One Of Thailand's Best-Ranked Beaches Is A Slice Of Uncrowded Paradise Amongst Phuket's Big Crowds

Thailand is one of the world's most popular travel destinations and — as a country with around 2,000 miles of tropical coastline, a vibrant culture, and amazing cuisine — it's easy to see why. In fact, traveling to Thailand has become so popular that season three of the hit vacation-centered HBO series "White Lotus" will be filmed there. In general, when planning a trip to Thailand there are 10 amazing islands that you need to know about, but out of these islands the easiest to reach is probably Phuket. This is because Phuket has an international airport, making it super easy to fly to and from the island. Phuket is also the largest Thai island and is considered the jumping-off-point for trips to most islands in the Andaman Sea. However, because of this, Phuket can be quite busy.

Luckily, as such a large island, there are places in Phuket to escape the crowds — one of the best of which is Freedom Beach. Rated by World's 50 Best Beaches as number 23 in the world, Freedom Beach is a calm, secluded, and tranquil paradise located just south of the famous Patong Beach (one of the most crowded in Phuket). Despite its proximity to Patong, Freedom Beach has been able to remain secluded and "hidden" because it is a little hard to reach requiring a trip by boat or a short hike to get to the beautiful sandy shores — but if you are up for the adventure, then Freedom Beach is definitely worth the visit.

The secret to Freedom Beach's secluded nature is that it sits between two rocky and jungle-covered hills that create a cove separating the beach from the surrounding island. Because of this, there are no hotels or resorts on Freedom Beach and all of the almost-1000-foot stretch of white sand that makes up the beach is open for sunbathers who take the time to journey there.

There are two main methods of reaching Freedom Beach, and the easiest is by longtail boat. You can book a longtail boat from other nearby beaches (including Patong, Kata, Karon, and Kamala) for a price of anywhere between 1,200 to 1,500 Thai baht (around $35 to $44 USD) per boat for a roundtrip journey. Fair warning: the price of the boat may vary depending on weather conditions and your bartering skills.

If you are up for a little more of an adventure, you can hike to Freedom Beach. There are two trails that will take you from the road to the beach, and they both take around 25 to 30 minutes. The first trail starts near the Avista Hideaway Resort but, according to one reviewer on TripAdvisor, if you park your scooter at the Lek Sand Beach Bar and start the hike from there, you can skip the entrance fee. Either way, it is a steep downhill hike to Freedom Beach and then a steep hike back up. Although some people complete the hike in flip-flops, wearing hiking sandals or tennis shoes would make the journey easier.

As a secluded beach surrounded by the clear turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea, Freedom Beach is a great place for snorkeling and there is plenty of wildlife to be seen right off the shore (however, make sure you know how to safely snorkel around coral reefs before you jump in). There is no gear rental at Freedom Beach, so you will need to make sure to rent your snorkeling stuff from your hotel and then bring it with you.

If you aren't a big fan of snorkeling and just want to sunbathe on the shore while taking in the raw natural beauty of this secluded cove, then you can claim a place on the sand and spend the day relaxing. Most travelers believe that the northern side of the beach has the best views; however, you will find the beach's only chair rental stand and restaurant — the Barefoot Bistro — at the southern end.

If you don't want to rent beach chairs, then it's a good idea to bring a sun umbrella with you if you plan to stay at Freedom Beach all day. The beach doesn't offer many shady spots, except near the jungle where all the ants are, and even those spots fill up quickly.