As the sun sets, two fishermen stand in the shallows, casting their nets into the still waters.  An eagle flies past, heading home to roost on the nearby cliffs. From the water’s edge roofs dot the tropical hillside, shaped like the up-turned hulls of sailing boats waiting to be set into the ocean. The islands of Phang Nga Bay with their deserted beaches beckon in the distance. The smell of jasmine and camellia fills the evening air.

It’s early evening at The Bay.

Residents Ingrid and Robert Poolen are relaxing on their terrace, sipping cocktails and listening to music.  In the kitchen the chef is preparing an exquisite meal of fresh seafood, Thai salads and exotic fruits.  In the master bedroom the maid is placing fresh flowers on the dressing table so everything looks perfect.

This is life at The Bay.

The Bay is located on the Cape Yamu Peninsular and is a villa development with a spectacular view.

Inspiration for The Bay came from the design of villas in Palm Springs and the local boats found in the waters around Phuket.  The result is a mix of modern architecture with a nautical feel.

The elongated windows in the guest bedrooms remind you of portholes. The huge folding doors on the upper deck maximise the views of the ocean, sliding right back to create a synergy between interior and exterior spaces.
The pool deck continues the nautical theme with wooden decking surrounding the infinity-edged swimming pool and sala.

Ingrid and Robert had invited me to join them for “sundowners” at their exquisite villa with its superb views…
Ingrid told me; “We looked everywhere, from Rawai in the south, even over the bridge in Phang Nga, to find the perfect view and eventually we found it, right here at The Bay, in Cape Yamu.”

“It’s a combination of the right level of quiet, the calm ocean, walking on the sands, it’s never crowded and just twenty minutes from Phuket Town….it’s like a dream…I know it sounds a bit clichéd…..but it is.” she laughed.

“The style of the house is modern, which we like, in fact it’s similar to the last house we had in Holland.  We love the clean white walls and pillars and the fact that the living room doors slide right back so we can open the villa onto the terrace and the sea.  The added advantage, as we bought off plan, was that we could modify the design to suit us.”

I asked Ingrid if she had a favourite room in her house, she paused for a couple of seconds and said, “It’s perfect, everything is perfect…I suppose if I had a favourite room it would be this – the sala”, she said gesturing to the wide view of the ocean. “This is my favourite room, the sea, the breeze, I love sitting here.”

As she showed me around their beautiful home, it was easy to see why they’d fallen in love with the place.  The ocean views are incredible and her husband has an office that most people would give their right arm for. “He tells people about his office and the view that he has – but I think people don’t believe it can be so good.” she said as she opened the blinds.  It’s certainly the best I’ve ever seen and if that was the view from my office I don’t think I would ever go home, which would make my boss very happy.

As we sat in Ingrid’s favourite room the ocean changed colour from bright turquoise to dark blue as the sun set, fishing boats with their distinctive duk-duk-duk sound sailed past and crickets chirped in the trees – it was time for me to leave Ingrid to her life at The Bay.

Before I left, I asked, did she have any advice for people thinking about moving to Phuket?
She smiled, “Don’t hesitate – it will be better than you expect.”

Life at The Bay is reserved for the fortunate few.

Not surprisingly, only a handful of villas remain for sale with prices from 45,000,000 Baht (1,400,000 USD).
Two styles of villas are available; four bedroom Waters Edge Villas and three bedroom Sapham Bay Villas which are located further up the hillside.

The Bay is ideal for those who enjoy natural surroundings and the quiet environment of a local village, rather than a busy tourist town. The development is well placed for international schools, golf, shopping and marina facilities and is just twenty minutes from Phuket International Airport.

If you’d like the opportunity to talk to Ingrid and see her beautiful home with its stunning view, contact  rebecca.smith@oceanvillasgroup.com or visit our website www.oceanvillasgroup.com

(c) Copyright Rebecca Smith, Ocean Villas Group Pte. Ltd 2010.  All rights reserved.