Visit the islands around Krabi on a day tour, with departure from your hotel in Phuket. Cruise by ferry to Ao Nang and start your journey by speedboat to reach 4 islands just off the coast of Ao Nang.
You'll be picked up by a minivan in the early morning and sail to Nopparat Thara Pier in Ao Nang on board a ferry. Switch to the speedboat to start the island hopping to Koh Poda, Chicken Island and the sandbar at Tup Islets. The trip includes several open-water swimming and snorkelling stops of around 30 minutes. Travel time between the various beaches is 20 to 25 minutes, usually less.
A popular stop will be Chicken Island, named after a bizarre rock formation resembling the head of a chicken. One end of the island consists of steep cliffs, while the other end has beautiful beaches along a peninsula. This peninsula gets flooded at high tide, creating a small island. At low tide, you can walk between the Tup Islets and Chicken Island.