Tranquil lakeside for adventure or weddings
Only a few miles away from Colombo, sitting on the banks of a tranquil Bolgoda Lake, the Thotupola Lake Resort is for those dreaming of some summer-loving over a stiflingly hot and dusty Colombo weekend. When we visited Thotupola a few weeks ago all was calm and quiet.
Romantic: Poruwa on the pier
There is very little of the man-made at Thotupola. The small reception immediately gives way to an open vista of green pastures and tranquil waters, set off by a robust breeze making its way inbound from the lake. Since its inception in the late 90s Thotupala has become one of the city’s most scenic spots for nuptials and one only has to take in the view to understand why.
Weddings aren’t the only thing the resort has earned a reputation for, says Jayantha Silva who works with Wild Holidays, Thotupola’s managing company. Mr. Silva only got involved with the enterprise some four years ago but is already a transformed man, thanks to the healthy doses of fresh air and sunshine his daily job affords. It’s a job few are privileged to have, he shares. “Beautiful sights, breathtaking scenery and a healthy dose of adventure-what more could you ask for?”
Adventure is certainly what Thotupola thrives on. There’s an aerial rope that will have you jump off from the top of a building, abseil through the crisp morning air and straight into the lake. Just looking at it gives you the heebie-jeebies but we’re told that very few have declined the opportunity to go down the rope and make a resounding splash in the lake. “You will emerge from the exercise feeling like a different person,” says Jayantha. “We’ve always said that these exercises are designed to help you come to terms with who you are. Just imagine-would you doubt your capabilities in life once you’ve done something as exhilarating and dangerous as this?”
This is what Wild Holidays specialises in; helping people realise their potential has been their trade since inception over two decades ago. The corporate training programmes that Thotupola has become quite famous for are carefully thought out activities that aim to challenge the body as well as the mind. It has already been figured out by some intelligent executive that when it comes to training your workforce nothing beats some fresh air and teamwork-Thotupola works in that premise to afford their clients an experience that few are likely to forget.
Airy interiors: Thotupola’s well designed restaurant
Training usually begins with a raw egg that you are given at the beginning of the day. Don’t be surprised if you’re told that this is your ‘life’, and you must protect it at all costs till the end of the day. “People go to great lengths to keep an eye on their life,” grins Jayantha. It’s no easy task, dealing with the strenuous activity while protecting a fragile shell but it’s all about multi-tasking-something all of us do in our daily lives. Besides, “your mind is the fastest thing in the world,” they say. “If you can’t do it, no one can.”
A typical session will involve plenty of individual and team exercises, notable among them kayaking, climbing up a rather impossible looking wall, the aerial rope, a ‘giant’s ladder’, and a game delightfully titled ‘Mud Kabadi’ that happens exactly the way the name implies. There doesn’t seem to be much to be concerned about by way of safety. Most of the Thotupola trainers are lean, mean machines straight off the military, quite accustomed to handling any situation. “You’ll feel quite safe in their hands,” Jayantha assures us. In addition the resort uses internationally accredited safety gear.
Thotupola is also quite a popular venue for nuptials, for many reasons. Primary amongst these is an utterly stunning view of the lake
Jayantha Silva
coupled with a poruwa mounted on a pier. Many vows have been made here (you could also do this in a hot air balloon if you prefer). Following an open air reception (or an indoors one), the couple is whisked away on a jet ski to one of the lake’s honeymoon chalets.
They also offer barbecues on the banks of the lake, or by the swimming pool. The two air conditioned halls and state of the art conference facilities, overnight accommodation and restaurant facilities are all set to make for the perfect corporate or holiday getaway. The entire resort interestingly, is manned by a formidable team of ladies who know exactly what it is that makes the guests tick.