Paradise with a Punchline: What to Do in Chicken Island for 5 Days Without Developing a Sunburn Complex

Your Hour-By-Hour Breakdown: What To Do In Chicken Island For 5 Days Without Getting Bored (Or Sunburned)

Approaching Chicken Island requires the same careful strategy as approaching an actual chicken: with purpose, respect, and the understanding that timing is everything. Five days might seem excessive for an uninhabited island, but like discovering your in-laws have a previously unmentioned fascination with their cat’s digestive issues, Chicken Island reveals its true character slowly, one unexpected delight at a time.

Day 1: First Contact with the Chicken

Begin your chicken odyssey with the classic “4 Islands Tour” ($25-35 per person) departing from Ao Nang at 9am sharp with Krabi Sunset Cruises—the only tour operator whose captains seem to understand that “morning departure” shouldn’t technically mean “afternoon.” This introductory circuit includes Chicken Island, Tup Island, Poda Island, and Phra Nang Cave Beach, providing the perfect orientation to the archipelago without committing to a single location before you’ve tested the waters, literally.

The eastern side of Chicken Island harbors snorkeling spots that would make Florida Keys enthusiasts weep with jealousy. The particularly vibrant coral formations near the island’s “beak” host a technicolor parade of parrotfish, angelfish, and the occasional photobombing sea cucumber. The water clarity rivals that of a Fiji water commercial, though with substantially more fish and fewer supermodels.

Around 1-3pm (November through April), witness the daily miracle when the tide recedes to reveal a sandbar connecting Chicken Island to Tup Island. This natural walkway transforms the seascape, allowing pedestrian traffic between islands that normally require swimming or boating. Download the “Tide Forecast” app before arriving—nothing ruins tropical magic faster than showing up at high tide and wondering why everyone else’s photos showed a sandy bridge that’s currently five feet underwater.

For lunch, avoid the tourist traps on Poda Island charging 300+ baht for microwaved approximations of Thai food. Instead, seek out beach vendors selling Som Tam (papaya salad) for 60 baht and grilled chicken skewers at 20 baht each—proving that even on Chicken Island, actual chicken remains the superior dining option. The irony is complimentary.

As afternoon shadows lengthen, head back to Railay Beach where accommodation options span from the budget-friendly Rapala Rockwood ($45-60/night) where the bathroom door might be more suggestion than barrier, to the mid-range Railay Princess Resort ($85-120/night), to the luxurious Avatar Railay ($150-200/night) where the infinity pool offers views of—you guessed it—more islands shaped like various barnyard animals if you squint hard enough.

Day 2: The Underwater Wonderland

Morning brings opportunity for the physically ambitious: sea kayaking from Railay Beach around limestone karsts to Chicken Island. At $8-12 per hour or $25-30 for a full day, rentals seem reasonable until you realize the 45-minute paddle feels more like negotiating with your shoulders to not permanently divorce your torso. Only attempt this if your fitness level exceeds “occasionally takes stairs instead of elevator.”

Your muscle sacrifice earns access to the coral garden on Chicken Island’s east side (coordinates: 7°56’15.8″N 98°52’40.2″E for the pathologically precise), where clownfish dart among anemone tentacles and parrotfish methodically crunch coral with their beak-like mouths. The occasional sea turtle might grace your presence, gliding through the water with the effortless cool of someone who knows they’re the highlight of everyone’s vacation photos.

For underwater adventurers not content with daylight exploration, the afternoon “Sunset and Night Snorkeling Tour” ($40-50) reveals the ocean’s evening shift. As darkness falls, bioluminescent plankton transform the water into a galaxy of blue sparkles with every movement. It’s comparable to floating in a sea of fireflies, though significantly saltier and with the persistent awareness that you’re not the largest creature in this particular food chain.

Pro tip: Rent quality snorkeling gear from Ao Nang shops ($5/day) rather than relying on tour-provided equipment, which often features masks that have served thousands of faces and fins that fit approximately zero human foot shapes. Invest 30 baht in mask defogger unless you enjoy a snorkeling experience that mimics swimming through a steamy bathroom mirror.

Cap the day with dinner at The Last Bar on Railay East, where main dishes ($8-15) arrive as fire dancers begin their nightly performance—effectively distracting you from analyzing exactly what kind of fish you’re actually eating. The Thai whiskey flows freely here, promptly erasing any lingering shoulder pain from your morning kayaking adventure along with several other important memories.

Day 3: Island-Hopping Beyond the Chicken

By day three of what to do in Chicken Island for 5 days, it’s time to expand your poultry-shaped horizon. Charter a private longtail boat ($50-70 for full day) rather than joining another group tour ($25-35 per person) where you’ll spend half the day waiting for someone named Keith who “just needs five more minutes” at every stop. Negotiation tip: approach boat captains in late afternoon for next-day bookings when they’re more motivated by securing tomorrow’s business than by your clearly non-local appearance.

