We have been in Japan for 2 weeks and our bike tour with Ray was an absolute highlight. We have two teenagers and they both loved it. Ray took us to the main sights first while they were quieter. Then on our bikes we got to see parts of the area that we would never have seen on our own, including rural rice fields, back streets of housing, a shrine with a humorous significance, and a temple that was both beautiful and peaceful. Ray also explained so many things, took amazing photos of us, and provided a list of recommended places to eat across Kyoto. This truly was a highlight. Thanks so much Ray!

I have to say That Peter was a excellent guide. His passion and love for the History and the culture of Kyoto and Japan is great. This tour takes the riders to the Bamboo forest, Through and around the city of Kyoto with stops along the way at Shrines, historic landmarks nice lunch with a sweet treat near the end of the tour. I found the pacing just about right. It is exercise and all day so make sure you stretch a bit before you start for those who may want or need a little assistance should inquire about E-Bike upgrade if available. I know if you do you will have a good time Peter is great at keeping everyone engaged and informed. I recommend booking a tour.

We had only two days to spend in Kyoto. Thanks to Ray's full-day tour, we were able to experience so much more than we expected. Ray shared his insights into Japanese culture and made history come alive while showing us Kyoto's cultural treasures. His carefully-chosen route was a great part of the fun; he guided us through neighborhoods we never would have experienced on our own, from city, to historic streets, to agricultural areas. The bikes were comfortable and well maintained. We have enjoyed bike tours in cities around the world, and Ray's tour is definitely one of our favorites. Highly recommended!

What an exciting way to see a part of Kyoto we would never see. Peter was a tour guide and also one of the owners of Kyoto Bike Tour. Peter has been living in Japan for more than 20 years and was incredibly knowledgeable on Japanese culture and history and a super nice guy. I was amazed how he handled riding with 8 people in tow. The whole tour was seamless and riding through the neighborhoods and rural area including rice paddies so close to Kyoto was so much fun. The Temples, Bamboo Forest and Unesco Gardens were a real treat. Lastly, you might find less expensive Bike Tours but I feel this was worth it. You are here for such a short period of time just go for it.

This was the VERY BEST way to see Kyoto! Ray is amazing, he knows SO MUCH about Japan! His bikes are brand new and they work great, he had all of the bikes sized for each of us ahead of time and provided water and helmets. He speaks perfect English (he grew up in California and has studied Japanese since he was a teenager). We were a group of 5 and he took such great care of making sure we were all together and comfortable and did a lot of check ins with us to make sure we were happy and found all of the bathrooms when we needed them! He took tons of photos of us throughout the day and emailed them to us that night. The photos will be memories to last a lifetime! I HIGHLY recommend booking the all day tour with Ray. We were having such a great time together and no one had anywhere to go that evening so he asked us if we wanted to keep riding and see one more sight so we did and he provided front and rear lights for our bikes for the ride back to keep us safe. He cares so much! Ray became like family to us (it was Thanksgiving Day) and it was our favorite day in Kyoto!

I had a phenomenal time on the Arashiyama Bamboo bike tour, all made possible by our great tour guide Ray. I was in a group of seven - a perfect size for our tour. The area we got to see was beautiful - a wonderful reflection of Kyoto and the wider country of Japan. Steeped in history, culture, and beautiful calming scenery all brought to life by Ray's knowledge of the area. It was definitely worth being on the early side to the bamboo area, as by the time we were finishing it was very full, but getting there at 830 allowed us a sense of peaceful wonder. We then were taken around the wider town and got to see some hidden gems! Again - all made possible by the fantastic guidance of Ray.

We jammed a lot into the Kyoto leg of our Japan trip and booked Kyoto bike tour for the final day. Perfect finale to the city for us! Ray was a terrific guide who provided very interesting and engaging history of the sites we visited. The pace was perfect, the uphill section led to some of the most beautiful sights and we finished on some great hidden gems away from bustling tourism. Recommend this over anything else in Kyoto.

Riding on a bike through Kyoto was a memorable experience. I enjoyed the early bird time as we were able to see the bamboo forest before it was too crowded or hot. Our guide Peter was excellent and very knowledgeable. He took great pictures of us and gave advice on what else we could do in Kyoto. I would highly recommend this tour. Thank you Peter!

