love for travel. I look forward to creating these kinds of memories for my clients. When I moved to California I was given the opportunity to work for a Wholesale company selling the South Pacific and I have enjoyed it ever since. "

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"I feel very fortunate to have many unique travel experiences that it’s difficult to just pick one. I’ve kayaked along a beautiful river in Fiji, walked the black sand beach in Auckland, hiked through the Daintree Rainforest, took a helicopter tour of the Great Barrier Reef, climbed the Sydney Harbor bridge, experienced Vivid Sydney, see Tahitian vanilla being harvested on Taha’a, and fed fish from an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora. But my favorite unique experience is swimming with rays, tuna, and sharks in Bora Bora. We started the tour by sailing to the open ocean where our guide threw in ‘bait’ to attract the sharks and rays, you had the option to stay on the boat, or hop in the ocean and swim. Of course, I choose to get the full experience and swim with the ocean life, it was an amazing! Once we were back on the boat, we cruised to the Bora Bora lagoon where we had an amazing lunch, and our tour guide showed us the right way to tie a sarong. He also showed us the intelligences of a tuna fish. Our tour guide would throw bait in the air, and you would see tuna swimming so incredibly fast to catch it as it hit the water. I’ve never seen anything like it before, it was as if they were trained. We then had to opportunity to swim in the Lagoon, or just enjoy the beautiful beach. One of the local ladies showed me how to weave a basket from coconut fronds and I still have it till this day displayed in my home. "

Paula is part of the following groups: New Zealand Travel Agents, French Polynesia Travel Agents, Fiji Travel Agents, Australia Travel Agents
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Recent trip reviews for Paula

Paula was a huge help with the planning of ou...
Australia | May 13 - May 29, 2024

K
K M.
Flagami, FL | Reviewed on Sep 15, 2024
Paula was a huge help with the planning of our trip to Australia. We only had 2.5 weeks and were at a loss of where to go and what to see beyond Sydney. She helped us come up with a really nice itinerary to see as much of the culture and wildlife of Sydney, Outer brisbane and GBR. We loved sydney as a city...beautiful. We stayed out in the glass house mountains while in Brisbane region and loved our accommodations at the Crocodile Hunter lodge and all of the wildlife experiences if... Read more

Paula was a huge help with the planning of our trip to Australia. We only had 2.5 weeks and were at a loss of where to go and what to see beyond Sydney. She helped us come up with a really nice itinerary to see as much of the culture and wildlife of Sydney, Outer brisbane and GBR. We loved sydney as a city...beautiful. We stayed out in the glass house mountains while in Brisbane region and loved our accommodations at the Crocodile Hunter lodge and all of the wildlife experiences if offered. Our time in Port Douglas was also lovely, with a few days out on the barrier reef. We combined stays at both hotels and Airbnb's. The only place we did not care for was our one night hotel in Brisbane...under construction and not clean. Aside from that, all were great, and we appreciated the help booking tours and adventures.

Hotel Reviews
Mercure Brisbane Spring Hill (was Pacific Hotel Brisbane)
Spring Hill

hotel room was tired (in need of a refresh) and dirty, especially bathroom with a soiled toilet. Lots of construction and the location was average...not much near by. Would not recommend staying

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
clean the bathrooms!
Parkroyal Darling Harbour
Sydney

we were just here for a quick overnight before our international flight early in the morning. We liked the location and ability to walk to many restaurants and sights.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
very nice room in a great location. updated bathrooms and comfortable beds
The Crocodile Hunter Lodge
Beerwah, Queensland
Authenticity & Character
attention to detail
Location
beautiful area
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Climb the Harbor Bridge
Climb the Harbor Bridge
Sydney

we really liked this!

Guides, Drivers and Staff
Full Day Private Blue Mountains Diamond Day
Full Day Private Blue Mountains Diamond Day
Sydney

enjoyed the farm visit as this is where we spotted our first koalas and kangaroos. Learned a bit about the state/national rehab and breeding program of the koalas. The mountains are beautiful. This trip was primarily a drive and see with little opportunity to get out and explore. We would have loved an hour or so to do a hike. lunch was delicious.

Quality of Experience
beautiful scenery
Food
delicious lunch!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
if the drivers offered more information...meaning if information was volunteered. our guide was quite knowledgeable, but only if we asked the questions.
Transport
spacious and comfortable
Full Day Daintree Cape Tribulation 4WD Bloomfield Track Tour
Full Day Daintree Cape Tribulation 4WD Bloomfield Track Tour
Australia

it was a long day and not much opportunity to get out and explore, with the exception of the boat tour.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Paula Adams
Paula
Paula Adams
Local specialist in California and Australia | Replied on Sep 16, 2024

Hi Kristyn,

Thank you so much for taking the time to write a wonderful review and feedback on your services. I truly appreciate it. I'm so happy to hear you and your family loved Australia. Sydney is one of my favorite places to visit also. The harbor is spectacular, and the food is AMAZING! I enjoyed working with you and hope to plan another trip for you and your family in the near future. Take care and please keep in touch.