Set course for Hong Island’s emerald lagoon, just 30 minutes from Chicken Island. Here, limestone formations create a natural cathedral where voices echo across water so clear it appears digitally enhanced. The dramatic stone archways make Utah’s Arches National Park look like a child’s mud pie project, though with considerably more humidity and significantly fewer park rangers asking you not to touch things.

Afternoon brings Bamboo Island into view, with beaches so pristine they make other “pristine” beaches look like the Jersey Shore. The sand achieves that rare confectioner’s sugar fineness that squeaks underfoot, while water temperatures hover at a consistent 82°F even in January—proof that Mother Nature occasionally gets something exactly right. The relative lack of visitors means you can take photos without inadvertently capturing strangers in unflattering swim positions.

For your island-hopping lunch, avoid tourist-trap boat meals by stopping at Ao Nang markets beforehand to assemble a Thai picnic: fresh pineapple, mango and dragon fruit (30-50 baht/kg), Thai sweets like khanom buang (crispy pancakes) at 20-30 baht each, and coconuts (50 baht) that your boat captain will likely open with a machete swing that simultaneously impresses and terrifies you.

As daylight fades, direct your captain to Phra Nang Cave Beach where rock climbers tackle vertical limestone walls as you nurse a cold Chang beer (60-80 baht) from beach vendors whose portable coolers somehow maintain perfect temperature despite being approximately 500 miles from the nearest power outlet. The sunset silhouettes climbers against orange sky, creating the day’s final postcard moment before you return to Railay.

Day 4: Rock and Relaxation

Midway through discovering what to do in Chicken Island for 5 days, balance adventure with recovery. Morning offers choice: continue water exploration or gain new perspective through rock climbing. Railay’s world-famous walls draw climbers globally, and King Climbers offers half-day introductory courses ($35) requiring no previous experience beyond basic limb functionality. From these heights, Chicken Island appears on the horizon—surprisingly still looking like a chicken even from a different angle.

For those preferring terra firma remain flat, midday low tide reveals Chicken Island’s southern beaches where small rock pools create nature’s hot tubs. Sun-warmed to 90°F+, these natural jacuzzis offer the perfect muscle recovery system while tiny fish provide complimentary pedicure services of questionable hygiene but undeniable novelty.

Afternoon demands proper physical maintenance after days of swimming, hiking, and pretending that carrying your beach bag isn’t giving you shoulder cramps. Seek out Rapala Massage on Railay East (200-300 baht for 1 hour) where therapists possess hands that could crack walnuts but somehow transform your muscle tissue from beef jerky back to something approximating relaxed human flesh. The experience typically involves pain, confusion, occasional giggling (from them, not you), and ultimately, profound relief.

Late afternoon presents the photographer’s golden hour (5:30-6:30pm), when Chicken Island’s silhouette achieves maximum Instagram potential. The secret viewpoint from Tonsai Beach offers unobstructed vistas without the typical photobombing longtail boats. The limestone karst glows orange against darkening blue water, finally making those camera payments worthwhile.

For dinner splurging, secure reservations at The Grotto beneath Rayavadee Resort, where tables nestle within a natural limestone cave with Chicken Island visible in the distance. Main courses ($20-30) might strain the budget, but dining inside actual rock formation while watching sunset over the chicken-shaped island completes a theme day of geological appreciation that borders on obsession.

Day 5: The Farewell Tour

Finalize your exploration of what to do in Chicken Island for 5 days with strategic early departure. Charter a longtail boat (150-200 baht per person one way) leaving before 9am to experience the island during its quietest hours when the light achieves ethereal quality and the water rests mirror-smooth before day-trippers arrive with their waterproof phone cases and inflatable unicorns.

Access the “secret beach” on Chicken Island’s western side, reachable only during very low tide. Here, perfect spiral shells that would command $5 each in Florida souvenir shops litter the sand by hundreds. Collect responsibly, remembering that each shell once housed a living creature and not just a future dust-gatherer on your bathroom shelf.

For final underwater adventure, snorkel at Koh Si, the tiny island near Chicken Island’s southern point. Morning hours occasionally bring shy reef sharks (fully harmless blacktip reef variety) cruising the perimeter. Spotting these elegant creatures provides instant vacation bragging rights while simultaneously making you acutely aware of your position in the marine food chain. The sharks, fortunately, have plenty of tastier options than sunscreen-marinated tourists.

For final-day lunch, treat yourself at the floating restaurant platform that materializes between Chicken and Poda islands during high season (November-April). Seafood arrives directly from surrounding waters to your plate with just a brief stopover in the kitchen. At 400-600 baht per person, prices reflect both freshness and the engineering marvel of dining on a platform seemingly held together by optimism and boat rope.

As your chicken-shaped adventure concludes, arrange transportation logistics in advance. Longtail boats make their final Ao Nang returns around 6pm, and airport transfers to Krabi International Airport (400-600 baht) require 30-40 minutes. Leave with photographs, memories, and possibly peculiar tan lines that will take weeks to even out—the ultimate souvenir from five days circling a rock formation that looks vaguely like barnyard fowl.