Phuket’s Tritrang Beach gains artificial reef

[LivinginKata]

We have not been along that road to the Merlin Beach for many years, maybe 10 years. Just by chance my wife mentined to me that she fancied a drive along there to see what was happening.

So I offered to drive her. I well remember that road being built many years ago, took a long time. We ended up with a very nice Merlin Beach resort and a track over to Freedom Beach.

Today we were appaled, just a number of huge huge construction sites on the Patong side, really no accrss anywhere to what I call Green beach, just a number of construction road with clear no access signs.

Disaster - then drove over to Freedom Beach site which seems to be dominated by some sort of full moon party venue and much security.

We won't be back ...

Edited April 28, 2016 by LivinginKata

[DrDave]

<snip>

Disaster - then drove over to Freedom Beach site which seems to be dominated by some sort of full moon party venue and much security.

We won't be back ...

It seems that full moon parties are the new thing in Phuket.

Paradise Beach is now promoting both "full moon" and "half moon" parties at "their" beach. They've effectively blocked off public access to the entire area by improving the road, adding a checkpoint and carpark which requires the use of their shuttle service to get to the beach area. I haven't tried to drive up the old (original) dirt track that went to Paradise Beach, but I suspect they've blocked that off at some point. From what I've been able to work out, one of Patong's "influential" families seems to be behind this project.

Now Freedom Beach is a site for full moon parties? Are you able to pay a fee for normal daytime access to the beach? I wonder what happens if someone arrives by longtail boat.

[LivinginKata]

<snip>

Disaster - then drove over to Freedom Beach site which seems to be dominated by some sort of full moon party venue and much security.

We won't be back ...

It seems that full moon parties are the new thing in Phuket.

Paradise Beach is now promoting both "full moon" and "half moon" parties at "their" beach. They've effectively blocked off public access to the entire area by improving the road, adding a checkpoint and carpark which requires the use of their shuttle service to get to the beach area. I haven't tried to drive up the old (original) dirt track that went to Paradise Beach, but I suspect they've blocked that off at some point. From what I've been able to work out, one of Patong's "influential" families seems to be behind this project.

Now Freedom Beach is a site for full moon parties? Are you able to pay a fee for normal daytime access to the beach? I wonder what happens if someone arrives by longtail boat.

Old dirt road ? How long since you been over to Freedom Beach ? The dirt road was replaced by a narrow concrete road over 10 years ago. Now it's a full 2 way road almost all the way. Ends a a big car park with the original narrow concrete road dipping down to the beach.

Many many young security guys all along the road and at car park - I counted at least 10. We were waved through the various check points, but under constant observation in the car park.

Lot's of folks at the moon party office/turn style at 13.30 yesterday. Seems to be more about half moon parties. Wife went over to enquire. Cheapest price was 500 baht with one drink, and 1,000 baht upward options. Quite a number of moon party shuttle buses moving about.

Just before the car park there is a new road left, full size road that ends abruptly at a big barrier. As I already said - we won't be back.

Edited April 29, 2016 by LivinginKata

[DrDave]

<snip>

Disaster - then drove over to Freedom Beach site which seems to be dominated by some sort of full moon party venue and much security.

We won't be back ...

It seems that full moon parties are the new thing in Phuket.

Paradise Beach is now promoting both "full moon" and "half moon" parties at "their" beach. They've effectively blocked off public access to the entire area by improving the road, adding a checkpoint and carpark which requires the use of their shuttle service to get to the beach area. I haven't tried to drive up the old (original) dirt track that went to Paradise Beach, but I suspect they've blocked that off at some point. From what I've been able to work out, one of Patong's "influential" families seems to be behind this project.

Now Freedom Beach is a site for full moon parties? Are you able to pay a fee for normal daytime access to the beach? I wonder what happens if someone arrives by longtail boat.

Old dirt road ? How long since you been over to Freedom Beach ? The dirt road was replaced by a narrow concrete road over 10 years ago. Now it's a full 2 way road almost all the way. Ends a a big car park with the original narrow concrete road dipping down to the beach.

Many many young security guys all along the road and at car park - I counted at least 10. We were waved through the various check points, but under constant observation in the car park.

Lot's of folks at the moon party office/turn style at 13.30 yesterday. Seems to be more about half moon parties. Wife went over to enquire. Cheapest price was 500 baht with one drink, and 1,000 baht upward options. Quite a number of moon party shuttle buses moving about.

Just before the car park there is a new road left, full size road that ends abruptly at a big barrier. As I already said - we won't be back.

I think maybe we're getting confused between Paradise and Freedom beaches. As far as I know, these are two different beaches. Paradise is the one that was recently developed, and sits on the northern end of the headland, at the end of Thaweewong Rd.

Freedom beach is less developed, and located more on the southeastern part of the headland, not easily accessible.(Please correct me if I'm wrong).

That's why I was surprised when you noted that Freedom beach was doing full moon parties.

As for the old dirt track to Paradise beach, at the barricade you mentioned there's a dirt track that goes off to the right. I might be wrong, but I was thinking that this might be the original, old track that went to Paradise beach before they extended Thaweewong Road to that carpark.

[LivinginKata]

Yes, forgive me. I guess I was talking about Paradise Beach. To be honest I always thought they were the same general beach area.

If your diagram is correct then we have never even been to Freedom Beach.

We seemed to have wandered well away from the Tri Trang story. I never found where this artificial reef was laid on my trip over there. I could not get near Emarald/Crystal beach, I did get onto Tri Trang Beach (Merlin side) but nothing to see.