Cheers,
Paula

Read all Australia reviews

A good holiday with some major challenges
New Zealand | Jun 30 - Jul 7, 2024

K
Karin B.
South Africa | Reviewed on Jul 17, 2024
Paula was very responsive and helpful and chose good hotels and activities. We had a good time. But there were some issues that she did not take care of adequately:
1. She misread our request for two single rooms and all the original quotes were based on a shared room. So the trip ended up costing quite a bit more than expected - we only found this our after paying the deposit and seeing what was arranged. Paula said that she gave us a discount but given that KimKim does not disclose the... Read more

Paula was very responsive and helpful and chose good hotels and activities. We had a good time.

But there were some issues that she did not take care of adequately:
1. She misread our request for two single rooms and all the original quotes were based on a shared room. So the trip ended up costing quite a bit more than expected - we only found this our after paying the deposit and seeing what was arranged. Paula said that she gave us a discount but given that KimKim does not disclose the individual costs of items, we were unable to see if this was the case.
2. There was a problem between the local agents in New Zealand and the care hire people. The car hire people needed some information which the local agents would not/could not give. This resulted in us waiting for an hour to get the car by which time it was dark. Given that it was out first experience of driving in New Zealand, in Auckland, a big city, we had timed the flight so that we could drive before dark, but given the delay we had to drive in the dark. After some time of asking for an explanation, which we did not get, we were given a small refund for our troubles but would have preferred that this had not happened.
3. Although Paula knew we had a car, she booked us into a hotel where overnight parking was exorbitant. We believe that she should have told us that we would have to pay for parking and how much. KimKim customer service did pay for the parking, once we asked, and we appreciate that, but would have preferred for them to offer.
4. Paula went away just before our trip, and we still had some important questions. Although she did tell us some time before that this would happen, she did not remind us before the date and did not indicate who would take over, even though we were in the middle of discussing an important issue with her. She just disappeared. So we went without a response for about 3 days and had to contact customer service for someone to check on Paula's trips. When Liz did respond she was extremely helpful, but again, we should not have had to ask.

The response time from both Paula, Liz and customer service was excellent (except when Paula went away). Unfortunately the substance of the service was not always that good. I suggest that KimKim work on the latter.

Hotel Reviews
Quest Napier
Napier
Authenticity & Character
A lovely place.
Location
Very close to town and the beach. everything in walking distance.
Staff
The proprieter was extremely friendly and helpful.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rydges Rotorua
Rotorua

A really nice hotel, close to the forest with nice walks for those who want. Excellent food.

Authenticity & Character
Not really a character hotel, but a nice place to stay.
Location
We liked the location because it was close to the forest, but if you want to be close to town then this may not be best.
Staff
Extremely helpful and friendly.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Holiday Inn Express Auckland City Centre
Auckland

The breakfast could have been more varied.

Authenticity & Character
Its a Holiday Inn. We did not expect character.
Location
Very central. easy to get about the city
Staff
The desk staff were extremely helpful and friendly.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Chalet Queenstown
Queenstown

Excellent. Wonderful service from the manager. Well located.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Deborah was helpful and fun
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Twilight Glow Worm Kayak Experience - 3 hour guided
Twilight Glow Worm Kayak Experience - 3 hour guided
Rotorua
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The guides were extremely friendly and helpful.
Transport
The Hell's Gate Experience
The Hell's Gate Experience
Rotorua
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Mitai Cultural Experience & Dinner
Mitai Cultural Experience & Dinner
Rotorua
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Welcome to Rotorua
Welcome to Rotorua
Rotorua
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Afternoon Wilderness Experience
Afternoon Wilderness Experience
Auckland

A fun activity. Good to get out of Auckland. but we wondered if we were really in a rainfeorst - it was not as dense or wet as we expected.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Full Day Milford Sound Glass Roof Van/CruiseVan
Full Day Milford Sound Glass Roof Van/CruiseVan
Queenstown (NZ)

long but beautiful.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Paula Adams
Paula
Paula Adams
Local specialist in California and Australia | Replied on Jul 20, 2024
Dear Karin, Thank you for your detailed feedback. I'm glad to hear that you had a generally positive experience and appreciated the responsiveness and helpfulness of our team. However, I regret the issues you encountered and any inconvenience they caused. Regarding the room miscommunication, I understand how this unexpected cost impacted your budget. Initially, we reserved and charged for one room based on our understanding of your request, but when it became clear that you needed two... Read more

Dear Karin,

Thank you for your detailed feedback. I'm glad to hear that you had a generally positive experience and appreciated the responsiveness and helpfulness of our team. However, I regret the issues you encountered and any inconvenience they caused.

