re: What is the best form to use to swim a long distance?

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What makes you say that? In my experience you aren't very aware of your surroundings using free style, in terms of safety. You will tire faster unless you have it perfected as well.

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Learn to sight. It's not very difficult. About every ten to twenty strokes, just pick your head up before turning to the side for a breath.

Breast stroke is only easy for people that do it easily. I know that sounds confusing, but people tend to be able to learn to do the breast stroke with say 50% effort. Whereas with freestyle, a lot of people have no clue how to dial it back to 50% effort. They just sink if they try to. But once you learn how to dial it back with freestyle, you can go much further on less effort than with the breaststroke. Breathing is just as easy. Sighting is a little more difficult, but not really all that bad. I've swam the mile in open water several times without an issue navigating. Just find a point and check your progress every 30 seconds or so.