© Lonely Planet Publications

Contents
Destination East Timor 3 Baguia
Laivai
58
58
Lautem 59

Getting Started 5 Com

Desa Rasa
59
59
Lospalos 60
History 8 Tutuala
Tutuala Beach
61
62
Jaco Island 63
The Culture 18
West of Dili 64
Environment 24 NORTH COAST ROAD
Getting There & Around
65
65
Aipelo 65
Food & Drink 30 Liquiçá
Maubara
65
65
Loes River & Atabae 66
Dili 34 Batugade
INLAND ROAD
66
67
History 35
Getting There & Around 67
Orientation 36
Ermera 67
Information 38
Atsabe 67
Dangers & Annoyances 39
Marobo 67
Sights 40
Road to Zumalai 68
Activities 43
Bobonaro 68
Tours 44
Maliana 68
Sleeping 44
Balibo 69
Eating & Drinking 46
Entertainment 48
Shopping 48 South of Dili 71
Getting There & Away 49 Dili to Aileu 72
Getting Around 50 Aileu 72
Maubisse 73
East of Dili 51 Mt Ramelau
Aituto
73
74
Getting There & Around 52
Ainaro 74
DILI TO BAUCAU 52
Same 74
Metinaro 52
Betano 75
Manleo 52
East of Betano 75
Manatuto 53
Zumalai 76
Laleia 53
Suai 76
Vemasse 53
Baucau 53
Osolata 55 Atauro Island 78
SOUTH OF BAUCAU 56 History 79
Venilale 56 Around the Island 79
Ossu 56 Scuba Diving &
Viqueque 56 Snorkelling 80
Beyond Viqueque 57 Sleeping & Eating 80
EAST OF BAUCAU 57 Getting There & Away 80
Laga 57 Getting Around 80
2 CONTENTS

Oecussi 81 Toilets
Tourist Information
90
90
Traveller’s Diarrhoea
Environmental Hazards
99
100
History 82
Travellers with Disabilities 91 Women’s Health 102
Pantemakassar 82
Visas 91
Getting There & Away 83
Pantemakassar to Oesilo 83
Volunteering
Women Travellers
91
91 Language 103
Directory 85 Transport 92 Glossary 107
Accommodation 85 GETTING THERE & AWAY 92
Activities 86
Business Hours 87
Air
Bus
92
92 The Authors 109
Children 88 GETTING AROUND 92
Climate Charts 88 Bicycle 93
Courses 88 Boat 93
Behind
Customs Regulations 88 Bus & Mikrolet 94 the Scenes 110
Electricity 88 Car & Motorcycle 94
Embassies & Consulates 88
Festivals & Events 89
Hitching
Taxi
94
94 Index 115
Gay & Lesbian Travellers 89
Government Offices 89
Holidays 89 Health 95 World Time Zones 118
Insurance 89 BEFORE YOU GO 95
Internet Access
Legal Matters
89
89
Insurance
Vaccinations
95
95 Map Legend 120
Maps 89 Medical Checklist 96
Money 89 Internet Resources 96
Photography & Video 90 Further Reading 96
Post 90 IN EAST TIMOR 96
Telephone 90 Availability of Health Care 96
Time 90 Infectious Diseases 96

Regional Map Contents Atauro Island

p79

Dili
pp36-7

East of Dili
p52
West of Dili
p65
South of Dili
p72

Oecussi
p82

© Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
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the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’
 © Lonely Planet Publications
2 3

Destination East Timor

Among the many things East Timor doesn’t have is a beaten path. Whether
it’s the relentless news coverage of its challenges or the hoops you have
to jump through to get there, not a lot of people are visiting; maybe three
or four a day.
And that’s just a shame because it is actually one of the most welcoming
places you can visit. People are genuinely touched by your interest, and
your greatest risk of injury travelling around the beautiful countryside will
be hand fatigue from waving back to people waving at you.
Yes it’s got problems. It’s the poorest nation in Asia and the political
situation is still volatile just a few years after independence (as shown by
the political violence in February 2008). Dili is dotted with refugee camps ‘...what
and not many people venture out after dark. But visitors are unlikely to
feel threatened. In fact, what you’ll be continually struck by is East Timor’s you’ll be
potential. There’s no greater embodiment of this than the people. Their continually
grace and charm, given the horrors of just the past 100 years, is moving. struck by is
The land itself is beautiful. Although there are ecological concerns, as
you travel around East Timor (or Timor-Leste, the official name and the East Timor’s
one many prefer), you’ll be struck by its jagged mountains, green valleys, potential’
thundering rivers, rich marshes and plantations of coffee, fruit and rice. At
the sea, expect to swoon. There’s kilometre after kilometre of silky white
beaches where your mere arrival will increase the population by 100%.
East Timor rewards people prepared to make the best of it. Dili has
some good places to stay, eat or enjoy a drink at sunset – all the better to
make new friends (which few find difficult). Outside town, people who
are self-sufficient will find trekking and walking opportunities, and can
explore ancient villages and remote areas that only recently hid the leaders
of the independence movement.
The roads are bad and getting around is a major part of the adventure
but you will find your way and make your own discoveries. Offshore you’ll
find East Timor’s greatest treasures in its myriad dive spots. Many of these
are unnamed, but visitors will find that Dili has excellent dive companies
ready to help lead the way. Swim a few metres from the beach and there
are spectacular drop-offs. Some contend that the reefs are the most eco-
logically diverse on the planet. Surfers should note that the south coast
also has breaks waiting to be named. And if you really want remote, just
make for Oecussi, the minute enclave in West Timor.
With its unlimited potential, this tiny nation will fascinate those ready
to meet the challenge. If you can hear your own beat, East Timor is where
you can beat your own path.
 4
0 50 km
EAST TIMOR 0 30 miles

Wetar

Kisar
EAST TIMOR

Atauro
Island Wetar Strait
Beloi
Alor Vila

Lautem Com
Laivai Mehara Tutuala
Pantar Osolata
it Nicolau Lobato Baucau
Stra International Airport Manleo Desa
Cape Manatuto Vemasse Fuiloro Lake Ira Jaco
ar Fatucama Baucau Laga Rasa
Alor Islands Omb Lospalos Lalaro Island
Aipelo Metinaro er Airport

v
Liquiçá DILI Laleia

Ri
Maubara Quelicai
Dare Lopoloho

clo
Venilale Mt Matebian Baguia

La
Railaco (2315m) Ossuna
Aileu Mt Mundo Uato Carbau
Ermera
Gleno Perdido Saewamo
Afaloeki
Laclubar (1775m) Ossu
Atabae
Loes Lacluta Iliomar
SAWU SEA Rive
r Mt Saboria
(2495m)
Maubisse Viqueque
Cailaco Hatubuilico
Atsabe Aituto
Batugade
Motoain Maliana Natarbora
Marobo Beaçu
Balibo Ainaro Same
Mt Ramelau
Bobonaro (2963m)
Atambua
Pantemakassar Zumalai
Sacato Lolotoi Cassa
EAST (Oecussi town)
Lifau Betano
TIMOR Wini Fatalolik
OECUSSI Padiae Pasar
Citrana Tono Suai
Nitibe
Oesilo Tilomar
Passabe

Eban Kefamenanu

INDONESIA Betun
TIMOR SEA
WEST TIMOR

Soe Nunkolo
lonelyplanet.com
5
 G BS TTAARBT E D 4 5
Getting Started
UM
G E TTTHI N
Hanging out with other travellers should
not be on your list of things to do in East
Timor. But meeting amazing and interest-
ing locals and expats should. The nation has
much to offer visitors who arrive with their
eyes wide open. It’s in the middle of the same
messy process of forming a country that most
nations have gone through at one time or
another. But if you are mindful of what pre-
cautions are sensible, it’s a fascinating place,
mostly unexplored by outsiders.
Visitors should be prepared to be self-
sufficient and understand that, outside Dili,
they may not find reliable supplies of anything,
including electricity and food. People are busy
surviving and building a new nation; there’s lit-
tle that caters to the specific needs of tourists.
WHEN TO GO
Go when the weather is best. During the May-
to-November dry season there’s little rainfall
and you’re assured of good weather. By the
end of the dry season, it can be rather dry and
dusty. The December-to-April wet season can
be very wet indeed, making travel difficult,
particularly if you get off the main routes
where unsealed roads can become impassable
and unbridged rivers uncrossable.
ESSENTIAL PACKING
There’s not much available in Dili beyond the
essentials (water, food, beer, simple medicines
and sunscreen), so if you think you will need
it, bring it.
Here are some items to consider:
„ A hat – East Timor can get very hot.
„ Warm clothing – in the mountains it can
get very cold, so come equipped if you
plan to arrive at the summit of Mt Ram-
elau for sunrise.
„ Malarials, mosquito repellent and per-
sonal medications (see p96).
„ A towel and soap – remote hotels, if you can
find them, might not be well equipped.
„ A light sleeping bag or sleeping sheet can
be useful – for the same reason.
„ A torch (flashlight), as electricity can be
unreliable.
„ Travel insurance (see p95) – a necessity
for travelling East Timor.
G E TTTHI N
UMG BS TTAARBT E D
COSTS & MONEY
Compared to other Southeast Asian locations,
East Timor has never been really cheap – not
in the Portuguese era, not in the Indonesian
era and certainly not now. Because locals
have so little money, there’s not much for
sale aimed at the masses. Instead the goods
you find and may need are mostly imported,
so that adds to the cost. East Timor’s relative
cost is compounded by a simple lack of facili-
ties and infrastructure – if there’s only a very
limited supply of accommodation available,
the prices for rooms may be on the high side
for what you get.
If you’re willing to rough it and avoid
places where the only choice is at the ex-
pensive end, travel on local buses and eat
locally, you can probably get around for
less than US$25 a day. (Note: restaurants
may be nonexistent in rural areas, so it’s
wise to carry food with you, as you can get
very hungry before the next market day.)
If you want your own vehicle and plan on
staying in decent rooms – when available –
then your costs will be closer to US$100 to
US$150 per day.
COMMUNICATION
Mobile (cell) phones have good coverage in
most populated areas and are the principal
means of communication. See p90 for details.
Telephone landlines are uncommon and the
costs of calling in or out of East Timor can be
surprisingly high.
Dili has good internet access; Dili and
Baucau are the only areas with internet access
in East Timor.
DANGERS & ANNOYANCES
If East Timor’s daily police reports were
compared to most other cities of one mil-
lion people, the former would come off quite
well. Unfortunately, because the country re-
mains under a microscope, any unrest gets
headlines in ways that would be ignored
elsewhere.
That said it is a good idea to stay security
conscious in East Timor. Dili expats are an
excellent source for news, and if you have
a mobile phone you can sign up for SMS
GETTING STARTED 6 G E T T I N G S TA R T E D • • R e a d i n g U p
message trees that advise of problems in real
time. When tensions increase it is a good idea
to be cautious and aware that thrown rocks
can hurt you. One look at the condition of
windshields around Dili will tell you that this
is a real problem. If you hear people bang-
ing on poles and metal and see people run-
ning inside, it’s a good sign that you should
take shelter.
If you decide to travel outside Dili, you can
seek advice on security and road conditions
from the Security Information Coordination
Centre (%331 2210, ext 5454; Security
Information Officer %723 0635) within
the UN Integrated Mission in Timor Leste
(Unmit). The UN police (Unpol) emergency
numbers are %723 0365 and 112.
Generally East Timor is not a crime-ridden
place so, outside of political problems, you’ll
generally not feel threatened.
Driving
Away from Dili, road accidents are probably
the biggest danger. The driving is generally
not aggressive, speeds are usually quite low
and the traffic is certainly not dense, but
many vehicles are old and in poor condition.
Plus, the roads are often winding, narrow,
potholed and rarely equipped with guard-
rails, despite some impressively long drops in
the hills and mountains and along the coast,
where the sea often seems to be a long, long
way below.
An equally big danger can be UN and NGO
vehicles, which are much more likely to be
driven aggressively and fast. International
SUVs – including outsized and ludicrous
Humvees – may leave little room for
other vehicles.
Theft
In Dili in particular there have been some as-
saults and thefts involving foreigners. Mobile
phones are a favourite target, and cars are
broken into. Visitors are advised to avoid
dark streets at night and not to wander on
the beach after dark. Electricity is unreliable,
street lighting is generally very poor and there
have been muggings and assaults. Women
should take particular care. Outside Dili your
greatest concern should be petty theft of your
bags, or in your room or vehicle. Keep this in
mind everywhere, even at what may seem to
be a remote beach.
lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com G E T T I N G S TA R T E D • • O n l i n e R e s o u r c e s 7
GETTING STARTED
ONLINE RESOURCES www.lonelyplanet.com Has guides to travel in East
HOW MUCH? There are some excellent expat blogs from Timor; check out the Thorn Tree forum.
East Timor, and most of the NGOs in the www.turismotimorleste.com The Official Depart-
„ Meal in a cheap restaurant US$1 to
country have various sites with information. ment of Tourism site has some excellent information
US$3
Note that some sites date quickly as their crea- on the country written both by local and international
„ Meal in a good restaurant US$10 to tors move on to other parts of the world. experts.
US$20 www.easttimortourismassociationnews.blog www.unmit.org The site of the UN Integrated Mission
„ Cup of coffee US$1 to US$2 spot.com Has updated tourism news from the Tourism in Timor-Leste has news and official information.
Association of East Timor. www.xananarepublic.blogspot.com The Xanana
„ Bottle of mineral water US50¢
www.etan.org The East Timor Action Network is a Republic Gazette is a Dili-based blog that is very enter-
„ Can of beer US$2 to US$3 taining and informative. It also has links to the ever-
US-based organisation, with a vast and compelling array of
„ Satay street snack US$1 web links and loads of information and articles. This is an changing line-up of local blogs, some of which really are
excellent place to start online. excellent.
„ Half-day bus trip US$2 to US$3
„ Taxi ride US$1
„ Souvenir T-shirt US$10
READING UP
Most books about East Timor focus on
the nation’s tangled recent history, such as
Shakedown: Australia’s Grab for Timor Oil,
by Paul Cleary (p16).
Timor-Leste Land of Discovery is a very im-
pressive coffee-table book filled with gorgeous
images of the land and people. It’s widely
available in Dili.
A Not-so-distant Horror: Mass Violence
in East Timor, by Joseph Nevins, covers the
bloody recent history of East Timor and ar-
gues that the USA and Australia et al allowed
the Indonesian government to slaughter thou-
sands from 1975 to 1999.
East Timor: A Rough Passage to Indepen-
dence, by James Dunn, is probably the most
thorough account of the country’s history –
the chaotic two years leading up to the
Indonesian invasion in 1975, the long period
of Indonesian occupation and the violent up-
heavals of the 1999 referendum.
The Redundancy of Courage, by Timothy
Mo, is a gripping novel in which a fictional
country’s struggle against occupation is a de-
liberately thinly veiled account of East Timor’s
independence fight. The novel was short listed
for the Booker Prize in 1991.
A Woman of Independence, by Kirsty Sword
Gusmão, is the autobiographical account of
how this Australian teacher came to be East
Timor’s first lady in 2002.
Tetum Ghosts and Kin: Fertility and Gender
in East Timor, by David Hicks, looks at the
role life and death plays in the complex beliefs
of the people living in Viqueque.
 © Lonely Planet Publications
THE AUTHORS 108 109

THE AUTHORS
The Authors
RYAN VER BERKMOES Coordinating Author
Years of travel across the Indonesian archipelago in no way prepared Ryan
for East Timor. The mix of Asian and European cultures is like nowhere else
and the beauty gave him a major pain in the jaw from all the dropping.
More importantly, despite vast experience as an international journalist that
taught him to never take headlines at face value, Ryan was amazed at how
the reality of the country never matched the pervasive reports of doom.
Within the myriad challenges of East Timor are a multitude of rewards for
the traveller ready for adventure.

ADAM SKOLNICK Oecussi

Adam has been lost in the Amazon, scaled Kilimanjaro, toured baseball
stadiums in Cuba, meditated with Hindu priests in Bali and Buddhist monks
in Myanmar (Burma), and hiked through the rainforest with devout Muslim
farmers in Sumatra. And Oecussi is one of the scruffiest and sweetest spots of
them all. Check out his website and travel blog: www.adamskolnick.com.

LONELY PLANET AUTHORS

Why is our travel information the best in the world? It’s simple: our authors are passionate,
dedicated travellers. They don’t take freebies in exchange for positive coverage so you can be
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beaten track. They don’t research using just the internet or phone. They discover new places not
included in any other guidebook. They personally visit thousands of hotels, restaurants, palaces,
trails, galleries, temples and more. They speak with dozens of locals every day to make sure you get
the kind of insider knowledge only a local could tell you. They take pride in getting all the details
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 © Lonely Planet Publications
8 lonelyplanet.com
History
If East Timor’s history were a novel, it would
be an entertaining read. The tragedy, of
course, is that it’s all true.
KINGDOMS & CANNIBALISM
The discovery of stone artefacts and evidence
of pre-agricultural societies may indicate that
Timor was home to Homo erectus, early homi-
HISTORY
noids related to Java Man, who settled the
Indonesian archipelago up to one million
years ago. Evidence of modern human set-
tlement on Timor dates back at least 13,000
years, when the Austronesian peoples of Asia
migrated throughout the eastern islands.
These hunter-gatherers were joined by later
migrants from Asia, who introduced agricul-
ture around 2000 BC.
Little is known of Timor before AD 1500,
although Chinese and Javanese traders visited
the island from at least the 13th century, and
possibly as early as the 7th century. Traders
visited coastal settlements in search of the
plentiful sandalwood (prized for its aroma
and for the medicinal santalol made from the
oil) and beeswax.
Timor was divided into a number of small
kingdoms, which were little more than tribal
groupings involved in frequent skirmishes,
with head-hunting a popular activity. The
Dawan (Atoni) people, thought to be the ear-
liest inhabitants of Timor, were the largest
group in western Timor, but were divided
into numerous small kingdoms.
The Tetun (Belu) people, the other major
ethnic group, migrated to Timor in the 14th
century, settling the fertile central regions and
pushing the Dawan westward. Their origins
are uncertain, but they call their homeland
Malaka, and they may well have migrated
from the Malay Peninsula. From their fer-
tile base, which straddles the current West
Timor–East Timor border, they expanded
until four of their tribes had formed kingdoms
and pushed further into East Timor.
PORTUGUESE & DUTCH DEALINGS
The first Europeans in Timor were the
Portuguese, who may have landed as early as
1509, although 1515 is generally given as the
arrival date. Antonio de Abreu is said to have
been the first Portuguese visitor. Portuguese
trading ships regularly visited the north coast
in search of sandalwood. It wasn’t until 1568
that Dutch traders first arrived in Timor. For
the next 300 years the Dutch and Portuguese
competed for control of Timor.
The era of Portuguese influence really be-
gins in 1556 at Lifau (in present-day Oecussi),
when Dominican friars established a settle-
ment and set about converting the Timorese
to Catholicism. Official Portuguese efforts
were minimal, and colonisation was left to a
handful of Dominicans in the hope that con-
version would spread Portuguese influence
and keep out the Dutch.
A Dutch expedition, led by Apollonius
Scotte, sailed in 1603 to Kupang, in today’s
Indonesian West Timor, and negotiated with
the local ruler to build a fort in return for
Dutch military help against competing tribes.
Dutch claims to Timor date from this time,
but Scotte didn’t act on the agreement, and it
was to be 40 years before the Dutch showed
any serious interest in Timor.
Away from the coast, a dozen or so Timorese
kingdoms held sway over the island with no
interference from the colonial powers until
1642. The most dominant kingdom in the
west was the Dawan kingdom of Sonbai, while
the central Tetun kingdom of Wehali, based
around the present-day region of Belu, was
the most powerful in central-east Timor.
In 1642 Francisco Fernandes landed in
Naikliu and led a Portuguese military ex-
pedition to weaken the power of the Timor
kings. With the assistance of Timorese allies,
Fernandes marched across Sonbai territory,
around present-day Kapan and, after successes
there, went on to defeat Wehali. His small
army of musketeers was composed prima-
rily of Topasses, the mestizo group from the
Portuguese settlements at Larantuka (Flores)
and Pulau Solor. The Christian, Portuguese-
speaking Topasses, called ‘Black Portuguese’
by the Dutch, were descended from inter-
marriage between the Solorese, Portuguese,
and slaves from Portuguese colonies in India
and Melaka.
After this show of strength, the Topasses
settled in Timor, at Lifau on the coast and
then further inland around present-day
Kefamenanu and Niki Niki in West Timor.
These strangers representing a far-off, power-
ful kingdom were welcomed by local rulers
and given land. Although acting on behalf
of Portugal, through intermarriage they
went on to form their own kingdoms and
become a power unto themselves. Two clans
of Topasses, the de Ornai and the da Costa
clans, integrated into the local community
and became the new rulers, controlling
most of Timor, but not without skirmishes
among themselves.
The Dutch, unsettled by the growing
Portuguese influence, arrived in Kupang in
1653 to stake their claim to Timor. First they
fortified Kupang and then set about control-
ling the surrounding area. They forged al-
liances with local rulers around the Bay of
Kupang, but a Dutch military expedition to
the south was soundly defeated by Timorese
and Topasses forces in 1656.
In the same year a Portuguese was ap-
pointed to administer the settlement at Lifau,
making it the first real Portuguese colony on
Timor. When the Portuguese commander
died, a Topasse capitao was appointed in 1663
and the Topasses went on to consolidate their
power. In 1701 the Portuguese Viceroy of Goa
appointed a governor to control Lifau, but he
lasted only until 1705 when he was driven out
by the Topasses.
The Portuguese returned to Lifau, but
their power was tenuous at best. By 1749
the Topasses controlled central Timor and
marched on Kupang to confront the Dutch.
Although outnumbered, the Dutch won and
killed many Topasse leaders at the battle of
Penfui, the site of Kupang airport today.
The Dutch in Kupang, comprising only a
handful of United East India Company (VOC)
officers, became the major force on Timor
through alliances with inland chiefs and
further military campaigns. The Portuguese
had to abandon Lifau in 1769 after more at-
tacks from the Topasses, and the colony was
moved east to Dili, the present-day capital of
East Timor.
Conflict between Timorese kingdoms and
against the Dutch continued throughout the
19th century. The Dutch were firmly en-
sconced in Kupang, but unable and unwilling
to control the interior. The VOC went bank-
rupt in 1799, leaving the Dutch government
to assume direct control, but they ignored
HISTORY •• A Forgotten Corner 9
far-flung Kupang, which held little economic
interest. Trade was largely conducted by
Chinese merchants, and the Dutch colony
was neglected.
It was a similar story in the east, where the
Portuguese held on to power through strate-
gic alliances against attacks from local chiefs.
Portuguese settlement was minimal, and the
colony was ruled from Macau on the Chinese
coast. Chinese outnumbered Europeans in
Portuguese Timor, and the colony also had to
cope with Chinese rebellions. The sandalwood
trade began to die, and coffee, introduced as
HISTORY
a cash crop in 1815, became the principal
concern of the Portuguese.
Dutch–Portuguese conflict was mostly
confined to Flores. When the Dutch finally
took Larantuka in 1851, they forced negotia-
tions that resulted in the Treaty of Lisbon in
1859. The Portuguese relinquished all claims
on Flores, and Timor was divided in half.
The split was not formalised until a further
treaty in 1904, with a slight rejigging of the
borders right up until 1916. Portugal claimed
the east and the north-coast pocket of Oecussi
in the west, based around Lifau, while Holland
received the rest of the west.
A FORGOTTEN CORNER
The 20th century brought the greatest changes
to Timor as the colonial powers increased
their involvement. The new Dutch policy
was to rule all of the East Indies possessions
directly, establishing Dutch government
throughout the archipelago. In 1905 Kupang
was ordered to bring the local chiefs to heel.
The various kingdoms had to swear allegiance
to Holland and submit to the authority of a
Dutch Controller. In return they were given
autonomy to rule their principalities and col-
lect taxes for the Dutch administration.
Rebellions broke out across West Timor
from 1906 onwards and the Dutch reacted
swiftly. In Niki Niki, Dutch forces sur-
rounded the royal compound, and the royal
family self-immolated rather than yield to
the Dutch. Rebellions continued right up to
1916, when the last kingdoms succumbed
to Dutch rule. Although roads and schools
were built, most of the population outside
the regional centres had little contact with
the Dutch, except for some aggressive, mostly
Protestant, missionary activity. Control was
limited, and the traditional rajas held sway
under a Dutch hegemony.
 10 HISTORY •• WWII
It was a similar story in Portuguese Timor,
which had become a separate colony from
Macau in 1896. If anything, Portuguese
authority outside the regional centres was
even weaker than Dutch authority on the
Dutch half of the island. Their power was
often effectively opposed by the liurai, the
traditional native Timorese rulers, and the
Topasses. Real power was usually held by
the liurai, who acted as Portuguese agents.
Dominican missionaries were also involved
in revolts or opposition to the government,
and eventually a series of rebellions broke
HISTORY
out from 1893.
The crunch came in 1910 when the
Portuguese raised taxes and introduced a
forced labour policy to increase plantation
productivity. The intensity of the uprisings
increased and continued until 1915 when
the coloniser’s bloody pacification was fi-
nally achieved. The colony had been on the
decline even before WWI as the sandalwood
trade fizzled out, and when Portugal fell into
a depression after the war East Timor drifted
into an economic torpor.
Still by the 1930s one commodity in East
Timor was drawing the attention of powers far
away: oil. Late in the decade both Japan and
Britain engaged in low-level efforts to trump
the other in gaining influence over the limpid
Portuguese authorities. Shell had gained an
oil concession in the east and the oil-poor
Japanese were covetous. British efforts to
convince the ostensibly neutral Portugal to
form an alliance in the event of a Japanese
attack were rendered moot by the quick suc-
cession of Japanese victories in the early days
of the war.
WWII
Following their attack on Pearl Harbor in
Hawaii and invasion of Malaya in December
1941, the Japanese swept aside the colonial
powers in their rapid march through Asia.
Air attacks on West Timor in January 1942
were followed by a Japanese landing outside
Kupang on 20 February. They quickly took
the city. Australian soldiers had earlier landed
in Kupang, but were soon pushed backed to
Camplong, and those not captured joined
Australian forces stationed in Dili. Although
Portugal and its overseas territories were
technically neutral, the Australian troops in
Portuguese Timor inevitably drew the region
into the conflict.
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The few hundred Australians, known as
Sparrow Force, carried out a guerrilla war that
tied down 20,000 Japanese troops, of whom
1500 were killed. The Australians conducted
hit-and-run raids on Japanese positions. Their
success was largely due to the support they
received from the East Timorese, for whom
the cost was devastating, particularly after
Australian personnel were driven to the
south coast and evacuated in January 1943.
The Japanese razed whole villages, seized
food supplies and killed Timorese in areas
where the Australians were operating. In other
areas the Japanese incited rebellion against
the Portuguese, which resulted in horrific
repression when the Japanese left. By the
end of the war, between 40,000 and 60,000
East Timorese had died. (In a historical echo,
groups of Timorese protested Japanese offers
of assistance in the years after 1999, citing the
still-raw memories of the war.)
As elsewhere in Asia, the Japanese prom-
ised independence and an end to the yoke
of colonialism. Their promises were well re-
ceived, but it soon became obvious that the
Japanese were even harsher masters. Forced
labour was used to build Japanese bases, and
as the war wore on food was appropriated,
causing starvation in the countryside. When
the war in the Pacific swung in favour of the
Allies in 1944–45, Timor was isolated, causing
further hardship.
THE DUTCH DEPART,
THE PORTUGUESE LINGER
After the Japanese surrendered on 15 August
1945, Australian forces occupied Timor until
the Dutch and Portuguese returned to reclaim
their colonies. Indonesia declared independ-
ence on 17 August 1945, but although Java
was rocked by a bloody independence war, the
eastern islands were largely calm. West Timor
became part of the state of Negara Indonesia
Timur, the Dutch plan to divide Indonesia
under a Dutch government. When the Dutch
finally decided to quit Indonesia in 1949,
West Timor became part of the independent
Republic of Indonesia, but not without some
disturbances and calls for independence.
In East Timor a nascent independence
movement had arisen, but Portugal swiftly
reclaimed its old colony after the war, and it
remained Portuguese until the tragic events of
1975. Neglected by Portugal, it was notable only
for its modest production of high-quality coffee
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and as a distant place of exile for opponents
of Portugal’s dictatorial Salazar regime. The
ordinary Timorese were subsistence farmers
using the destructive ladang (slash-and-burn)
system, with maize being the main crop.
In 1926 a coup had brought Antonio de
Oliveira Salazar to power in Portugal. He
ruled with an iron hand until incapacitated
by a stroke in 1968 (he died two years later).
By this time Portugal vied with Ireland for the
position at the very bottom of the Western
European economic heap. A large part of the
country’s economy was tied up with maintain-
ing Portugal’s overseas empire. Britain’s and
Spain’s far larger colonial empires had almost
disappeared, as had the Netherlands’ hold-
ings. Portugal, despite economic stagnation
at home, hung on to its colonial remnants.
The struggles for independence in the African
colonies of Angola and Mozambique were a
major drain on the Portuguese economy, and
this was a factor in the fall of the dictatorship.
Equally important was that there were many
Portuguese, including a large contingent in the
military, who were in complete disagreement
with their government’s colonial policies. The
time for European empires was over.
In April 1974 the ‘carnation revolution’
overthrew the dictatorship in Portugal. It was a
remarkably peaceful takeover, taking its name
from the flowers soldiers put on their weapons.
In quick order Portugal fled from its African
colonies, leaving a chaotic situation that would
last for most of the rest of the century and
cause unimaginable hardship. Although there
had been no similar independence struggle in
Portuguese Timor, disaster would also follow
the Portuguese withdrawal.
INDONESIA INVADES
With the real possibility of East Timor becom-
ing an independent state, two major politi-
cal groups, the Timorese Democratic Union
(UDT) and the Timorese Social Democrats
(ASDT, later known as Fretilin), quickly
formed in the colony. A third group, known
as Apodeti, was a minor player, but its stated
preference for integration with Indonesia
eventually turned it into little more than a
front for Indonesia’s goals. Although both
major political groups advocated independ-
ence for East Timor, Fretilin gained the edge
over the UDT, partly because its more radical
social policies struck a populist chord with the
desperately poor East Timorese.
HISTORY •• Indonesia Invades 11
Fretilin was regarded by the Indonesians
as potentially, if not actually communist, and
they used this as justification for their inter-
vention on 11 August 1975. The UDT, fearful
that it was falling behind its rivals, staged a
coup in Dili, which led to a brief civil war
with Fretilin. Military superiority lay with
Fretilin from the outset and by the end of
August, the bulk of the fighting was over and
the UDT remnants withdrew to Indonesian
West Timor. Fretilin proved surprisingly ef-
fective in getting things back to normal, but by
the end of September Indonesia was gearing
HISTORY
up for a takeover. East Timor and Fretilin now
faced Indonesia alone; the Portuguese were
certainly not coming back. Fretilin declared
the independent existence of the Democratic
Republic of East Timor on 28 November, but
on 7 December the Indonesians launched
their attack on Dili.
Indonesian troops had already been in East
Timor months earlier. An incursion into the
western part of the country in mid-October
1975, disguised as a local militia action, had
in fact involved regular Indonesian troops.
Five TV journalists from Australia in the vil-
lage of Balibo were murdered to cover up the
Indonesian participation, and the resulting
Indonesian and Australian government deni-
als have been an ongoing scandal (see p70 for
more on this).
On 5 December 1975 Henry Kissinger and
Gerald Ford met with President Soeharto in
NICOLAU LOBATO
A founding member of Fretilin, Lobato was
an early leader of the resistance. As it be-
came clear that East Timor was not going
to win support against Indonesia from
Australia or the USA, and as Portuguese
influence and power faded away, it was
Lobato who rose to the challenge.
During the brutal arrival of the Indonesian
army in Dili on 7 December 1975, many
Timorese were dragged down to the wharf
by Indonesian soldiers and summarily ex-
ecuted, including Lobato’s wife, Isobel.
Retreating into the mountains and forests
of East Timor, Lobato led a resistance cam-
paign that tied down tens of thousands of
Indonesian troops for three years, until he
was killed, in December 1978. Today, the
international airport bears his name.
 12 H I S T O R Y • • T h e I n d o n e s i a n Pe r i o d
Jakarta and gave tacit approval to an invasion.
Kissinger and others worried that scenes of
the American-trained paratroopers jump-
ing from American-provided planes while
shooting American-supplied guns might hurt
the image of the USA, so the Indonesians
were told to act quickly to avoid prolonged
scrutiny. (That Ford sent Soeharto a gift of
golf balls during the invasion still enrages
many Timorese.) Australia, Malaysia and
Singapore are among the nations that knew
of Indonesia’s plans in advance and did noth-
ing to stop the invasion.
HISTORY
On 7 December Operasi Seroja, a major
amphibious and airborne invasion of the
country, commenced. It’s estimated that
2000 Timorese died in Dili during the first
few days of the assault. From the start the
Indonesians met strong resistance from
Fretilin troops, who quickly proved their
worth as guerrilla fighters.
THE INDONESIAN PERIOD
By the end of 1975 there were 20,000 Indon-
esian troops in East Timor, and by April in
the following year that number had risen to
35,000. Although East Timor was officially
declared Indonesia’s 27th province on 16 July
1976, Falantil, the military wing of Fretilin,
kept up regular attacks on the Indonesians,
even on targets very close to Dili, until at
least 1977. Gradually, Indonesia’s military
strength and Fretilin’s lack of outside sup-
port took their toll, and in December 1978
Nicolau Lobato, the Falantil leader, was killed
by Indonesian troops. He was eventually suc-
ceeded by Xanana Gusmão.
The cost of the takeover to the East
Timorese was huge. International humanitar-
ian organisations estimate that during the hos-
tilities, and due to the disease and famine that
followed, at least 100,000 people died. Large
sections of the population were relocated
for ‘security reasons’ and lost contact with
their ancestral sites. In 1978 the Indonesians
took Mt Matebian, one of the last Fretilin
strongholds, at great cost to East Timorese
civilians in the area. This was the era of the
‘encirclement and annihilation’ campaign,
made much easier for the Indonesians by the
US-supplied ground-attack aircraft. In 1981,
in the notorious ‘fence of legs’ operation, as
many as 60,000 East Timorese civilians (the
number cited by the UN’s Commission for
Reception, Truth and Reconciliation) were
lonelyplanet.com
forced to form a continuous line and walk
from the east and west, forcing Fretilin guer-
rillas towards the centre of the island. Even
this failed to completely wipe out Fretilin.
By 1989 Fretilin had been pushed back to
just a few hideouts in the far east of the is-
land, and Indonesia was confident enough
to open up East Timor to foreign tourists.
Then on 12 November 1991, about a thou-
sand Timorese staged a rally at the Santa Cruz
cemetery in Dili, where they had gathered to
commemorate the death of an independence
activist two weeks earlier. Indonesian troops
opened fire on the crowd, more than 100 were
killed and East Timor was once again in the
world headlines.
East Timor remained a political thorn in
Indonesia’s side through the 1990s. Although
guerrilla activity was now isolated, the people
continued to demonstrate, and dissent was
accompanied by arrests and torture by the
security forces. Student rallies were quickly
crushed, but wider protests also occurred.
Even the capture of Xanana Gusmão in
1992 didn’t end the struggle. As with Nelson
Mandela in South Africa, imprisonment sim-
ply underlined his importance.
In 1996 Bishop Carlos Belo of Dili and José
Ramos-Horta, Fretilin’s UN representative,
were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for
their work in highlighting East Timor’s strug-
gle. The Indonesian government responded
by reiterating its stance that it would never
consider independence for East Timor. At
that time Jakarta would not even contem-
plate making East Timor a daerah istimewa
(special district), as was the case in Aceh and
Yogyakarta, giving it limited self-rule within
the Indonesian republic. The army had in-
vested heavily in East Timor and, apart from
its economic interests, it had lost thousands
of soldiers in the war. It was stubbornly in-
tent on controlling East Timor, despite talk
AN UNKNOWN TOLL
Estimates of how many people died after
the 1975 invasion range as high as 200,000.
And although the number will never be
known, official counts are chilling: an
Indonesian government census conducted
in 1980 put the population at 552,000,
which was at least 100,000 fewer than the
last Portuguese census in 1974.
lonelyplanet.com H I S T O R Y • • M a k i n g a B re a k 13
INDONESIAN IMPROVEMENTS
Indonesia’s apologists like to point to the material benefits brought to East Timor during the
1975–99 occupation. When the Indonesians arrived in 1976, there were 20km of sealed roads. In
1994 they claimed the figure was more than 2000km. In the same period the number of schools
had expanded from 51 to 815, and far more East Timorese went on to a university education.
Per capita gross national product had increased by a factor of 10, and there were also notable
improvements in literacy and life expectancy. Of course, the intention behind some of these
improvements was less than dispassionate. Sealed roads and bridges over rivers made the army
more mobile. Nevertheless, per square kilometre and per capita Indonesia probably spent more
money on roads and other infrastructure in East Timor than anywhere else in the archipelago.
It’s estimated the per capita expenditure in East Timor was three to six times as high as it was
in Java, the heartland of Indonesia.
HISTORY
Ironically much of the Indonesian improvements have been lost since independence. Roads and
bridges – apart from the main route along the north coast – have fallen into extreme disrepair.
Public buildings such as schools have also suffered, and you can’t go far outside Dili without
seeing the spectre of endless legions of electricity poles stripped bare of wire. The chaos of the
last few years coupled with a paucity of funds is responsible for much of the decline, although
much was also destroyed by the departing Indonesians. And a lot of the electrical infrastructure
was stolen and sold by East Timorese traders to neighbouring Indonesian islands.
of troop withdrawals and moves towards a dent made an abrupt about-turn: Indonesia
truly civilian administration. While the army prepared a referendum, overseen by UN
remained in East Timor in large numbers, and observers, with the choice of autonomy or
remained a major political force in Indonesia, independence. Despite these laudable moves
it seemed that East Timor would never be by Jakarta, pro-integration militia launched
granted independence. All that changed with a bloody campaign of intimidation, with the
Indonesian President Soeharto’s fall from tacit backing of the army. In his discussions
power in 1998. with Habibie the question of security had
been raised more than once by Australian
MAKING A BREAK prime minister John Howard. If the vote
In 1997 the Asian financial crisis spilled over was for independence, could the Indonesian
into Indonesia and pushed the Indonesian military be counted on to hold the line, to be
economy to the edge of bankruptcy. In six impartial, to maintain security and law and
months in early 1998 the Indonesian rupiah order? When the UN Mission in East Timor
crashed from 2500Rp per US dollar to 17,000Rp (Unamet) leader Ian Martin suggested that the
per US dollar. Rioting and looting swept the mission should include a UN peacekeeping
nation. The army proved totally ineffectual in force, Indonesian General Wiranto’s answer
asserting control, and there was widespread was yes.
fear of a repeat of the nationwide bloodbath The pro-Indonesia militias might have
that preceded Soeharto’s takeover in 1966. ruled the streets of East Timor, but the 30
Finally, on 21 May 1998, Soeharto stood August 1999 vote went 78.5% in favour of in-
down and Vice-President BJ Habibie was dependence. After the ballot announcement
sworn in as the new president. Despite re- on 4 September, celebrations quickly turned
leasing political prisoners and promising to despair. All over the country, but particu-
free elections and a fight against corruption, larly in Dili and close to the West Timor
Habibie was still widely seen as being too close border, the militias went on a rampage. Far
to Soeharto and his cronies. from trying to control the anti-independence
A principal part of the turmoil was the un- militias it was clear that the Indonesian
rest that rippled across the separatist-minded army was actively supporting them. As Dili
regions of Aceh, Irian Jaya and, of course, East and other cities went up in flames, 200,000
Timor. At first Habibie stood firm, refusing Timorese fled into the mountains. It was a
to grant further regional autonomy, let alone repeat of the bloody events that followed
independence. Then in early 1999 the presi- the Indonesian invasion 24 years earlier.
 14 H I S T O R Y • • M a k i n g a B re a k lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com H I S T O R Y • • I n d e p e n d e n c e Pa i n s 15