Regarding the room miscommunication, I understand how this unexpected cost impacted your budget. Initially, we reserved and charged for one room based on our understanding of your request, but when it became clear that you needed two rooms, we did our best to communicate proactively and did send an updated price that included the second room. The total cost would have been the same from the beginning had we known about the need for two rooms upfront. Additionally, the extra amount charged did not fully cover the cost of the second room, and we absorbed the remaining cost to help you.

The delay in getting your car was indeed a frustrating experience, and not something we've ever encountered before. The car company requested information they did not need, which could have been resolved with a phone call to our operations department. via the contact numbers we included in the final documents we sent you. After addressing this with the car company, they acknowledged the error in their system and offered a significant refund, enough to cover the parking fees and more.

While it is generally understood that parking and tolls need to be paid directly, I see how specific information could have been helpful. This is the first time in 20 years that we've received such feedback, and I appreciate the opportunity to improve our communication on this matter.

Regarding the breakdown of costs and discounts, we did provide a detailed breakdown of the additional discounts secured, totaling $454, explained tour by tour. We aim to be transparent about the value of your trip and will continue provide clarity in our pricing and discount disclosures.

In terms of communication, we exchanged hundreds of messages over the 6 months we worked together to ensure we helped address every question you had—we also wanted to go the extra mile for you by sending pictures of your temporary driver's license and international license to the car company to ensure there would be no issues with the car pickup. Our goal is always to provide comprehensive support, and we believe we did everything possible to help you have a good trip.

Thank you for recognizing Liz's efforts and the overall responsiveness of our team as well! Your feedback highlights areas where we can improve, and we'll work diligently to enhance the quality and substance of our service as always. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

Regards,
Paula

Our trip to Australia can be described in one word, exceptional!
Australia | Apr 25 - May 18, 2024

Christopher
Christopher J.
Harrison, NJ | Reviewed on Jun 11, 2024
Our trip to Australia can be described in one word, exceptional! We have traveled with many companies like Tauck, Gate1, Viking, Oceania, Arctic Adventures, etc. This trip and its format is my favorite to date. It starts with the best travel agent or as Kim Kim calls it, Local Specialist we have ever had in 30 plus years of booking trips. Not only was she organized and communicative, she also very helpful and caring. She developed the perfect itinerary for us and our desires. ... Read more

Our trip to Australia can be described in one word, exceptional! We have traveled with many companies like Tauck, Gate1, Viking, Oceania, Arctic Adventures, etc. This trip and its format is my favorite to date. It starts with the best travel agent or as Kim Kim calls it, Local Specialist we have ever had in 30 plus years of booking trips. Not only was she organized and communicative, she also very helpful and caring. She developed the perfect itinerary for us and our desires. Everything from Wine tours in the Barossa Valley and Ybarra to dinner under the stars in Uluru. We participated in feeding nocturnal animals at the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary and then received an extra gift of seeing the Aurora Australis!!! We took fast rib boats around the tallest sea walls in the southern hemisphere and snorkeled out on the Great Barrier Reef. Simply amazing. Being the shoulder season, the majority of our small group tours ended up being private tours which was an added bonus. Our accommodations on the trip were fun eclectic places that were all perfectly situated to be within convenient walking distance to everything you would want to see including a perfect view of Sydney Opera House from our hotel window, amazing. Speaking of amazing, we planned our trip 7 months in advance and everything went off perfectly from the drivers picking us up and dropping us off at the airport to all our tours, there was never a hiccup and everyone was on time, truly mindboggling!! Without a doubt, Paula will be my first call when I head back to the Southern Hemesphere because even with 23 days in country it was only a taste and I want more!!

Hotel Reviews
Harbour Rocks Hotel Sydney MGallery
The Rocks, Sydney NSW

Our stay at the Harbour Rocks Hotel in Sydney was incredible, especially because we could see the Opera House from our window. The location was excellent, making it really easy to walk around and see everything the city has to offer. The convenience and the view made our stay in Sydney truly memorable.

Location
Freycinet Lodge
Coles Bay

Our stay at Freycinet Lodge was spectacular. The lodge was beautiful and the surroundings were stunning. It was a perfect place to relax and take in the natural beauty of Tasmania. This was definitely one of the standout accommodations of our trip, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there.

