Freedom Beach is one of Phuket’s most beautiful beaches and is located on the headland between Karon Beach and Patong Beach. It was fairly unknown for a long time, but nowadays it’s one of the most popular day trips on the island.
It was really easy to get there. I ordered a taxi on Grab for around 210 baht to pick me up at my hotel in Karon.
You have to go all the way to Patong in order to get up the hill towards Freedom Beach. It’s around 20 to 25 minutes drive (depending on the traffic), with the last part of the journey being a dirt road.
Once I got to the drop-off, there are multiple ways to get down to the beach. I chose the entrance a bit down from the dirt road. There’s a small parking lot there with some cars, a few buildings and a Freedom Beach sign.
It’s very straightforward and the locals pointed me to a cashier to pay the entrance fee of 100 baht. Even though the beach itself is public, the path to it is private and that’s why everyone needs to pay a fee to reach the beach.
Make sure to bring cash. This is not a place where you can pay by card.
The Walk to the Beach
The path down to the beach is beautiful with multiple places to take amazing pictures of the beach. The main attraction is the viewpoint with the swing.
It offers an amazing view over the beach. Don’t be surprised if you need to wait a few minutes for your turn to take some photos.
At the bottom of the path lie a few restaurants and bars with terraces towards the sea. It’s a very laid-back atmosphere and a clear contrast to the busy beaches next door.
The last part of the path is over some rocks and mud and can be somewhat difficult if you don’t have good balance.
A tip is to wear some hiking shoes. I had flip-flops and it’s not the best grip on the wet rocks.
Enjoying Freedom Beach
Once you’re down on the beach, the sand is very soft and the water is turquoise and clear. The beach feels natural and relaxed, with no jet-skis or parasailing, which is probably why it’s become so popular as a calm escape compared to the busy Patong.
I arrived at 09:30 and most of the beach was still in the shade from the trees above, so there’s no rush to visit it in the early morning.
I’d say 10:00–10:30 is a good time to come. It fills up with tourists each hour, but it wasn’t as crowded as I thought to be honest.
At the far end of the beach lies a restaurant where you can grab some lunch or a drink and escape the sun for a while.
The waves were pretty large when I was there, so make sure you’re paying attention to the flags on the beach. The currents can be very dangerous, and there were a few accidents at the beaches during my time in Phuket.
Getting back up to the main road
On the way back, I took the concrete staircase up to a plateau where they offered a shuttle up to the road for a 100 baht fee. It’s worth it big time! The path is very steep at times so I highly recommend it.
Once I was back at the main entrance, I had to walk along the main road a bit before I could order a taxi via Grab.
The taxi driver told me on the way to the beach that they are not allowed to go all the way to the entrance to pick up people due to it’s privately owned.
I think it’s worth it to visit Freedom Beach. It’s very beautiful and offers a bit of a contrast from Karon and Patong. I was surprised that it wasn’t more crowded at the beach, but they might come later in the afternoon.
If you’re like me and want to see as much as possible on your trip, then make sure to combine this trip with a visit to the nearby beaches Merlin Beach and Tri Trang Beach.
