Somewhere in the world are still a few places where you can travel for days without seeing any fellow travellers! Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, is not far north of Australia, though it feels like a world away. Here you will find a world not yet overrun by mass tourism. A place where the sight of a traveller is rare, in particular outside the capital, Dili, and nearby Atauro Island.
East Timor (Timor Leste) lies adjacent to Indonesia and is one of the world’s youngest countries.
I recently travelled from Bali (Indonesia) to Dili. Only three airlines, NAM Air, CitiLink and Sriwjaya Air infrequently fly this route, so airfares are quite pricy. Make sure to sit by the window as the views over the string of Indonesian islands are stunning. Watch out for the beautiful turquoise waters around Pulau Banta (Indonesia) and the billowing smoke from Pulau Sangeang, an active volcano.
East Timor is not a cheap destination. In addition to the expensive flights, good budget accommodation is hard to find. Hotel Timor is the most well-known hotel in town, though with their grumpy staff I could not recommend staying here! Accommodation is getting better and more options are opening, so by the time you visit you may easily find a great affordable place to stay.
For dining, there is no better place than Diya Restaurant in the Discovery Inn where the cheapest rooms are about $80.
Make sure to take the Compass Charters Water Taxi” ($45 one-way) over to Atauro Island. Other alternatives are the slow Laju Laju Ferry ($3), the once-a-week Nakroma ferry ($4) or the highly recommended Dragon Star fast boats ($18). All are one-way fares.
The Beloi Beach Hotel on Atauro island has their own boat. A private boat can also be arranged. If you really want to get there very fast and money is not an issue, take the NGO MAF Airplane at about $600 per flight.
On Atauro Island, stay at Barry’s Place bungalows. These are very affordable and decent bungalows, some are right by the beach. Barry offers half-board and full-board packages. The optional snorkelling trips to the nearby reefs are excellent. Some of the best snorkelling I have done.
Why travel to East Timor?
- The low-down: East Timor has a rich history, and very turbulent past, so I found it an emotional experience to be here and meet the people who have gone through so much in life. It is still an off-the-beaten-track destination, so few tourists visit, especially outside Dili.
- The brightest highlight? Atauro Island is a must-visit. The people are friendly, water is clean, and snorkelling is one of the best I have ever seen.
- Intrepid destination? Absolutely an intrepid destination, especially if you can afford a 4×4 vehicle and driver to take a multi-day trip. From the far west to the far east is about 270km as the crow flies – through the driving through the mountains is a whole different experience.
- Globerovers score (10 is highest): As I have done only Dili and a bit of Atauro Island, I have seen little of East Timor. Based on what I have seen, I can only offer a 6 out of 10, though I bet if one day I can return and see a lot more, the score could get up to 10.
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Unexplored Due to a Turbulent History
Timor Leste is one of the world’s newest countries, and unquestionably one of the least explored countries in the world. It became the United Nation’s member #191 in 2002.
It is a relatively peaceful country these days, though peace did not come easy. After centuries of Portuguese colonial rule, independence in East Timor was declared on November 28, 1975. However, under false pretences, Indonesian President Suharto’s military forces swiftly invaded East Timor on December 7, 1975, and declared it “Timor Timur”, a new province of Indonesia.
For the next 24 years, the Timorese people were subjected to the brutal treatment under the Indonesian forces. Killings such as the 1991 Santa Cruz Massacre caused outrage. During these years, an estimated 90,000 to 200,000 people died! Some estimates are up to 300,000 people.
After endless international interventions, the Indonesian troops withdrew and Timor Leste achieved independence on May 20, 2002.
Explore and Experience in East Timor
An easy trip to East Timor should include three or four days in Dili and even more time on nearby idyllic Atauro Island.
Venturing further away is challenging as road conditions are notorious for being bad and in the rainy season (November to May) some roads will be inaccessible. This small country is mostly mountainous so a 4-wheel drive is necessary. Travel within Timor is not cheap though the rewards may outweigh the cost.
Among the reasons to visit are the lonely beaches, spectacular diving, unspoiled scenery, homegrown coffee, and idyllic islands.