Lenna of Hobart
Battery Point

We stayed at the Lenna of Hobart for a few nights, and it was perfectly located. It was literally around the corner from the huge Saturday market and lots of restaurants and things to do, all within very easy walking distance. The convenience and comfort of this hotel made our stay in Hobart very enjoyable.

Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane Anzac Square
Brisbane

The Adina Apartment Hotel in Brisbane was more of a standard hotel, but it was very nice and comfortable. What made it exceptional was its location. It was perfectly situated for easy access to the main highways, which was very convenient as I was driving in Brisbane. The ease of getting around from the hotel made it a great choice for our stay.

Port Douglas Peninsula Boutique Hotel
Port Douglas

Our stay at the Port Douglas Peninsula Boutique Hotel was amazing. The hotel was beautiful and it really felt like a luxurious retreat. The location was ideal, close to the beach and other attractions. The accommodations exceeded our expectations and contributed to making this part of the trip truly special.

Laneways by Ovolo
Melbourne

We absolutely loved our stay at Laneways by Ovolo in Melbourne. The hotel was super hip and had a really cool vibe. Plus, it was right in the middle of Chinatown, so there was so much to explore right at our doorstep. The location was perfect for immersing ourselves in the local culture and enjoying all the vibrant activities around. This place really stood out as a highlight of our trip.

Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge
American River

Our stay at the Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge was fantastic. The location was beautiful, especially being right down on the water. The natural beauty of the surroundings really added to the charm of the place. It was a memorable part of our trip, and the lodge itself was very comfortable and welcoming.

Adabco Boutique Hotel
Adelaide

I stayed at the Adabco Boutique Hotel in Adelaide for a total of four nights, split over two stays. The hotel was perfectly situated, making it really convenient for exploring the city. The accommodations were top-notch, exactly what we asked for in terms of comfort and amenities. Everything was clean and well-maintained, and we felt very comfortable during our stay. Overall, it was a fantastic experience and I would highly recommend it.

Activity Reviews
Full Day Mt. Conner Outback 4WD Adventure
Full Day Mt. Conner Outback 4WD Adventure
Uluru

Incredible and humbling to see the vastness of the outback on a 1.25 million acre cattle station. Fascinating to hear how it all started and how the manage cattle out here.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
A Taste of Chinatown - Evening
A Taste of Chinatown - Evening
Sydney

So much fun and delicious too! Went into places I may have passed by and was given absolutely amazing food.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
3 Hour Wilderness Cruise
3 Hour Wilderness Cruise
Australia

Absolutely spectacular scenery and plus it was exhilarating on fast rib boats.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Night Tour of the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary & Tasmanian Devils
Night Tour of the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary & Tasmanian Devils
Hobart

How often does one get to feed a Tasmanian Devil and see the oldest Cockatoo in the world at 109 years old? In addition we got to pet a Wombat and feed many other nocturnal animals. An added bonus we got to see the Aurora Australis!

Full-Day Great Barrier Reef & Coral Cays Boat Tour
Full-Day Great Barrier Reef & Coral Cays Boat Tour
Port Douglas

Very professional company and guides. Modern ship and great food. Definitely a must if you are in Port Douglas

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
A Night at Field of Light
A Night at Field of Light
Uluru

Absolutely magical experience under the stars in Uluru. Great food and lecture about the southern night sky. Incredible art installation in the middle of nowhere.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Full Day Uncork the Barossa Valley
Full Day Uncork the Barossa Valley
Adelaide

Tom our guide was super friendly and informative and took us to the smaller boutique wineries in the area which we prefer. We also had one of the best meals of our entire trip at Vino Lokal, wow!

Quality of Experience
Food
Vino Lokal was one of the best meals we had in Australia
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Tom was funny and informative. He had a great sense of humor when I would talk too long with staff and he was worried we would miss our next appointment.
Transport
New Mercedes van
Local specialist: Paula Adams
Photo taken by Christopher J
Photo taken by Christopher J
Photo taken by Christopher J
Photo taken by Christopher J
Photo taken by Christopher J
Photo taken by Christopher J
Photo taken by Christopher J
Photo taken by Christopher J
Photo taken by Christopher J
Photo taken by Christopher J
Photo taken by Christopher J
Photo taken by Christopher J
Photo taken by Christopher J
Photo taken by Christopher J
Show 2 more photos
Paula
Paula Adams
Local specialist in California and Australia | Replied on Jun 11, 2024
G'day Christopher & Tracey, A warm and heartfelt thank you for taking the time to write an exceptional and very extensive review as well as sharing such amazing pictures from your vacation. I'm beyond grateful our path crossed through kimkim and I was the luck specialist to respond to your trip request. From the very beginning, working with you both has been such a great experience. I appreciated your willingness to be so trustful with helping put your itinerary together. On your next trip... Read more

G'day Christopher & Tracey,

A warm and heartfelt thank you for taking the time to write an exceptional and very extensive review as well as sharing such amazing pictures from your vacation. I'm beyond grateful our path crossed through kimkim and I was the luck specialist to respond to your trip request. From the very beginning, working with you both has been such a great experience. I appreciated your willingness to be so trustful with helping put your itinerary together. On your next trip Down Under, you will have to visit Western Australia and I will be more than happy to assist you. Please keep in touch!