The soon-to-depart Indonesians were insti-
tuting a pembumihangusan, a scorched-earth
policy. Before peace was restored three-
quarters of the buildings in East Timor had
been destroyed.
Writing at the time, Noam Chomsky said:
‘The tragedy of East Timor has been one of the
most awesome of this terrible century.’
Massacres of civilians took place in
Liquiçá, Maliana, Oecussi and Lospalos,
but it was in Suai, in the southwest corner
of East Timor, that the worst killing took
HISTORY
place. After rampaging through the town,
the Indonesian troops encircled hundreds of
refugees in the church. When three priests
came out to negotiate, they were mur-
dered. In the ensuing attack on the church,
Human Rights Watch estimates that up to
200 civilians were killed (out of some 1400
killed nationwide).
There was one major difference from the
Indonesian onslaught in 1975. This time the
international media was observing what was
happening. Despite Indonesian insistence that
they could bring the chaos under control,
on 12 September President Habibie reluc-
tantly requested the UN intervene, and the
International Force for East Timor (InterFET)
was authorised by a UN Security Council
Resolution three days later.
On 20 September Australian troops flew
in from Darwin, Australia, to spearhead the
InterFET peacekeepers. Eventually the in-
ternational force would number 5000 from
Australia and another 6000 from other coun-
tries. Almost immediately the UN troops suc-
ceeded in restoring peace, and within weeks
ing a new nation virtually from scratch be-
came all too apparent. Government factions
squabbled while the enormous needs of the
people festered. Meanwhile without a com-
mon Indonesian enemy, tensions simmered
between various political and regional fac-
tions. Fretilin splintered and old regional
(east versus west) animosities played out.
Prime Minister Alkatiri sacked one-third of
the army in March 2006, and in the ensuing
months of rioting over 150,000 people fled
political violence that destroyed thousands
of homes.

the last of the 15,000 Indonesian troops
WHO’S WHO PART ONE departed. Remarkably, there had been no
East Timor’s leading political figures were all part of the independence movement during the
clashes between the Indonesian forces and
years of Indonesian occupation. Many of these former colleagues-in-arms are now fierce political
the UN peacekeepers.
rivals with sharply differing views on the country’s future course. See also p17
East Timor, however, was devastated. Dili’s
infrastructure had been shattered: there was
Mari Alkatiri no water, no electricity, no phone service.
In 1975, with the Indonesian invasion imminent, Mari Alkatiri and José Ramos-Horta flew to Darwin Schools and other buildings were destroyed
to seek foreign backing for their new nation. In fact they were on their way to nearly a quarter- and today there is no part of the country
century in exile. Alkatiri had been a founding member of ASDT, the political organisation that where the remains of this destruction can’t
later changed its name to Fretilin. He headed up Fretilin from Maputo in Mozambique for the next be seen. You will also be hard-pressed to meet
quarter-century, but that was only a part-time occupation. His day job was as an academic. any East Timorese who cannot name a list of
In comparison to his fierce rival, the charismatic Xanana Gusmão, Alkatiri suffers in the popular loved ones killed in the slaughter.
imagination. His long exile in Africa simply doesn’t compare to Gusmão’s Jakarta incarceration,
and he bears the additional burden of being a member of East Timor’s tiny Muslim community, INDEPENDENCE PAINS
who trace their ancestry back to Arabic origins. Unamet was quickly replaced by another
Alkatiri was prime minister in the first government after independence. However, he pre- in a series of acronym-laden UN agencies,
sided over an unwieldy collection of long-time Fretilin members and, as factions splintered, he UN Transitional Administration in East
seemed unable to provide solid leadership. The various crises of 2006 led to his resignation and Timor (Untaet), which was charged with
replacement with Ramos-Horta. Out of power, he led the increasingly strident Fretilin party into leading East Timor to independence. Led by
the 2007 elections. Its numbers greatly shrunk by the emergence of other political parties and Brazilian Sergio Vieira de Mello, who would
views, Fretilin won the most votes (29%) in the 2007 parliamentary election but was unable or tragically die in an attack on the UN com-
unwilling to form a coalition to govern. Many criticised Alkatiri for his delayed calls for peace pound in Baghdad in 2003, the UN success-
after Fretilin supporters rioted. fully handed government over to East Timor
less than three years after the independence
Bishop Carlos Belo vote. Independence came, officially, on 20
Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo was born near Vemasse in 1948 and studied at a seminary in Dare in May 2002 with the inauguration of Xanana
the hills above Dili. He was appointed head of East Timor’s Catholic Church in 1983 after many Gusmão as president of the new nation and
years living abroad. At first the Indonesians approved of his appointment, thinking he would be Mari Alkatiri, long-time leader of Fretilin
easily manipulated, but Bishop Belo became virtually the only East Timorese able to speak out returning from exile in Mozambique, as
against Indonesian excesses from within the country. prime minister.
In the ensuing years there were threats against his life, and he was constantly spied upon. In December 2002 Dili was wracked by
He also became an unhappy witness to the assaults, murders and torture inflicted upon his riots as years of poverty and frustration
people. In 1991 he sheltered protesters in his house after the Santa Cruz massacre, and in 1996 proved too much for the nascent democracy.
he shared the Nobel Peace Prize with the exiled José Ramos-Horta. In the upheavals following The economy was in a shambles and people
the 1999 independence referendum, his house was again a refuge for terrified Timorese, but he were ready for things to start improving – and
was eventually forced to flee, first from Dili to Baucau and then from East Timor to Australia. A fast. But without any viable industry and no
few days later he returned to East Timor to lead the church in the new nation. employment potential East Timor was reliant
Many thought he would make an ideal first president at independence in 2002 but the years almost entirely on foreign aid.
of struggle had taken their toll and he left the country for medical treatment. He resigned his Only a small UN contingent remained in
post and today is a missionary in Mozambique. East Timor by mid-2005. As the number of
outsiders shrunk, the challenges of creat-
HISTORY
Alfredo Reinado, a leader of the sacked
troops, took to the hills and was blamed by
opposing factions for instigating much of
the violence. Efforts by UN and Australian
security forces to track him down only caused
more unrest.
Relative peace finally returned after public
demonstrations, and the resignation from the
government of Ramos-Horta, which forced
Alkatiri to quit. Large international forces
from the UN, Australia and other countries
returned to ensure peace. Ramos-Horta was
then appointed prime minister in July 2006.
Meanwhile, Rogerio Lobato, brother of the re-
sistance martyr, was booted from his job as the
Fretilin interior minister and eventually was
sentenced to over seven years in jail for his
role inciting riots after Alkatiri’s removal (he
later fled East Timor for medical treatment).
That East Timor has accomplished so much
in such little time is extraordinary. In 2002 it
was still effectively a one-party nation under
the Fretilin party, which had led the struggle
for independence during the entire Indonesian
occupation. After the UN backed away from
its role propping up the government in 2005 it
was natural that divisions would occur.
The significance of the elections held in
2007, in which the Fretilin monopoly was
replaced by 14 political parties represent-
ing a broad spectrum of politics, cannot be
stated strongly enough. Given the turmoil,
many predicted that the elections would be
a disaster. Yet a funny thing happened on
the way to the riot: things went off pretty
smoothly, mostly due to the determination of
the Timorese people. A mere five years after
independence, they turned out in droves to
elect a president and parliament in polls that
were remarkably trouble free.
After two rounds of elections, José Ramos-
Horta was chosen as president by 70% of voters
 16 H I S T O R Y • • T h e Fu t u re
in May 2007. One month later, parliamentary
elections resulted in no party having a clear
majority. Fretilin had the most votes but only
received 29% of the vote. Xanana Gusmão’s
CNRT party got 24% of the vote with the
rest of the count split between other parties.
Eventually Gusmão was able to form a coali-
tion with the other parties and was named
prime minister, which infuriated Fretilin. In
an all-too-familiar spectacle, Fretilin support-
ers rioted, causing damage in Dili and across
the nation. Tens of thousands of people joined
over 100,000 others living in camps.
HISTORY
Late in 2007 East Timor was making some
progress towards normalcy and efforts were
being made to get refugees to go home from the
camps – no small feat given that more than 40%
of the population lives on less than US50¢ per
day and in the camps the rice has been free.
But tragedy again put East Timor in the
headlines in February 2008, when Alfredo
Reinado apparently led a group of his follow-
ers in a coup attempt. Ramos-Horta was shot
several times as he returned from his usual
early morning walk along Areia Branca Beach.
Gusmão was in a motorcade that took gunfire
but he was unhurt.
Details of exactly what happened were un-
clear. In gossipy Dili, stories abounded. ‘What
were Reinado’s intentions?’ was the main
question. Answers were impossible, as he was
killed at the scene by Ramos-Horta’s security
forces. Gusmão was critically wounded and
was flown to a hospital in Darwin, Australia,
where doctors saved his life, although he
remained in critical condition for weeks.
READING UP – SHAKEDOWN
Shakedown: Australia’s Grab for Timor Oil
by Paul Cleary details the hard-nosed ef-
forts by the Howard government to force
East Timor to sign away oil and gas rights
in the Timor Sea to Australia for a song.
Among the memorable scenes in the book
are Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs
Alexander Downer pounding the table
during negotiations and telling the East
Timorese: ‘we’re a rich country, we can sit
this out for 30, 40, 50 years’. Meanwhile,
Alkatiri and other members of the Timorese
negotiating team skulked around Canberra’s
gardens to discuss matters, fearing their
mobile phones and rooms were bugged.
lonelyplanet.com
If there was a bright spot to this disaster, it
was that the country remained mostly calm in
the days after the shootings. The great popu-
larity of Ramos-Horta helped undercut any
popular support for Reinado. In the weeks
that followed, security in the country was
stepped up with the arrival of more Australian
and UN forces, while key Reinado followers
began turning themselves in. For his part,
Ramos-Horta forgave Reinado and asked that
his family be cared for by the government.
THE FUTURE
East Timor will continue to rely on foreign
money as it struggles to establish an autono-
mous and viable economy.
Gas and oil deposits in the Timor Sea
provide the main potential for East Timor’s
economy to develop without the assistance of
foreign aid. The Bayu-Undan oilfield is in 80m-
deep water about 250km southwest of Suai and
about 500km northwest of Darwin. The field is
estimated to have about 400 million barrels of
oil and 3.4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The
nearby Sunrise Field has even more.
Proud of its image as a benefactor of East
Timor, Australia did not negotiate with the
tiny country over revenues from the gas and
oil fields. Through outright bullying (see left),
the Howard government tried to keep pay-
ments to one of the world’s poorest countries
negligible. Only perseverance on the part of
the Timorese won them an agreement that
will provide US$4 billion in the next few years
and much more thereafter.
High in the hills above Dili is another re-
source: coffee. Some 250,000 people work
(most only seasonally) to produce the coun-
try’s much prized arabica beans, noted for
their cocoa and vanilla characters. Shade-
grown and mostly organic (because few can
afford fertilisers and pesticides), Timorese
coffee is prized by companies like Starbucks,
and production is increasing.
Tourism has great potential for East
Timor’s economy, especially for ecotourism
and adventure travel. A perception of stability
is what is most needed for numbers to grow
beyond the 1500 people who visit each year.
The assassination attempts of 2008 under-
scored the need for an international security
contingent for years to come. The attacks also
delayed yet again the government’s efforts to
begin tackling the major challenges in educa-
tion, food, roads and more.
lonelyplanet.com H I S T O R Y • • T h e Fu t u re 17
WHO’S WHO PART TWO
Xanana Gusmão
Independent East Timor’s first president, the charismatic Xanana Gusmão, was a leader of the
long independence struggle against Indonesia. The son of a schoolteacher, he was born in 1946
in the village of Manatuto, midway between Dili and Baucau. Gusmão at first was schooled by
the Jesuits but left to work in the Portuguese administration and then joined the Portuguese
army, where he served for three years.
In 1974, when it became evident that Portugal would quit the country, Gusmão joined Fretilin
and retreated to the interior when the Indonesians invaded in 1975. After the death of Nicolau
Lobato in 1978, he became head of the party and then commander-in-chief of Falantil, the
military wing of Fretilin, in 1981. The guerrilla struggle against Indonesia ground on and on
until a disaster in 1992. Gusmão was captured, taken to Jakarta and tried, and sentenced to life
HISTORY
imprisonment, later commuted to 20 years.
The Jakarta prison soon proved to be a much more effective base than the forests of East Timor.
His writings were smuggled out of jail, often by Indonesians sympathetic to the East Timorese
cause, and in 1997 President Nelson Mandela of South Africa met with Gusmão. In February
1999, soon after Indonesian president Habibie announced plans for a referendum, Gusmão was
transferred from jail to house arrest in Jakarta, and on 4 September was freed and returned to
his country.
In the 2002 elections Gusmão was elected overwhelmingly. His second wife, Australian Kirsty
Sword, was a conduit between Gusmão and the outside world during his imprisonment in Jakarta.
During his time as president, Gusmão advocated an increasingly pragmatic approach to East
Timor’s relations with its neighbours Indonesia and Australia. For him the violent struggles of
the past were over and, with his close ally José Ramos-Horta, he advocated policies that would
grow the economy and spur investment. This caused a break with Fretilin, which favoured more
radical social policies, and Gusmão became leader of the CNRT party. Although the party finished
second in the 2007 parliamentary elections, Gusmão formed a majority coalition, which Ramos-
Horta was only too happy to have form a government.
Gusmão survived the coup attempt in February 2008 unscathed (although his family had to
hide under a bed in their compound) and impressed many by showing a firm hand in the days
that followed.
José Ramos-Horta
East Timor’s urbane, educated and polished Nobel Peace Prize–winning president was born in Dili
in 1949. His mother was Timorese and his father Portuguese. The young Ramos-Horta worked as a
journalist and became actively involved in raising Timorese political awareness, for which he was
rewarded by the Portuguese with two years of exile to Africa. Once back in East Timor he became
Fretilin’s foreign minister when independence was declared in 1975. He was on a flight to New
York to push his country’s case before the UN when the Indonesian invasion took place.
For the next 20 years Ramos-Horta, whose sister and three brothers died during the long
struggle with Indonesia, wandered the world as the number-one spokesperson for East Timor’s
independence.
Ramos-Horta was foreign minister in the first government after independence but resigned
in protest over Alkatiri’s role in the 2006 political crisis. He was subsequently named prime min-
ister. He finished second in the first round of the 2007 presidential election but easily beat the
Fretilin candidate in the run-off. A close ally of Gusmão, Ramos-Horta favours pragmatic politics
and development in order to secure East Timor’s future. Famously single, he has commented
that all the women of East Timor could be his first ladies. In 1996 he shared the Nobel Peace
Prize with Bishop Belo.
Many wondered if Ramos-Horta’s near death in the February 2008 assassination attempt would
alter his very-public persona, which spurned personal security – he could often be seen riding
his bike around Dili. However, after the shooting he burnished his image by offering forgiveness
to those responsible.
 18 lonelyplanet.com T H E C U LT U R E • • P o p u l a t i o n 19

The Culture BUILDING A FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN

THE NATIONAL PSYCHE
East Timorese are fiercely proud of their
independence and very aware of how hard
they’ve had to fight for it. They are also quite
stoic in the face of adversity, something honed
through decades of tragedy.
In many ways the population has been
awakened to the possibilities ahead and that
can explain some of the frequent internal
upheavals. Without a common enemy in
the form of the Indonesians, all manner
of factions are vying for their place in the
new East Timor. Old scores are being set-
tled and areas of power and influence carved
out. People are not hesitant to protest per-
ceived wrongs and this has led to frequent
clashes in Dili and elsewhere, especially in
old Fretilin strongholds.
Despite the chaotic images shown in news
THE CULTURE
others married Indonesians sympathetic to
the Timorese cause.
Australia also poses a complex ques-
tion. If any country could have stood up
for East Timor’s right to self-determination
back in 1975 – but didn’t – it was Australia.
And Fretilin and others resent perceived
Australian meddling in local affairs. Yet
Australia’s local importance, its leading role
in trying to maintain peace from 1999 and
the many Australians with a direct inter-
est in, and friendship towards, East Timor
are overwhelming.
Finally, many could learn lessons about
stress reduction from the Timorese, who don’t
expect things to work very well and are very
adept at patiently adapting to the myriad chal-
lenges faced daily.
As in most cultures, women are the backbone of East Timorese society. Managing their often
huge broods while seeing to food and shelter is a constant challenge. That so many are also
widows from the upheavals of the last 35 years is only another complication.
The Alola Foundation (www.alolafoundation.org) is a large and influential organisation for
women based in Dili. Its clout and commitment comes in no small part from its founder, Kirsty
Sword Gusmão, the wife of Xanana and the former first lady of the country.
The Foundation’s goals are many: education for women and their children, economic freedom
for Timorese families, prevention of domestic abuse and much more. It has been a strident voice
urging women to get involved in their country’s future through political action and voting, and it
has lobbied the government to provide for the many widows and victims of sexual and physical
abuse resulting from the Indonesian occupation and the years since.
‘Women are the glue in the life of families and communities in East Timor, and they are a
priceless and underutilised resource,’ says Gusmão. She adds: ‘They have contributions to make
in so many areas of the life of a nation and yet, unequal access to educational and employment
opportunities, their financial dependence on men and traditional social and religious norms
mean that the country too often fails to benefit from the skills, wisdom and nurturing instinct
of women and girls.’
The foundation has large and growing staff, is active across the nation and has a long list of
international donors. It also has an excellent shop selling crafts and tais (weaving) produced by
local women (see p49 for details).

