The dam keeper’s house in Kisbodak was built in the 1950s, the two-storey, approx. 200 m2-sized building on an area of almost one hectare was uninhabited for years, when several people thought to reuse it. The idea was followed by a successful EU tender, and then the Aquatic Culture House, a community space on the waterfront that can be used freely by the communities, was opened in 2020.

The aim of the Aquatic Culture House is to promote the Hungarian aquatic culture and Little Rye Island (Szigetköz) with programmes. Already in the year of the opening, their Skills Course of Szigetköz was a great success; it offers useful and meaningful pastimes to families at the weekends, and they get to know the culture and feel as if they belong to Szigetköz better.

The Mini Boat Museum is expected to open here in 2021, where you can see the models of traditional boat shapes made by boat builder András Fűz.

The boat port is located approx. 400 metres from the village, next to the embankment, on the waterfront. The location of the port allows us to comfortably explore the lower and upper branch systems of the Little Rye Island (Szigetköz), its most beautiful landscapes, in the form of a single centre tour.

The area is surrounded by a forest, so it is perfectly peaceful and quiet.

In the boat port of Kisbodak, jump into a canoe, kayak, or boat in the calm water, and head down the Öregsziget Branch upstream! After a few hundred metres, choose the Sebes Canal between the Öreg (Old) Island and the Televényi Island. Contrary to its name, you do not need to expect a big drift! It is almost stagnant water, where you will find endless tranquillity and a beautiful environment. Turning to the right towards the Papszigeti Branch at the fork (the branch closest to the main riverbed of the Danube), you will find a much narrower and more romantic canal. There may be broken branches and fallen trees here that form a barrier, an obstacle in front of you, but do not worry, they are not insurmountable! This makes this branch adventurous! And what comes after that will make all your efforts worthwhile: Lake Öregsziget is a miracle in itself.

It is known in professional circles as the inner lake of the Kisbodak tributary system, which functions as part of the floodplain water replacement system of the Little Rye Island (Szigetköz). The experienced water hikers already know that Lake Öregsziget is one of the largest floodplain forests in Szigetköz. And those who see it for the first time will recognize it for the magical aquatic world and the stunning sight. This is accompanied by the chirping of birds, the rustling of the reeds and the leaves of trees; a real natural idyll! A real cure for the stressful people of the modern world. Does it mean the same to you?

Leaving the labyrinth of Lake Öregsziget, we will soon arrive at the Bodak Branch, which is one of the favourite stops of the water hikers. The water surface, almost a lake, hidden at the branch end is an excellent place for swimming. Here you can take a dip into the Danube, relax, and to move your feet, go and look for the former military outpost of the old pioneer’s campsite nearby!

It is very important: as the map indicates, the end of the branch is a dam made of concrete, so it should only be approached with great care and attention. It is forbidden and dangerous to go down the dam!

The campsite was built after World War I next to the Danube. The pioneers, the soldiers in the technical corps, who performed more difficult tasks requiring special skills (bridge construction, road restoration, construction of fortifications, blasting, etc.), trained for water combat and also practiced the construction of pontoon bridges here.

Today, only the concrete strip foundation of each barracks building reminds us of the fact that the area used to have a different function. In the summer, they are harder to find in the dense undergrowth, but not impossible for adventurers.

The long-spiked honey locust planted in the 1930s can still be found at many places along the old fence of the pioneers’ camp. The plant, commonly known as thorny locust or thorny honey locust, is native to North America. Surely you are familiar with its long, twisted, brown pods, which turn brown on the trees in large numbers by the end of summer and fall to the ground from mid-winter.

The floodplain forests on the outskirts of the village of Kisbodak now function as an excellent hunting area. Among the large game, an increase in the population of deer and wild boar can be observed. They can often be seen in the area of the old pioneers’ camp.

 (In 2019, on the outskirts of the village, not far from the beehive ovens, the military guard station that used to stand at the entrance of the campsite was re-erected. Now it is a monument to the Hungarian soldiers serving here and the Polish refugee soldiers stationed here in 1939.)

Leaving the Bodak branch end, you can choose between the Nagyvesszősi branch and the Pálffy branch (the latter one is longer) to return to and moor at the starting and ending point of the round trip, the boat port.

The trail of the boat trip is one of the most beautiful and most interesting branch system tours, and the calm water provides an opportunity to embark on it with children or even as a novice water tourist.

However, it is important to note that the branch system is complex, and it is recommended to cover the distance of the tour with a tour guide and/or using a detailed map.

Potential tour guides:

GreenEx Leisure and Recreation Association of Szigetköz:

https://www.greenex.hu/

Riverbank Campsite:

http://partcamping.hu/

Trout Circle Waldorf Nature Conservation and Hiking Association:

http://www.pisztrangkor.hu/hun/kenuturak.html

Hippopotamus-Water Tour

http://www.vizilo-vizitura.hu/

After the diversion of the Danube in 1992, the bridge connecting the village with the islands of the branch system was built in Kisbodak in 1995. In the previous centuries, the inhabitants of the village were able to approach the main riverbed with dry feet via the Tábori Road directly. The construction of the bridge in 1995 gave this opportunity back to the villagers.

In 2020, the building, which also functions as a water level control structure, was renovated, and as a result, the upper level of the track structure was built 93 centimetres higher. And on the right, a 5.5-metre-wide opening was created from new 6-metre-long box beams.

The work of applied art depicting St. Christopher, which is found on the St. Christopher's Monument next to the bridge, on a rock block, was made by Judit Nagy, and has the following inscription: “Build bridges between people, nations, heaven and earth like St. Christopher, instead of driving a wedge”.

In 1998, a traditional wickerwork rest area was built near the bridge.