With deepest gratitude & thanks,
Paula

Australia Trip
Australia | May 23 - Jun 3, 2024

A
ayshwarya s.
India | Reviewed on Jun 09, 2024
Australia is a wide country and we had the perfect itineary charted out thanks to Paula from kimkim. We are from India and the response time was seamless and she really helped us narrow in on best experiences that will suit our family. I will highly recommend kimkim tours for a perfect holiday! Read more

Australia is a wide country and we had the perfect itineary charted out thanks to Paula from kimkim. We are from India and the response time was seamless and she really helped us narrow in on best experiences that will suit our family. I will highly recommend kimkim tours for a perfect holiday!

Hotel Reviews
Batman's Hill On Collins
Melbourne, VIC
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Bay Village Tropical Retreat & Apartments
Cairns, QLD
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Vibe Hotel
Sydney
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Paula Adams
Paula
Paula Adams
Local specialist in California and Australia | Replied on Jun 11, 2024

Hi Ayshwarya, thank you for trusting me in helping book your family vacation to Australia. I'm happy to hear that everyone had a wonderful time, and you were able to make great memories. If you ever plan on traveling to any other South Pacific destination and I will be more than happy to assist you. Take care and keep in touch!
Cheers,
Paula
Cheers,
Paula

The whole trip was exceptional from the begin...
Australia | Apr 28 - May 11, 2024

Dina
Dina P.
Dallas, TX | Reviewed on Jun 07, 2024
The whole trip was exceptional from the beginning to end!
Paula really took the time to understand how we wanted to spend our two weeks in Australia and she nailed it.
We started in Melbourne and had a fantastic guide (Bronson) who took us down the Great Ocean Road. He provided a lot of historical information and was super fun and easy going too!
We then went to the Healesville Animal Sanctuary the next day which was equally wonderful. We saw so many amazing animals and the guide, Steffi... Read more

The whole trip was exceptional from the beginning to end!
Paula really took the time to understand how we wanted to spend our two weeks in Australia and she nailed it.
We started in Melbourne and had a fantastic guide (Bronson) who took us down the Great Ocean Road. He provided a lot of historical information and was super fun and easy going too!
We then went to the Healesville Animal Sanctuary the next day which was equally wonderful. We saw so many amazing animals and the guide, Steffi was extremely knowledgeable and kind. I will post some of the amazing pics!
We then headed to Uluru which was my favorite part of the whole trip. I could not get enough of the endless gorgeous night sky with the stars that went on forever. I will post those pics too.
The Field of Lights was well worth it so I highly recommend doing that. The tour the next morning was phenomenal. I was in Uluru for my birthday and I couldn’t have asked for a better memory. You have to take the time to visit this special place in the Outback.
The next day we were off to Cairns. This was another incredibly beautiful destination where we were able to enjoy a great amount of time in the water. Paula set us up to go snorkeling and diving for the day and it was a lot of fun. Make sure you pack some motion, sickness meds because the water is pretty rough. The day after the great barrier reef, we went to the Daintree rainforest, which was also pretty spectacular. We took a tour and our guide was a sweet older man by the name of Daniel and it was a very long day. There was a lot of sleeping on the van and the day was rainy so it wasn’t my favorite of the trip after we headed to Sydney, which was my second favorite destination. In Sydney, we did a wine tour one day where we hit three different wineries, which were wonderful and then the next day we did a blue Mountain tour, which was pretty spectacular. Our guide for the Blue Mountain tour was named Matthew and he was exceptional. He knew the history so well and was able to convey so much information in that short period of time . I highly recommend the Blue Mountain tour when in Sydney. The next favorite part of the trip for me was the Sydney Harbor cruise. We had no idea what to expect and it truly exceeded our expectations. The views were absolutely stunning and the restaurant we went to for dinner was incredible. The boat crew was wonderful and we were served champagne and wine and hors d’oeuvres. That were truly spectacular, the views of the opera house and the Sydney Harbour Bridge were absolutely breathtaking especially at night with all the lovely lights. It is a must do activity in Sydney. The restaurants in Sydney were also quite extraordinary. We had some of the best food that we’ve ever had in the world in Sydney. we went to an Italian restaurant named Alfredo’s and had one of the best Italian meals of our lives and we had gone to Italy two years ago and had pretty spectacular food there. The other restaurant that we really enjoyed was Mu Mu 4 You. This was a combination of Malaysian Singaporean in Indonesian St., Food and simply delicious. And then on our last night, we went to a restaurant called Boop and Tone, which was also spectacular.
We could not have had a better trip and are so grateful to Paula and Kim Kim for making all the arrangements.