THE CULTURE
reports, the Timorese are some of the friendli- LIFESTYLE living off the land are far less than the national Unemployment is a permanent problem
est people you will encounter. Normally polite For most people in East Timor the lifestyle average of US$800 a year; East Timor is Asia’s for many. Refugees from the countryside and
in a simple way, you’ll soon get hand fatigue now is what it’s always been: subsistence. poorest country. scores of people with little education far out-
from all the waving you’ll be doing. Language What you grow (or catch) is what you eat. It’s life on the edge as one dry year can weigh even the available number of menial
issues aside, the Timorese are gregarious; in Hopefully there’s enough of it not only to mean disaster. Food shortages are regular jobs. As if to prove every old conservative
a nation this small, everybody seems to have keep you and your family alive but also to and, although you won’t see anything close bromide, idle hands are the devil’s tool, and
one degree of separation. sell or trade. As you travel around the coun- to the famines seen elsewhere, there’s not the large numbers of idle young men and boys
There is a long memory but the Portuguese try, you’ll see homes and villages unchanged much extra to go around. The UN and other are responsible for much of the mischief and
from colonial times are fading from con- for hundreds of years. Take away the T-shirts organisations regularly import staples such as worse that occurs. At times content to play
sciousness, as are the Japanese from the war. and the scenes are timeless. In the poorest rice for distribution in rural areas. guitars and drink, at other times these bands
It’s much more complex regarding Indonesia: areas, homes are built of simple materials, Most towns and villages are simple affairs. of youths form angry, rock-throwing mobs.
most adults in the country were educated in with not even corrugated metal or sheets of A small market area and a few basic shops Many are in gangs prosaically named ‘martial
Indonesian-run schools and speak the lan- plastic in evidence. Animals such as pigs and huddle near the ubiquitous church. Sundays arts groups’. These are not the kimono-clad,
guage. And while almost everybody had a goats share shelter from the rain with their are taken seriously and attending Mass is the brick-choppers you might imagine but rather
loved one killed during the occupation, many owners. Incomes for the 75% of Timorese social event of the week. they closely resemble gangs found elsewhere
In Dili and, to a much lesser extent, Baucau in the world. With lurid names taken from vi-
there’s a working class, thanks to government olent movies and rap songs, the gangs act out
EAST TIMORESE CUSTOMS jobs and work with NGOs and the UN. In fact on the frustration felt by many. Offering its
Hospitality is important to the East Timorese. If you’re offered food or drink when you meet
when international groups are busy there can young people hope for the future through jobs,
somebody, it’s important to at least taste it, but always wait for your host to take the first sip or
be a shortage of people with professional and development and education is just another
bite. As a result of the long Portuguese period, shaking hands is expected. Women often cheek
linguistic skills. Even drivers may find them- item on East Timor’s long to-do list.
or air kiss, usually on both sides of the face. It’s good form to greet others you pass on the street.
selves with plenty of work and this is the one Literacy hovers at around 50%, with over
And do as your mother once said: don’t put your feet up on anything.
part of the country where you’ll find consumer 75% of children now attending primary
Always ask before taking photos or video of people, but usually the East Timorese are quite
goods for sale. Unlike much of the rest of Asia, school. The government has made education
happy to be photographed – a sign that East Timor is not overrun with tourists. Say ‘Bele?’ (‘May I?’
however, even Dili’s streets are free of scooters a priority, especially when the oil money starts
in Tetun) and you’ll likely get a smiling ‘bele, bele’ in response, which means ‘yes, yes’ in context.
and motorcycles – modes of transport beyond rolling in.
‘Labele’ would mean no and that the photo is taboo.
the reach of almost everyone. As elsewhere,
East Timor is a conservative, largely traditional culture with strong Christian values. Elders and
life revolves around families and there is lit- POPULATION
church and community leaders are treated with deference. As a general rule, Christian names are
tle social life outside the home or church. East Timor has at least a dozen indigenous
only used among close acquaintances. Otherwise, use Senhor, Senhora or Senhorina.
Weekend buses are packed with people going groups. The largest of these groups, the Tetun
to other villages for family gatherings. people (about 25% of the population), live
 20 T H E C U LT U R E • • M e d i a
around Suai, Dili and Viqueque, as well as in
West Timor. The next largest group (around
10% of the population) are the Mambai,
who live in the mountains of Maubisse,
Ainaro and Same. Other groups each ac-
count for 5% or less of the population. The
Kemak live in the Ermera and Bobonaro
districts around Maliana. The Bunak also
live in Bobonaro and their territory extends
into West Timor and the Suai area. The
Fataluku people are famous for their high-
peaked houses in the Lautem district around
Lospalos. More groups are scattered among
the interior mountains.
The Dawan and Tetun languages are related
to other Austronesian languages in western
Indonesia, from where these primarily Malay
people migrated. However, the population of
the whole island of Timor is of very mixed
descent, with a strong Papuan influence. This
is particularly true of East Timor, where many
people have noticeably Melanesian features.
Many of the East Timorese languages are of
the Trans-New Guinea family, related to those
THE CULTURE
of Maluku and Irian Jaya to the northeast. The
ethnic diversity is much greater in East Timor
than in West Timor.
East Timor’s population has several times
suffered disastrous declines. A 1938 survey
calculated the population at 480,000, but 10
years later the population was only 425,000.
This massive drop was due to the deaths of
many thousands of Timorese during the
1942–45 Japanese occupation of WWII. By
1975 the population was up to nearly 700,000,
only to again fall disastrously with the
Indonesian occupation. Some estimates for
this period count as many as 200,000 deaths,
many of them from starvation when people
NAME THAT COUNTRY
East Timor is still most commonly used as
the country’s name in the English-speaking
West. However the Portuguese version of
East Timor, Timor-Leste, is gaining wide-
spread use and is the name used in UN
English-language references. It’s the one
favoured by the government and many of
the English-speaking expats and NGOs liv-
ing in Dili.
You’ll also see Timor Lorosae (also Loro
Sa’e and Loro Sae), which can be translated
as ‘Timor Where the Sun Rises’ in Tetun.
lonelyplanet.com
were moved off their land or were unable to
plant their crops due to the ongoing struggle
between the Indonesian military and the East
Timorese resistance forces. There were, again,
considerable numbers of deaths during the
1999 Indonesian withdrawal.
A young country with a booming birth
rate, life expectancy for East Timorese
males is about 64 years (compared to
Australia’s 78); it’s somewhat more for
females. Women give birth on average to
over seven children, one of the highest rates
in the world. The population could easily
double in the next decade, exacerbating the
country’s many challenges.
MEDIA
The Timor Post and the Suara Timor
Lorosae are daily local newspapers, mainly
in Indonesian but with some news in
Tetun. They’re sold by street vendors in
Dili. Since the newspapers are barely dis-
tributed outside Dili, they have compara-
tively little influence in the country and, as
one local journalist told us, are not exactly
paragons of journalism. Newspapers and
magazines from outside the country are
not available.
Far and away the most important branch
of media is radio, with a national broad-
caster Radio de Timor Leste (RTL) and a
host of community stations. The Catholic
Church’s very popular radio station, Radio
Timor Kmanek (RTK), is the only commu-
nity station that was on the air before the
1999 referendum. It has since been joined
by more than a dozen other stations either
in local communities or in Dili. The sta-
tions are funded by local communities sup-
ported by various aid agencies, NGOs and
churches. There is virtually no advertising
revenue available in East Timor to fund
commercial radio stations. A handful of
stations repeat Australian and Portuguese
radio broadcasts.
The national public TV station is
Televisao de Timor Leste (TVTL), which
produces a small amount of local content,
mostly musical performances of pop tunes
that are popular locally. Due to a lack of
electricity and the cost of TVs, the station
is little seen outside Dili, thus denying the
country its nightly newscast, which stead-
fastly expands its airtime to present any
speech given by a local politico.
lonelyplanet.com
RELIGION
In a development familiar to people who
watched places like Poland during the
Communist era, the Catholic Church
greatly increased its importance during
the Indonesian occupation. Under the
Portuguese the country was Christian and
Catholic, but religion was part of the colonial
structure, not part of people’s local lives.
That all changed under Indonesian rule. For
a start Indonesia required the East Timorese
to declare their religious affiliations, in part
to reveal who was atheist and hence likely to
be communist. That pushed a large part of
the population to declare their Catholicism.
At the same time the Catholic Church be-
came a focus of East Timorese aspirations,
a position underlined by Bishop Belo’s 1996
Nobel Peace Prize.
Today it’s estimated that about 90% of
the East Timorese population is Catholic.
The remainder are Protestant, Muslim
and Buddhist, although animism still un-
derlies much of East Timor’s Christianity.
Indigenous religions revolved around an
earth mother, from whom all humans are
born and to whom they return after death,
and her male counterpart, the god of the
sky or sun. These were accompanied by a
complex world of ancestor, nature and evil
spirits. The matan do’ok (medicine man) is
the village mediator with the spirits, and he
can divine the future, cure illness and ward
off evil spirits. The macair lulik is the chief
priest attached to the royal courts – as well
as bringing rain, in times past he officiated
over war rituals that ensured the bravery
of the warriors and the collection of many
heads. Many people believe in various forms
of black magic and it’s not uncommon for
people to wish evil spells upon their rivals.
ARTS
Traditional arts have taken a beating during
the last few decades, but the Timorese are a
creative lot and arts are beginning a recovery,
particularly among young people. Many take
their inspiration from public figures such as
Xanana Gusmão, who outside of politics is a
noted author, poet and painter.
One local art form, the beautiful weaving
known as tais, survived recent history and is
very popular with those looking for some-
thing to take home from East Timor as well
as with serious collectors.
T H E C U LT U R E • • R e l i g i o n 21
Tais
Tais is the Tetun word for weaving, and
East Timor’s beautiful tais are much prized.
Traditionally, women weave tais on simple
backstrap looms. The patterns are produced
by wrapping sections of the vertical threads in
string before the dyeing process. This keeps the
dye off the thread and, like the Indonesian ikat
process, where threads are dyed prior to weav-
ing, produces the pattern after the dyed threads
are woven into the finished tais. Various re-
gions of East Timor have their own distinct tais
styles with designs and dye colours only found
in that area. An expert can instantly pinpoint
where a particular pattern originates.
Tais are woven as long fringed strips for use
as shawls, tablecloths, baby slings, blankets
or scarfs. A mane tais for a man is used like a
sarong, while a feto tais for a women is sewn
into a tube and worn like a dress. A salendang
is a tais woven as a sash.
Tais were used in ritual exchanges and
in burial ceremonies, and these important
uses ensured that expert weavers attained
THE CULTURE
great importance in their local communities.
During the Portuguese era, the production of
tais was seen as an old, traditional, backward
(astrado) symbol of Timorese life. In the 1950s
some Portuguese priests ordered mass burn-
ings of ritual tais. Tais production actually
increased during the Indonesian era. Textiles
and weaving have always been important arts
in Indonesia, and many Indonesian military
personnel took tais back with them when
they departed East Timor. Some pieces were
marked as kenang kenangan Timor Timur
(souvenir of East Timor).
A single tais might take a woman up to
six months to produce. Although Western
collectors are taking an interest in tais, they
remain a family activity for the East Timorese.
Traditionally, a woman was expected to bring
a selection of her own work to her marriage,
like a dowry. Because weaving tais has tradi-
tionally been women’s work, aid organisations
have been encouraging the development of
tais weaving, distribution and sales. Producing
tais on the traditional backstrap looms is
time-consuming and limits the dimensions
of pieces. Now, even in remote villages, you’ll
find busy communal looms.
In Dili and places like Com where there’s
a trickle of tourists, women will stop you in
the street to show you their tais. Most are
genuine but quality can vary greatly. Worse, a
 22 T H E C U LT U R E • • A r t s lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com T H E C U LT U R E • • A r t s 23

few faux tais have been noted; imported – like
rice – from China. See p49 for recommended
places to buy tais.
The website www.etimortais.org has infor-
mation about traditional tais and a ‘virtual
museum’ of pieces from Ainaro, Bobonaro,
Ermera, Lospalos, Oecussi and Suai.
Dance & Music
Bits of rock, country, hip-hop, rap and even
reggae can all be heard in East Timor’s mod-
ern music. Guitars are popular and if there
were garages there would be a lot of garage
bands, especially in Dili. Rather you might
say there are lots of under-tree bands across
the country.
History and current events are at the heart
of many lyrics. Some bands have become fairly
well known outside East Timor, most notably
the Dili Allstars (see below). The group 5 Do
Oriente fled to the hills after the Indonesian
invasion and returned to Dili in 1978 to give
a concert. Three of the five members disap-
peared immediately thereafter and were never
THE CULTURE
a Dili-based musician who regularly tours
Australia. Groups like Sincustic can be heard
in some Dili bars (see p48 for details).
No important East Timorese social gather-
ing is complete without a band performing the
types of cover songs that have been the staple
of legions of globe-trotting Filipino bands to
the north. Usually a generator will be found
for the synthesizer and the ballads can con-
tinue long into the night.
Should you stumble upon a festival featur-
ing traditional dancing and music, you are
in for a rare treat. The likurai was prima-
rily a Tetun dance used to welcome warriors
returning from battle. Women danced with
a small drum (babadok) tucked under their
arms, and circled the village compound where
heads taken in battle were displayed. Today
it is performed by unmarried women as a
courtship dance. The tebedai dance is a circle
dance performed throughout Timor, and it is
accompanied by a drum.
Architecture
COCKFIGHTING
Partly a gambling event, cockfighting is probably East Timor’s numero uno spectator sport.
Fighting cocks are prized pets, cared for, lovingly groomed and fussed over, raised for their
brief moment of death or glory. You’ll see them tethered by the roadside, where passing traf-
fic and general activity will entertain them, or you might see them gently sparring in practise
sessions where their fighting qualities are studied and the betting odds fine-tuned before the
next big event. Beautifully crafted baskets are sometimes used to transport fighting cocks to
events; their tail feathers stream out the back and a carry handle on top makes them easy
to transport.
When their big day arrives, a razor-sharp metal spur is tied to one leg, and the opponents
are pushed up against each other and teased to stir up their anger. Meanwhile the owners and
spectators shout bets as the noise builds before the birds are released. Once they’re let go, the
action can be over in seconds: one bird jumps above the other and kicks out, the blade does its
dirty work and in a scatter of blood and feathers the loser goes down or limps off in disgrace.
It’s quite brutal and not palatable to many Westerners but it’s a key part of social life here, as it
is across Indonesia and other parts of Asia.
houses have stilts supporting a main living Arts & Crafts
room and are topped by a high, tapering Basket weaving is an important skill. Along
thatched roof. A few have been built for dis- the coast road between Dili and Manatuto
play purposes but you’ll find many still in use village, craft workers hang their work out by
on the road to Tutuala and in the region of the roadside to sell. Manatuto is also noted for

THE CULTURE
heard from again. Today founder Toto Lebre The traditional houses of East Timor vary Lautem and Lospalos (see p60 for details). its pottery work. On Atauro Island, directly
leads a new group of musicians who perform from the large conical Bunak houses (deuhoto) In Oecussi the hills are dotted with the tra- north of Dili, a number of villages have their
traditional chants, revolutionary songs and in the west to the unique and iconic Fataluku ditional lopo and ume kebubu houses of the own distinct crafts, including wood carving
Portuguese-accented ballads. Ego Lemos is houses in the east. The tall, elongated Fataluku Dawan people, while all the way from Dili to and basket work.
the south coast you’ll find the circular houses See p42 for details of Arte Moris, an idio-
and conical roofs of the Mambai people. In syncratic and intriguing art school, gallery and
EAST TIMORESE MUSIC Gil Santos Maliana, capital of the Bobonaro district and social centre for a new generation of Timorese
East Timor’s turbulent history and proud traditions are reflected in its multilayered music. Almost home to the Kemak people, you’ll see rectan- artists. It’s home to the performance group
450 years of foreign occupation have brought influences from Europe, North and South America, gular stilt houses. Bibi Bulak, among others.
Asia, Africa and the South Pacific.
Timorese traditional music is known as tebe or tebe-dai. It is widely played, and is little changed
from pre-occupation times. In 1974, during the decolonisation from Portuguese rule, traditional
music was used to raise political and social awareness. Tebe-dai is performed on ceremonial occa-
sions such as government or church events, the opening of uma lulik (traditional sacred houses),
the rice harvest and to receive foreign dignitaries.
The second generation of East Timorese music is koremetan. It is strongly influenced by country
and western, and Portuguese folk. Groups of five to nine musicians sing and play violin, acoustic
bass and guitar, banjo or mandolin and a drum. It is mainly performed at koremetan parties,
although sometimes you’ll see it at concerts or on TV. Well-known bands performing koremetan
are the Smith Bothers and Estrela do Mar (fronted by the legendary Chico Mau-Lohi).
The third generation of music is contemporary East Timorese rock, which displays influences
as diverse as rock and roll, country, blues, reggae, African music, Asian ballads, and just about
everything ranging from classical music to heavy metal.
There are also individual artists who over the years have been very influential. Their work is
best described as Indonesian ballads sung in Tetun. They include Anito Matus, Tony Pereira, Helder
(also known as Alele) and Aida Soares. Your best chance of seeing them play is at a wedding or
a private function – see if you can invite yourself along to join the celebrations.
Gil Santos is an East Timorese musician and political activist. He’s one of the founders
of one of East Timor’s best-known contemporary bands, the Dili Allstars
(www.diliallstars.com), who regularly tour Australia and Europe.
 24
Environment
East Timor can seem like a wild, environ-
mental paradise. But looks can be deceiving.
The thin population in many areas makes it
seem almost untouched, but except for some
remnants of rainforest in the east, much of
the country has been logged at one time or
another. The rugged mountainous landscape
is beautiful to the beholder but a frustration to
the farmer. Almost half of East Timor’s land
has a slope of 40 degrees or greater, which
puts much pressure on the flatter land to
produce crops.
East Timor’s offshore reefs are rightly
vaunted and remarkably untouched. Inland,
the pressures of centuries of subsistence living
mean that the country is not known for being
home to any large mammals. However, in the
air there are hundreds of bird species, many
not yet fully studied.
THE LAND
Timor is less than 400km north of Australia,
separated from that continent by the Timor
Sea. To the northwest lie the Indonesian is-
lands of Flores, Solor, Adonara, Lomblen,
Pantar and Alor, separated by as little as 50km
of the Sawu Sea, while to the northeast the
Indonesian islands of Kisar and Wetar are
separated from Timor by the Wetar Strait.
Wetar is only 18km northeast of Atauro.
ENVIRONMENT
The total area of East Timor is 15,007
sq km. That figure includes the completely
separate enclave of Oecussi (about 800 sq
km) on the north coast of West Timor, the is-
land of Atauro (140 sq km), just 30km north
of Dili, and tiny Jaco Island (8 sq km), just
a stone’s throw off the extreme eastern tip
of Timor.
The island of Timor is very different from
the other islands of Nusa Tenggara, the chain
of Indonesian islands running west from
Timor to Bali. The line of volcanoes known as
the inner Banda Arc, which runs the length of
the Indonesian archipelago from Sumatra to
Flores (the next island west of Timor), skirts
Timor and continues north to the islands of
Maluku. Timor itself is not volcanic in origin,
but Atauro Island is part of the inner Banda
Arc, and its higher peaks were formed by sub-
marine volcanic activity.
Timor is part of the Australian continental
shelf. The ‘Timor Trough’ to the south of the
island is a buckle or fold of the Australian tec-
tonic plate caused by the island of Timor being
pushed up as it slides over the Eurasian plate
to the north of the island. These technicalities
are all part of the continuing disagreement
over Timor Sea oil and gas deposits. Parts of
Timor emerged from the ocean up to 40 mil-
lion years ago, but the island fully emerged
only four million years ago, and is therefore
composed mainly of marine sediment, prin-
cipally limestone. Even Timor’s highest peaks
are home to marine fossils. Collision with the
Banda Trench to the north resulted in a rapid
uplift in the centre of the island, producing
a significant mountain range that continues
to grow. The highest mountains in Timor
are much higher than anywhere in Australia,
for instance.
Apart from the lowland hills in the south-
west around Kupang in Indonesian West
Timor, rugged mountains run the length
of the island. Several peaks are higher than
2000m, the highest being Mt Ramelau
(Gunung Tatamailau, 2963m) in the western
part of East Timor near Maubisse. The high-
est peak in the eastern part of East Timor
is Mt Matebian (Gunung Malobu, 2315m),
southeast of Baucau. On the south side of East
Timor the coastal plains are 20km to 30km
wide, whereas on the north side they are rela-
tively narrow with many stretches of coastline
where the mountains fall directly into the sea.
Although there are no major highland valleys,
there are stretches of highland plains like the
perched plain where the Baucau airport was
built, just west of Baucau. There are similar
plains around Lospalos and the fertile rice-
growing region around Maliana.
Many of the rivers, which comprise broad-
braided channels, completely dry up in the
dry season, then turn into temporary raging
torrents, flash-flooding after heavy rain. Three
of the main permanent rivers flow into the sea
on the north coast of East Timor. The Laclo
reaches the sea just west of Manatuto, the Loes
(called Marobo further upstream) enters the
sea between Maubara and Atabae, and the
Seical originates from Mt Matebian and ar-
lonelyplanet.com
rives at the sea just west of Baucau. Many of
the south-coast rivers have huge floodplains,
making them very difficult to cross during
the wet season.
The only lake of any size is Ira Lalaro to-
wards the east end of the island. The lake
appears to have changed considerably in size
over the years, perhaps even drying up com-
pletely, but remarkably little is known about
its history. East Timor also has many springs,
including those in the Baucau area and Uato
Carbau. Hot springs are present on Atauro
Island, near Bobonaro and south of Baucau.
Rocky, limestone soils combined with the
steep nature of the topography and low, spo-
radic rainfall make agriculture difficult, result-
ing in food and water shortages, particularly
during the dry season. The dry north coast is
very barren in the dry season when the winds
from Australia are blocked by the mountains.
But Timor has many microsystems, and the
central mountains range from dry rocky hills
to thickly forested peaks. As you cross over to
the southern coastal plain, the countryside is
generally lusher with a diversity of landforms
and vegetation types.
WILDLIFE
East Timor is squarely in the area known as
Wallacea, a kind of crossover zone between
Asian and Australian fauna and flora, and
one of the most biologically distinctive areas
on earth. Originally the Wallace Line, the
dividing line drawn by the deep submarine
trench between Bali and Lombok, was pro-
posed by Sir Alfred Russel Wallace in 1859
as a clear line separating the Asian zone from
the Australian one. Later it was realised that
there is considerable overlap between the two
zones, and the Wallacea region was redefined.
For example, marsupials, the most iconic
Australian mammals, are found in Timor but
so are monkeys, which are common in Asia
but not found at all in Australia.
East Timor’s curious mix of Asian and
Australian species is characteristic of
Wallacea. The island’s isolation has resulted
in a number of endemic species. In general
the wildlife is poorly known. New species will
be discovered and described in the future as
scientific effort increases. Unfortunately pop-
ulation pressures and periods of deprivation
during WWII and then during the independ-
ence struggle have had a significant impact on
the island’s wildlife, so the survival of many
E N V I R O N M E N T • • W i l d l i fe 25
species is threatened. The numbers of mam-
mals and reptiles in the wild are limited, as are
the opportunities for spotting them. Birds are
easier to see.
Animals
MAMMALS
Cave deposits reveal that Timor once boasted
the most amazing rat fauna on earth, includ-
ing a 7kg giant rat species, but the introduc-
tion of such species as deer, monkeys, wild
pigs, civets and other rats (not to mention
humans!) might be linked to their demise.
Native mammals include more than 30 bats,
shrews and at least two rats. The 10 or so spe-
cies of fruit bats are important in dispersing
the seeds of forest trees.
The spotted cuscus is a tree-dwelling mar-
supial principally found on the Cape York
Peninsula of northern Australia and on the
islands of New Guinea and Maluku. The ani-
mal’s perpetually startled look comes from
its large circular eyes, ideally configured for
its nocturnal lifestyle. Cuscus move through
the trees with slow deliberateness, using their
prehensile tail for extra security by wrapping
it around branches. Although the animal’s
diet is mainly fruit and leaves, they will also
eat birds, bird eggs, insects and lizards. They
are solitary animals; encounters between
cuscus usually result in noisy squabbles and
even outright fights. Usually it is only males
that sport the distinctive spotted coat. The
cuscus is rather like a tropical version of the
possums common in the southern states of
Australia. Unfortunately for the cuscus, for
ENVIRONMENT
the Timorese it’s usually associated with one
adjective: delicious. Along with the rusa deer,
cuscus are eagerly pursued by local hunters,
and are most often observed dead, hanging on
the end of a stick on their final journey home
to the cooking pot!
Domestic animals include water buffalo,
cattle, horse, pigs, goats, chickens, ducks,
dogs, cats and the odd sheep. You’re most
likely to spot geckos, monkeys (if you’re
lucky), domestic animals and perhaps deer,
which are very shy.
REPTILES
East Timor has a number of striking reptiles,
including the tokay gecko (one of the largest
in the world). The reticulated python reaches
8m to 9m in length and is the world’s longest
snake. There is a host of small native geckos,
 26 E N V I R O N M E N T • • W i l d l i fe
skinks and other snakes, including the danger-
ous and beautiful green pit viper. One species
of dragon lizard has even learned to fly (or at
least to glide for 30m to 50m between trees).
Remarkably, estuarine crocodiles, which
play a key role in Timor’s creation myths and
are traditionally considered to be ancestors,
have managed to survive in some coastal habi-
tats despite human population pressures. It’s
said there are crocodiles in Lake Ira Lalaro,
but if they do exist, it’s unclear what type they
are. There’s a lot of exaggerated talk about
crocodiles in East Timor (see p76).
A number of species of sea turtles come
ashore on East Timor to lay their eggs, par-
ticularly in the far east.
BIRDS
East Timor has more than 240 species of birds,
including at least 31 species occurring only on
Timor and neighbouring islands. Seven spe-
cies are endemic to Timor, but more are cer-
tain to be added as further research is carried
out. The Lautem district at the eastern end
of the island is particularly noted for its bird
life, along with a strange mix of Australian,
Asian and Wallacean species. What better
place to see Australian honeyeaters, lorikeets
and cockatoos with Asian sunbirds, shrikes
and flycatchers, and Wallacean fruit doves
and flowerpeckers? The buff-banded thicket-
warbler is unique to Timor; its ancestors are
thought to have come from islands east of
Papua New Guinea.
Because East Timor has been relatively
closed off from the outside world for so
ENVIRONMENT
long, bird-watchers are vitally interested in
the country’s bird life. Recent studies have
revealed that East Timor has relatively abun-
dant numbers of five globally threatened
pigeon species: the yellow-crested cocka-
too, the Timor green pigeon, the Timor
imperial pigeon, the black cuckoo dove and
the Timor sparrow. East Timor is the best
place in the world to see these species. The
Timor sparrow is also classified as vulner-
able, and the critically endangered yellow-
crested cockatoo is one of the rarest birds
in the world.
The capture of birds for sale to foreign-
ers and locals alike is a serious problem. For
particular species, capture for sale is prohib-
ited and the fines are hefty. However, with
limited resources, enforcing the regulations
is a challenge.
lonelyplanet.com
The Threatened Birds of Asia website
(www.rdb.or.id; look for Timor-Leste in the
list of countries) gives information on East
Timor’s threatened species. East Timor’s offi-
cial tourism website (www.turismotimorleste
.com/en/activities/birdwatching) has an excel-
lent illustrated guide to local birds by noted
ornithologist Colin Trainor.
MARINE LIFE
In contrast to the severe impact humans have
had on East Timor’s flora and land fauna,
the picture is much better in the surround-
ing seas. For a variety of reasons, includ-
ing the island’s lack of natural harbours,
the Timorese have never been great fishers,
even during food shortages. Lack of interest
in fishing has, until recently at least, spared
East Timor from the extremely destructive
fishing practices, such as dynamite and poi-
son fishing, that have devastated reef areas in
other parts of Southeast Asia. Unfortunately,
dynamite fishing has become much more
common. Foreign visitors like to eat fish,
and pay well for it, so the East Timorese
provide it.
As a result of the lack of exploitation, scuba
divers find untouched coral reefs and diverse
and prolific marine life. East Timor’s coral
reefs are home to the high diversity of marine
life common on other tropical reefs around
the world. Manta rays and whale sharks are
sometimes encountered along the north coast.
Marine mammals include a variety of dolphins
and whales; divers going out to Atauro Island
may encounter large groups of dolphins and
pilot whales as they cross the strait between
Dili and Atauro.
One delightful surprise for many a diver
or shore-watcher are the dugongs that can
be found in marshy areas of Atauro Island
and the East Timor coast. Weighing up to
300kg and measuring up to 3m in length,
these graceful, slow-moving creatures feed
on sea grass, all but oblivious to activities
around them.
There’s a big difference between the
sea off the north and south coasts. Along
the north coast the sea tends to be more
placid, and there are far more reef areas.
All the scuba diving at present takes place
off the north coast. The south coast has
less protective reef, and the seas tend to be
wilder. Intrepid surfers have a chance to be
explorers here.
lonelyplanet.com E N V I R O N M E N T • • N a t i o n a l Pa r k s & P r o t e c t e d A re a s
Plants
Although there has been massive deforesta-
tion, East Timor is climatically in the dry
tropics, like much of neighbouring northern
Australia, and it’s unlikely that the island
was densely forested before human activity
had a serious impact. The vegetation pattern
always varied widely from the damper low-
lying southern plains to the moist and cool
highlands and then down to the drier savan-
nah vegetation of the north coast. Visitors
commented about the deforestation in the
hills around Dili two centuries ago, and today
it certainly looks weedy, over-burnt and
eroded. Tropical forest has been reduced to
small patches. The best examples of evergreen
forest and tropical dry forest are to be found
in Lautem district.
Mangroves, an important habitat for wild-
life, grow patchily all along the north coast
and occur on the south coast also. Elsewhere
there are differences in the flora between the
north and south coast, in the eastern region
of the country compared to elsewhere, and
in the mountain areas. The area north of the
central mountains is dominated by dry land
species, like the locally common eucalypt, the
Timor white gum (Eucalyptus alba) and the
tamarind tree (Tamarindus indicus). Some
parts of northern East Timor look remark-
ably like northern Australia. The moister
southern area and the eastern part of the
country have a wider variety of plant spe-
cies, including commercially valuable woods
like teak. The uplands and mountain areas
are dominated by more eucalyptus species
(including urophylla, a species that doesn’t
occur in Australia) and ferns. Thickets and
plantations of palm trees, such as the lontar
or rontal and gebang palm, dominate in some
dry coastal regions.
SANDALWOOD
For the Portuguese the fragrant sandalwood
tree (Santalum alba, family Santalaceae) was
one of Timor’s prime attractions, and the
colonists’ ruthless exploitation of the once
plentiful tree has set the pattern for the is-
land’s ecological devastation. There are about
10 species of Santalum in Southeast Asia and
the South Pacific.
At the time of the colonial power’s first
arrival in Timor, the tree was still plentiful,
even though it had already been traded by
the Timorese for hundreds of years. Within
27
a couple of centuries of colonisation it had
all but disappeared.
Sandalwood trees grow to about 10m in
height and are partial parasites on the roots
of other tree species.
Sandalwood oil, extracted from the tree
and its roots by steam distillation, is used
for perfumes, lotions, soap, candles and
incense, for aromatherapy and in a variety
of local medicines. It takes about 30 years
for the slow-growing trees to reach a usable
size. The oil from fully mature trees is much
more valuable.
The number of sandalwood trees has been
drastically reduced not only in East Timor
but throughout the Indonesian archipelago.
The picture is not much better in Papua New
Guinea and the South Pacific, where the tree
has been discovered only fairly recently and
is already being thoughtlessly exploited,
with many trees being cut down before they
are fully grown. Sandalwood is particularly
prized in southern India, and it is sometimes
said the tree was first introduced there from
Timor, although sandalwood is mentioned
in the Ramayana (a South Asian epic poem)
around 2000 BC. East Timor does not have
sandalwood plantations, as India does, sup-
plying large exports of sandalwood oil to the
Middle East, another important market.
NATIONAL PARKS & PROTECTED AREAS
The entire eastern tip of East Timor and the
waters offshore have been designated as Ninos
Konis Santana National Park, the nation’s
first national park. It’s named for a Tutuala
ENVIRONMENT
native and commander of Falantil who died
in 1998.
The park covers 123,000 hectares, including
55,000 hectares of the Coral Triangle – which
includes the reefs around Jaco Island (p63).
Many consider this the richest and most
diverse area of coral reefs in the world. On
land the park’s boundaries include the last
remaining bits of rainforest on East Timor
and the region.
For now the national park designation car-
ries little practical meaning in that there’s no
money to develop facilities or even to enforce
protections. But it’s thought that, as East
Timor inevitably develops, national park des-
ignation should help manage the impacts. The
branch of the New South Wales government
responsible for parks in the Australian state
has signed on as an advisor.
 28 ENVIRONMENT •• Environmental Issues lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com ENVIRONMENT •• Environmental Issues 29