Fabulous day out! Loved being able to visit the bamboo forest with virtually no one else around. Also enjoyed the wonderful temples, gardens and hidden historic back streets of Kyoto. Definitely an experience that we will all remember. Peter was incredibly informative and had a real passion for the area that shone through. Highly recommend!

My wife and I went on the bike tour through the Bamboo Forest and Monkey Sanctuary with Ray and a lovely couple from Germany. It was definitely one of the highlights of our trip to Japan. The biking and hiking were just strenuous enough to make you feel that you accomplished something physical. While the sites and the views were super fascinating and interesting for anyone even moderately interested in Japanese culture and Kyoto. But what made the bike tour top notch was Ray, our guide. A few things that I would highlight for anyone considering the tour: 1. Ray is great. He's an American who has spent the better part of 20 years living in Japan. And he has the ability to relate to both the Western perspective as well as the Eastern. Having been on many tours, including numerous bike tours, he's one of the best. 2. Ray is a great storyteller and made the trip very fascinating and engaging. He's an incredibly warm and welcoming and you feel like you didn't have tour...but more of an experience. In fact, he ran into a family that he had previously given a tour to. And he immediately ran over to them and gave them hugs and welcomed the with a big smile. Not very common. And definitely not common in Japan. 3. He shared not just about Kyoto and the spots on the trip. But also he shared about himself and his experiences. That maybe is the most memorable of all. To really get an in-depth understanding of both a place and a person who has lived in Japan was invaluable for us. He answered every question (and I ask a LOT of questions) and was always open and interested in discussing. I can't recommend his tours enough!

The absolute BEST. My husband and I had just landed in Japan the night before, and Ray made our first day in Kyoto absolutely unforgettable! We did the full day trip and loved learning the history of the places we visited- plus that udon lunch was so good! Just really awesome to explore a brand new city on bike with a guide who was the sweetest history buff and so kind! Ray even helped us figure out the trains to get back to our ryokan. Thank you so much Ray for everything! :-) -Rachel and Josh

Had a great time with these guys! They took me and my partner to a bunch of spots we never would have found on our own. Really informative and we left feeling stoked about the rest of our trip. Can’t wait to come back!

Great way to experience Kyoto! My time was limited because I was in town for work. I wanted to fit in as much as possible and was able to create a personalized multi-day custom tour with them. We visited popular and off the beaten path spots in the Arashiyama area. Golden Temple and temple with 1200 arhat carved by locals stand out for me. Very well organized, friendly, and good riding. I will definitely be in touch again next time I am in town.

Kyoto Bike Tour was the best tour I’ve ever taken! My friend Brandi and I were lucky enough to hear about the tour from Co Owner Peter, our minds were blown away, it’s safe to say that this tour alone made our trip to Japan worth wild! We started in the morning, we were running late and they waited for us without a fuss to arrive, once the tour started we were given instructions on safety and how to operate our bikes. We rode to the Bamboo forest and were given detailed history from our amazing tour guid RAY! Ray’s knowledge of Japanese history is HUGE and it helped a lot to have a tour guide that’s Californian yet speaks fluent Japanese. Lunch and snacks were included. We explored the entire city! We felt so tough after the entire ride, we wish would could take it twice! Well I won’t spoil much more for you, you’ll have to find out the rest for yourself! 100 out of 10! Thanks again Peter and Ray!

Ray was amazing! We hit all of the highlights of Kyoto in one day and got a nice bit of activity in the process. You don’t need to be experienced biker but it is a long ride with some slight hills and a couple of hour long stretches. You will circle a good portion of Kyoto (43km) giving you a chance to see much of the city. We did the 5 top highlights tour and it was incredible seeing several UNESCO World Heritage sites with someone who knows his stuff. Ray is a US ex-pat who has spent almost half his life in Japan and it shows. He’s engrained himself in the culture and history. If you enjoy long bike rides and want to see a lot of the city in one day then this tour is for you! Oh, and the Udon lunch was one of my favorite meals in Japan!

Our party of 5 did the full day Kyoto Bike Tour. Had a brilliant day. Saw so much more than we expected, covering most of Kyoto's main attractions as well as parts of Kyoto you probably wouldn't normally see as a tourist. Peter, our guide, was great. Lead the tour at a good pace and was great to hear his insights on Kyoto, its history and its attractions. The bikes themselves were top notch. Would recommend without hesitation.

