Bolghatty—Cochin’s dot on the Yacht map of the world

Bolghatty Island, situated off the Cochin coast, houses the famous Bolghatty Palace. The island is connected to the mainland by ferries, and recently by bridge. The Palace has been converted into a heritage hotel equipped with a golf course, too. There are daily Kathakali performances for the guests here.

Once the home of the British Governors, it was built by the Dutch in 1744. The Kerala Tourism Development Corporation helps in its maintenance. The calm backwaters around parts of the island provides for great boating. There are a number of birds that make this island their homes.

Dutch merchants had built a villa on an island locally known as ‘Ponnikkara’ in 1744. It had green gardens, and was later called the Bolghatty Palace, and became an important picnic resort for the Dutch.

The yachting berth at the Marina near Bolghatty Palace came to be around the time of the Volvo Ocean Race. More recently, the Vasco da Gama Yacht Rally, from Kochi to Turkey took off in mid February. This three-and-a-half-month event will have stopovers in Oman, Yemen, Egypt and Cyprus before finishing at Alanya in Turkey.

The marina here will be the only one in the world to have an attached golf course. It has berthing facilities for 50 yachts. Two other marinas are being planned in this coastal city—at Maradu, and another in one of Cochin’s islands.