natural vegetation is destroyed. Fuel-wood Given the levels of poverty it will prove a
RESPONSIBLE TOURISM collection is a problem as there are no af- tough act to balance preserving what East
East Timor is undeveloped for tourism, and visitors need to be mindful that their behaviour can fordable alternative fuels for cooking. Habitat Timor has with what it needs. Dili-based
have a significant impact on this fragile environment. Because formal protection for areas and change and increased erosion result. Permaculture Timor-Leste (%723 6093; ego_rockstar@
species is low-profile and under-resourced, you need to keep environmental impact in the forefront Air pollution, access to fresh water, unregu- hotmail.com) is a good example of a group that is
of your mind as you travel – there won’t be any prominent educational signs, information centres lated development (by industry and tourism; using a pragmatic approach to preserve East
or uniformed park rangers to remind you to ‘do the right thing’. Please consider the following: there are few resources to monitor develop- Timor’s resources. It works to teach farmers
ment) and waste disposal are of concern in about sustainable agriculture in a way that
„ Don’t buy any products associated with endangered species or environments, such as turtles,
urban and potential tourism areas throughout both respects and draws on their cultural
protected birds and mangrove roots. If you are offered these things for sale, politely decline.
East Timor. The household waste issue is par- traditions. Its message is: ‘Any action that
„ Be an observer of the natural world only – don’t touch, take, break, kill, purchase or otherwise ticularly evident in Dili. damages, pollutes or destroys East Timor’s
interfere with coral, fish, turtles or other sea creatures. The same goes for terrestrial animals Schemes are already emerging for hydro- natural environment is doing the same to East
such as birds, monkeys, cuscus and other wildlife. Be particularly careful of trees and fish in electric dams to generate power. Timor’s people.’
mangroves – these are fish breeding grounds and are critical as a local food source.
„ Water is an extremely precious resource here – it’s in short supply, and health problems
caused by a lack of clean water kill people. Don’t do anything that might result in pollution to
a watercourse eg going to the toilet, leaving litter or using soap.
„ Be mindful of East Timor’s waste-disposal problem. If you’re in the countryside and there is no
waste management, carry all litter out.
„ Don’t be tempted to play with fire – even a romantic beach bonfire contributes to deforesta-
tion (and squanders the scarce resource of fuel wood that the East Timorese rely on for cook-
ing) and air pollution.
„ Do leave your empty beverage cans out in prominent places. People recycle them for cash.

In the south the salty marshlands around
Sungai Clere (see p75) have also been des-
ignated for protection. Other areas were
designated for protection in 2000 by the UN
Transitional Administration in East Timor
(Untaet). These are protected by law in East
Timor and have been established to protect a
range of species and natural, environmental
and cultural values both on land and in the
sea, including all coral reefs, wetlands and
ENVIRONMENT
that provide a great habitat for resident and migratory
waterbirds. Each year hundreds of wader birds arrive from
Russia during the northern winter. The area is currently
degraded, but rehabilitation is planned, as is manage-
ment that emphasises cultural values and environmental
education.
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
The human impact on East Timor’s flora and
fauna has been severe, and it is estimated that,

mangroves, and historic, cultural and artistic
sites. Some of the areas designated include
the following:
Mt Matebian (see p58) This 2373m peak in the east of
the country, also known as Mt Malobu, is near the village
of Baguia and is also a popular climb. It includes oddly
shaped limestone pinnacles, eucalyptus woodland and
small remnant tropical forest patches.
Mt Ramelau (see p73) East Timor’s highest mountain,
also known as Tatamailau, is south of Dili. The 2963m peak
is climbed from the village of Hatubuilico. The mountain
above 2000m and approximately 20,000 hectares of the
surrounding forest are protected.
Other mountains Protection is extended to half a dozen
other mountains, including Mt Saboria (2495m), just north
of Mt Ramelau, and Mt Mundo Perdido (‘Lost World’,
1775m), to the west of Mt Ramelau and south of Baucau.
Tasitolu Peace Park (see p43) This tiny catchment, just
a 15-minute drive west of Dili, covers three saline lakes
ENVIRONMENT
at the very least, two-thirds of the country
has suffered severe deforestation. On a more
positive note, the most extensive patches of
natural tropical forests on Timor occur in
East Timor, and these provide key habitat
for remaining populations of threatened and
endemic wildlife, some of which are of inter-
national significance.
Deforestation, in conjunction with burn-
ing, livestock grazing and seasonal heavy rains
on a steep topography and fragile soils, has
contributed to erosion, soil loss, landslides
and water-quality problems, which endan-
ger precious coral reefs and fishing grounds.
Burning off is currently the main cause of
deforestation and habitat loss. It also hampers
efforts at revegetation (new plantations are
often damaged by fire), adds to air pollution
and contributes to soil destabilisation as the
 30
Food & Drink
In a country where just obtaining food can be
a problem, there is not a lot of concern over
specific food styles. In fact only in Dili (and
a couple of places in Baucau) will you find a
real selection of places to eat. However, mar-
kets are common throughout the country and
often have a few simple food stalls.
STAPLES & SPECIALITIES
Visitors to East Timor will probably eat in
much the same meal sequence – breakfast,
lunch, dinner – as they would at home. In
rural East Timor meal times are less likely
to be so clearly organised, although the
Portuguese influence is ingrained enough
for the Timorese generally to believe that
there should be three meal times a day.
Meals are often a mix of whatever produce
is available plus packaged noodles, rice
or other starch. Pork, chicken or beef are
usually included.
Outside of Dili, you’ll find only a few res-
taurants. Even the simple shops selling pre-
pared food at markets are only affordable to a
small percentage of the population. However,
the markets themselves are quite colourful
and worth checking out, even if you don’t
need a carrot or a live chicken. You can’t help
but be impressed at the artful displays of even
the most meagre offerings.
You’ll encounter a host of staples, some of
which are more closely associated with Papua
New Guinea and the Pacific rather than the
ubiquitous rice of Southeast Asia. They could
include cassava (aifarina in Tetun), sago
(akar), sweet potato (fehuk midar), yams
(kumbili), taro (talas) and breadfruit (kulu
tunu). Potatoes (fehuk) are a reminder of the
Portuguese era, and maize (batar) is another
staple familiar to Western visitors. Bread (páo
in Portuguese; paun in Tetun) can be surpris-
ingly good. Look for green-hued pistachio
bread, doughnuts and baguettes. In most
FOOD & DRINK
markets, you’ll find various combinations of
maize (corn) and beans that are ready for
quick preparation in a cooking pot.
Despite Timor’s long coastline, the East
Timorese are not noted for their fishing ex-
pertise. Nevertheless fish is generally available
in Dili and will usually be very fresh.
As you’re driving around the country,
you’ll see emerald-green rice terraces and
fields. However, East Timor still relies on aid
agencies and Chinese imports for much of
its rice supply.
Along with the usual range of tropical fruits
there are a number of unusual ones for which
there is no English translation. They include
the snake-skinned salak (the same name is
used in Indonesia), which has a texture akin
to crossing an apple with a walnut. Jambulan,
known to the Indonesians as jamblang, has a
sweet-sour flavour and looks like a purple olive.
The slightly sour but succulent uha looks like a
pear but certainly doesn’t taste like one. Aidák
is like a lychee, while saramalé is pumpkin
shaped but smaller – usually about the size of
your thumb – and has a mildly sour flavour.
MELTING POT
The cuisines of three countries – China,
Indonesia and Portugal – have a major influ-
ence on what you’ll find to eat in East Timor.
Indonesia & China
The 25 years of Indonesian occupation obvi-
ously had a major influence on East Timor’s
cuisine, but in fact Indonesia has always played
an important role in what arrives on the East
Timorese table. If an eating place rises to some-
thing more than boiling up some rice with a
hunk of fish or a mix of vegetables, then the
style is likely to be a blend of Chinese and
Indonesian recipes. Eating places may well be
referred to by Indonesian terms: a warung is a
simple street stall, and a rumah makan (literally
‘eating house’) is a fancier restaurant. Some
standard Indonesian dishes or regional styles
you might encounter include the following:
ayam goreng – fried chicken
cap cay – stir-fried vegetables
gado gado – vegetables with peanut sauce; a very
popular Indonesian dish
gulai ayam – curried chicken
gulai kambing – curried goat
ikan bakar – grilled fish
jagung bakar – grilled corn
mie goreng – mie or mee are noodles and goreng
means fried, so mie goreng will be noodles fried up with
whatever’s going
lonelyplanet.com
mie rebus – noodle soup
nasi campur – rice with a selection of meat and vegeta-
bles on one plate
nasi goreng – Nasi is Indonesian for rice and nasi
goreng, ‘fried rice’, is the standard Indonesian dish. The
rice will be fried up with vegetables, meat or fish, and
there might even be a fried egg on top.
Padang food – The Padang district of West Sumatra has
exported its cooking style all over the Indonesian archi-
pelago and beyond, and there are plenty of places offering
Padang food in Dili. Padang food is usually displayed in
bowls in the window of the establishment or in a display
case. There’s no menu: an assortment of bowls is arrayed
on your table, you choose the ones that look appetising
and you’re billed for what you eat. Padang food is usually
eaten with the fingers of your right hand.
rendang – classic Padang beef or buffalo curry dish
sate ayam – chicken on satay sticks
soto ayam – chicken soup
soto madura – soup with beef
Portugal
Portuguese culinary influence is fairly lim-
ited in the hinterlands. Dili, however, has a
few excellent Portuguese restaurants, and the
pousadas (inns) in Baucau and Maubisse also
feature Portuguese dishes on their menus.
Portuguese food generally consists of much
meat or fish with potatoes or rice, with veg-
etables playing a very secondary role. Some
classic dishes you might encounter include
the following:
arroz de marisco – seafood rice
caldeirada de peixe – fish stew
caldo verde – potato soup, sometimes with sliced
sausage
canja de galinha – chicken broth
feijáo com gráo – beans with chickpeas
frango no churrasco – chargrilled chicken
pratos completos – complete plates, one-pot dishes
pratos do dia – dish of the day, a ‘soup, main course and
coffee’ lunchtime special
sopa de legumes – vegetable soup
sopa de peixe – fish soup
sopa do dia – soup of the day
DRINKS
The true Timorese drink is coffee; it’s pre-
ferred strong and black, and usually also
served hot and sweet. It’s known as kafé Timor
in Tetun, and a package of coffee beans is
an excellent souvenir. Tea is xa in Tetun and
pronounced much like ‘char’.
As in many places in the developing world,
great care should be taken with water. Purified
FOOD & DRINK •• Drinks 31
water in environmentally suspect plastic bot-
tles is readily available in any town – for most
people not prepared to purify their water, this
is the only realistic source of drinking water.
Canned soft drinks are found in markets, but
the dodgy power situation means that they are
often warm. Treat ice (and any liquid on the
tops of cans) with extreme suspicion.
Beer is also found almost everywhere, al-
though in rural areas you will have to do a little
research to find a cold one. Some of Australia’s
less salubrious brews such as Victoria Bitter
(VB) are found anywhere expats gather.
However, you’ll easily find tastier options like
Singapore’s Tiger and Indonesia’s Bintang.
Although there are Australian wines in the
fancier restaurants and bars of Dili, Portuguese
wine never completely disappeared, and you’ll
find a wide choice, including that most iconic
variety, Mateus Rosé.
One of the few local drinks you’ll likely en-
counter is sopi, a powerful distilled palm wine
known as tuaka in Tetun or tua mutin if it’s
white palm wine. Tua Timor is a traditional
alcoholic drink, while tua sabu is a much
stronger traditional brandy-ish concoction.
Sold at roadside stands, these brews share
shelf-space, used-water-bottle packaging, and
some say flavour, with petrol.
WHERE TO EAT & DRINK
Dili has all manner of restaurants, cafés and
bars. You can get a surprising range of inter-
national food, from sushi to Indian, much
of it quite good. Waterfront restaurants and
bars often serve a melange of fare familiar
to travellers everywhere: pizza, pasta, burg-
ers, Asian noodle dishes, satay and the like.
You can also find this selection at the very
few restaurants scattered around the country
catering to foreigners.
On Dili’s back streets you can find more
basic Indonesian-style warungs and kaki-
limas (street vendors) serving basic rice and
meat dishes, fried chicken and satay to lunch-
time crowds of locals with jobs. Similar spots
exist near the markets in larger towns, but
few locals can afford even a dollar or two
FOOD & DRINK
for a meal.
Markets outside Dili may not operate every
day, although there will usually be a couple of
vendors around. Dili has large supermarkets
with all manner of imported goods. Elsewhere
small shops have packaged foods like candy,
crackers and noodles. If you are planning
 © Lonely Planet Publications
32 F O O D & D R I N K • • Ve g e t a r i a n s & Ve g a n s lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com F O O D & D R I N K • • E a t Y o u r W o r d s 33

Useful Phrases (Indonesian) panas hot (temperature)

COFFEE: BLACK GOLD Where’s a…? … di mana? pedas hot (spicy)
If Timor has one product for which it’s renowned, it’s coffee, the number-one money earner for restaurant rumah makan pisang banana
as many as 44,000 families – perhaps 250,000 people, or a quarter of East Timor’s population. For food stall warung sambal chilli sauce
these coffee-growing families, it’s a cash crop that provides as much as 90% of their income. In night market pasar malam sate food skewered on satay
most cases these are essentially subsistence farmers with just a hectare or two of coffee plants. street stall kaki lima sticks, chargrilled and served
Although thousands of East Timorese are involved in the harvesting and processing each season, toilet wc (way-say) with peanut sauce
the actual number employed full time in the coffee business is only a few hundred. What is that (this)? Apa itu (ini)? sayuran vegetables
About 80% of East Timor’s coffee is fine quality arabica (cheaper coffee is usually robusta), Do you have a menu Apakah ada daftar makanan soto soup
and most of it is organically grown and meets the Fair Trade guidelines, which means it can be in English? dalam bahasa Inggeris? telur eggs; nasi goreng or nasi
sold at a premium price. In fact the organic label is a default: the East Timorese simply cannot I’m a vegetarian. Saya hanya makan sayuran. campur will often include
afford to use fertilisers or other growth aids. That was delicious, Enak sekali, terima kasih. an egg
The altitude where most of the coffee is grown, combined with East Timor’s climate, with its thank you. telur goreng fried egg
short but intense wet season and long dry season, makes for excellent coffee. About half of the How much (money)? Berapa harga? telur rebus boiled egg
country’s coffee is grown in the Ermera district, but coffee is also grown in the districts of Manufahi,
Ainaro and Liquiçá, while smaller amounts come from Aileu and Bobonaro. Drive a few kilometres Indonesian–English Glossary Portuguese–English Glossary
into the hills south of Dili and you will soon see coffee growing right along the road. ayam chicken almôndegas meatballs
One of the main customers for East Timor’s coffee is Starbucks. The coffee is blended into bakar grilled arroz rice
the chain’s Verona coffee (‘full and creamy, with a sweet finish’, it claims), although its website bakmi rice noodles atum tuna
indicates that Verona features ‘an array of Latin American and Indonesian coffees’, and no men- bakso meatball soup batatas potato
tion is made of East Timor. buah fruit bife steak
After oil, it is hoped that coffee will play an important role in the country’s future. Like so many daging meat bife de atum tuna steak
other things locally, the industry’s past – like coffee in an old percolator – has had numerous dingin cold bife de frango chicken steak
ups and downs. During the Portuguese era up to 600kg per hectare was grown. Due to a lack enak delicious cabrito goat
of pruning and replanting and other woes of the Indonesian era, that figure fell to only 100kg es ice carne meat
to 200kg per hectare. In contrast, the world’s most efficient coffee producers are obtaining up to gulai curried costeletas cutlets
2000kg per hectare. Several NGOs and other aid agencies continue to help the Timorese industry ikan fish cozido boiled
rebuild. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded the creation of jagung corn frango chicken
Cooperativa Café Timor (CCT), a non-profit business that handles coffee exports. kacang tanah peanuts frito fried
The US-based advocacy group Just Coffee (www.justcoffee.coop) lobbies for Fair Trade cof- kambing goat grelhado grilled
fee, and buys and promotes coffee from producers around the world. It regularly leads tours to kelapa coconut ovo egg
East Timor that include an intensive look at the coffee industry and culture as well as meetings kentang potatoes páo Portuguese bread rolls
with local luminaries. kerupuk prawn crackers peixe fish
mie noodles porco pork
nasi rice sopa soup
extended travel in the countryside, it’s best HABITS & CUSTOMS
to bring provisions from Dili. Although many In Dili most places are roughly open from
guesthouses offer simple meals, their avail- 8am to 9pm; however, they may close at sun-
ability is not assured. set during times of upheaval. Elsewhere, hours
Along the main roads, look for roadside at the few places serving meals can be quite
stands selling fruit, vegetables, various drinks variable, although most are open for lunch.
and a variety of other prepared treats for the If you’re travelling around the country with
quick consumption of travellers. Common a driver or guide, buy their meals when you
and tasty, saboko is a mixture of sardines, eat. At any place serving food, tips are not ex-
spices and tamarind leaves wrapped up in a pected, but in a place like East Timor anything
palm leaf and cooked over a fire. extra you give the staff or owners (if they’re
locals) will feed more than just one person.
VEGETARIANS & VEGANS
FOOD & DRINK

FOOD & DRINK

Many places in Dili have a range of vegetarian
dishes on the menu. Otherwise, if you can
communicate with the kitchen, you should
be able to get meat-free dishes in most restau-
rants. To request vegetarian meals, try ‘saya
hanya makan sayuran’ (Indonesian) or ‘sou
vegetariano/a’ (Portuguese).
EAT YOUR WORDS
In most places in Dili you can usually get by
with English. Elsewhere Tetun may well be
necessary, although in most places Indonesian
is still the most useful language to know.
For more language and pronunciation info,
see p103.
© Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
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 © Lonely Planet Publications
34 lonelyplanet.com
HISTORY
Dili
DILI
There had been a Portuguese settlement in
Dili for more than a century by the time the
Portuguese moved their centre of government
there from Lifau in 1769. Dili was always a
sleepy colonial town in a sleepy and remote col-
ony and what little press it got wasn’t good.
The town was never a jewel in the crown of
Stay two days in Dili and you may be anxious to leave; stay longer and you may never want the Portuguese colonial empire, and it lacks
to leave. That’s the conundrum of Dili, the scruffy capital of East Timor that’s always in the lavish public buildings. When the English
news for the wrong reasons. It wears scars from years of occupation by the Portuguese, scientist Alfred Russel Wallace spent several
months here in 1861, he described Dili as:
the Indonesians, the UN, refugees and more, and is where the independent nation of East
Timor’s messy birth is most on display. …a most miserable place compared
with even the poorest of Dutch
But it’s also a place of great hope, where East Timorese and people from around the
towns… After three hundred years of
world want to shed the decades of tragic legacy and become known for something good, occupation there has not been a mile
something positive. of road made beyond the town, and
there is not a solitary European resi-
Yes, the drive in from the airport is grim. And really, there’s not much to drive around dent anywhere in the interior. All the
and see that will have you thinking ‘postcard’. But just as you’re obsessing about dodging government officials oppress and rob
a rock, you’ll come face to face with a goat blithely munching a shrub on some quiet street the natives as much as they can, and
yet there is no care taken to render the
and you’ll pause and realise that, for all its reputation, Dili is actually a surprisingly mellow
town defensible should the Timorese
place. Everybody hears about riots but nobody hears about the simple pace of everyday attempt to attack it.
life. A rhythm of family and friends that soon draws you into this welcoming place. Just
slow down and go with the flow. The Japanese occupation in WWII made
Dili a bombing target for Australian RAAF
Dili will play an important role in your East Timor trip no matter what your plans. This is flights out of Darwin, but that was virtually
the only place with any choice of sleeping and eating options. It’s where you’ll make all your the only appearance Dili would make in
the history books until 1975. As Portuguese
plans for seeing the country and where you’ll buy anything you might need for your stay – if
rule crumbled after the 1974 revolution back
you can’t get it here, you can’t get it anywhere in East Timor. And it’s where you tap into the in Portugal, Dili became the focus for the
local ju-ju to find out what’s really going on here and in the rest of the country. You may power struggle between the rival Timorese
feel more than ready to leave town, but you’ll also feel oddly compelled to return. political parties. On 11 August 1975 the
Timorese Democratic Union (UDT) party
staged a coup in Dili, and the Portuguese
administration withdrew to Atauro Island
to watch what happened from a safe dis-
tance. Fretilin won the brief civil war
and on 28 November declared that the
Democratic Republic of East Timor was an
independent country.
It was a brief independence. On 7 Dec-
ember Indonesian paratroopers descended
on Dili, quickly followed by a landing fleet.
Summary executions took place on the
DILI HIGHLIGHTS Dili wharf soon after the invasion. Among
Start with a waterfront walk as outlined on p40. Take in some of the neighbourhoods near the those shot and pushed into the sea were
sea and just keep adjusting your pace down until you seem in tune with those around you. Head the Australian Roger East, the only foreign
east to the great beaches on the road to Cape Fatucama and take a kayak or snorkelling mask out journalist remaining in Dili, and Isobel
into the water. Late in the day get yourself a sunset drink at one of the waterside bars and make Lobato, the wife of Fretilin’s prime minis-
some friends. Dili has one of the most welcoming populations of locals and expats alike and you ter, Nicolau Lobato. Lobato would lead the
may soon have your own circle of friends. If nothing else, you’ll get the latest on the locals. guerrilla struggle against the Indonesian in-
vaders until his death in 1978. Today a main
DILI •• History 35
street in Dili and the international airport
are named after him.
DILI
For the first couple of years after the inva-
sion, Falantil, the military arm of Fretilin,
made occasional incursions into Dili, but
Indonesian military superiority eventually
pushed them back into the central moun-
tains and forests. Nevertheless Dili remained
a focus for the independence struggle, and the
massacre at the city’s Santa Cruz cemetery on
12 November 1991 became a turning point in
the long campaign for independence. A peace-
ful student protest at the cemetery became a
bloodbath when Indonesian troops opened
fire on the demonstrators. It is believed that
more than 100 were killed. This time there
were international observers on the scene and
the death of a bystander from New Zealand
meant that it could not be swept under the
carpet as a purely domestic affair.
Just over a year later, on 20 November
1992, Falantil leader Xanana Gusmão was
captured while making a clandestine visit to
Dili. But far from sidelining him, Gusmão’s
subsequent imprisonment in Jakarta brought
international attention to the plight of East
Timor. Still more interest was generated
when José Ramos-Horta and Bishop Carlos
Belo were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace
Prize in 1996. See p17 and p14 for more on
these two.
In 1999 Dili was once more on the front
pages of newspapers around the world as the
Indonesian military stood to one side while
pro-Indonesian militias tried to intimidate
independence supporters in the run-up
to the independence referendum. The an-
nouncement of the result on 4 September,
with nearly 80% of voters opting for inde-
pendence, triggered an orgy of destruction
in Dili. On 20 September the UN’s InterFET
peacekeeping force began deployment in Dili
and quickly brought the situation under
control. By 1 November the last Indonesian
troops had left, and on 20 May 2002 the UN
Secretary General Kofi Annan was in Dili to
attend the formal birth of the new country.
Since then various upheavals, especially
in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007, have led to
minor riots in which buildings have been
torched and cars stoned. Meanwhile, thou-
sands of refugees from rural unrest have
chosen to take shelter in the relative ‘safety’
of numerous impromptu camps found
throughout Dili.
 36 DILI •• Orientation lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com DILI •• Orientation 37