A definite must do if coming to Kyoto! We only had 1 day in the city and wanted a way to see as much as possible. Rob our tour guide was brilliant, his knowledge, respect and facts on Kyoto made the trip.

We had a wonderful day on our Kyoto bike tour with Peter. It was one of the highlights of our trip to Japan. Peter was very knowledgeable and helped us have a great day. I was impressed with how much of the city and sites that we covered. It really felt like we got a good feel for all parts of the city. Be aware that if you do the full day tour, it is a lot of biking, so if you're wanting something a little less physically challenging, one of the half day tours would be great. The biking wasn't hard at all, it was just a big day packed full of riding to all the sites. We loved it and would definitely recommend it.

I highly recommend doing this bike tour when you're in Kyoto! It was such a fun way to explore the area and our guide Ray was wonderful. He taught us so much about everything that we saw and he took us to a few places that we never would have found on our own. He even took photos throughout the tour and was able to get so many nice family photos of us. Our kids are 1 and 4 and they enjoyed riding around on the bikes as much as we did. I was so thankful that Kyoto Bike Tour offers child seats and child helmets so that we were able to do this as a family. It was definitely one of the most memorable parts of our trip!

Kyoto Bike Tour is hands-down one of the best things to do with your time in Kyoto! We lucked out with the weather and our guide, Ray. 🚲 The knowledge he shared with us about Japanese life, culture, and history in Kyoto was influenced by his background in Japanese studies and deep respect and love of this community. It was fun, perfectly paced, and a bucket-list-worthy experience. Thank you sharing your time and talents so generously and genuinely. We all enjoyed the perfect day! 🥰

HAD AN INCREDIBLE TIME!! The tour was surprisingly partially a walking tour which was awesome as we got to see some unexpected and fantastic areas. Overall, the guide Ray did an AMAZING job and I would totally do again. Highly recommend the early bird one if you are in summer as it can get HOT. You definitely have to be somewhat physically fit as this was a long tour. HIGHLY RECOMMEND! GUIDE WAS AMAZING! Bamboo forest was really cool.

Absolutely wonderful bike tour. Ray (part owner and guide) is extremely knowledgeable, friendly and easy going. Took great care of us while taking us on an across Kyoto adventure. You won’t regret choosing Kyoto Bike Tours. The bikes are new and easy to ride. No need to be an athlete, if you can ride a bike, you’ll be fine. We did the all day tour and it was flat the whole way. Included snacks, water and the best lunch we’ve had so far……freshly made Udon noodles in a broth to die for. 😊 Highly recommend.

This was the best tour my husband and I did in Japan. The tour guide, Peter, was lovely and extremely knowledgeable, having lived in Japan for over 25 years. As English speakers, he was able to clearly explain interesting facts and history about Kyoto and Arashiyama. We opted for the early bird Arashiyama bamboo forest tour and it went for approx. 3 hours and in that time we covered a lot of ground, visiting the bamboo forest, several temples, the famous bridge, the main street in town and more. Peter captured fantastic photos of each individual group throughout the tour at each stop, he also took some great group photos that I have attached here. I couldn’t recommend this tour more highly! Great value for money.

We spent a great morning with Kyoto Bike Tour to visit the Arishiyama area. Confortable bikes, even for kids (8 years old), super friendly guides, mix of riding bike as well as visit of selected places, not too croudy. It balances very properly the effort by such a hot day, we enjoyed it a lot. I really recommend this activity, another way of discovering lovely Kyoto!

This tour was a stand out for us. Our three boys (aged 9, 11 and 15) all really enjoyed the riding. The roads aren’t busy and the riding is mostly flat. Ray, our guide was incredibly knowledgeable about Kyoto and helped us understand the culture of the area. We really enjoyed his insight and passion. The zen garden is so peaceful and the monkeys are adorable. A lovely way to spend an afternoon in Kyoto, I highly recommend!