Local specialist: Paula Adams
Paula
Paula Adams
Local specialist in California and Australia | Replied on Jun 08, 2024

G'day Dina,

I appreciate you for taking the time to write a wonderful review and feedback from your trip to Australia and makes me happy knowing it was a memorable vacation for you and the group. The food in Australia is some of the best in the world and I'm glad that you enjoyed it as much as I do when I'm home. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you plan on visiting New Zealand or any other destination in the South Pacific. Take care and please keep in touch!

Kind Regards,
Paula

Best Australian Adventure
Australia | Apr 28 - May 11, 2024

Laura
Laura C.
Dallas, TX | Reviewed on Jun 07, 2024
We had an amazing and magical vacation to Australia. Since it was our first time visiting, we really wanted to optimize our time there. Paula was so helpful and made our trip so amazing. Some highlights included the Great Ocean Road trip out of Melbourne where our guide Bronson was so fun and engaging. Loved visiting the Healsville sanctuary where we were able to feed the loveliest kangaroo named Flo- our guide Stephie was so passionate about the animals. Cairns was such a fun beach town and... Read more

We had an amazing and magical vacation to Australia. Since it was our first time visiting, we really wanted to optimize our time there. Paula was so helpful and made our trip so amazing. Some highlights included the Great Ocean Road trip out of Melbourne where our guide Bronson was so fun and engaging. Loved visiting the Healsville sanctuary where we were able to feed the loveliest kangaroo named Flo- our guide Stephie was so passionate about the animals. Cairns was such a fun beach town and we had an amazing time snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef. Don’t skip Uluru at sunrise and sunset- the Field of Lights were amazing and we were able to see the most gorgeous night sky. Sydney has some of the best food and night life. We loved taking the ferry to Manly Beach. The private dinner cruise around the Sydney Harbour may have been my favorite experience.

Local specialist: Paula Adams
Paula
Paula Adams
Local specialist in California and Australia | Replied on Jun 08, 2024

G'day Laura,

Thank you so much for taking the time to write a wonderful review. It makes me so happy to know that you and the group enjoyed the vacation I helped put together. I loved hearing about the amazing restaurants you ate at and appreciated the recommendations, too. I'm a huge foodie so this made so happy. :) I'm looking forward to trying some of these places out when I go home in July.

Thank you again for trusting me in help plan your vacation and I look forward to planning your next trip to the South Pacific. Take care and please keep in touch!

Kind Regards,
Paula

Fantastic vacation in Australia
Australia | May 23 - Jun 3, 2024

Deepak
Deepak S.
India | Reviewed on Jun 05, 2024
We had a fantastic summer vacation to Aus - covering Sydney, Cairns and Melbourne. Paula from Kim Kim was exceptional in helping our family chart out an iterenery and gave us suggestions and inputs to mix it up for the whole family as it was our first trip to Australia and we did not want to miss anything big in these cities. Our hotels, local guides for all our daily trips were super nice and well experienced about the places and local details to make each day memorable for us. I... Read more

We had a fantastic summer vacation to Aus - covering Sydney, Cairns and Melbourne.

Paula from Kim Kim was exceptional in helping our family chart out an iterenery and gave us suggestions and inputs to mix it up for the whole family as it was our first trip to Australia and we did not want to miss anything big in these cities.

Our hotels, local guides for all our daily trips were super nice and well experienced about the places and local details to make each day memorable for us. I would highly recomend Paula and Kim Kim for anyone to plan your next holiday and i am sure we will go back to them whenever we can.