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DILI 0 0.5 miles
DILI

DILI
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Matadouro

ORIENTATION
Dili sprawls along the waterfront from the
airport on the western edge to the Christ
statue at the eastern end of the bay. The cen-
tral area is reasonably compact, stretching
back a few parallel blocks from the waterfront.
Most of this inner-city area is confined within
the ring road, sometimes referred to as Rua
Circunvalacao, starting with Estrada de Balide are theoretical concepts, and the half-dozen Many other diplomatic offices are in the
on the western side of the centre and ending stoplights are purely for show, although the Motael district, between this important road
with Estrada de Bidau on the eastern side. new network of one-way streets has given and the waterfront, close to the centre. The
The Portuguese-built government buildings, many a reason to grumble. beaches along the road east of the centre are
fronted by the monument to Prince Henry the Av dos Mártires de Pátria, the road run- everybody’s favourite escape. South of Dili
Navigator, form the very centre of the town. ning past the airport and right into the cen- the green hills rise steeply, hemming the city
You can walk to most places in central Dili in tre, is the address for many businesses and in against the sea and hinting at the natural
under 15 minutes. Street numbers and signs offices, including the Australian Embassy. beauty beyond.
 38 DILI •• Information
INFORMATION
DILI
ANZ............................................1 F2
Australian Embassy..................... 2 C5
Bairo Pite Clinic.......................... 3 D5
Banco Nacional da Ultramarino...4 E2
Bank Mandiri............................(see 4)
Castaway Bar..........................(see 25)
Dili Nacional Hospital.................. 5 G2
European Commission................ 6 D2
Foho Osan Mean Farmacia..........7 F3
Global Net...................................8 E2
Harvey World Travel................... 9 D2
Indonesian Embassy................. 10 D4
Internet Cafe.............................11 F2
Irish Embassy............................ 12 D4
JJ International Travel...............(see 1)
New Zealand Embassy.............. 13 D4
One More Bar........................(see 67)
Post Office................................14 E2
Timor Telecom..........................15 E2
US Embassy.............................. 16 C4
Western Union......................... 17 D2
Xanana Gusmão Reading
Room..................................(see 43)
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
Areia Branca Beach................... 18 H3
Arte Moris................................ 19 A4
Balide Church............................20 F4
Cathedral of the Immaculate
Conception........................... 21 C3
Chinese Chamber of
Commerce............................22 E2
Chinese Temple.........................23 E2
Christ Statue............................. 24 H2
Dive Timor Lorosae.................. 25 D4
East Timorese Cultural Centre....26 E2
Eco Discovery.........................(see 74)
Farol Lighthouse.......................27 D1
Foreign Ministry....................... 28 C4
Free Flow.................................. 29 C4
Walk the waterfront and see what’s there
or head east to the lovely beaches a couple
of minutes from town and take the time to
meet some folks. You’ll discover the kind of
small-town openness that people fantasise
about but rarely experience. And you’ll un-
derstand why two days is too many but three
days is too few.
INFORMATION
Bookshops
If you want to read, bring books from home.
There are no sources of new English-language
publications in East Timor. You’ll see the
odd book exchange in expat hangouts in Dili
where you can choose from novels pulpy in
both content and form (the tropical climate
makes short work of paperbacks). Castaway
Bar and One More Bar (see p48 and p47)
have decent selections. But your best bet is
the Xanana Gusmão Reading Room (see p40),
lonelyplanet.com
Harmonia Eco Tours................(see 35) FM41....................................... 60 D2
Independence Memorial Hall.... 30 D1 Gelados Que Bom....................(see 1)
Integration Monument............. 31 D2 Gion..........................................61 F2
José Ramos-Horta's House....... 32 H3 Golden Star Restaurant.............62 F2
Liceu Dr Francisco Machado......33 E2 Hotel Esplanada......................(see 29)
Matadouro............................... 34 D3 Indian Megha............................63 F2
MegaTours................................35 E2 Kebab Club................................64 F1
Memorial Da Paz.......................36 F1 Little Pataya............................. 65 G4
Motael Church......................... 37 D2 Oceanview Beach Restaurant....66 B3
Palacio de Govierno...................38 E2 One More Bar...........................67 F1
Prince Henry the Navigator.......39 E2 Sagres Garden........................(see 52)
Resistence Museum...................40 E2 Smokehouse...........................(see 45)
Rumah Adat Lospalos............... 41 D2 Sun Restaurant.......................(see 45)
Santa Cruz Cemetery................42 F3 Terrace Café..............................68 E2
Xanana Gusmão Reading Room..43 F2 Tropical Boutique Bakery.......... 69 D3
Vasco da Gama........................ 70 D2
SLEEPING
Casa Minha............................(see 13) ENTERTAINMENT
Dili Beach Hotel........................ 44 D4 AAJ Bar.....................................71 E2
East Timor Backpackers............. 45 C2 Exotica..................................... 72 G4
Farol Hotel..............................(see 10)
Hotel Audian.............................46 F2
Hotel California........................ 47 H4
SHOPPING
Alola Foundation.......................73
Hotel Dili...................................48 F2 Landmark................................. 74
Hotel Esplanada......................(see 29) Leader.......................................75
Hotel Timor.............................. 49 D2 Lita............................................76
Hotel Turismo............................50 F1 Taibessi Market.........................77
Rocella......................................51 E2 Tais Mercado............................ 78
Sagres Garden.......................... 52 B4
Timor Lodge Hotel................... 53 A5 TRANSPORT
Venture Hotel............................54 F1 Bidau Terminal...........................79 F1
Vila Harmonia.......................... 55 H5 East Timor Backpackers...........(see 45)
Mali Lait................................... 80 D5
EATING & DRINKING Merpati..................................(see 74)
Beach Café............................... 56 D4 Nakroma Ferry Office............... 81 D2
Café Brasil..............................(see 23) Nicolau Lobato International
Castaway Bar..........................(see 25) Airport.................................. 82 A4
Caz Bar..................................... 57 H3 Rentlo.......................................83 B5
City Café...................................58 F2 Taibessi Terminal.......................84 E4
Depot Mie Bakso.......................59 E2 Tiger Fuel................................. 85 D5
Erli Restaurant.........................(see 68) Timor Tour & Travel..................86 F3
which has a great selection of used books to
trade (US$1) or buy, plus new phrasebooks.
Emergency
Ambulance (%723 3212)
Fire (%723 0686)
Police (%112, 723 0686, Unpol 723 0365)
Internet Access
‘Fast’ internet connections in Dili are quite slow,
and don’t count on printers having ink. Of the
oft-changing line-up of Dili internet joints, the
following two are the best. Two other places to
try are the Timor Telecom office (see opposite)
and the Xanana Gusmão Reading Room.
Global Net (Rua Jacinto de Candido; per hr US$6; h8am-
9pm) Photo downloads and CD-burning capabilities.
Internet Cafe (cnr Ruas Presidente Nicolau Lobato &
Belarmino Lobo; per hr US$6; h8.30am-8.30pm) Across
from ANZ Bank. Its orchid collection is more interesting
than its name.
lonelyplanet.com DILI •• Dangers & Annoyances 39
Libraries Bank Mandiri (%3317 777; Rua José Maria Marques)
Xanana Gusmão Reading Room (%332 2831; Rua An Indonesian bank with exchange services.
DILI
Belarmino Lobo; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm Sat) Western Union (%332 1586; Rua José Maria Marques)
Loans and sells books, has exhibits and offers internet Transfers funds internationally.
access (per min US5¢). See p40 for more details.
Post & Telephone
Medical Services Both the following share a building east of the
Medical services in East Timor are lim- Palacio de Govierno. For an express service,
ited; serious cases may require evacuation there’s a DHL agent at Harvey World Travel
to Darwin. However, you can make an ap- (see below).
pointment with a physician at the Australian Post office (Rua Presidente Nicolau Lobato;
embassy (US$35; see p88). If you’re not an h8am-5pm Mon-Fri)
Australian citizen, also contact your own Timor Telecom (%332 2245; www.timortelecom.tp;
embassy (p88) as there may be a number Rua Presidente Nicolau Lobato; h8am-6pm Mon-Sat)
of options available among the local NGOs You can make international and local calls, access the
and UN. internet and purchase SIM cards.
Bairo Pite Clinic (%332 4118; www.bairopiteclinic
E3
.tripod.com/index.html; Bairo Pite; h8am-5pm Tourist Information
C5 Mon-Sat) A legendary local clinic serving the scores of There’s no tourist office; however, locals and
B5 under-served locals. It treats malaria more effectively than expats alike are very helpful in telling you
F1 anywhere else in town. Unlike locals, you should pay for what’s open and what’s closed, what’s thriving
E4
D2
your treatment. See below for more. and what’s been torched. Otherwise check out
Dili Nacional Hospital (%331 1008; Rua Cicade the websites listed on p7. The Guide Post is
Viana do Castelo) Just east of Estrada de Bidau; a cadre of aimed at English-speaking expats in Dili and
Western volunteers assist locals at this teeming place. has useful service listings and maps.
Foho Osan Mean Farmacia (%725 6978; Rua Quinze
de Outubro; h8am-9pm Mon-Sat, 8am-1pm Sun) Offers Travel Agencies
simple consultations and full range of pharmaceuticals. Harvey World Travel (%331 1140; www.harveydili
.com; cnr Rua Colmera & Estrada de Balide) Full-service
Money agency.
Banks are generally open between 9am and JJ International Travel (%723 3710; jimjjtravel
3.30pm Monday to Friday. @yahoo.com.au; Rua Belarmino Lobo) Jim here is a wizard
ANZ (%332 4800; www.anz.com/timorleste; cnr Ruas with airline travel.
Presidente Nicolau Lobato & Belarmino Lobo) Full-service
banking; the ATM dispenses US dollars but often runs dry DANGERS & ANNOYANCES
on weekends. There’s a second and sometimes-working Although some reports make Dili and East
ATM in the Leader Store on the Airport Rd; see p49 for Timor sound like a war zone, in fact the city
details. generally feels OK. There have been some as-
Banco Nacional da Ultramarino (BNU; %332 4301; saults and thefts involving foreigners, and cars
Rua José Maria Marques) A Portuguese bank that at times are often broken into, particularly if mobile
has a deer grazing out the front (!). (cell) phones are left on view inside. Visitors
LOCAL HEROES
It’s simply hard to imagine what would happen to the 300-plus people seen each day for free
at the Bairo Pite Clinic (%332 4118; www.bairopiteclinic.tripod.com/index.html; Bairo Pite; h8am-5pm
Mon-Sat) if it didn’t exist. Located in the impoverished part of town bearing the same name, it got
its start in 1999 when a doctor from Kansas in the USA started treating people in the smoking
ruins of the aftermath of the Indonesian departure. He’s never stopped.
With a staff of more than 30 East Timorese and medical students and volunteers from around
the world, the clinic provides some of the best healthcare available in East Timor. Each month
more than 100 babies are delivered. It’s an amazing operation and it’s always in need of money
to meet its US$10,000-a-month budget (a paltry sum given the work accomplished). If you’d like
to help, see the website above.
 40 DILI •• Sights
are advised to avoid dark streets at night and
not to wander on the beach after sunset, and
DILI
it’s also wise to avoid political rallies or dem-
onstrations. Women should take particular
care at night.
Like everything else here, locals and expats
can quickly appraise you of areas like Bairo
Pite that are more prone to rock throwing
and other mayhem. If you have a local mobile
phone, ask around about getting on message
trees for security-alert SMSs.
Scores of street vendors prowl Dili’s streets
desperate for you to buy phonecards, or-
anges, dubious DVDs and even porn (satis-
faction is not guaranteed). It is considered
good form, though, to buy your water etc
from vendor carts as the money supports
many families.
SIGHTS
You can easily see all that Dili has to offer
in a couple of days. Amid the burned-out
buildings, reconstruction and internally dis-
placed people (IDP) camps are mannered old
Portuguese colonial buildings. Many streets
near the centre in Lecidere and Motael are
quiet and shaded by palm and frangipani
trees. For a good introduction to Dili, walk
along the waterfront heading west from the
Hotel Turismo, dropping down to check out
some of the government buildings.
International People’s Park
The land along the waterfront by the Hotel
Turismo and Bishop’s residence was offi-
cially inaugurated as a park on East Timor’s
Independence Day in 2002. It’s not very
manicured but it’s a good place to catch
evening breezes and sunsets. Vendors with
small stalls here sell fish (best viewed and
smelled in the morning), fruits and vegeta-
bles. Christened in 2005, the Memorial Da Paz
(Memorial of Peace) is a simple plaza on the
water with a mosaic of a dove over an outline
of East Timor.
Bishop’s Residence
This modest but pretty house was the home
of Bishop Carlos Belo during his many years
leading the local Catholic Church during
and after the Indonesian occupation. It was a
sanctuary for those seeking refuge from the
military, and on Sundays the Nobel Peace
Prize–winning Belo celebrated mass out the
front for thousands of the faithful.
lonelyplanet.com
Just west of the residence, a marble Virgin
Mary statue stands in a garden square. The
inscription ‘Comemoracáo do Ano Mariano
1954’ notes that it was erected in commemo-
ration of the Marian Year of 1953–54, which
was proclaimed by Pope Pius XII. This is still
a place for huge open-air Masses on special
religious days.
Chinese Chamber of Commerce
The old Chinese Chamber of Commerce is
a formerly delightful Portuguese villa facing
the sea from the waterfront road. Dili once
had a large Chinese population, and Chinese
merchants conducted much of the city’s trade.
Although many fled in 1975, there’s been a
fresh influx of shopkeepers since independ-
ence. The building has high arches and pillars,
decorated in hues of pink and crimson. The
scalloped roof tiles around the eaves are typical
of Dili’s Portuguese architecture. The entire
compound has been taken over by refugees.
Xanana Gusmão Reading Room
Part museum, part library, part cultural centre,
the Reading Room (%332 2831; Rua Belarmino Lobo;
h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm Sat) is a must-visit. The
foyer of this old colonial building displays pho-
tos and information dedicated to President
Xanana Gusmão, who is also an author and
poet. Various fan-cooled rooms hold a decent
selection of titles. Make time to watch a video
about East Timor from the Reading Room’s
comprehensive collection. You can watch vid-
eos about East Timor, including gripping cov-
erage of the Santa Cruz Cemetery massacre.
East Timorese Cultural Centre
In the centre of Dili the old Portuguese
Garrison building dates from 1627 and has
massive, thick walls and heavy, wooden-
shuttered windows. It was badly damaged
during the 1999 violence and rebuilt as the
East Timorese Cultural Centre. (It’s also
known as Uma Fukun Timor; uma fukun is
Tetun for ‘traditional house’.) Sadly it’s been
trashed again several times. Should a period
of calm bless Dili, the centre is meant to house
galleries and cultural groups. Across the road
on the waterfront, a couple of rusting old
Portuguese cannons face out to sea.
Government Buildings
The most imposing buildings in Dili are the
government buildings in the centre of the
lonelyplanet.com
city’s waterfront. They date from as recently
as 1960 and, although the modern lines are
plain, they are built in early colonial style with
wide, arched verandas. The Palacio de Govierno
(Government Palace) dominates the centre of
the compound. In front is the monument to
Prince Henry the Navigator, also erected in 1960
to commemorate the Portuguese presence in
Asia and Henry’s role in opening up the sea
lanes some 500 years earlier. It is one of the
few memorials to the Portuguese presence still
standing in Dili.
Resistance Museum
The 24-year struggle against the Indonesians
is commemorated in the well-designed, new
Resistance Museum (Rua Formosa; admission US$1;
h9.30am-5.30pm Tue-Sat, 1.30-5.30pm Sun). There’s
a good timeline in English, plus photos, maps
and exhibits of the gear used by Falantil while
hiding in the hills (satellite phones are the
tools of the modern revolution). The cata-
logue (US$10) is impressive.
The institutional buildings surrounding the
museum are the Univeride Nacional Timor
Lorosáe (National University of East Timor),
which has over 5000 students.
Liceu Dr Francisco Machado
Near the Resistance Museum is the solid,
neoclassical Liceu Dr Francisco Machado, a
former school and now government offices.
It has been restored and prettily painted in
pink with red and white trim. On the opposite
corner are the old godowns (warehouses) and
offices of the former Sociedade Agricola Pátria
e Trabacho (SAPT). Similar godowns can be
seen around town.
Integration Monument
In front of the Hotel Timor and across
from the Dili port entrance, the Integration
Monument is a memorial to Indonesian rule.
A Timorese in traditional costume breaks
the chains of colonialism, in much the same
tacky style as the Free Irian monument in
Jakarta. It’s remarkable that the monu-
ment has survived East Timor’s independ-
ence. Perhaps it’s because the Indonesians
thoughtfully placed it atop a 10m-high
pedestal. The dishevelled park where the
monument stands is probably a more ac-
curate indication of local feelings, although
refugees at a nearby camp find it a handy
drying rack for laundry.
DILI •• Sights 41
Rumah Adat Lospalos
Across from the monument is the Rumah
DILI
Adat Lospalos, a traditional Fataluku-style
house from the Lospalos region at the east-
ern end of the island. These high buildings
on stilts are iconic symbols of East Timorese
architecture. No doubt many of the IDPs liv-
ing around it would prefer a house like this
to their leaky NGO-supplied tent.
Motael Church
From the town centre the waterfront boul-
evard leads west past the tidy Motael Church
(Igreja Motael), which was rebuilt in 1955 but
retains its old Portuguese style. This is the
oldest Catholic church in Timor, fronted by
two statues; the one of Joseph, Mary and the
infant Jesus being markedly more cartoonish
than the other of a priest carrying a child.
Memorials & the Lighthouse
The road past the church (Av de Portugal)
runs along the beachside park and is lined
with shady banyan trees. A curious circular
monument commemorates the 13 regions of
independent East Timor. Just past the monu-
ment is a statue of the Portuguese surveyor
and cartographer Arturo do Canto Rezende,
who was accused of aiding the Australians
during WWII and who, after suffering se-
verely at the hands of the Japanese, died
on the island of Alor just a few months
before the war ended. The statue notes
that he died ‘during the hard years of the
Japanese occupation’.
The road continues past more whitewashed
villas to the old but now solar-powered Farol
Lighthouse. The waterfront Av de Portugal
then passes several embassies and hotels
before eventually ending at the Pertamina
Jetty with its large oil-storage tanks. Midway
there, you won’t miss the vast new Foreign
Ministry, a gift from the Chinese government
and a sure sign that even little East Timor is
on the radar of the Asian superpower. Should
any aquatically minded delegations drop by,
they can be entertained by the enormous
swimming pool.
Independence Memorial Hall
This ceremonial reception building across
from the lighthouse has a gallery in the back
for the Timor-Leste Photographers’ Association
(%723 3982), which displays the works of
members that are often beautiful, moving
 42 DILI •• Sights
or both. The photographers hail from across
the country and often have amazing stories.
DILI
Ze’sopol Caminha got his start at age 23 when
he smuggled a camera into the Jakarta prison
where Xanana Gusmão was being held. The
resulting shots were published worldwide.
Cathedral of the Immaculate
Conception
This huge and weathered white cathedral is
claimed to be the largest in Southeast Asia.
It was opened by President Soeharto in 1988
and in October 1989 was blessed by Pope
John Paul II. His visit to Dili was said to have
attracted more than 250,000 onlookers.
Arte Moris
Set in the vast remains of an Indonesian-era
museum, Arte Moris (%723 3507; Av dos Mártires da
Pátria, Comoro; h9am-6pm Mon-Sat) encompasses
everything weird and wonderful about Dili.
Art students live here while they train in a
variety of mediums; some of the best results
grace a funky sculpture garden or are on dis-
play in a gallery. Although at times whimsi-
cal, many of the works address the ongoing
tragedy of life in East Timor. Many local art-
ists are in residence, including Bibi Bulak (www
.bibibulak.org), an inventive acting troupe that
performs on stage and screen. Much of its
work is grounded in bringing social justice
to the masses.
There’s a regular schedule of performances
and events; this should be high on your list of
sights. Travelling west from town, the com-
pound is over the Comoro bridge, just before
the airport.
Chinese Temple
Dili’s Chinese temple is an indication of the
city’s influential Chinese community. After
many years of decline the city’s Chinese
population is once again on the increase.
There were probably between 12,000 and
18,000 Chinese in East Timor at the time
of the Indonesian invasion in 1975. They
dominated commerce in East Timor and, as
a result, were not always popular. But in the
brief period of independence before the inva-
sion, Fretilin promised they would be given
full citizenship rights in the new country. In
the early years of the occupation the Chinese
suffered particular discrimination and vio-
lence at the hands of the Indonesians and, as
a result, many fled.
lonelyplanet.com
Nevertheless the only time the temple
closed was during the chaotic final convul-
sions of the occupation in 1999. The temple
was repainted and refurbished before East
Timor’s independence in 2002. The temple’s
Buddha statue was brought to Timor from
China in 1926. Although the temple is often
locked, you might see Timorese Catholics
having their fortunes read here.
Other Portuguese Buildings
Other Portuguese buildings include the sim-
ply styled Matadouro (Estrada de Balide, Matadouro),
which until recently still functioned as the
city abattoir. It’s about 1km from the water-
front. One of Dili’s finest colonial edifices
is the Gedung Negara to the south of town,
not far past the former Balide bus and bemo
(minibus) terminal. This former Portuguese
governor’s residence features jutting bay win-
dows, solid walls and ancient fan palms in the
gardens. The Pope stayed here on his visit to
Timor in 1989. The Balide Church is another
Portuguese construction.
Santa Cruz Cemetery
On 12 November 1991 a peaceful protest at
the Santa Cruz Cemetery was fired upon by
Indonesian soldiers. More than 100 civil-
ians died. Unfortunately for the Indonesian
army, one of the people they killed was
Kamal Bamadhaj, a 20-year-old New Zealand
citizen, two of the many people they beat
up turned out to be American journalists
(Allan Nairn was on assignment for the New
Yorker), and the bloody attack was filmed by
the British journalist Max Stahl. The mas-
sacre at the Santa Cruz Cemetery is cited as
a turning point in the independence strug-
gle. There’s a memorial to the victims at the
cemetery, and National Youth Day, a pub-
lic holiday in East Timor, commemorates
the massacre.
Beaches
One of Dili’s charms is that it’s got a number
of excellent beaches within minutes of the
centre. On weekends and before and after
work, expats and local families head east
along the waterfront road for an escape that’s
barely a five-minute drive away. Ignore the
unexciting stretch of beach a couple of kilo-
metres east of the centre, fronting a string of
beachfront restaurants. About 4km east of
town things improve markedly: Areia Branca
lonelyplanet.com
beach, known as Pasir Putih (White Sand)
in Indonesian, has clear water and sweep-
ing views of the harbour and the hills to the
south. The beach feels like a low-key resort,
with its small thatched shelters and cafés.
Look for a chap behind the Café Sol E Mar
who rents kayaks (per hr US$1-2).
A road branches inland from Areia Branca,
running by José Ramos-Horta’s house, just a
stone’s throw from the waterfront. This was
where Ramos-Horta was nearly killed dur-
ing the coup attempt in February 2008. The
road then climbs steeply up into the hills
and skirts inland from Cape Fatucama be-
fore dropping back to the coastline. There’s
good diving just off the headland at Cape
Fatucama, 1km north of Areia Branca, and
there is an excellent, and less crowded, beach
beyond the headland, known as the ‘Jesus
Backside Beach’ (see below for the reason
this name is appropriate). The best way here
is to take the path of Christ partway and then
veer down the hill.
Further to the east, the coast is fringed with
lagoons and mangrove swamps said to still
be inhabited by East Timor’s small saltwater
crocodile population. Beaches start again
from about 30km east of Dili. This is a good
alternate route out of town for those travelling
east as it avoids some IDP trouble spots.
There are good beaches west of Dili as well.
The narrow strip along Av de Portugal is not
a place to laze or swim, but in the evening it’s
lined with barbecue stalls selling fish, chicken
and corn cobs, while at low tide people scour
the fringing reef. On the way to the airport,
take a small dirt track immediately west of the
Comoro Bridge down to a lovely and secluded
beach near a small cemetery. Further out from
Dili, past the airport, there’s a better beach at
Tasitolu (see right), where there’s also good
diving around Dili Rock.
Cape Fatucama & the Christ Statue
At the eastern end of the bay, about 1km past
Areia Branca, Cape Fatucama is topped by
a parting gift from the Indonesians. Styled
after Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer, a
massive statue of Christ occupies the hilltop
headland and can be seen from all around the
harbour. This extravagance was a contentious
project during the waning years of Indonesian
rule. At 27m, its height symbolised the 27
provinces of Indonesia, which at that time
included East Timor. Soeharto officially un-
DILI •• Activities 43
veiled the statue during his 1988 visit and
Pope John Paul II blessed the statue during
DILI
his 1989 visit.
The walk to the top, from where there
are magnificent views across Dili and to the
nearby island of Atauro, is lined by the 14
Stations of the Cross.
Tasitolu Peace Park
Its name literally meaning ‘three seas’ in Tetun,
this group of three salt lakes is being estab-
lished as a park and preserve. This is a great
place to see birds, including migratory birds
fleeing Russia’s harsh winter. The site also has
important cultural value. The bodies of many
victims of the Indonesian military regime were
brought here for disposal. It’s hard to imagine
this horrible legacy today as the park provides
a quiet escape from Dili’s noise and is particu-
larly beautiful in the cool of morning or late
afternoon, when you can watch the surround-
ing eucalypt-clad hills change colour.
Tasitolu Peace Park is about 8km west of
Dili on the main Dili–Kupang road, a little
past Tasitolu village. From Dili you can catch
a taxi (US$5, 15 minutes). At the traditional
house (built for Pope John Paul II’s visit) walk
south for around 400m through a small plan-
tation and degraded grassland to the central
lake. From the Tasitolu bus depot, which is
about 500m north of the eastern lake, it’s a
five- to 10-minute walk.
ACTIVITIES
Scuba Diving & Snorkelling*
The fringing reef along the entire north coast
of East Timor provides spectacular diving
and snorkelling opportunities. Many sites,
including the legendary K41 east of Dili, are
easily accessed by walking in from the beach,
with dramatic drop-offs just 10m offshore in
parts. One of the reasons that many people
become enchanted with Dili is the opportu-
nity for world-class diving in the morning,
evening or any other time the mood hits.
Some expats dive daily before work. See p66,
p60, p80 and p86 for more on East Timor’s
incredible diving.
The main dive operators are located in Dili
and arrange trips throughout the country and
to Atauro. Both offer trips for snorkellers.
Free Flow* (%723 4614; www.freeflowdiving.com; Av
de Portugal) offers guided shore dives, includ-
ing transport, for US$40 per dive. Many trips
include delicious lunches. There’s also a full
 44 DILI •• Tours
range of PADI courses from US$300. Owners
Wayne Lovell and Ann Turner are locally
DILI
