The 4 Best 3-Day Experiences in the World

1.Amanda Cruise – Ha Long, Lan Ha Bay – All Inclusive 2D1N & 3D2N

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4,358 reviews · from $56Our pick

Take a 2-day, 1-night Amanda Cruise from Hanoi through Ha Long or Lan Ha Bay, with cave visits, kayaking, swimming, Tai Chi, cooking, and squid fishing. Guides such as Alex, Dan, Hannah, and Anna have earned praise, but boat assignments, cabin quality, food, and route can vary, so confirm the exact ship and itinerary before paying.

“We have marked this down one star as the company emailed us with one day's notice to say they were changing our boat to the Hera Grand. The reason being that the one that had previously been confirmed to us was then allocated to a larger group that had come in. That may be good business for them, but isn't customer friendly for people who have booked so far in advance. Other than that, we still enjoyed the trip. The cabin was very nice and the food was excellent. All staff were efficient, friendly and approachable. One big drawback was the lack of internet, even though it is advertised as…”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.3-Day Ninh Binh, Ha Long, & Lan Ha Bay 5-Star Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,401 reviews · from $313

Travel from Hanoi to Bai Dinh, Trang An, and Mua Cave, then spend a night in a private-balcony cabin on a 5-star Lan Ha Bay cruise. Expect comfortable transfers, Vietnamese meals, kayaking, swimming, Tai Chi, and a cooking class. Guides such as Peter, James, Leo, and Dat may lead the Ninh Binh portion.

“Jessica is very attentive and great at communicating the itinerary. We loved Ninh Binh and the cruise in Ha Long Bay. Our favourite part was the fact that getting from Point A to Point B to Point C was so simple thanks to the planning of the operator.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.3-Day Ninh Binh Trip and Ha Long Bay 5-Star Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 884 reviews

Travel from Hanoi to Hoa Lu, Trang An, and Hang Mua, then sleep in a Ninh Binh ecolodge before boarding a 5-star Ha Long or Lan Ha Bay cruise. Expect private balcony cabins, a bathtub, kayaking, bamboo boats, cooking, Tai Chi, and guides such as Ha, Alex, Nancy, or Long.

“Nancy is great!! Thanks a lot for this nice trip!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.3-Day Cruise to Luxor with Hot Air Balloon

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 598 reviews · 3 days · from $1,000

Spend three days sailing from Aswan to Luxor in a private cabin aboard a 5-star boat. Visit Abu Simbel, Kom Ombo, Edfu, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, Karnak, and Luxor Temple, then rise above Luxor in a 45 to 80-minute hot air balloon flight. Guides such as Mina, Ahmed, and Mahmoud are often assigned to different sections of the trip.

“The cruise is an awesome experience, fantastic way to see a lot of the temples along the Nile River. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in checking out them out. The cruise team are all lovely and take incredible care of you. Rooms are decently sized and have great AC. The early morning tours may be killer for some, but it's definitely worth it to see the sunrise from a balloon or in a temple. Equally great is sunset at Kom Ombo. All of the guides were great, informative and kind. Special shoutout to David who is a fountain of knowledge on all of the Luxor sites, a lovely…”

Check availability →Read our full review