I recently had the privilege of embarking on a remarkable bike trip in the picturesque city of Kyoto, led by the fantastic guide, Ray. From the get-go, Ray's professionalism, meticulous planning, and passion for our happiness were evident. He left no detail unattended, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable experience. Ray's knowledge of Kyoto, infectious enthusiasm, and photography tricks made the journey truly exceptional. He surprised us with hidden gems along the route and captured our unforgettable moments. Safety was paramount under Ray's guidance, with high-quality bikes in excellent condition and clear instructions throughout. What set this tour apart was the sense of camaraderie Ray fostered among our diverse group. We laughed, shared stories, and formed lasting connections. In conclusion, Ray's guided bike tour in Kyoto is a must for anyone seeking an authentic and memorable adventure. His professionalism and dedication ensure a safe and delightful experience that will leave you with cherished memories of this enchanting city.

A gorgeous day with tour guide Peter in which we experienced the most important UNESCO World Heritage sites of Kyoto. These are not close to each other so cycling is the best way to explore this city. We cycled through many neighbourhoods of Kyoto and therefore had a good impression of the city with its many small streets. The lunch was delicious and also a nice experience to be in a place that does not cater to tourists but locals. Peter is amazing as a guide, extremely friendly, knowledgeable and interested. In short: a great introduction to Kyoto with this bike tour.

The tour was amazing!! We were able to feed the monkeys at the park which was really cool. Our guide was so informative and answered all of the extra questions I had about Kyoto and Japan in general. The bike ride was easy as it was basically flat, but the walk to the monkey park was a lot of stairs so make sure you are okay with that before going. We loved it and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an active tour.

Such a great tour with Peter! It was the perfect size group to stick together and see the highlights of Kyoto! He was very informative, took us to a great lunch spot, and took great photos of everyone throughout the day. Highly recommend if you are up for a good workout!

We arrived to the station saga as instructed and saw a row of bicycles right where it said the meeting spot would be. Bikes were nice and worked great. Brakes are backwards so be careful!! Everything was on time and the trip is a MUST!! Peter our guide took us to the many backroads and must see sites that we never would have seen otherwise. He was great! This was a very cool and informative way to see the local attractions. The monkeys were hungry and the streets bustling with people. Just a great 3-4 hr experience that was totally worth it. The weather was great this day as well. Highly recommend this tour!!

If you don‘t want to spend a lot of time on public transport and still see some of Kyotos most famous highlights plus a lot of beautiful places on the way I highly recommend Kyoto Bike Tour! Ray was the perfect guide for my day tour. He is very knowledgeable, helpful and great company and made sure I had a fantastic day in Kyoto. My Cannondale bike was in great condition and a perfect match for my height (which can be a bit of a struggle in Japan sometimes). Throughout the 8hrs tour we visited the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, the Fushimi Inari Taisha, the Kiyomizu-dera, the Geisha District and the Kinkaku-ji cycling along rivers, rice fields, passing kimono factories, the former Imperial Palace grounds and many backstreets of Kyoto and had lunch at a lovely local restaurant. Ray explained the history of the various places and made sure to share some fun facts too and he also took lots of photos at the sites and on the bikes so don‘t worry if you‘re travelling solo like me - you‘ll still have some great shots of you in the end as a memory. When you come to Kyoto make sure you make time for a tour with Kyoto Bike Tour!

My family recently returned from our Kyoto trip and we had an excellent experience exploring Kyoto with Kyoto Bike Tour!! We had a great time thanks to Ray, who was so friendly and accommodating every step of the way. Being non-native visitors, Ray enhanced our experience with his wealth of knowledge about Japan and its rich history. The tour was the perfect combination of riding and cultural activities with stops at various temples, shrines, gates, gardens, Geisha district and the amazing bamboo forest! The snacks and meal also kept us fueled and ready to continue our tour. This beautiful country is so interesting and spiritual on so many levels for people of all backgrounds. Thank you Ray for giving us such a great introduction to Kyoto and allowing us the opportunity to experience it this way!!

We had such a great time on our bike tour, and learned so much from our excellent guide, Peter! We took the "Early Bird" ride throughout Arashiyama and Kyoto Bike Tours has this tour down to a science. We toured all of the "hot spots" at just the right times, and then we were taken to some more off the path locations that were just as extraordinary to visit. The knowledge of Peter who has spent 20+ years living in Japan was so helpful to us on our visit. We can not recommend them enough.

Peter was fantastic! We had an amazing 8 hour ride around Kyoto. His knowledge regarding the beautiful historical sites made the trip so much more. We had a great group also who were really fun. The bikes are really great quality... and the trip even though it is 8 hours is not too difficult. Peter took amazing pics of our day - much better than the ones we took ourselves. I would HIGHLY recommend this day trip. It is the BEST way to see Kyoto. Thank you Peter!!! You made our day!