beloved and delightful characters to boot.
Dive Timor Lorosae (%723 7092; www.divetimor
.com; Av de Portugal) offers day-trip diving around
Atauro, including two dives from US$125 per
person (minimum four people). Shore dives
around Dili (including two dives) cost from
US$75. PADI courses cost from US$300.
CHRISTO REI
Also known as Jesus 1, this dive site is near
the Christ Statue on Cape Fatucama, about
6km east of Dili. The entry point is midway
between the two car-park entry points for the
Christ Statue. At low tide it can be a long walk
across broken coral before reaching deeper
water. The reef has small-to-medium coral
and a variety of marine life, including blue
moray eels and black-tip reef sharks. Take care
of the currents close to the headland, although
they fade as you move south.
CHRISTO REI EAST
Also known as Jesus 2, this site is reached from
the small cove with the white-sand beach be-
tween the two larger beaches to the east of the
Christ Statue. It’s a steep descent from the
road to the beach and then a long walk out
until the water gets deep enough. The gradual
slope eventually steepens considerably before
dropping off into the deep from 18m to 20m.
There’s a good coral garden at just 4m to 5m.
DILI ROCK
A bit less than 10km west of Dili, past the air-
port and just after the monument marking
where the Pope spoke during his 1989 visit to
East Timor, is this site, marked by big rocks at
the entry point. From there the sandy bottom
slopes away to the westwards-running reef
and drops to 20m. A wide variety of reef fish,
including lionfish, puffer fish and stonefish,
are regularly encountered, as well as moray
eels. A further 200m west is Dili Rock West. This
can be a challenging dive, as the currents can
be strong, and swirling sand can sometimes
affect visibility.
TOURS
A tour can transport you to places not easily
accessible by public transport, and a guide can
bridge the language barrier while taking you
to little-known places. It’s cost effective if you
can rustle up a few friends to join you.
Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels
Eco Discovery* (%332 2454; www.ecodiscovery-east
timor.com; Landmark Plaza, Av dos Mártires de Pátria)
Manny Napoleaõ’s knowledge of East Timor is encyclopae-
dic. He knows places others think are myths and has them
all plotted on his own version of Google Earth. Custom
tours plunge deep and rates vary accordingly.
Harmonia Eco Tours (%728 5611; www.timorvillage
hotels.com; Rua Presidente Nicolau Lobato) Next to the
Central Hotel and affiliated with the Timor Village Hotel
south of Ossu. Multiday trips to the east and south start
from US$100 per person per day.
Mega Tours (%723 5199; timormegatours@netscape
.net; Rua Presidente Nicolau Lobato) Long-established;
organises tours across the country. Two-day trips to Mt
Ramelau (up to four people US$280) are popular. Custom
trips to places like Jaco Island cost from US$150 per day
for one to four people. The company is Portuguese owned;
local staff are charmers.
SLEEPING
The constant influx of UN personnel and
NGO types means that Dili’s many hotels
are often full. It also means that standards can
stay low while prices remain comparatively
high. In all too many cases your money gets
you a moth-eaten room where you could be
eaten by mosquitos. You might not even get
a window.
But don’t despair yet as there are some good
choices at all price levels. It’s hard to go wrong
if you’re on Dili’s pretty waterfront – although
there are fine alternatives elsewhere. It’s rec-
ommended that you line up a place to stay
before you arrive, at least for a few nights.
Then, as you learn Dili, you can contemplate
a move. If you’re staying for a while – say as
part of an assignment – then your best bet is
to line up a room for a few nights and then
network with others. There are all manner of
private rooms and homes for rent plus many
of the hotels have long-term rates (some guests
don’t check out for years).
Unless you can confirm otherwise, don’t
expect your hotel to accept credit cards (and
if it does there will be a 5% surcharge). If the
foreign crowd in Dili ever diminishes, expect
the rates in the following section to fall by
25% or more.
Budget
In the early ’70s, when East Timor was
Portuguese Timor and Dili was still firmly on
the Asia Overland ‘hippy trail’ from London
to Australia, the open beachfront shed known
as the Hippy Hilton was the place to unroll
Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels
your sleeping bag for less than a dollar a night.
It’s long gone, although Timorese still fondly
remember the old ‘beach house’.
Besides the budget places listed below, note
that many more expensive places often have a
few cheap rooms.
East Timor Backpackers* (%723 8121; Av Almirante
Americo Tomas; dm US$10; a) Dili’s one hostel has
11 beds in three small rooms. The savvy own-
ers are especially helpful to adventure travellers
of all kinds. A self-contained apartment goes
for US$20 per night. Out the back, there’s a
delightful café-bar, ‘The Smokehouse’, which
is often a real traveller’s scene. Up front there’s
a cheap and cheerful Indian place (see p47).
Vila Harmonia (%723 8265; vilaharmonia@hotmail
.com; Av Liberdade Emprensa 418, Becora; r per person US$10)
About 3km from town, this reliable old-timer
has been here for over a decade. The 10 basic
rooms, with bathrooms attached, line up to
form an ‘L’ around the garden. Guests are free
to use the kitchen.
Rocella (%723 7993; Rua Presidente Nicolau Lobato 18; r
US$20-25; a) There’s a bit of a Kuta-guesthouse
feel at this eight-room compound. There’s
satellite TV and sprightly décor to add life
to the diminutive rooms. At night it’s often a
gregarious place and is perfectly located for
official Dili-dom.
Timor Lodge Hotel (%332 4227, 723 0827; Comoro
Rd; r US$20-40; as) You may want to make
like James Garner and scrounge for potatoes,
or start bouncing a baseball off the wall like
Steve McQueen or, better yet, just get Charles
Bronson and start digging. Double rows of
high fencing give this compound an atmos-
phere of The Great Escape and, indeed, in a
previous incarnation it was a police camp.
Strictly for emergencies, there’s always room
in one of its 303 cells…er, rooms (with the
locally popular container motif). It does boast
Dili’s biggest pool so you can literally drown
your sorrows. It’s about 5km out of Dili, just
past the Comoro Bridge and just before the
airport turn-off.
Venture Hotel (%331 3276; venture_hotel@hotmail
.com; Rua Filomena de Camera, Lecidere; r US$23-33; as)
Lots of plants, a vibrant bar and an allur-
ing pool help overcome architecture that’s
familiar to anyone who’s worked in a remote
mining camp. The spartan rooms don’t have
TV; the cheapest share bathrooms (but you
can clean up at the occasional foam parties
thrown by the bon vivant owner). The hotel
is in quiet and shady Lecidere.
DILI •• Sleeping 45
Midrange
The bulk of Dili’s accommodation falls into
DILI
the midrange category. It’s fairly easy to sub-
classify them as ‘crap’ and ‘not crap’. We list
the latter. And beware of some of the ‘hotels’
that are little more than – we kid you not –
collections of packing containers. Many of
these are suitable only for those who want
to live the fantasy of a cut-rate DVD player
venturing forth from China to the world.
Note that there is a mostly undistin-
guished crop of hotels lining Rua Presidente
Nicolau Lobato.
Hotel Turismo (%331 0555; hotelturismo_04@yahoo
.com; Av dos Direitos Humanos, Lecidere; r US$25-65; a)
Step back in time at this genteel veteran of
the 1970s. The rooms are a bit faded, but you
won’t notice from the balconies of the best
ones where you can enjoy views of Atauro
Island, the sound of the surf and the smells
of the fish vendors’ stalls. There’s a certain
South Pacific charm here and, although much
of the hotel dates from the days when that
musical was big, many people stay for months
on end.
Hotel Dili (%331 3958; reservation@hoteldili.com;
Av dos Direitos Humanos; r US$32-100; ai) A ram-
bling place of disparate buildings served by
a great staff, this is the best choice for busi-
ness travellers to Dili. The cheapest rooms
share bathrooms; all have high-speed (by local
standards) internet and satellite TV. The hotel
is really a collection of rooms that range from
tiny singles to large units in older single-storey
buildings (the best value), to really large units
in converted portable containers, which are
actually nice. The common grounds have lots
of potted plants and you’ll often see a local
mover and shaker or two having a drink.
Hotel Audian (%332 3080; enquiries@hotelaudian
.com; Rua Quinze de Outubro, Bemori; r US$35-70; a)
Several blocks back from the waterfront, this
is one of the better midrange hotels. The 41
rooms are reasonably spacious and airy, and
have attached bathroom and TV and fridge.
The upstairs rooms open onto a balcony over
the street, which is a busy commercial strip
by day.
Dili Beach Hotel (%331 0493; dilibeachtimor@yahoo
.com; Ave de Portugal; r US$40-85; ais) A good
and affordable option on the water, west of
the centre. The 14 rooms are sizable and have
desks and broadband internet. Most have no
views to speak of but do have fridge and sat-
ellite TV – so you can view bad cable shows
 46 DILI •• Eating & Drinking
rather than the surf. There’s a medium-sized
pool (the green comes from the tile).
DILI
Farol Hotel (%723 4218; farolhotel@yahoo.com; Rua
Governador Cesa; r US$50-120; ai) Directly op-
posite former prime minister Mari Alkatiri’s
house and next door to the Indonesian em-
bassy, this 20-room place is well located for
excitement. In contrast, the rooms are in what
seems like a large house on shady grounds,
and have satellite TV, DVD player and fridge,
and so on. The restaurant features Chinese
and Western food, and there are laundry fa-
cilities and a business centre.
Top End
Sagres Garden (%726 1666; www.groupsagres@yahoo
.com.br; Comoro; r from US$65; ais) Set well
back from a side road near the airport, the
compound is centred around the gracious old
home once used by the manager of the ANZ
Bank. The corporate bean counters would
never approve today. There’s a superb restau-
rant (see p48) in the main house and, out the
back, dogs snooze around a nice pool with its
own beach. The two-room units have comfy
sitting areas and dark bedrooms.
Hotel Timor (%332 4502; hoteltimor@foriente.minihub
.org; Rua Mártires da Pátria, Colmera; r from US$80; ai)
During the Indonesian era, this large hotel
was the nicest place to stay in town. Now, like
Dili itself, it’s a bit rough around the edges.
The 88 rooms are close to government offices,
the port and several refugee camps. The staff
always seem to be looking over your shoulder
should President Soeharto make an appear-
ance. The lobby café is abuzz with intrigue.
Hotel California (%332 2928; californiahotel.becari
@hotmail.com; r US$80-150; ais) It really was
all Eagles all the time at the opening of this
lovely place on the road to Cape Fatucama.
The 18 rooms are well appointed and are
spread across one- and two-storey blocks
and bungalows. Should you want verandas,
broadband internet, stylish décor, huge walk-
in showers or kitchenettes, you can find it
here. The 2nd-storey bar has some of Dili’s
best sunset views.
Casa Minha (%331 0252; casaminhahotel@mail.timor
telecom.tp; Av de Portugal; r from US$90; ais) An
unassuming compound set back from the
shore road with a serene pool area and 15
rooms. If you’re looking for a single room,
the cabanas here are the nicest in town. The
rooms are bright and airy and have good
kitchens. But inexplicably, there is only one
Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels
single bed in each cabana. Double rooms
are very large but are very dark. No matter
your choice, the pool is lushly planted and
the restaurant is always a solid choice.
Hotel Esplanada (%331 3088; www.hotelesplanada
.com; Av de Portugal, Fatu Hada; r from US$90; as) The
one place to stay in Dili that actually garners
the high praise of ‘nice’, the Esplanada has a
great location right on the water and an ex-
cellent restaurant that makes the most of the
views. Two-storey blocks surround a pleas-
ant pool at this modern and vaguely styl-
ish compound at a usually quiet end of the
waterfront. After lounging about the spacious
grounds, head up to the bar-restaurant for a
cool drink as the sun sets over the sea.
EATING & DRINKING
Thanks to the influx of foreigners, Dili has a
vast range of restaurants that you wouldn’t
expect to find in the capital of Asia’s poorest
nation. From seaside seafood joints to rather
posh old-world Portuguese places, you can
eat well.
Prices, however, are often not cheap. Still,
when you’re watching the sunset with a plate
of tasty fare, it’s easy to go along for the
ride. Away from the water, prices are mod-
erate. You’ll find modest restaurants and
cafés catering to a diverse crowd of locals
and expats alike. Cheaper yet are the Padang
storefronts, the standard Indonesian restau-
rants specialising in fresh and often spicy
Sumatran-style food.
Most places are good for just a drink,
(One More Bar, opposite; Castaway Bar,
p48; and Caz Bar, p48 are always popular).
However, in times of security worries the
paucity of after-dark transport means that
many places are all but empty by 9pm.
For self-catering information, see p49.
Centre
Rua Presidente Nicolau Lobato, formerly
known as Rua Dr Antonio de Carvalho, is
probably Dili’s restaurant centre, although
there are places all around town. If things
are slow some places may skip opening
on Sunday.
Gelados Que Bom (% 723 6369; Ave Presidente
Nicolau Lobato; treats US50¢-$2; hnoon-8pm) There
you are thinking about both the tempera-
ture and your odds of finding the ANZ Bank
ATM, when you see this cute little ice-cream
lonelyplanet.com
parlour as if in a vision. Well it isn’t. Wrap
your tongue around any of 10 flavours.
Depot Mie Bakso (Rua Formosa; meals from US$1.25;
h11am-9pm) Popularity translates into quick
turnover and very fresh food at this open-air
pavilion. Fried chicken, spicy beef rendang
and silky potato cakes are usually among
the offerings.
FM41 (Rua Colmera; meals from US$1.25; herratic) This
barebones shopfront near the commercial cor-
ner of Estrada de Balide draws a loyal crowd
for its fresh and tasty Padang-style fare.
Sun Restaurant (% 723 3925; meals US$2-4;
h11am-8pm) Right out the front of East Timor
Backpackers, this cheap and cheerful open-air
Indian joint has excellent breads plus various
curries with lamb and chicken. The vegetarian
options are many.
Tropical Boutique Bakery (%723 6627; cnr Rua
Comoro & Estrada de Balide; dishes US$3-6; h7am-8pm)
One of Dili’s best cafés, the bakery here has
consistently creative food. There are many sa-
voury pies as well as sweeter treats such as the
sinful fried banana split. Enjoy salads, pastas,
burgers and more on the breezy veranda.
Kebab Club (%726 3642; Rua Belarmino Lobo; mains
US$3-6) Darn authentic Turkish fare, including
velvety hummus, is on offer in a place where
the charm of the owners manages to outshine
the tasty food. Try dousing the excellent
chicken kebabs with the pickled vegetables –
remember the smaller the pepper the hotter
the garlic, or maybe it’s the reverse…
City Café (%332 4646; Rua Presidente Nicolau Lobato;
dishes US$3-9; h8am-9pm) Much better than the
hotel it fronts, this is a busy sidewalk café
and restaurant. Libations range from paw-
paw juice to banana smoothies to perfectly
tart gin-and-tonics. There’s breakfast plus a
long menu of pizzas, sandwiches, Asian meals
and steaks on offer throughout the day. It’s
also known for its baked goods – ask one of
the uniformed waiters for a custard tart or
passionfruit cheesecake.
Terrace Café (%725 9100; Rua Formosa; meals from
US$4) Join government workers and students
on the breezy terrace of this popular place.
Food is served up Padang style: choose your
fare from the day’s fresh offerings behind the
counter. The avocado-chocolate shake is fresh,
frothy and oddly addictive. The shady terrace
is the place to nab a table.
Erli Restaurant (Rua Formosa; meals from US$4;
h11am-8pm) Next door to the Terrace Café, you
can have a little Bali break without braving the
DILI •• Eating & Drinking 47
Merpati flight. Lunchtime crowds line up for
the saté babi (little skewers of tender, young
DILI
pork). Other more-Indonesian fare includes
excellent spicy ayam goreng (fried chicken).
The screened patio is always crowded.
Indian Megha (%723 4433; Rua Belarmino Lobo; mains
US$4-6; h11am-8pm) The only colour in the spare
dining room here comes from the pink walls
but no matter, the real attraction is the long
menu of authentic Indian dishes. If you’re
having naan of that, try the spicy, garlicky
seafood specials.
Smokehouse (%723 8121; Av Almirante Americo Tomas;
meals US$4-6; h11am-late) All the meats are house-
smoked in a proper smoker, as opposed to
the patrons who are smoked – or smoking –
in the colourfully lit bar area. Enjoy specials like
a half-smoked chicken or ribs. Many people are
just here for a drink and the fun often extends
well into the night. Many crash (intentionally
or not) in the hostel at the front.
One More Bar (%725 9720; Rua Governador Filomena
da Camara, Lecidere; mains US$4-9) One More Bar has
a fine 2nd-storey position on the waterfront
behind the Mary statue. Lobster specials are
popular and fresh seafood highlights a menu
of pizza, burgers and Asian stir-fries. There
are darts, a pool table and live music some
nights. Many come here just for a few drinks
at the long bar or on the rattan furniture.
Golden Star Restaurant %723 3838, 723 3836; Rua
Quinze de Outubro; dishes US$4-9; h11am-10pm) Across
from Hotel Audian, the Golden Star is the
best Chinese restaurant in town. Slice into the
excellent steamed fresh fish with garlic while
relaxing in the air-con dining room. There’s
a modest wine list.
Gion (%332 2038; Rua Belarmino Lobo 2E; meals
US$5-15; h11am-2pm & 5-10pm) Poke your head
under the traditional Japanese cloth covering
the door and you’re transported to Tokyo, if
not Nagasaki. The air-con dining room fea-
tures a burbling fountain and is a restful place
to enjoy sushi, sashimi, tempura and more.
Various noodle dishes satisfy the simple-
minded and, if you get lost, just ponder the
pictures on the menu.
Café Brasil (% 728 6759; Rua Formosa; mains
US$6-12; h9am-11pm) A bright café area adjoins a
darker and more moody dining room. There’s
comfy wicker seating throughout, which is
good as you’ll want to settle back and peruse
the creative menu. Specials include penne
with spinach and pumpkin, prawn-stuffed
fish and spicy, crispy steak.
 48 DILI •• Enter tainment
Vasco da Gama (%723 1803; Rua Governador César
Maria Serpa Lote; meals US$8-16; hnoon-3pm & 5-9pm)
DILI
You could easily be in a cosy little traditional
restaurant in Porto or Lisbon at this gra-
cious air-con eatery on a quiet Motael street.
Many of the meats are grilled over charcoal
and there’s a range of Portuguese specialities,
from rice to seafood. Service is polished and
the wine list long (by local standards).
East
There are a number of beachfront places to
the east of town that are popular with people
heading to the beach. Most are very basic af-
fairs with a thatched roof and a simple menu
of seafood and Asian mains that you enjoy
while you feel the sand between your toes.
Caz Bar (%723 3961; Areia Branca; dishes US$4-8)
Settle back in your chair right on the beach
at this popular place that caps the line-up
of beachside joints east of town. Breakfast
and sunset are popular times here. Watch
for full-moon parties. It’s nearly as long run-
ning as the cute kid belonging to the truly
charming owners.
Little Pataya (mains US$5-6; h11am-9pm) The
most inviting of the beachside joints, this
no-frills place still manages to have clever
décor (a dugout canoe serves as the bar) and
excellent Thai food. There’s tom yum seafood
soup, various shades of curry, and fried fish
in three-flavour sauce.
West
West of the centre there’s a string of restau-
rants along the coast road Av de Portugal,
beyond the Farol Lighthouse.
Castaway Bar (%723 5449; Av de Portugal; mains
US$4-12) A very popular 2nd-storey joint over-
looking the western waterfront. Crowds enjoy
typical pizza-sandwich-Asian fare while tak-
ing in the cool breezes and plotting ways to
foil the diabolical pool table. This is one of the
best places in the west for a drink, although
you may lose count of the number of times
you hear ‘My Sharona’.
Beach Café (%723 6383; Av de Portugal; dishes
US$5-8) Enjoy the complex flavours and spices
of Burmese food while the sounds of the surf
calm you. It’s a simple yet attractive place
with candlelit tables; the perfect spot for a
budget-conscious tête-á-tête.
Oceanview Beach Restaurant (%723 6041; Comoro;
US$6-12; hnoon-8pm) Follow a little track out
to the sea past the oil depot and then head
lonelyplanet.com
west along the beach until you come to this
cute little outpost, which has some of Dili’s
best seafood. The grilled calamari is succulent
and the prawns divine. Opt for a table on the
platform out on the beach and enjoy a sunset
view of three islands.
Hotel Esplanada (%3313 088; Av de Portugal; meals
US$6-20) The most upscale of the 2nd-storey
waterfront places, the restaurant here contin-
ues the hotel’s stylish mix of colourful fabrics
and dark wood. This is the place to enjoy a
glass of wine that doesn’t come out of a box,
or a cocktail with recognisable heritage. The
creative menu has many specials; the fusion
fare takes its cues from Asia and Europe.
Sagres Garden (%726 1666; Comoro; meals US$8-14;
h11am-9pm) The dining room at the hotel is in
the old Portuguese mansion. Book one of the
private dining rooms so you can make all the
happy noises you want enjoying the excellent
Portuguese rice, seafood and pork dishes. The
clams and bacalao (cod) fritters are amazing.
ENTERTAINMENT
When security is a bit tense, there’s limited fun
later at night, or shall we say limited public
fun. Still there’s a lot of pent-up energy; keep
alert for full-moon parties on the beach and
foam raves in hotel pools. The UN publishes
a map of ‘off-limits’ dodgy local dives.
Exotica (beach road; h8pm-5am) A couple of
kilometres east of town by the beach, this
place never keeps the same name for longer
than a year but its allure doesn’t change: hot
music and vast crowds until dawn. Foreign
soldiers, local hotties, dance-hungry expats
and more mix in an unpredictable brew. Men
pay a US$5 admission.
AAJ Bar (%732 4066; Av Bispo de Medeiros; hnoon-
4am) A legendary 2nd-floor dive where locals
and expats alike cram the close quarters for
hot music, mixed metaphors yelled over the
din and conflict over rugby. On karaoke nights
brace yourself for Tracey Morgans.
SHOPPING
Dili has two main areas of shops where locals
buy everything from electrical goods to de-
signer sunglasses of dubious authenticity: the
corner of Rua Colmera and Estrade de Balide
and the strip along Rua Quinze de Outubro.
Markets are often the targets of raging
mobs, so locations can change. Still, these are
colourful places where you can see what’s pro-
duced in the rich countryside. Ubiquitous or-
lonelyplanet.com
anges, rarer tropical fruits, pumpkin and more
are on offer. You’ll also see a range of betel
nuts and various little prepared snacks like
cookies, and there are likely to be tais (woven
cloth) vendors. The huge Taibessi market seems
immune to immolation. Stalls can also be
found out the front of the Hotel Turismo.
Supermarkets
There are several supermarkets that sell
everything from Tim Tams to bug repellent
(essential) to fishing tackle. These are the
places where you’ll get everything you need
for excursions into the countryside, and are
also good sources of packages of East Timor’s
prized coffee.
Landmark (%723 1313; Av dos Mártires de Pátria,
Comoro) Large complex of shops on the airport road.
The selection includes Ikea furniture you can order from
Singapore in case you decide to stick around.
Leader (%332 2384; Av dos Mártires de Pátria, Comoro)
Good for cheap furniture and the adventure that comes
from wondering if the ANZ ATM will grant you cash. Prob-
ably the largest selection of imported foods, and the piped-
in music sometimes includes some mighty fine blues.
Lita (Av dos Direitos Humanos, Lecidere) Near the Hotel
Turismo. Goods include the little plastic couple for the top
of your wedding cake.
Arts & Crafts
Tais (see p21) are the thing to buy in Dili
to take home and there are several good
outlets.
The self-explanatory Tais Mercado (Rua Sebastiao
da Costa) has two dozen stalls. You can buy any-
thing from a sash for a couple of dollars to
large traditional pieces, or have your name
woven into a small piece. You can identify the
region that the older-looking, if not actually
old, designs come from, as there are distinct
styles of tais from Suai, Lospalos, Ermera,
Bobonaro, Oecussi and other areas of East
Timor. A traditional tais might cost anything
from US$20 to US$50. Note that quality varies
greatly here, so it pays to take your time and
resist the sellers’ exhortations.
The best place to buy tais and other hand-
icrafts may be the Alola Foundation (%332
3855; www.alolafoundation.org; Av Bispo de Medeiros;
h8.30am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-noon Sat). The shop of
the revered local charity (see p19) has tais
and other crafts from around the country.
Quality is high and prices are low. There’s
a small workshop in the back, and displays
show how tais are made.
D I L I • • G e t t i n g T h e re & A w a y 49
DEPARTURE TAX
DILI
There’s a departure tax of US$10 when leav-
ing Dili’s airport.
Other good places to buy tais include the
charity tais shop off the lobby of the Hotel
Timor (p46) and Xanana Gusmão Reading
Room (p40).
GETTING THERE & AWAY
See p92 for details on reaching East Timor
from other countries, including Indonesia.
Air
Dili’s Nicolau Lobato International Airport (DIL)
is not an impressive entry to the country nor
a fitting memorial to the great man. Dirty
toilets, busted light bulbs and just plain dirt
are its hallmarks. There are no luggage carts
but there is a large refugee camp next to the
parking lot. The only liquid refreshments
available in the departure lounge are large
bottles of booze from the duty-free stall.
This may be fitting.
Of the two airlines serving Dili, Air North
(www.airnorth.com.au) only has a ticket desk at
the airport. Merpati (%332 1880; www.merpati.co.id;
Landmark Plaza, Av dos Mártires de Pátria) has a large
and helpful office closer to town.
Boat
The Nakroma ferry office (% 728 09638; Av de
Portugal; h9am-5pm) is in the large building at
the port. Buy your tickets in advance. Ferries
for Oecussi (12 hours) leave at around 5pm
Monday and Thursday. The Atauro service
runs Saturdays (see p80 for details).
Bus
Dili’s bus terminals (really little more than
shabby shelters) are served by taxis and mik-
rolets (minibuses). Buses run most often in
the mornings.
Tasitolu terminal*, west of the airport, is the
hub for destinations to the west of the coun-
try. Travelling to the east (Baucau, Lospalos,
Viqueque etc), buses go from the simple
Bidau terminal (Av dos Direitos Humanos, Lecidere) on
the waterfront near the Hotel Turismo. The
Taibessi terminal, at the huge Taibessi market
near the hills behind town, is the stop for
transport to Maubisse and beyond.
 © Lonely Planet Publications
50 D I L I • • G e t t i n g A r o u n d
GETTING AROUND
DILI
Dili is compact and you’ll be able to reach
most places on foot or taxi. See p94 for the
limited car- and motorcycle-rental options. If
you need petrol, the best place to get it (that
actually has petrol) is Tiger Fuel* (%732 4099;
Ave dos Mártires de Pátria; h24hr), which could be
a large petrol station anywhere in the world.
There’s even a large selection of salty snacks.
To/From the Airport
There are usually a few battered taxis at Nicolau
Lobato International Airport, which is only
6km from the centre of Dili. To get almost
anywhere in Dili will cost a standard US$5,
although given that the standard fare around
town is only US$1 to US$2, that’s actually
costly. Don’t ever ask what the fare will be as
you’ll be told US$10; rather, get in, go to your
destination and sweetly hand over a Lincoln.
Alternatively, you could walk the few hundred
metres past the refugee camp out to the main
road and hail a mikrolet for around US25¢.
Bicycle
Rentals are hard to find but you can buy a
decent Chinese mountain bike for about
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restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
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lonelyplanet.com 51
THUMB TAB
US$175 at Mali Lait (Ave dos Mártires de Pátria),
a bike and parts shop across from the UN
helicopter base.
Bus
Mikrolets buzz about on designated routes
during daylight hours (US25¢). They stop fre-
quently over relatively short distances, often
making a taxi a more efficient option.
Taxi
There are loads of clapped-out unmetered
taxis beeping their way around Dili. Almost
THUMB TAB
anywhere around town costs a standard
US$1, rising to US$2 for a longer journey.
One major problem is that, following the
2006 riots, taxis stopped operating at night.
Until this changes, going out at night means
setting up rides or sticking close to your
lodging. There is a huge opportunity for the
first person who sets up a mobile-phone dis-
patched taxi company that offers reliable and
safe service after dark (microlending NGOs,
are you listening?).
THUMB TAB
Drivers actually do a pretty good job con-
sidering that many cars lack the luxuries of
windshields or springs and shocks.
THUMB TAB
THUMB TAB
 © Lonely Planet Publications
50 51