Deepak

Hotel Reviews
Batman's Hill On Collins
Melbourne, VIC

Centrally located in CBD area of Melbourne. Cross to the tram lines. Very close to the South Cross Railway station as well.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Bay Village Tropical Retreat & Apartments
Cairns, QLD

Centrally located, Clean, friendly staff. However a bit outdated in terms of modern amenities - like good Wifi / Power outlets in the room. No elevator in the property to move heavy luggage.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Vibe Hotel
Sydney

Centrally located in Sydney

Authenticity & Character
Location
Close to the Sydney Harbour and centrally located in the CBD area.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Full Day Puffing Billy Steam Train and Australian Wildlife -
Full Day Puffing Billy Steam Train and Australian Wildlife -
Melbourne

Was a fun trip for kids. The Puffing train ride had good views and worth it.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Full-Day Great Ocean Road Trip
Full-Day Great Ocean Road Trip
Melbourne

Amazing drive on the Ocean Road. Quant small towns to stop for views and food made up for a good day spent outdoors.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our Guide Fred from Oceana Tours was outstanding and made the long drive so much fun by sharing his own experiences and wit.
Transport
Full-Day Daintree Rainforest Tour & 4WD Adventure
Full-Day Daintree Rainforest Tour & 4WD Adventure
Cairns

A good day trip to experience the Tropical forrests of Cairns. Walks, views and some sighting of the birds and crocs in the area was a nice touch. The trip was a easy day trip for those to like nature.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Full Day Cruise - Snorkel Great Barrier Reef
Full Day Cruise - Snorkel Great Barrier Reef
Australia

Super day trip to either Snorkel or go Diving to experience the GBR. Worth the day for the amazing views.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The staff on the boat were extremely good, equipment was top notch.
Transport
Full Day Blue Mountains Deluxe Day
Full Day Blue Mountains Deluxe Day
Sydney

This was a laid back trip to view the Blue Mountain and the amazing views with some small walks / hikes that you can do. Not a packed agenda .

Quality of Experience
Food
The Lunch at Boiler House was a very good meal.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Climb the Harbor Bridge
Climb the Harbor Bridge
Sydney

Must do activity in Sydney if your on your first trip and have a few hours. The views of the city were amazing. The briefing and start of activity takes some time but later you realise that for the safety of everyone it was needed. You can pick the day time or night time climb depending on weather and how you want to see the views.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Harbor Experience Cruise
Harbor Experience Cruise
Sydney

A quick way to experience the Sydney Opera house, Downtown Buildings, Harbour Bridge for some awesome photos

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Sydney Opera House Tour
Sydney Opera House Tour
Sydney

Must do if your in Sydney first time.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Paula Adams
Paula
Paula Adams
Local specialist in California and Australia | Replied on Jun 05, 2024

G'day Deepak & Ayshwarya,

Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a wonderful review. I'm so happy to hear that you and your family had a wonderful experience with us, and I look forward to planning your next vacation. Keep in touch!

Kind Regards,
Paula

Great experience highly recommend
Australia | Apr 28 - May 11, 2024

J
Jane R.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on May 23, 2024

I would absolutely recommend to friends kimkim to help plan their trips. Paula was an amazing resource and helped us tremendously in navigating all of the areas we wanted to see while in Australia. Her planning helped us be stress free and helped make this a great experience for us. All aspects of the itinerary worked as planned (car services; tours; hotel check ins; etc). Highly recommend using Kimkim when you are trying to plan a trip for 3 weeks in a place you have never been.

Local specialist: Paula Adams
Paula
Paula Adams
Local specialist in California and Australia | Replied on May 23, 2024

G'day Jane,

Thank you so much for taking the time to write a review. I appreciate it greatly. I'm happy to have helped plan your vacation to Australia and that you and your group enjoyed your stay. It was a pleasure to work with you all and I look forward to planning another vacation in the South Pacific soon. Take care and keep in touch!

Cheers,
Paula

Melbourne, Uluru, Cairns and Sydney
Australia | Apr 28 - May 11, 2024

Jennifer
Jennifer D.
Ireland | Reviewed on May 22, 2024
Local specialist: Paula was excellent. She researched and provided us with all our requests for the perfect Australian vacation. I was especially impressed with all the transfers that were organized. Not one driver was late and they were very professional. The assistance she provided with reserving our flights while in Australia was also awesome. Paula even answered some of our questions during our trip which was super helpful. Trip highlights:
The Great Ocean Road tour was... Read more

Local specialist: Paula was excellent. She researched and provided us with all our requests for the perfect Australian vacation. I was especially impressed with all the transfers that were organized. Not one driver was late and they were very professional. The assistance she provided with reserving our flights while in Australia was also awesome. Paula even answered some of our questions during our trip which was super helpful.

Trip highlights:
The Great Ocean Road tour was fantastic. Our guide was Bronson and he was well versed on the local history, culture, wildlife, etc.

The LimoCentral driver that took us to Yarra Valley was great. He was very flexible as we asked him to make an extra stop at a winery.

Uluru A Night at Field of Light was fantastic!!!! So amazing to wander through the outback amongst the art display.
I wished I had more time to hike around Ayers Rock.