A really easy and fun tour for any fitness level. Peter provided some interesting insights and it is obvious that he really loves this job. Highly recommended for those new to Kyoto and hoping to avoid the crowds a bit.

Fantastic tour! I took the full trip and absolutely loved it. Ray (my guide) was awesome and it felt like I cruised around the city with a buddy (if that buddy speaks fluent Japanese, knows all the sweet back alleys and has a delightfully deep knowledge of Japanese culture/history). The riding was chill (minimal elevation changes) and all day in the saddle felt like a breeze when being blasted with interesting facts and cultural insights. Can’t recommend this enough and will be a repeat customer when I return to Kyoto.

Fantastic morning with a great guide who was kind, knowledgeable, and thoughtful with each aspect of the tour. I was quite spoiled in having the morning to myself but hope to see these tours fill up as Japan slowly re-opens. Definitely recommend, especially for the early morning outing. Thanks, Ray!

Ray gave my family an amazing tour of the bamboo forest and Arashiyama. We have a 7 year old who rode a bike and 4 year old in a child seat. We met Ray and the bikes at the train station and was super easy to find. He was very attentive and even exchanged my son's bike for a smaller one to fit him better. The tour started early, but it was great because we were ahead of most of the crowd. He gave us a good amount of history and got the kids involved too. Highly recommend.

My wife and I went on the morning bamboo forest ride with Ray. Everything about the morning was amazing. When we arrived at the meeting location, Ray was very welcoming and made sure everything was just right with our bicycles before we headed. Throughout the day, we visited the bamboo forest, several shrines and temples, road through the country side, and visited the river! Ray was incredibly knowledgeable about the city and Japanese culture. Ray also took incredible photos of us throughout the day that we will cherish forever. Everything about the day exceeded my expectations and I would highly recommend this tour to anyone!

We loved our bike tour! We got to see a lot of different spots, and it was helpful to have someone explain different things about Japan and answer our questions. Our guide thoughtfully took pictures for us throughout. He provided plenty of water and even Japanese hydration tablets.

Highlight of my 5 week stay in Japan! Booking directly through the Kyoto Bike Tour website was extremely quick and user-friendly. Ray was a superb guide. As someone that’s not in great shape I still was able to enjoy cycling. I asked for a breather at one point and Ray didn’t even blink. He made me feel so comfortable and we walked for a bit. He’s a Japanese historian so you really can’t ask for a better buddy to cruise around with. He’s such a lovely gentle guy and easy to spend time with. Loved every moment from beginning to end. Book with this company, you’ll have memories that will last a lifetime.

We had a wonderful time with Ray. He was so warm and engaging and very knowledgeable about Kyoto. He took us to some wonderful spots that showed the history of the area as well as beautiful Japanese scenery. The roads where easy to cycle and Ray always ensured we were looked after. I couldn't recommend this tour highly enough.

This tour was super awesome! I give this 5 stars because you get to see all the amazing highlights of Kyoto in one day! Ray was extremely knowledgeable of all the history! He speaks the language which is extremely helpful! He provides two waters per person for the day. He even let us borrow some money to buy a few things since we had just arrived in Japan and hadn't had the chance to go get money yet. He always checks if everyone is doing ok and he points out all the interesting things along the way! He is super respectful of the guests and the people around him in the areas you visit! This tour is well worth it! Bring a snack, as it is an all day tour!

Well organized, perfectly paced and absolutely gorgeous sightseeing. This is the best way to see the city in a day. Our guide Ray was wonderful. Lots of history and great tips about Kyoto. I can't think of a better experience!

I had a fantastic time on my early morning bike tour around Kyoto. The guide for the day, Ray, was punctual, friendly & infectiously passionate about Kyoto / The Japanese Language - which in turn made ME pumped for the tour ahead. He shared lots of personal stories & useful insight at every stop along the way & was my personal photographer for the day too which relieved some stress about trying to capture every moment. Ray also passed on great suggestions for other must see's / do's / eat's for the remainder of my time in Kyoto. I highly recommend this tour for your first day in town so you can start soaking it in from day 1! (I even got some language tips which I'll be taking with me for the remainder of my time in Japan!) Arigatou Ray!