East of Dili
You can get lost for a week or more exploring the lands and seas east of Dili. A two-hour
drive over good roads brings you to Baucau, a charming old colonial town that is the nation’s
second city. From here you can head deep into East Timor’s interior. Back in these rugged
hills cleaved with thundering streams is where East Timor’s independence fighters holed up
EAST OF DILI

EAST OF DILI
during the Indonesian occupation. Today that tradition continues in the fierce nationalism
that permeates places like Viqueque.

It would take a week just to get an overview of the beaches here, the finest in East Timor
and, many would say, much of Southeast Asia. Of course you’ll have to decide for yourself as
you’ll often be the only person on 2km of dreamy white sand. Two special favourites are at
Osolata, near Baucau, and at the far end of the island at Tutuala. The warm and gentle waters
offshore are simply one sensational dive spot after another – most still waiting for names.

There’s a nascent travellers’ scene in Com, right at the end of the road, where you can
kick back for a few days of languor. For more active exploration, consider the sacred peak of
Mt Matebian or the desolate yet beautiful lands further afield. The south coast is untouched
and the lack of useful roads makes this adventure travel of the first order.

HIGHLIGHTS EAST OF DILI

Get caught up in the mellow vibe of Baucau’s Old Town (p54) and spend some time at Osolata
Beach (p55). All along the coast road are interesting small towns, such as Manatuto (p53), Laleia
(p53) and Lautem (p59). The drive south of Baucau to Viqueque is as dramatic as the region’s
history: you can stay in a wilderness lodge and go trekking or overnight in Viqueque (p56). In
the far east, Com (p59) is a popular spot for respite and the drive to Tutuala takes you through
traditional villages and East Timor’s first national park. Tutuala (p61) rewards at journey’s end
and you’ll want to make time for the beach and a visit to Jaco Island (p63).
 52 D I L I T O B AU C AU • • M e t i n a r o lonelyplanet.com Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels D I L I T O B AU C AU • • M a n a t u t o 53

EAST OF DILI 0
0
50 km
30 miles
MANATUTO (Approaching from the east, the town looks
At the 64km mark a long bridge spans the especially attractive on its hill.)
To Atauro
Island Com Laclo River at Manatuto, a large regional town
Wetar Strait
Lautem
Tutuala
Tutuala with a big Sunday market. Not much happens VEMASSE
Bob's
Osolata
Laivai Desa Com Mehara Beach
the rest of the week – just a few vegetable stalls From Laleia it’s 9km to Vemasse, where the
Rock Rasa
Manleo
Baucau
Fuiloro and an inevitable group of men gambling on flat countryside is devoted to rice paddies.
Cape Laga Lake Ira Jaco
Fatucama
Manatuto Vemasse
Baucau ve
r
Lalaro Island cards, dice or sometimes cockfights. Manatuto Another long Indonesian bridge, this one with

Ri
Airport Lospalos
Metinaro
is Xanana Gusmão’s home town and, as such, a plaque noting that it was built in 1992, leads

Seical
Laleia
DILI r
ve Quelicai
Dare
lo
Ri Lopoloho
is a hotspot for his National Congress for into the town. Vemasse has a quaint-look-
c Venilale Mt Matebian Baguia
La (2315m) Ossuna Saewamo Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT) party. ing church, in reds, blues and greens, close
Mundo Afaloeki Uato Carbau
Perdido Ossu Iliomar The main part of the town is actually by- to the road. On the hillside overlooking the
Laclubar (1775m)
Lacluta passed by the Baucau road and reached by village are the imposing walls of a fortress-like
EAST OF DILI

EAST OF DILI
turning off to the coast from the roundabout. Portuguese construction.
Maubisse
It’s worth the detour. On a wall near the market Nine kilometres further there’s a string of
Ciere

Viqueque
Aituto
and waterfront there’s a series of independence roadside refreshment stands where passing
Sa h
River

en Natarbora
Same
Riv
er
Beaçu
murals. Look for pottery stands a couple of blocks buses often stop to give passengers a break.
TIMOR SEA east of the main road into town. The local style The road from here to Baucau climbs inland
is quite animated and includes figures and ani- from the coast, running through mostly flat,
mals, as well as more mundane bowls. dry and lightly populated countryside as it
The bus from Dili to Baucau (US$1) stops gently circles up to the forested Baucau pla-
GETTING THERE & AROUND
A good sealed road runs east of Dili along the DILI TO BAUCAU briefly at Manatuto. teau. Here you’ll find roadside fruit vendors
selling carambola (star fruit).
coast to Baucau and beyond. Some twisting Sleeping & Eating
stretches climb high above the sea, but for METINARO Accommodation Copa (r per person US$10; a) Not far BAUCAU
much of the distance the road either winds The road runs fairly level at first, passing from the rocky seashore and the cathedral, The number-two town of East Timor, Baucau is
right by the coast or shoots along dead through tiny Metinaro, 23km from Dili. Just this place has six comfortable rooms set in a a distant second to Dili. It has a pretty colonial
straight on stretches of flat coastal plain. In past, look for the oft-photographed iconic isth- large home with gardens. Some have air-con, centre and a few services, but foreigners are still
the Indonesian era the occasional army trucks mus, which joins a bulbous rocky outcrop in the all have bathroom and kitchen. There’s no a sensation in these parts. It sits at an altitude of
that hurtled along at great speed were known ocean to the land via a spine of stone that has food but you can partake of the offerings at 330m, 123km east of Dili, where the sea breezes
by the local people as the tidak apa apa (‘no beaches on either side. The mangrove forests the café next door. make it noticeably cooler than the coast. This
problem’) because that was the army attitude that extend from Dili fade out around this point Restaurant Cock & Bull (%732 4666; meals US$1.50- charmingly raffish colonial town has many
if a pedestrian was hit. These days it’s wise not and there are a number of fine beaches and 3; h8am-9pm) You can never be sure of the Portuguese buildings. Like most Portuguese
to do too much hurtling because of the nasty popular scuba-diving sites along this stretch. veracity of any story you hear here. The settlements, it was sited with defence in mind,
speed humps around the villages and refugee English-language menu features fresh fish, sitting above the sea to repel a water attack,
camps, where a 45km/h speed limit applies. MANLEO rice dishes and omelettes. It’s very clean, has a and backed by steep cliffs as a natural barrier
The speed humps are rarely marked, and in The village of Manleo is 34km east of Dili. shady patio and is behind a large government to incursions from the interior.
a regular car you’re likely to hit bottom in a A variety of basketwork is sold from road- building near the market. As you approach Baucau from Dili the
shower of sparks. side stalls: goods include baskets, hampers big airport is 7km before the town. Past the
There are two routes out of Dili. The coast and hats. A little further along, 400m off the LALEIA airport a statue marks where the road forks:
road climbs up above Areia Branca and the road, is a pleasant stretch of sand with some Continuing another 19km east from Manatuto, turning left takes you directly to the colo-
Christ statue at Cape Fatucama before dip- Indonesian-built bungalows, but these now Laleia’s 1933 Portuguese church overlooks the nial-era Old Town, while turning right will
ping down to sea level again. The alterna- stand derelict. The dive site here is known as verdant river valley, back from the road to- take you first to the New Town before drop-
tive departure route is along Rua Quinze de Hotels (see p60) after this construction. This wards the sea. Although not particularly old ping down to the Old Town. Down at the sea,
Outubro. This route then climbs steeply over lovely ribbon of beach is often deserted. or large, the church’s twin-towered design you’ll find the very attractive beach village of
the hills that hem Dili in to the sea before At 43km from Dili there’s a small road- and pastel-pink colours make it one of the Osolata (see p55).
descending to meet the other route 13km side shrine, dating from the Portuguese era, most beautiful in East Timor. The brightly
east of the city. Most people go by the former perched on the cliff top with a pretty little coloured interior is worth a look. In front of Information
route as there have been security incidents white-sand beach below. Just beyond the the nearby administration building a flagpole There’s a post office (h8am-3pm Mon-Fri) just
on the latter. shrine the road drops from the cliff edge to out the front is supported by a pile of concrete past the Old Town centre on the road to the
From Baucau to Com and Lospalos the sea level at Bob’s Rock, a stony beach where skulls, a memorial to the victims of the 1999 New Town. Adjacent to the post office a BNU
road is in good enough condition that you can the coral is in very shallow water, so the snor- slaughter (see p13). bank (%413 0017; h8.30am-3.30pm Mon-Fri) branch
use a car. But places like Tutuala, Baguia and kelling is excellent. At the 47km mark look for A long bridge crosses the river just east of will change euros and Australian dollars into
Viqueque require a 4WD. During the rainy deposits of marble right along the road. At town. Such bridges were almost all built during US dollars (but only after 2pm). In the same
season stretches of the south coast may not 53km the road crosses a bridge and there are the Indonesian period; very few major bridges space, Timor Telecom has internet access (US$2
be drivable at all. some nice drink stands under the trees. were constructed during the Portuguese era. per hour).
 54 D I L I T O B AU C AU • • B a u c a u
BAUCAU – OLD TOWN
ὈὈ
Ὀ
ὈὈ
A B
INFORMATION
BNU Bank..........................1
1
Post Office........................2
Samean Farmacia.............. 3
Sumber Laris Shop.............4
11
13
6
EAST OF DILI
To Airport (7km);
Dili (123km) 3
2 8
9
14
10
4
Western Union has a money transfer office
in Baucau at the Sumber Laris Shop (%724 0897;
Old Town; h9am-8pm). Samean Farmacia (%726 2472;
Old Town; h7am-8pm) is a tidy place run by a nice
man near the church.
Old Town
The town has a split personality. The streets
of the Kota Lama (Old Town) are lined with
Portuguese buildings, centred on the impres-
sive Mercado Municipal. During the Indonesian
era the market was renovated after a fashion,
but it now lies empty and in clear need of some
major renovation efforts. Meanwhile a small
market operates from the roadside in the town
centre. Beside the modern, tiled church stands
an open pavilion built in the Fataluku style of
the eastern end of East Timor, with the floor
raised on stilts and with a high roof.
A clear natural spring burbles from the
almost-vertical cliff face backing the Old
Town, running under the road, popping up
in a local laundry and then running by what
must have once been a small pavilion before
disappearing under the road again towards
the town swimming pool. The pool is large and
surprisingly well maintained and, perhaps
most surprisingly, you may find it full, thanks
to its association with the pousada (inn).
There’s even a slide.
Just north of the pousada on the same
terrace, look for the CTI Gift Shop (h8am-5pm
Mon-Fri), which is part of a handicrafts school
and sells tais, baskets and housewares made
around the region.
Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels
0 500 m
0 0.3 miles
C To Osolata
(Beach; 6km)
D2
D2
B2
A2
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
Church...............................5 B2
CTI Gift Shop....................6 A2
Fatuluku-Style Pavilion.......7 B2
Market Area......................8 A2
Mercado Municipal............9 B2
7
Natural Spring.................10 A2
Swimming Pool (Piscina)..11 A1
5
12
New Town
Above the cliffs, 2km from the Old Town, is
the characterless Kota Baru (New Town), the
modern administrative centre that sprang up
after the Indonesian takeover. It’s a sea of rusty
corrugated-metal roofs and is home to the
major market, where you can get everything
from cheap sneakers to dried cod. Several
NGOs have branches here, which helps sup-
port the decent range of eateries in Baucau.
Baucau Airport
Baucau’s airport is a curious anomaly. It’s
much larger than the airport at Dili and capa-
ble of taking large jet aircraft. The Portuguese
built it to be Portuguese Timor’s interna-
tional gateway, and at that time there were
regular flights from Darwin, Australia, al-
though never with large aircraft. During the
Indonesian era it was used only for military
flights, and it’s been used and fortified by
the UN since 1999. There are ongoing bone-
headed discussions about once more making
this East Timor’s main international arrival
and departure point, although those pushing
for this have the words ‘Baucau Booster’ on
their business cards.
Sleeping
Hotel Loro-Sae (Map p54; Old Town; per person US$10)
Close to the centre of the Old Town, this
rather basic hotel is upstairs above street-
level workshops. The five somewhat clean
rooms share a bathroom that’s Indonesian
mandi style.
Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels
Albergaria do Planalto (%726 3579; New Town;
r US$30; a) This modern eight-room place is
D perched on the edge of the plateau, just as
you enter the New Town on the direct route
To Lautem (60km); Com
(85km); Lospalos (88km); (avoiding the Old Town, before the road drops
Tutuala (110km)
down to the bus stop roundabout). There’s a
good view over both the New and Old Towns,
SLEEPING but otherwise the location is rather isolated.
Hotel Loro-Sae.................12 B2
Pousada de Baucau..........13 A1 All rooms are the same price and come with
attached bathroom, so get one with a terrace
EATING
Pousada de Baucau........(see 13) and a view.
Restaurant Terre Novas..(see 12) Pousada de Baucau (Map p54; %724 1111; Old Town;
Restaurante Amalia..........14 A2
r incl breakfast US$60; ai) This flamboyant pink
hotel is the reason many people regularly
1 2
To New Town
(4.5km); trek out to Baucau from Dili. It’s probably
Viqueque
(63km) the most interesting and certainly the most
charming place to stay in the country. The 10
rooms are in a newer block beside the original
old pousada building. They have balconies,
attached bathroom, satellite TV, fridge and
more. The restaurant is excellent (see below)
and spending time sitting on the veranda of
the old building is one of Baucau’s pleasures.
There’s a computer with s-l-o-w internet ac-
cess in the beautiful library area. Book ahead
on weekends.
Eating
Nagarjo Supermarket (%726 8086; h24hr) Out
towards the airport where the road splits for
the New and Old Towns, this place has a de-
cent selection of food and cold drinks. It has
petrol as well.
Restaurant Terre Novas (Map p54; Old Town; meals
US$3-6; h8am-8pm) This very tidy place on the
main road into the Old Town is the perfect
spot to perch on the patio and watch the local
comings and goings. The menu is a mix of in-
fluences, with dishes such as pork with oyster
sauce, and crème caramel.
Restaurante Benfica (New Town; dishes US$4-6;
h7am-9pm) This neat and orderly restaurant
caters primarily to the expats working in
New Town. Get a table on the plant-filled
terrace and enjoy a range of Asian curries
and noodles.
Restaurant Amalia (Map p54; %726 3610; Old Town;
mains US$4-6; h8am-9pm) Near the old town mar-
ket, this lovely restaurant is in an old colonial
officer’s quarters and shaded by large trees.
Portuguese-style dishes include crispy lit-
tle croquettes and steak with lots of garlic.
There’s a decent list of wines by the glass.
Pousada de Baucau (Map p54; Old Town; dishes
US$8-10) The bottles of Mateus Rosé on display
D I L I T O B AU C AU • • O s o l a t a 55
in this elegant dining room tell you to expect
Portuguese specialities. The bread is fresh
and the steaks are excellent. Pork stews are
also good, as are the many desserts. Service is
obliging to the point of being slightly nervous.
This is the best dining east of Dili.
Getting There & Around
Dili to Baucau is a three-hour bus trip (US$2)
along the coast. Buses and mikrolets (mini-
buses) run from Baucau to Viqueque for
US$1.50 and to Lospalos for US$3. All stop
EAST OF DILI
at the station near the New Town market.
Most times, you’ll need a local mikrolet to
reach the Old Town. Mikrolets around town
cost US25¢.
OSOLATA
Lush hills lead down from Baucau’s centre to
Pantai Wataboo, a breathtakingly beautiful
beach at Osolata. The 5km drive is shaded by
rustling palms and old banyan trees. It passes
rushing waters fed by the Old Town spring,
rice terraces and the ruins of the Portuguese
commandant’s house.
Down at the sea is what used to be
Baucau’s port. The abandoned Portuguese
customs house (alfandega) fronts the beach
and is next to a small fishing village. One
picturesque cove over, there’s yet another
perfect beach, this one with an old, turreted
bath house. With its curving stretch of silky
white sand, shady palm trees and gentle aq-
uamarine surf, the beach here is as nice as any
in Southeast Asia. Once East Timor hits its
stride it should become quite popular – for
better and worse.
You can stay down here at the burgeon-
ing Baucau Beach Bungalows (%731 9127; Osolata; r
per person US$15). Choose between rooms in old
houses and thatched bungalows at this little
slice of paradise down by the sand. Meals can
be arranged for US$6 and are sourced from
the fishing boats across the road.
Infrequent mikrolets run from Baucau to
Osolata but you might have to charter one
for a few dollars. Otherwise take the road
downhill from the Pousada de Baucau, wind-
ing past the public swimming pool and under
the shade of old banyan trees. At the 1km
post turn left, then left again almost imme-
diately. The other fork runs to the beach as
well, but the road is in bad condition. It’s a
pleasant walk downhill, but the walk back is
a long slog.
 56 S O U T H O F B AU C AU • • Ve n i l a l e
SOUTH OF BAUCAU
The rugged mountains south of Baucau were
the centre of the Fretilin resistance during the
Indonesian years. The Falantil fighters hid in
the deepest recesses of the hills, making forays
in to Baucau and Dili to raise trouble, raise
cash and get something to eat. This legacy
can be felt today and the locals have a head-
strong reputation. Political unrest has broken
out in these small villages often since 2005.
Outsiders, however, might not as quickly dis-
EAST OF DILI
cern the edgy local vibe here as people wave
with abandon as you traverse roads through
some very dramatic scenery.
The road winding south over the moun-
tains from Baucau via Venilale to Viqueque
near the south coast is mostly decent but some
parts require 4WD. Continuing further along
the south coast to the east or west is difficult
because of miserable road conditions and
unbridged rivers.
VENILALE
Venilale is 28km south of Baucau and just
off the road through to Viqueque. The lead-
ing local candidate for a ‘tidy town’ award if
one was given, it was a popular Portuguese-
era mountain retreat from the coastal heat.
There’s colonial architecture and the large
Escola do Reino de Venilale, a school built in 1933
and recently restored by being painted bright
pink with blue-and-yellow trim.
North of the town, particularly at around
22km from Baucau, the Japanese had locals
dig bomb-shelter tunnels into the roadside
embankments during WWII. They are lit-
tle to look at, but memories of the labour
caused a local delegation to protest against
Japanese aid in Dili after 1999. The Vaicana
hot springs are a long walk on a narrow path
from near here.
There are rice paddies on the terraced
hillsides around Venilale, and Mt Matebian
dominates the view to the east. Off to the
west of Venilale is the mountain known as
Mundo Perdido (1775m), the ‘Lost World’.
This was a Fretilin stronghold during the
Indonesian period.
OSSU
The road continues 16km south to Ossu, a
traditional village with a daily market and a
waterfall. The drive is quite beautiful as the
lonelyplanet.com
road crosses a high peak and the terrain be-
comes almost alpine. At the summit, horses
graze on grass, silhouetted by clouds.
South of Ossu, the road winds through
dripping forests and rice terraces 19km to
Viqueque. At roughly midway, look for a sign
on the left heading south just past the huge
rushing Loi Hunu River. The Timor Village Hotel*
(%728 5611; www.tvh.tl; r per person US$20) is a very
comfortable and modern place set in the lush
countryside. The seven rooms have good beds
and quality furnishings, breakfast is included
and there’s a generator for electricity. The
hotel is affiliated with Harmonia Eco Tours,
which can arrange transport here. Tours and
treks with local guides cost US$5 per day. The
700m drive from the main road is right out
of an SUV ad.
Just south of the hotel, a huge waterfall
pounds the rocks next to the road.
VIQUEQUE
Viqueque, 63km from Baucau, is a largish
regional town and the heart and soul of the
Fretilin party. You can’t help but notice this
is the one place in East Timor where the dogs
never seem to stop barking.
In 1959 Viqueque was the centre of the
only uprising against the Portuguese after
WWII. The Portuguese administration had
given political asylum to 14 Indonesians who
had been part of an unsuccessful rebellion
against President Sukarno. A year after their
arrival they apparently decided that if they
couldn’t overthrow the Indonesian govern-
ment perhaps they’d have better luck against
the Portuguese Timorese one, and inspired
Timorese in the Viqueque area to rise. The
Portuguese put the revolt down with bloody
efficiency, in part by using neighbouring
Timorese groups who didn’t get on with
their Viqueque neighbours. More than 150
Timorese were killed and more than 50 were
exiled to the Portuguese colonies of Angola
and Mozambique. The Indonesian rebels were
packed off back to Indonesia where, no doubt,
Sukarno welcomed them home.
In August 1983, Creras, near Viqueque,
was the site of one of the worst massacres
during the Indonesian period, when as many
as a thousand Timorese were slaughtered by
Indonesian troops.
The town is noted for its distinctive weav-
ing style, dyed with colours produced from
local plants and berries. There’s a hot spring
Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels
near the town. Just north of the older centre,
guesthouses and cafés are strung out all along
the main road. There’s a significant gap along
the river and then comes the not-especially-
pretty original part of town, with a largish
market known for rice and peanuts.
Sleeping & Eating
A constant stream of NGO and UN types keeps
several places in business. Starting north of
town, you’ll encounter these places in the order
they appear here.
Finlos Restaurant (mains US$2-3; h7am-10pm)
This place is about 2km north of the centre.
Not only is it spotless but there’s a bakery
that produces fresh bread and rolls. Look for
the huge wooden looms out the back where
women make tais in many iterations.
Motel Borala (%726 7866; r per person US$9) These
seven clean rooms with private bathroom are
in a modern block beside the road. Mosquito
nets aren’t provided but breakfast is (and the
power is on from 6pm till midnight).
Restaurante Luminar Like all places locally,
the food is simple combinations of rice, veg-
etables and meats. The owners are just plain
welcoming and can possibly set you up in a
room in a pinch but are more likely to serve
you a great cup of coffee.
Pousada Irmaos Soares (%725 2364; r per person
US$15) In the centre of Viqueque, these four
rooms in a gracious family home share an out-
side bathroom. The deep veranda is the place
to while away the hours. (Note that this place
is often booked out with UN police.)
Getting There & Away
Buses run regularly to Viqueque from Baucau
or all the way from Dili for US$3. Road condi-
tions along the south coast and unbridged riv-
ers make it difficult to travel east to Lospalos
or west to Betano.
BEYON D VIQUEQUE
Travelling towards Lospalos it’s 18km to the
small coastal town of Beaçu, with its nice
little beige church. Beyond Beaçu it’s about
three hours to Uato Carbau, where there are
springs and the impressive Ira Bere waterfall.
Crocodiles can supposedly be found in the
pools along this stretch of coast.
On good days, this route is a challenge.
There are deep river crossings that become
impossible in the rainy season. Beyond Uato
Carbau the road actually gets worse, a feat it
E A S T O F B AU C AU • • L a g a 57
manages to top again after Iliomar. Very few
buses or mikrolets use this route, and there
are no services. It takes five to six hours from
Uato Carbau to Lospalos. The road west to
Natarbora is not in great condition either, and
is impossible in the rainy season.
EAST OF BAUCAU
The land becomes progressively less populated
as you journey into the far eastern regions. The
vistas are often long and the untrammelled
EAST OF DILI
beaches even longer. You’ll see people living in
the iconic Fataluku houses and you might find
yourself repeating the word ‘unspoiled’ often.
From Baucau the road drops down to the
coast and follows it all the way to the popular
beachside town of Com, 80km further along
and just over 200km east of Dili. Or you can
turn inland at Lautem and follow the road
south to Lospalos and on to the south coast.
This region remained a Fretilin stronghold
throughout the struggle against Indonesian
rule and, perhaps as a result, Lospalos suf-
fered particularly harshly during the 1999 tur-
moil. At Fuiloro, just past Desa Rasa, a road
branches east to Tutuala. Here, at the extreme
eastern tip of East Timor, 230km east of Dili,
you’ll find gem-like Jaco Island.
LAGA
On the coast highway, 19km east of Baucau, is
Laga, a peaceful little town with a small market
from which a road leads down to a pleasant
pebbly beach about 1km away. The land here is
largely flat with virescent rice fields stretching
to the horizon.
The town’s crumbling old Portuguese fort
tops a low hill just south of the main road.
The square fort has round towers at two of
its corners, and there are fine views from the
battlements north over the town and church
towards the coast, and south across the river
and rice paddies to the central mountains. Salt
is gathered from lakes near the town.
The town’s pale blue church is fronted by a
big ceramic panel illustrating smiling Timorese
getting their introduction to Christianity from
a Portuguese friar. Across the road there’s an
interesting collection of bas-reliefs and brightly
coloured statues with more religious messages.
Look for a large orphanage run by the Silesian
Sisters just east of town. The turn-off to Baguia
is just past the church.
 58 E A S T O F B AU C AU • • B a g u i a
BAGUIA
An interesting side trip can be made south of
Laga to the small town of Baguia, 38km up
into the hills. Obscure and unique languages
are spoken in this area, and can vary from one
slope of a mountain to another. Indonesian
and Tetun are widely spoken, but very lit-
tle English is. At first the sealed road is in
OK condition as it climbs steadily away from
the coast. But as the road climbs and dips,
the remaining 26km are in the typically rural
condition that history buffs will compare to
EAST OF DILI
1916 Verdun.
The dry northern hills are scattered with
the occasional traditional village, and small
cemeteries with white crosses dot the hills –
not an uncommon sight in East Timor. About
halfway along, the road crosses the northern
mountain range and the countryside becomes
much greener and lusher as you approach Mt
Matebian, which towers over the area.
Two kilometres before Baguia are the
ruins of the Escola do Reino de Haudere. Only
the walls remain of this impressive Portuguese
school, which fell into disrepair and disuse
after WWII.
Baguia itself is a diminutive, relaxed hill
town with a small Portuguese fort built in 1915.
The walls are reasonably intact and inside is
an old villa, occupied by the UN police force.
You can walk along the walls and climb the
corner turret that was once used as a prison.
At the top end of town the baby-blue church
features a Christ-and-child statue perched atop
the church tower. The name Baguia is derived
from the Portuguese for ‘under the cave’, and
the large rock outcrop overlooking the town is
said to contain caves. Other than checking out
the sites, there’s little to keep you here.
Mt Matebian
The main attraction of the area is the climb to
2315m-high Mt Matebian, one of the highest
peaks in East Timor. In its isolated splendour
Mt Matebian dominates this part of the island.
It’s clearly visible from Laga on the north
coast or from Venilale, on the road south
from Baucau to Viqueque. The name means
‘Mountain of the Dead’, and this was one of
the last holdouts of the Fretilin forces before
they were overrun by the Indonesians in the
‘encirclement and annihilation’ campaign
of 1978. The mountain is considered holy
and on top are statues of Christ and Mary.
lonelyplanet.com
Pilgrimages in August and October attract
thousands of the faithful.
The road past Baguia leads 5km to the vil-
lage of Ossuna at the base of a jutting rock
outcrop. From Ossuna it is about a 30-minute
walk from the road around the outcrop to the
village of Oeiburu, where the trail begins. It is a
steep climb for the first half hour, then a more
gradual one-hour climb around the flank of the
mountain to the barren ridge. It is then a fairly
strenuous climb along the ridge to the top. The
views are stunning, right across to the south
and north coasts. Most people take about five
hours to get to the top on this route.
It may be possible to stay in Ossuna or
Afaloeki, which is 3km further along the road,
but it will likely be a mat on someone’s floor.
Afaloeki has a superb aspect, in the shadow
of the mountain and with views down the
valleys to the south coast. The sunrise is
stunning there.
There are plenty of opportunities for fur-
ther exploration in the area. Benteng Daralari
is another old fort, three hours’ walk to the
south. Buibela and Lena, three hours on foot
to the west and over the mountain behind
Afaloeki, are said to be the two most tradi-
tional villages in the area.
An alternate way to the top of Mt Matebian
starts in the village of Quelicai on the west face
of the mountain. This is a popular pilgrimage
route and you can get a lot of info and arrange
for guides (US$10 to US$15 per day) at the
town’s church. Quelicai is reached on a rough
road that heads into the hills west of Laga.
Getting There & Away
Four or five buses a day run between Baucau
and Baguia (US$2, 2½ hours) via Laga.
Buses may continue a little way past Baguia
to drop off passengers, but don’t count on
it. Some maps show a road running right
down to the south coast via Uato Carbau,
but it’s impassable.
LAIVAI
The little village of Laivai is barely perceptible
as you follow the coast road east. But it is near
a number of primo beaches. There’s a long
curving swathe of sand from the 163–165km
posts. There are shady places to park as well.
Another good beach is at the 171km mark.
Buses between Baucau and Lautem often
stop halfway for a break by the beach at the
172km point near Laivai. Roadside stalls under
lonelyplanet.com
the shade trees sell small grilled fish – ikan
tunu, a local delicacy – and palm wine (sabu)
to ease the long bus journey. Note that the
latter is sold from the same used plastic water
bottles as petrol. Vendors here have both so
you’ll have to use the lighter colour of the sabu
to differentiate the two as they taste similar.
For a real treat, try katupa, little sachets of rice
cooked in coconut milk. Yum.
LAUTEM
This village, 60km east of Baucau and 183km
from Dili, has a sprawling Portuguese fort in
various states of disrepair, which begs explo-
ration. Segments of the huge walls are still
standing, and the canyon-like entrance to the
town from Baucau gives Lautem the look of
a medieval walled city. The squat bunkers on
the beach, just beyond the town, are Japanese
constructions from WWII.
At Lautem the coast road continues to
Com, while another road dives off inland to
climb up to Lospalos.
COM
The north coast road dead-ends 15km beyond
Lautem and 203km from Dili at the small fishing
village of Com. In fact, the road finishes at the
end of a large pier built during the Indonesian
era to unload supplies for the military. There’s
good snorkelling, although the only beaches are
just beyond the pier or just before you enter the
village, and even those are narrow.
Com is the closest thing East Timor has
to a backpackers’ beach town – and that’s a
bit of a stretch. But there are a fair number
of guesthouses and one resort and it could
take off further if the country settles down.
Although you’ll pass better beaches on the
way here, it has beautiful views and, when the
touts shut up, a serene air.
The rest of the way along the village is
rocky, right down to the fringing reef (arrange
for diving at the Dili dive shops, p43). The
Indonesian island of Wetar is often clearly
visible directly across from Com, although
it’s about 50km away.
Com is a popular weekend getaway from
Dili. When you arrive in town, you’ll be
greeted by large numbers of women and chil-
dren hawking their rooms, tais, fruit and other
goods. Unless it is clear you’re going to the
Com Beach Resort (see right), competition
can get a bit over the top. In fact if you buy
something you can expect to be pestered to
E A S T O F B AU C AU • • L a u t e m 59
explain why you ignored others. (One visitor
bought something from virtually everybody
so as not to offend.)
Several very basic guesthouses have opened
along the short stretch of road right in town.
All offer similar very basic accommodation
(no electricity, limited ventilation, shared
squat toilets) and average about US$10 per
person per night with simple fish dinners
extra. A few choices:
Alex A beachside compound with five rooms. Arguably the
best of the cheapies.
EAST OF DILI
Sina Guesthouse Four rooms in a beachside site shaded
by palms.
Sely Guesthouse Basic non-beachside place with 10
rooms in a small house.
The higher-quality, shell-studded Com Beach
Resort (%728 3311; r US$20-80; a), in a lush com-
pound across the road from the water, has basic
rooms that share a bathroom block, and pricier
ones with private bathroom (value goes down as
prices rise; the US$50 rooms with bathroom are
a good choice). Book ahead. Snorkelling gear
is also available. The long menu of the Resort’s
Ocean View Restaurant (dishes US$4-10) includes a
whole roast pig for US$100 – eight hours’ notice
are needed for the victim to be selected and
cooked. The restaurant, hard on the narrow
strip of sand, is fine for a beer or a meal.
Getting There & Away
Mikrolets run to Com from Lospalos (US$1)
and Baucau (US$2). Maps show a shortcut
over the hills between Com and the Lautem–
Lospalos road at Fuiloro. This would be a
real timesaver if you’re going from Com to
Tutuala except for one thing: the 15km route
is too deteriorated to drive.
DESA RASA
Desa Rasa is between Lautem and Lospalos,
and just before the turn-off to Tutuala. This
village was once noted for its traditional
Fataluku houses, built on stilts that supported
a main living room, which in turn was topped
by a high, tapering thatch roof. Many have
been destroyed but you’ll find good examples
still being used between here and Tutuala.
What you will also see is a profusion of pale,
peach-hued pumpkins.
The road from Lautem, on the coast, turns
inland and climbs steadily into the hills to
reach Desa Rasa, 16km from the coast, and
continues for another 12km to Lospalos.
 60 E A S T O F B AU C AU • • L o s p a l o s Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels E A S T O F B AU C AU • • Tu t u a l a 61

