How we do it differently
CHICKEN FEET TRAVELS IS NOT FOR EVERYONE
We are not your typical travel company. Traditional travel agents sell the same cookie-cutter experience: rinse-and-repeat itineraries, bus tours, and packages built for profit margins. We don’t sell travel. We design it—with heart, with intention, and with deep respect for the communities we partner with.
We’re here for those who want to travel with intention—who are ready to embrace a little grit, a lot of curiosity, and a love for what’s real and unpolished. We’re here for those who understand that the real adventure begins long before the trip is booked—when you decide to see the world not as a backdrop for selfies, but as a living, breathing teacher of stories, culture, and connection.
Travelling with Chicken Feet means choosing the road less travelled. It means working with local guides who care as much about the future of their home as they do about sharing it with you. It means prioritising time and energy grasping the nuances of each town instead of visiting the “best”, “ultimate”, "must-see” list of tourist traps.
We’ll be honest: this isn’t for everyone and that’s okay. We’re not here to make you feel comfortable. We’re here to make you feel alive.
If you’re ready to go beyond the usual, you’re in the right place.
We just ask that you:
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Say yes to more than just the destinations. Say yes to the rocky roads, the local conversations, the unexpected invitations. Say yes to the moments of uncertainty that make travel feel electric.
Our experiences are designed to open you up to the world, not to lock you into a rigid itinerary. When you say yes, you let curiosity and wonder lead you to experiences you didn’t even know you were looking for. -
Adventure isn’t about comfort—it’s about courage. To be bold is to step beyond the familiar, to try things that scare you just enough to make you feel alive. It’s about trusting that every new skill learned, every waved surfed, every trail trekked, will add to the story you carry home. We believe travel should be a time of firsts, not a checklist of the usuals.
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We travel to find new places, but more than that, we travel to find new ways of being. Living mindfully is about being fully present—taking a deep breath of salty air before a dive, savouring the quiet moments in nature, and giving your full attention to every meal, every conversation, every sunrise. Living heartfully means meeting every moment without judgement, assuming the best in people, and trusting in human kindness.
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When you move through the world with love, patience, and grace, you’re not just a traveller—you’re part of a bigger story of respect and community. Move with empathy, not entitlement. Let go of big expectations and embrace the warmth of shared humanity. In our travels, we believe that kindness is never wasted—it’s the best souvenir you can bring home.
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The world will keep spinning whether you rush through it or slow down to meet it. To just be is to allow yourself to pause, to find the magic in the present moment without needing to capture or curate it. It’s about trading the endless scrolling and comparison for the slow rhythm of your own breath, the sound of waves, and the stories of those who call these places their home. This is travel stripped back to its essence—no more, no less.
What Is Not Seen but Felt
We don’t always list out every detail, because what we offer can’t be fully captured in an itinerary.
How do you sell that feeling when it has to be personally experienced.
You’ll feel it when a local guide remembers your name.
You’ll feel it when you’re laughing over dinner with the hosts of your homestay.
You’ll feel it when no one’s rushing you, but you still somehow arrive right on time.
You’ll feel it in the way the trip flows—because we’ve walked it before.
In the quiet confidence of knowing someone’s done the work, but didn’t make a big deal out of it.
In the lack of drama when things go sideways—because the guides on the ground know everything about their home region and island.
We help you avoid scams, greenwashing, and tourist traps.
We can still make it happen, we just go against the daily migration of tourists so you still feel that sense of discovery and awe.
What we offer is not always seen in advance.
But you’ll feel it in your nervous system.
And in your body when you are leaving a place where people will great you with “welcome home” on your next visit.
This is what it means to travel with people who are committed to their jobs, their home, and your holiday.
Why travel with us
Because mishaps and mistakes cost time and money
We’ve seen it too many times—people chasing “freedom” by refusing to plan. Wanting flexibility, spontaneity, no strings. But even when you don’t plan in advance, you’re still planning on the road—often in a rush, in a panic, and sometimes in a place with no signal and no second chances.The truth is, winging it doesn’t make you free. It just makes things harder later.
Delayed ferries. Missed flights. Panicked rebookings that cost you $2,000 because someone’s misguided blog said the crossing would “take an hour”—but truth is they got lucky.
We’ve seen it all.
That’s why we design trips to give you the space to be present—without getting burned by guesswork. We consolidate what matters. We optimise the rhythm of the road. We know where to leave buffer and where to leave room for magic.
Because the truth is: travel still comes down to time, money, and grit. The more you respect these three things and stay flexible with the give and take of each, the more travel gives back to you.
It’s not about squeezing in the most destinations or leaving everything to chance. It’s about knowing when to commit, when to flow, and when to trust someone who’s already been there.
When you book ahead, things cost less. You get better rates, better options, better margins for change. Especially when we’re working with niche guides or remote places—your commitment to pre-planning gives you the flexibility you think you’ll find by “keeping it open.”
And when you do want to change things on the go—stay another night, skip a stop, take a detour—it’s easier when there’s structure in place. Flexibility is about choices that are earned through preparation.
This is why we do what we do. Because mishaps and mistakes don’t just cost you money. They cost you time. Energy. Peace of mind.
They take away from the very thing you came here to feel.We’ve done the legwork so you don’t gamble your time, your money, or your trust.
And travel should mean something
And here’s the other half of the truth: travel shouldn’t be an escape from your life—travel should help you return to it, better.
You should come back not just tan and tired, but changed.
Clearer. Lighter. More grounded.
Able to face your work and your relationships with fresh perspective.
Able to move through the world with less fear and more awareness.The point isn’t to check out. It’s to check in. To remember that things can be different. That you can be different.
That the world is still full of beauty, and people, and ways of being that don’t revolve around stress and efficiency and KPIs.
That’s what we’re here for.
Not to get you from Point A to B.
But to walk with you toward something real with people we trust.