This was the most epic, amazing, and informative tour I have ever been on! Not only did we bike throughout the entire city, allowing us to see so many things we otherwise wouldn’t have, but we learned about each destination. Ray was kind, skillful, watchful, and fun! He clearly loves what he does and has so much passion to share it with others. I have never been on a tour that felt so inviting and free! I would highly recommend doing this no matter what physical level you’re at. Although we biked from 9am to 6:30- I never felt drained or tired. This made me see Kyoto with fresh and curios eyes. If there were more stars, I would use them all. Hope to see you again, Ray!

If you have limited time in Kyoto or want to see the city with a more unique local flavor, this tour is really worth it. The tour covers basically the entire city and several of it's most important highlights - excellent for first time and even return visitors. Our guide Ray was extremely knowledgeable about the city as well as Japan and was happy to let us pick his brain on his experiences. It was also a relief to let an experienced guide lead us through some of the less touristy paths through the city without worrying about getting lost on our own. Just be realistic about your fitness levels because even though the city is fairly flat, it's still several miles and hours of biking, with a few short inclined segments.

We had the most wonderful time- considering how many places you visit in the time, and with an English speaking guide, this tour is fantastic value for money! It's a fairly gentle bike ride, but Ray was happy to stop or slow down for us when needed too. He took us to the very famous places early before the crowds, and some lovely lesser known spots as well that I would never have known about otherwise. The guide was very friendly and also gave little lessons in Japanese history and culture, which was greatly appreciated. This is a great way to see Arashiyama with your group, can recommend!

Highly recommend if you're in Kyoto, no matter what the season or temperature is :). It was super easy to book a ride online and they emailed me regularly with booking confirmation and tour information. Peter the tour guide was awesome (English speaking). I was the only one that booked and they didn't cancel on me. Peter took me on a private tour of all the local areas. He was super knowledgeable and I left the day feeling like I knew more than when I arrived. Recommend booking early if you're going in Autumn or Spring :) Cheers! P.s lunch recommendation was amazing

This was amazing, cannot recommend enough!!! Fantastic way to see Kyoto and learn a bit about Japanese culture with a very knowledgeable, friendly guide. Ray was amazing, communication from the start of the booking was excellent. A MUST DO for anyone visiting Kyoto! We did the early morning ride which was fantastic because we beat the crowds and had an incredible experience.

The Kyoto bike tour has been the highlight of my trip to Japan, you get to see so many great sights over the day, Peter shared loads of intersting facts and insights about each location and at stops between the main attractions so you also learn as well as getting to look around and explore. The bikes were very good and all sized up and ready to go as soon as we arrived. Peter was an incredible host/ guide, you could visit each of the sites yourself but Peter added so much value/ insight/ knowledge about all of the destinations that it helps you to get a much more rounded experience. I would recommend this to anyone travelling to/ staying in Kyoto, it was such a great day out!

The Kyoto bike tour was a very memorable experience! Ray is a lovely tour guide and made our time all the more enjoyable thanks to his friendly, gentle and considerate nature. We explored the Bamboo Forest, Buddhist temples, a Shinto shrine, small charismatic streets, and the wide open rice fields. Ray was able to give valuable and respectful insight into each place and aspects of Japanese culture - much of which came from his personal experiences as a local. Lots to cherish from this tour!

This tour was a fabulous use of our time while visiting Kyoto and also a really nice change of pace from all the walking we had been doing! Ray is a fantastic guide, and he was great at sharing his in depth knowledge about the area, the culture, and the language at all of the interesting stops along the way. The bikes were also in great shape, too. Thank you again for a great outing in Kyoto!

This was a magical and memorable experience not to be missed if visiting Kyoto! Ray lives right next to the bamboo grove so knows it like an old friend he can’t wait to introduce to you. Biking around Kyoto is also a treat on its own and something I wouldn’t have had the confidence to try on my own given the reversed brakes and riding on the left etc. Our favorite part of the trip was the monkey preserve (just so much different than going to a zoo!) but we also learned a lot at the zen garden and enjoyed our final bonus stop at the kimono forest. Ray also took GREAT photos that he shared with us afterwards so we didn’t have to worry about documenting and just enjoy the day. Highly recommended!