Numerous islands - big and small, inhabited and uninhabited - dot the backwaters of Kerala. From Vypeen in Kochi - one of the most densely populated islands in the world, to Pallipuram in Alappuzha noted for its whitish sand, each island is unique in its setting and character.
Pathiramanal or Island of Midnight Sand is known as a place where the King of Kochi traditionally made a night halt on his journey to South Kerala. The 19.6 hectares of land supposedly surfaced from the lake after an earthquake, though locals say it was formed when a devout Brahmin Sree Narayan Gurudev, dived in to perform his ritual evening bath and like Moses at the Red Sea, the waters of the Vembanad parted.
The name ‘Kumarakom’ is said to have derived from the words ‘kuminja’ (heap) and ‘akam’ (inside), referring to a land formed by the accumulation of sediments. The island created by the deposition of mud and other materials through natural and man-made methods, is one of the world’s most favourite tourist spots.
Home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, Kumarakom is noted for its bird sanctuary where many species of migratory birds flock to every year.
Bolgatty Island is just a boat ride away from the Kochi harbour mouth. The island is famous for the ancient Bolgatty Palace built by a Dutch trader in the year 1744, which holds the distinction of being the oldest Dutch palace outside Holland.