We got some travel advice about Timor Leste from a few travel bloggers. Pete at Bucketlisty Blog wrote that “Timor Leste is probably one of the least travelled country in Southeast Asia getting only around 60,000 travellers per year. The majority of those travellers are on a visa run from Indonesia, and they often stay just in Dili which is a shame as the country shines on its own when you started to go out of the capital city.”
Pete continues with “…though I had mixed feelings about travelling East Timor, I had the greatest time exploring Atauro and the mountain region of the country…” Something we totally agree with Pete: “You are also rewarded with stunning nature from the marine life of the underwater world around Atauro island to the quiet mountain region of Maubisse, all of which are untouched by mass tourism, which is not easy to come by in Southeast Asia. If you are looking for a real adventure, this is the place to be.”
Another very enthusiastic travel blogger we like to follow is the Wandering Earl Blog who wrote: “East Timor also has some of the friendliest people I’ve encountered anywhere on this planet. Almost everyone we walked by or came across gave us a wide smile or an enthusiastic thumbs up or quick “hello” or “bon dia” or a handshake. There are many ‘friendly’ countries out there but this was way over the top.” He continues with “Enjoy the beaches and mountains and snorkelling and markets and all that. Buy the handmade crafts. They are colourful and impressive and they cost so little. The people need it. They need the money, the jobs, the infrastructure and perhaps even more importantly, they need the awareness of their story.”
Johnny at www.onestep4ward listed the following places in East Timorea as “absolute musts”:
- Dili waterfront.
- The Jesus Statue, Cape Fatacuma.
- Atauro Island.
- The Santa Cruz cemetery.
- Beaches such as Areia Branca (‘White Sands’) and Pasir Putih (‘white sand’).
- Scuba diving.
- Trekking.
Christo Rei Beach, Dili Christo Rei Statue, Dili
Let’s follow some of the advice we got and first start off with Dili, the capital city. We visited the beaches, statues, government buildings, churches, graveyards, and met some interesting people:
What to See Around Dili
The eastern beaches: The beaches east of Dili city include the Areia Branca Beach and Cristo Rei Beach. Both offer great swimming and trees on the beach that offer welcome shade in the sun. A few restaurants along the road serve good but expensive meals and drinks on plastic tables under these trees.
The Farol lighthouse at the waterfront: Built in 1896, the 19 metres high “Farol do Porto de Dili” lighthouse is located along the beach on the west side of Dili. A spiral staircase around the central column goes to the lantern at the top.
Dili harbour canons: Portuguese canons are still pointing towards the sea entrance to Dili. Atauro Island can be seen in the far distance.
De São António de Motael Roman Catholic Church: Rebuilt in 1955 in the old Portuguese style, it is second most important after the newer Immaculate Conception Cathedral located just over one kilometre south. During the independence struggle a few people were killed in the church during a confrontation.
Santa Cruz Massacre Statue: Located along the seafront, opposite Motael Church where independence activist Sebastião Gomes was killed by the Indonesian forces in 1991, the monument commemorates those who lost their lives in the resulting Santa Cruz Massacre.
Santa Cruz cemetery: After the brutal shooting of Independence activist Sebastião Gomes in the Motael Church on November 12, 1991, thousands of mourners walked from the church to the cemetery following the memorial service for Gomes. Indonesian troops then opened fire on the mourners in the cemetery and killed about 250 innocent civilians. This massacre was the turning point towards freedom!
Atauro Island
This small elongated triangular island is situated just 25 km north of Dili. Surrounded by incredible diving and snorkelling sites, one of the few accommodation options is Barry’s Eco Lodge. Conservation International (an American nonprofit environmental organization) designated the waters around the island in 2016 as “the most biodiverse waters in the world”.
Beaches of Atauro Island Beaches of Atauro Island Barry’s Place Bungalows A traveller’s hut on Atauro Island Jumping kids on the beach Woman collecting seaweed Kids digging for shellfish in the muddy beach Strange looking pig Sunrise on Atauro Island Sunrise on Atauro Island Sunrise on Atauro Island
Blog post and photos by Peter who has been travelling almost full-time since 2005 and has been to over 122 countries. He visited several countries, such as Japan, more than 20 times. Peter is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of GlobeRovers Magazine, an independent travel magazine focused on intrepid destinations.