Freedom Beach

Freedom Beach is a three-hundred-metre curve of white sand below forested cliffs at the southern end of Patong bay, and it looks the way Phuket beaches are supposed to look in photographs, which is why it is on every list. Access is the filter. Most people take a longtail from Patong for a negotiated fare, fifteen minutes each way, with the boatman returning at an agreed time - agree the pickup before you land, because there is no other way off. The alternative is a steep, rough and unmaintained path down through jungle from the road above, which is genuinely difficult, slippery when wet, and has seen injuries and at least one death from falls. There have been periods when land access was closed by disputes over ownership and encroachment. There are simple food and drink stalls in season. Boats do not run in rough monsoon weather and the path is worse then.

What you actually see

• The cove - about three hundred metres of white sand under forested cliffs.
• The boat access - longtails from Patong, fare and pickup negotiated.
• The jungle path - the steep, rough and hazardous land alternative.
• The clear water - calm inside the bay in the dry season.

When to go

November to April. Boats stop running in rough monsoon weather and the land path becomes dangerous. Early morning avoids both the crowds and the worst heat on the path.

Honest expectations

Agree the boat pickup time before landing - there is no other way off. The land path is steep, unmaintained and has caused serious injuries. Access has been closed at times by land disputes. No facilities beyond seasonal stalls.

Nearby

Patong is north; Karon and Kata are south along the coast.