How does the time pass when one lives in a place like Dolphin Bay? Here’s a sampler.

You’ll wake up when the dark turns to morning sunlight, smelling the bougainvillea and orchids. To feel Dolphin Bay at night it’s better not to use the aircon, as the ceiling fan is more than enough for the cool times after dark.

A walk or jog on the beach is next, before the sun’s really up. Fishermen and women, wading to the boats with nets and tackle, will smile or greet you. The kaleidoscope of reds, yellows and greens on the boats meets the blue of the sky and still-darkened water. The breeze is picking up. You may see a pod of the famous Irrawaddy dolphins, their dorsal fins glistening.

On the way back from the beach you’ll want to pick up espresso, fresh orange juice and croissant at the Club restaurant. Back at home you answer a few emails on the porch, or sit back with the day’s network news—all the tv from home is here via the satellite dish.

Take a shower and decide what to do for the morning. There’s a golf course right in the village with breath taking scenery. You can walk or take a golf cart to this one. Tee times are easily arranged throughout the year by the Club concierge. It’s time for lunch. The restaurants right on the beach grill the fish from today’s catch, or you may just want some tom yum kum, traditional clear Thai shrimp soup with a spicy noodle salad. The small boutique hotels and restaurants all serve European cuisine if you feel like a taste of home.

Next you decide to do a little shopping. You jump into the car or bus and head first for Market Village in Hua Hin, about twenty minutes away. All the excitements of an urban mall await you, but you pause for one of those drinks they make in the blender at Starbucks and take a look at the Bangkok Post before plunging in. The garment industry is a major factor in Thailand’s economy and real designer brands are available in the mall much lower in price than even those on sale in the west.



Now to Villa Supermarket,an institution in Thailand because it carries a world of imported foods, wines—and the best local meats and poultry. A bottle of the Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon for tonight sounds good. foods, wines—and the best local meats and poultry. A bottle of the Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon for tonight sounds good.

You take the steaks from Villa to one of the gas grills and throw on some fresh corn, peppers and tomatoes, too. and this comes with the wine you bought earlier. It’s dark now and you can look up and see the stars. Yes, really see them, as it used to be possible in your past. Alas, another day has gone by. TTime is the most precious commodity. And today was a good way to spend it.



A brisk walk on the beach is best before the sun’s really up –– when the breeze picks up it’s not uncommon to spot a school of the famous Irrawaddy dolphins, their dorsal fins glistening.

On the way back from the beach, an espresso, fresh orange juice and croissant at the Club restaurant is a popular light repast before heading home to answer a few emails or catch the day’s satellite TV news.

The whole surrounding area, for miles, allows for safe biking, hiking, horseback riding and jogging. Swimming, sailing and fishing are also perennial favorites in the warm Gulf, while the more energetic enjoy kite surfing, wind surfing or kayaking.

For golfers, a round at the Dolphin Bay course offers a quietness and a sense of closeness with nature that can’t be found anywhere else but on the edge of Khao Sam Roi Yod National Park.

But it is the waters of the gulf that hold the strongest attraction. Despite all the conveniences and amenities that await only a short drive away, it is the sense of refuge and peace that overcomes residents as they silently watch the fishing boats arrive on the beach at sundown that makes them truly realize why they’re here.