Location: Freedom Beach, 2 Kilometers south-west of Patong, The Andaman Sea, On the west coast of Phuket. Southern Thailand.
GPS coordinates 7.875031, 98.275573
Freedom Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever been to, and as a bonus, I visited the beach during the low season, so I was there by almost by myself.
Getting to the beach was a bit of a challenge that consisted of a long walk down a staircase through the rainforest. In the picture, you will see the view that meets you when you are on your way down and can start to see the beach through the trees.
The small cabin you can see on the right is a bar where you can buy a refreshment. Unfortunately, it is only open during the high season.
Practical info:
There are two ways to get to the beach either by longtail boat (the easy way) or by hiking up and down a very long stairway at least 20 min each way (the tough way) if you choose the hike, bring water and remember to rest on the way.
When I visited Freedom beach, it was in the low season, and there were no lifeguards, it can be different in the High season, any way you have to be very careful and never swim alone *(see warning below)
I am not sure about Rip currents, but they can come and go in most of the Andaman sea, so be careful if there is no lifeguard to ask.
Although all beaches in Thailand are public, one may have to pay an admission fee because you go through private land to get to the beach, this is the case at Freedom Beach, and by September 2018 it was 200 THB, and
It seems reasonable when you see how much work is done to make the stairs going down to the beach.
If there are red flags along the beach, DO NOT go swimming.