Cairns- The Reef Magic was really neat and one/two dives was excellent. The currents were really strong for the second dive and almost every person in our party got sick during the trip. Should recommend to use a scopolamine patch or meclizine for motion sickness prevention.

The Daintree River Cruise was so interesting. Learning about crocodiles in the wild was so unreal.

The Blue Mountain Tour was great and led my Matt. He was so well informed and all his knowledge really added to the experience. Sadly, it was foggy that day, but Matt made the time enjoyable.

The best experience we had was the Sydney Harbor Cruise. What an amazing way to close out two weeks (despite it raining all the days we were in Sydney).

Considerations for others using Kimkim:
Make sure you give specifics to the trip planner. They cannot read your mind and ask questions once tours get scheduled. One example of something that would have been nice would have been to have more private tours just with our group. We did not think to ask for that and planner would not have known.

Laundry- would have been nice to know that we would have laundry facilities at most of our accommodations. I would have packed less clothes. We had laundry facilities at 3 or 4 accommodations. I am not complaining because it was a pleasant surprise to see the laundry facilities.

Overall, the Kimkim experience was excellent and I look forward to using Kimkim on future trips.

Hotel Reviews
Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney
Sydney

This was a very nice hotel. The rooms were impeccable. They had showers and a separate bathe which was nice. The wifi was did not reach our room which was one complaint we had. We also had a bad experience at the Brooksy. The manager on site ran after us because he thought we walked our bill. This was not the case. He realized his error but it was very off putting. The bar tender at the Silo made up for him.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Mantra Esplanade
Cairns

Location was perfect and walking distance to anything we needed. The staff was nice and let us know to become a member of the hotel chain and we would receive a complementary breakfast. The day we left our flight our ride was at noon and checkout was at 10AM. We were not able to have a late checkout because it was Labor Day,

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Desert Garden Hotel
Uluru

They have free laundry facilities which was helpful. walking distance to a grocery store and easy to get around the are from the hotel.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
We had ants in our bed and the staff quickly changed us to another room.
Clarion Suites Gateway
Melbourne

Was centrally located and we had a fantastic view from our room of the river. They have an amazing fire show every night that was cool to watch from our balcony. Our room had a washer/dryer. We had 3 people, and the laundry was not available in the rooms for 2 guests. We arrived very early and the front desk was helpful in keeping our bags and taking them to our rooms when we arrived once the room was ready.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Near good restaurants and a good view
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Full Day Blue Mountains Deluxe Day
Full Day Blue Mountains Deluxe Day
Sydney

Matt was great. Enjoyed driving around to all the sights. The lunch was good.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Full Day Outer Reef + 2 Certified Dives (all equipment included)
Full Day Outer Reef + 2 Certified Dives (all equipment included)
Australia

The Reef Magic was super neat. Had many different activities at one area. The marine biologists also gave talks which was super interesting. Also enjoyed the didgeridoo performance and experience.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
A Night at Field of Light
A Night at Field of Light
Uluru

A must do experience in Uluru

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private VIP Healsville Sanctuary Tour
Private VIP Healsville Sanctuary Tour
Melbourne

Steph was a fantastic guide.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Full-Day Great Ocean Road Trip
Full-Day Great Ocean Road Trip
Melbourne

Bronson was a great tour guide. The lunch at Apollo Bay was great.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Would have been nice if they could have picked us up at our hotel
Local specialist: Paula Adams
Paula
Paula Adams
Local specialist in California and Australia | Replied on May 23, 2024

G'day Jennifer,

WOW! Thank you so much for taking the time to write an excellent and very extensive review. I truly appreciate it. Providing us with detailed feedback about our service helps us design better itineraries for future clients. So, thank you! It truly makes me happy knowing that your vacation to my beautiful country of Australia was successful and wonderful memories were made.
Thank you again for trusting me in help plan your vacation and I look forward to planning your next trip to the South Pacific. Take care and keep in touch!

Cheers,
Paula

New Zealand- loved our trip and Paula’ s expert advice
Australia | Mar 24 - Apr 8, 2024

T
Tanya T.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on May 11, 2024

Had a fantastic trip to New Zealand, with nice accommodations and great itinerary. Paula did listen well, worked with our budget, and came up with a really enjoyable trip. We were well taken care of and would certainly love to work with her again on our next trip.

Local specialist: Paula Adams
Paula
Paula Adams
Local specialist in California and Australia | Replied on May 12, 2024

Hi Tanya & Martin,

Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a wonderful review. I'm so happy we were able to get you to New Zealand and I loved working with you. I look forward to helping you plan your next vacation. This time Australia! Take care and keep in touch!

Cheers,
Paula