Bolgatty Palace
Bolgatty Palace one of the oldest existing Dutch Palace outside Holland. This quaint mansion was built way back in 1744 by a Dutch trader.

During the period of the British, it became the seat of the British Resident of Kochi. In 1909 the palace was leased to the British and it served as their residency till 1947 when the British Raj came to an end in India.

The Dutch-built Bolgatty palace in the Kochi backwaters has been renovated by the Kerala State Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) at a cost of Rs 5.1 crore.

The palace, built in 1774 by a Dutch trader, has been converted into an island resort with star hotel facilities. The palace, acquired by the KTDC in 1976, offers four palace suites, 16 well-appointed rooms, a multi-cuisine restaurant, bar and Ayurvedic centre.

The palace acquires its name from the Bolgatty Island, a narrow stretch of an island, easily accessible from the mainland, in the Kochi backwaters and is the oldest existing Dutch palace outside Holland.

The Maharaja of Kochi leased the palace to the British resident in 1909 and the KTDC took it over in 1976 to convert it into a heritage property.

Facilities for horse riding had been provided in the eight-acre tree-lined palace campus. The palace ground has a small golf course, special honeymoon cottages and several vantage points for lovely views of the harbour and the sea.

This island is connected by frequent ferry services with the mainland Ernakulam. Boats to this island start from the High Court Jetty. Country boats (Machuvas) can also be hired near the Jetty.