DIVE SITES EAST OF DILI

Some of East Timor’s most popular dive sites are along the coast to the east of Dili. The fringing
reef along this stretch often drops off only a short distance from the shore so it’s easy to wade
in from the beach and paddle out to the drop-off (boats are not necessary). New sites are being
discovered and the site names are often changeable. The sites that follow are listed with their
distance from Dili. (See p43 for details of dive operators.)
Secret Gardens (30km)
The first dive east of Dili. The coral gardens here are home to a colourful collection of small
reef marine life.
EAST OF DILI
Bob’s Rock (45km)
A rock, the ‘Bob’ painted on it no longer so clear, marks the turn-off into the woods that give
this site its alternative name, Behau Forest. Enter the water from the rocky beach and it’s a
short swim out to the steep drop-off to the west, where divers encounter colourful coral, lots
of reef fish and the occasional shark. En route to the rocks, garden eels can be seen emerg-
ing from the sandy bottom at 5m to 6m. The shady forest area makes it a good picnic spot
between dives.
Whale Shark Point (47–8km)
This was the first place where local dive operators encountered whale sharks. These huge but

Black Rock (37km)
Sheer walls and strong currents attract pelagic fish but because several different currents converge
at Black Rock this isn’t a good site for novice divers. Avoid the site when the tide is changing.
The east side of the rock drops off to more than 20m, and cracks shelter many fish. Nudibranchs
are often seen and manta rays sometimes pass by.
Dollar Beach (38km)
At this popular weekend beach visitors used to be charged a dollar – hence the name. The
seagrass in the shallow waters make this a popular mating ground for dugongs, and sea turtles
and reef sharks are also encountered here. It’s a popular site for novice divers, with hard and soft
corals on the sloping reef at 10m to 18m. From the west end of the beach you can approach
Black Rock, but there can be strong currents at the east end of the beach.
K41 (41km)
Despite some big waves, the diving is usually pretty straightforward here, and this is a popular
site. The reef drops straight into the deep on one side but slopes more gently on the other.
There’s a good wall at 18m to 20m with a large variety of sponges and soft corals, and plenty
of reef fish. Sea turtles are also seen around the wall while black- and white-tip reef sharks pass
by, and a family of dugongs makes periodic appearances. A popular night-diving spot.
Hotels (42–3km)
This site takes its name from a resort that used to operate here and is also known as Behau Village.
The bottom is rocky, then sandy, before you reach the coral. There’s more solid coral coverage
to the west; to the east the sandy bottom is punctuated by coral outcrops.
EAST OF DILI
harmless creatures are known to visit around August to September, but diving hasn’t been going
for long enough in East Timor to be certain of their appearance. The cove has a wide variety of
coral on the large and gently sloping reef.
Jim’s Crack (55km)
The split in the wall that gives this site its name is best seen from above by snorkellers. Jim’s
Crack has lots of soft coral, sponges and nudibranchs, but the proximity of the river means that
visibility can often be restricted. The wall has a shallow area at the top, then drops to 10m to
15m before sloping off gradually to greater depths. As well as the reef life on the wall, sharks,
rays, sea turtles and barracudas have been seen further out. Jim’s Crack is 4km west of the
Manatuto River.
Com (203km)
At the east end of Com village, divers can enter the water from the wharf on the western
side of the artificial harbour in about 10m depth. Alternatively dive the eastern side of the
harbour, entering the water from beside the lighthouse. Rays are found on the sandy bottom
and the wharf pylons attract lots of marine life, including lion fish, which are spectacular on
night dives. Out to sea from the wharf you might spot sea turtles and sharks. Coming ashore
on the beach, watch for boats being launched off the boat ramp, and be careful of fishing
lines from the wharf.
Tutuala Beach (233km)
The very end of every road, Tutuala Beach fronts some of Timor’s richest reefs – and that’s saying
something. Walk right in to snorkel or dive from the beach. For more details, see p62.

LOSPALOS
Lospalos, home of the Fataluku people, is
in the middle of a gently rising plain that
stretches off to the southern hills on the ho-
rizon. Although quite a fertile rice-growing
area, it is dusty in the dry season, and the
region supports mostly livestock grazing.
There’s not much to see here other than a
lot of plundered Indonesian compounds on
the way in.
Lospalos itself is mostly unappealing. The
buildings still show a great deal of damage
from the 1999 violence, particularly along the
shabby main street. The highlight may be the
profane revolutionary graffiti on many a once-
blank wall. The entrance to the Catholic church is
topped by a good example of a Fataluku-house
roof. The town also has a Protestant church
and the disused Masjid Al Taowa Lospalos
mosque. The main market is a good 3km out-
side town, although efforts are being made to
rebuild the one in the centre.
Sleeping & Eating
The accommodation and restaurant scene is
serviceable in Lospalos. All sleeping places
will prepare meals.
27@ (r per person US$8) An excellent choice in a
shady compound near the old market, with six
spotless rooms that share bathrooms. Good
meals are available. The name derives from the
day in August 1999 when the owner’s husband
was among scores of locals murdered by the
retreating Indonesians.
Nova Esperança Restaurant & Guest House
(%724 3580; r per person US$10; a) Near 27@,
this option has seven rooms with private
bathroom (some of the rooms have air-con),
a nice veranda and a Fataluku house across
the street.
Ayr Restaurant & Guest House (r per person incl break-
fast US$10) On the other side of town, with a nice
shady site with a pretty porch and tables where
meals ($4) are served. The eight rooms have
a bathroom each.
Hotel Roberto Carlos (%723 0826; r US$35; a)
Out towards the new market and away from
the centre (perhaps not a bad thing). There
are 13 air-con rooms in a modern two-storey
building and a café with a generator so that
vital beverages can be served chilled.
Getting There & Away
Buses and mikrolets run several times daily
between Lospalos and Baucau (US$3, 3½
hours). Ask to be dropped off near the centre
or old market, not at the new market far out
of town.
Although a road runs from Lospalos to
the south coast and then west to Viqueque,
its condition is very bad. Locals recommend
getting to Viqueque via Baucau.
TUTUALA
You may well feel like you’re going to the end
of the earth – or at least of East Timor, which
you are – as you head to Tutuala, the very
tip of the island and the gateway to magical
Jaco Island.
 © Lonely Planet Publications
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Just past Desa Rasa, on the road from
Lautem to Lospalos, is the turn-off to Tutuala.
The settlement of Fuiloro sits at the junction
with the remains of an old Portuguese fort;
its arched entranceway was painted by the
Indonesians. An impassable ‘short cut’ to
Com also starts from close to this turn-off.
The 32km route to Tutuala is in barely pass-
able condition. It’s often narrow and has
long sections where the surface has simply
disappeared. Expect the trip to take more
than an hour.
EAST OF DILI
Archaeological Sites
Near Tutuala are the most important ar-
chaeological sites in East Timor. The
caves at Ili Kere Kere were first excavated in
1966–67 by a student from the Australian
National University (ANU). Finds included
stone tools and the bones of giant rats.
Radiocarbon dating established that the
caves were used 13,000 years ago, but less
than a decade after excavations started the
Indonesian invasion halted further research.
After independence, ANU researchers re-
Just offshore is Jaco Island and in the sur-
rounding turquoise waters you’ll find reefs
with an incredible diversity of life. It’s ideal for
snorkelling and diving. Look for large anemones
with their colourful attendant anemone fish,
reef fish of literally every stripe, porpoises
and more. The reef is part of the vaunted
Coral Triangle.
JACO ISLAND
A mere 10 sq km and at most 100m above
the sea, Jaco Island is like the featured item
ringed by a circle of flawless, fine white sand
lapped by azure waters. Considered sacred by
the Timorese, no-one lives on the island and
no camping is allowed. But a visit during the
day is fine as Tutuala Beach is just a short way
across the shallow channel. Fishers will take
you across and back for US$5 (three minutes).
Avoid the real temptation just to swim it – the
currents through the narrow passage are swift.
For visitors, Jaco is all about walking the sands
and being immersed, not just in the beautiful
waters, but in the solitude and absolute silence

The road runs along the northern edge of
Lake Ira Lalaro, a seasonal stretch of water that
can flood right across the road during the
rainy season. The salty lake is yet another
place said to be home to crocodiles, as well
as a great many of the island’s bird species.
At times you’ll have views all the way south
to the lake. The horizon-stretching expanse of
grass slopes gently down to the distant water,
punctuated only by the occasional hut.
This is a road for seeing the iconic Fataluku
houses. There’s a couple on display near
Fuiloro but as you reach the village of Bauro,
midway to Tutuala, you will see many still
in use.
The village of Mehara, just before Tutuala,
was a hideout for Xanana Gusmão in the
1980s during the independence struggle.
Just as you enter Tutuala there’s another
good example of a traditional Fataluku-style
house beside the road. The road continues
through the village to end at the top of a high
cliff, the blue sea shimmering far below and
with great views out to the Indonesian is-
land of Kisar. Sometimes whales can be seen
from here.
Tutuala defines sleepy; its market is small
and there are no services. At the very end
of the road you’ll find the Portuguese-era
pousada, a quaint yet solid house with a fine
vantage point from its bluff high above the
sea. It’s in good condition and there are two
basic rooms for rent (US$5 per person) plus a
common room with comfy bamboo furniture.
The bathrooms combine Western sit-down
convenience with an Asian-style mandi opera-
tion. When you arrive, settle in on the wide
veranda and soon the caretaker and about
20 curious children will appear. He’ll run the
electricity generator from about 7pm to mid-
night. There are no real cooking facilities here
and you may not find food in town, so bring
what you want from Baucau or Dili.
EAST OF DILI
turned to the Tutuala district, and at the in the catalogue of perfect beach islands. It’s that prevails in this special place.
Lene Hara caves, not far from the earlier Ili
Kere Kere discoveries, they recovered shells
that dated back 30,000 years. These were of
great interest to the scientists as East Timor
may have been a stepping stone to Australia
for the earliest aboriginal arrivals 50,000 to
60,000 years ago. Cave paintings have also
been found in the Ili Kere Kere and O Hi caves.
The Tutuala caves have also had much more
recent use, when guerrillas hid there during
the independence struggle with Indonesia.
The caves are a hot and difficult walk from
Tutuala, and you will need a local guide to
find them.
Getting There & Away
You can get a daily mikrolet to/from Lospalos
(US$1, three hours) or charter one from Com
for about US$15.
TUTUALA BEACH
Although the journey can be perilous, all
agree that the end justifies the means (and
the broken axle). It’s 8km downhill from
the village of Tutuala to its fine white-sand
beach, also known as Pantai Walu (also spelt
Waloo or Vallou). For the first 5km the road
is sort of OK, but it turns into a rough rocky
track for the last 3km – strictly for 4WDs and
a good test of your wits. It takes at least 30
minutes. It’s a fine walk down, but a major
slog back up.
The beach looks like a dreamy ad for a
white-chocolate bar. There are always a few
fishers about and, even with limited effort,
they catch a huge range of fish, including
tuna. At times, they’ll grill up some fresh with © Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
garlic for a sublime meal. Recently a couple restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
of very simple huts have appeared and you
may be able to rent one for a night. Think of
only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
it purely as shelter, otherwise you’ll want to everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying
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NORTH COAST ROAD WEST OF DILI 0 10 km

West of Dili
0 6 miles

This good road mostly hugs the coast all Strait

Ombar Tibar Reef
the way to the Indonesian border. It alter- Liquiçá Thermal
Springs
Maubara
nately clings to the curving sides of hills that Aipelo
To Dili
Liquiçá
plunge down to the water and then shoots Maubara (12km)

straight across fertile flatlands. Every so Railaco

Portuguese forts and beautiful coast are more than enough reason to head west from Dili.
often there’s an intriguing little town with
a historical remnant or two and roadside Ermera
Gleno
That the road along the water is also the sole land access to West Timor and Indonesia is but vendors selling fruity bounty from the hills Loe
s River
Atabae
a bonus. It’s a reasonably smooth ride and there are many places to pause along the way. beyond. Even though this is the only road
Letefoho
in or out of the country, traffic is light. The
Inland, roads barely worthy of the name reach places such as Ermera and Maliana, which major hazards are madcap UN drivers in Cailaco
are regional hubs (a somewhat glorified term for what they are) but aren’t especially inter- white SUVs and foolhardy goats. Mutain Atsabe

esting. However, little places such as the long-forgotten colonial retreat of Bobonaro and Batugade Nunura
Plains
notorious Balibo are the journey’s reward. GETTING THERE & AROUND Balibo
To Atapupu (12km);
Maliana Marobo

There’s a steady stream of buses running Oecussi Enclave via

Atambua (105km) Bobonaro
Travel away from the coast is not for the faint-hearted, but with adequate preparation – through all the towns along the coast from INDONESIA
WEST TIMOR
To Zumalai
(40km)

and 4WD – you’ll see places and people seldom visited by outsiders. This is real travel, with Dili’s Tasitolu depot. Bus fares from Dili
range from around US$1 up to US$5 all Watch notes that at least 18 (and maybe
the reward being the journey itself. Here, even the mundane takes on new meaning.
the way to the end of the road just beyond more than 50) villagers, many of them chil-
Batugade at the West Timor border. dren and the elderly, were killed when the
Although the route through Ermera to the militia mob broke into the church while
WEST OF DILI

Indonesian West Timor border looks about
the same distance, the coast road is in far
better condition and is suitable for cars. As a
result, all buses take the coast route; the in-
land route is strictly for 4WD exploration.
AIPELO
The Bekas Penjara Aipelo is a 19th-century
Portuguese jail that was once an impressive
building. The central ruins have very thick
walls with a host of roofless minor build-
ings clustered around them. It is right on
the water; don’t pass by without a stop.
LIQUIÇÁ
This large, shaded town 35km west of Dili
is strung along the tree-lined road for a
few kilometres. It has some reasonable,
mostly black-sand beaches and some fine
Portuguese buildings, including the gover-
nor’s office and the hospital. During WWII
the Japanese imprisoned a large proportion
HIGHLIGHTS WEST OF DILI of the Portuguese population of Timor in a
The road west to the Indonesian border is in good shape and passes beaches, dive sites, in- concentration camp at Liquiçá.
teresting towns and pretty scenery. Inland, there are several towns, such as Balibo (p69) and On 6 April 1999, the Besa Merah Putih
Bobonaro (p68), that are interesting but most of the roads away from the coast are in pretty (Red and White Iron) militia were responsi-
bleak condition. The route down to Zumalai (p68) and the south coast is as intriguing as it is ble for a massacre in Liquiçá. The massacre,
challenging. You can make a circuit from Dili via Batugade, Bobonaro and down to the coast which took place in the Catholic church, was
through Zumalai to Suai in one long day. Maliana (p68) is the only place with organised accom- one of the first signs that the forthcoming
modation once past Maubara. independence referendum had the potential
to go disastrously wrong. Human Rights
WEST OF DILI
Indonesian personnel stood by.
At the western end of the town, where the
government buildings are located, the shock-
ing pink Restaurant Happy Garden (the fried
chicken is best) and Restaurante Rosa are
about the only places you’ll find to eat along
the coast. Meals are only a dollar or two. The
eastern edge of town has a lively market. The
banana selection here is about the best you’ll
find, with everything from typical yellow
numbers to huge copper-coloured jobbies.
Heading west, look for Maubara Lake near
the 40km mark. Its placid waters are thought
to hide evil spirits.
MAUBARA
Sitting on the coast 49km west of Dili,
Maubara has a 17th-century Portuguese fort
that’s impressive outside and slightly comical
inside thanks to a raucous band of chickens
that have taken over the shrubbery. Two can-
nons point out to sea from the corners of the
ruins. The fort’s substantial coastal wall faces
resolutely towards the sea, a reminder of the
long centuries of Portuguese rule. Across from
the entrance and right on the water, stalls sell
huge cushions that won’t fit in any overhead
bin, and local pottery.
The town also has an impressive church
and some scuba-diving sites offshore, which
are worth checking out. There’s a small
 66 N O R T H C OA S T R OA D • • L o e s R i v e r & A t a b a e lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com I N L A N D R OA D • • G e t t i n g T h e re & A r o u n d 67

is not your cliché of the busy border town. fee-producing area but things have changed.
DIVE SITES WEST OF DILI There’s a meagre market with a few stalls Coffee brought wealth to the town, and good
Although some of East Timor’s most popular dive sites are along the coast to the east of Dili, where you can get a non-cool drink and a examples of Portuguese architecture can be
there are also a few sites to the west. All are close to the shore, and divers can simply wade in snack or two. seen, including a beautiful church. The old
from the beach; boats are not necessary. New sites are being discovered, and the site names are The coastal road from Dili turns right at the part of town is interesting to wander around,
often changeable. The sites that follow are listed with their distance from Dili. fort and continues the last couple of kilome- although Ermera’s best days are in the past
tres to the border. From there it’s only 12km (see boxed text, pp68-9). It has been a regular
Tibar Reef (12km) to Atapupu, the first village in West Timor. location of political upheavals since 2002.
Just off the road out of Dili to the west. The turn-off is just before the Indonesian-built archway See p92 for information on the border cross- During the independence struggle, Nino
over the road that marks the boundary between the Dili and Liquiçá regions. The reef heading ing. Buses direct from Dili to the border Konis (or Conis) Sanatana, who succeeded
off to the west from the shore has good coral and plenty of fish life. cost US$5. Xanana Gusmão after his capture, was based
The alternative route out of Batugade is to for a time in Ermera. Unfortunately Sanatana
Liquiçá Thermal Springs (35km) turn left at the fort in the centre. This road died in an accident in early 1998, just over a
Also known as Bubble Beach. The thermal springs issue into the sea from the sandy bottom in just climbs steadily to Balibo, then drops to cross year before the independence referendum.
8m of water. The entry point is beside a cemetery for soldiers killed during the Indonesian era. Blue- the Loes River and its floodplain into Maliana. Today an elementary school in nearby Gleno
spotted rays and reef fish cluster around the patch of coral reef northeast of the entry point. From there routes continue to the south coast is named after him, and it’s possible to visit
or loop back through Ermera to Dili. his house, which has concealed meeting rooms
Maubara (49km) and escape tunnels.
Ermera is easily reached by bus from Dili
Entry is from directly in front of the Maubara fort (p65), and leads to a sandy slope and coral
with plenty of colourful reef fish. INLAND ROAD for about US$2; it makes a good day trip
by bus or by car to see the rich plantings
The inland route runs from Dili to Ermera, of coffee in the hills and enjoy a tempera-
market most days but Sunday is the big day long bridge that spans the river was finished then to Maliana and Balibo through the ture drop from the sweaty coast. Take the
when people and vendors flock here from in 1990 and allows year-round travel along mountains, before finally reaching the coast coast road out of Dili, then turn inland
WEST OF DILI

all over.
This was the centre of one of the most
important old kingdoms in Portuguese
Timor. It was here, in 1893, that a series
of revolts took place, eventually leading
to the bloody pacification of the island by
the Portuguese. As in nearby Liquiçá, there
was a great deal of intimidation by the Besa
Merah Putih militia in the run-up to the
independence referendum.
About 3km west of town look for a rusty
sign along the road that reads ‘Maubara
Fatubessi’. Turn up the short but steep and
tortuous road and you’ll reach Irmãs Carmelitas,
a religious retreat with sweeping views of the
sea and islands beyond. The Carmelite nuns
who run the place will happily rent you a sim-
ple room (US$17 per person) set in the shady
gardens whether a full confession is on your
to-do list or not. All meals are included.
LOES RIVER & ATABAE
Continuing west from Maubara, the road
clings to the rocky coast, which provides
often-spectacular views, particularly when it
climbs high above the sea. Many of the hairi-
est bits are marked by road safety shrines and
religious statues with expressions that don’t
look optimistic.
The road finally drops back to sea level
just before the Loes River, 76km from Dili. The
the coast by this main route between Dili and
the West Timor border. Just east of the river
there is a large cluster of food stalls catering
to the buses that pause here. On the west bank
a Portuguese-style villa with some surprising
architectural details hangs off a rock outcrop
overlooking the river.
Beyond the river the road again climbs
into the hills, offering fine views down to
the clear, blue waters below. The reddish
earth and sparse, dry-looking vegetation is
very reminiscent of northern Australia, par-
ticularly along the stretches where eucalyptus
trees are common.
After dropping to a plain covered with
bright green rice fields, the road reaches the
sprawling coastal village of Atabae, 85km
from Dili. A UN troop base stood just east
of the town in 2007, but otherwise there’s
nothing of note here except for a lot of fish
vendors. After Atabae the road again sticks
to the coast, passing some beautiful beaches
before bending inland and climbing, then
descending to the coast one more time just
before Batugade.
BATUGADE
Only 2.5km from the border with West Timor,
Batugade is 112km from Dili. Its overgrown
Portuguese fort dates from 1655 and has mas-
sive walls and a couple of old cannons. This
at Batugade, just before the West Timor bor-
der. Today the sealed coast road is in much
better shape, although from Dili the inland
road is OK as far as Ermera. Between Ermera
and Maliana, either directly or via Atsabe,
the road is rutted, rough and suitable only
for 4WDs.
This country is pretty desolate; you won’t
encounter many people. You’ll be alone
with your own thoughts and the striking, at
times arid, landscape. The beautiful road to
Zumalai and the south coast, which begins
near Bobonaro, traverses lush hills and an-
cient villages. Maliana is an interesting market
town, Balibo was the scene of an atrocity that
still resonates, while Bobonaro is an undiscov-
ered colonial gem.
GETTING THERE & AROUND
Catch a bus heading inland to Ermera from
the Tasitolu terminal in Dili (p49). There is
no regular public transport beyond Ermera.
If you plan to do this or the road to Zumalai
in a rented vehicle, you’d better get a 4WD.
Maliana is the only place you’ll reliably
find petrol.
ERMERA
The area around Ermera, 62km southwest
of Dili, was once the main coffee plantation
of Portuguese Timor. It is still a major cof-
WEST OF DILI
soon after the airport and climb into the
hills through a lush, green valley. The road
continues to Railaco, where Australian forces
operated during WWII, and Gleno before
reaching Ermera.
There’s a very rough road running over
the hills from Ermera to Atsabe and on to
Bobonaro, 82km away, or an equally problem-
atic route direct from Ermera to Maliana.
ATSABE
The market town of Atsabe is in the hills on
the route from Ermera to Bobonaro. The high
Bandeira waterfall, the best-known waterfall in
the country, is just outside town on the road
from Letefoho. This region also produces tais
(traditional woven articles).
MAROBO
The rough road from Atsabe eventually
reaches a T-junction, where you continue
straight for Zumalai or turn right (west) for
the road to Bobonaro and Maliana. Some
3km before this junction, you’ll pass through
the tiny village of Marobo, which was once
a Portuguese resort and mountain retreat.
Although the hotel has gone, there are two
large pools fed by the hot springs. The walls
are collapsing and a few water buffalo are en-
joying the benefits of the waters; it’s an allur-
ing setting amidst thick vegetation. However,
 68 I N L A N D R OA D • • R o a d t o Z u m a l a i lonelyplanet.com Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels I N L A N D R OA D • • B a l i b o 69

FINDING ERMERA Tony Wheeler

I’ve no idea how I found my way to Ermera in 1974. My diary notes that after leaving Maubisse for
Hatubuilico we followed a road that was more like a path and ‘must be too narrow for a jeep in many
places’. This time, while travelling north from Maubisse towards Dili, I reach what I think must be the
Ermera turn-off just north of Aileu. There’s no sign, but a large contingent sits waiting at the junction,
and when I ask ‘Ini jalan ke Ermera?’ (Is this the road to Ermera?) the response is undeniably affirma-
tive. But when I follow up with ‘Berapa km ke Ermera?’ the reply from the guy who seems to know
most about it is ‘tudjuh km’. Seven kilometres? That seems scarcely likely – I was expecting something
between 30km and 50km, although Timor’s tightly winding roads can make anything into a long
distance trial. ‘Tudjuh pulu?’ (70?) I ask. That seems too far, but no, he’s adamant that’s all it is.
The road quickly becomes rocky, potholed and very slow going. After a kilometre or so I stop
to ask another bystander. He confirms it’s the right road, but extends the distance to ‘sepuluh’
kilometres (10km), which is still far too close. Another kilometre brings up another bystander
who’s also certain I’m on the right road but has no idea how far it is. The road surface deteriorates
even further, and the next bystander isn’t even sure if it’s the right road.
A few kilometres further I meet a truck coming the other way, and the driver not only confirms
that this unreservedly, categorically, absolutely is the road to Ermera, he also pronounces a much
more likely distance: 24km. A kilometre or two further down the road a miracle takes place. The
cracked, potholed, broken bitumen that alternates with stretches of rocky, battered, cratered,
unsurfaced road suddenly turns into the smoothest, newest bitumen I’ve seen anywhere in East
Timor, and continues most of the way to Ermera.
WEST OF DILI
Barely 5km before Ermera I arrive at a roadblock, just as it starts to rain. The Japanese soldiers
organising the stoppage explain that just ahead a brand new bridge is being officially opened
by the UN. The ceremonies will be over in half an hour; please be patient. Along with a squabble
of mikrolets (minibuses), motorcycles and trucks, we wait until a long entourage of UN vehicles
departs and we can try out the new feat of Japanese engineering. The only problem is that another
kilometre towards Ermera another smaller bridge has collapsed, and its temporary replacement
looks long overdue for some Japanese engineer’s attention.
After all this Ermera is a distinct letdown. My 1974 diary pronounced it a ‘pleasant little town’
with a neat and tidy Chinese hotel, a restaurant serving surprisingly good food and Taiwanese
flicks showing in the market that evening, including one that combined the storylines of To
Sir with Love, Love Story and Sound of Music in one feature. Twenty-eight years later Ermera is
a grey and dismal little dump with a muddy main street, half of which looks as if it’s about to
slide down the hillside. There are no restaurants and no hotels, and I can’t find a building that
looks anything like the neat and tidy establishment we stayed in back when East Timor was
Portuguese Timor.
When I get back to the collapsed bridge a tiny mikrolet has just broken through the planks. I
lend a hand to lift and shove the vehicle off the bridge and then run back to my vehicle before
the truck behind me crosses first and destroys it completely. An armful of two-by-fours and a
chainsaw could do a good temporary job on this bridge; it wouldn’t take a team of Japanese
engineers or a UN opening committee.

getting here requires some effort. The road/
path to the springs is in worse shape than
the bad road you turn off. It’s best to be pre-
pared to ask directions and hike 1km from
the road.
ROAD TO ZUMALAI
What may be East Timor’s prettiest road
climbs into the clouds from its start near
Bobonaro before plunging through mist-
shrouded and terraced valleys to Zumalai on
the south-coast plain (see p76). It’s a very
rough 40km but well worth the three or
more hours the journey requires. Waterfalls
punctuate some bends, and flowers of every
kind grow wild. Across the at-times barren
and grassy hills, you’ll see timeless conical
thatched huts housing families who survive
raising animals and growing food such as
maize and pumpkins. At each one the sound
of your vehicle will bring forth a flood of
children, waving wildly and shrieking with
excitement (this is not a busy road…). Should
you stop, you’ll have about 40 new friends
in minutes.
BOBONARO
It’s easy to pass Bobonaro as the town is 1km
off the main road, some 3km from the junc-
tion of the Zumalai and Ermera roads. As you
struggle over potholes and boulders you may
wonder if Bobonaro is worth the effort. It is.
This was a summer retreat in colonial times,
with Portuguese swells enjoying the cool
breezes and sweeping views from the wide
verandas. A large number of old buildings
survive from this era and, although they’re
in pretty grim shape, it’s possible to imagine
what Bobonaro once looked like and how it
could look again.
Back on the main road, it’s a 26km descent
west along a winding road to Maliana. The final
6km is a steep, hairpin, roller-coaster ride.
MALIANA
Maliana is on the edge of the vast Nunura Plains,
a fertile floodplain and rice-growing district.
It’s the capital of the Bobonaro district and
home to the Kemak people, whose rectangular
stilt houses dot the countryside. It’s not an
attractive place; its proximity to Indonesia
means it has a lot of scars. Electricity poles
stripped of wires march into the distance and
there’s a large UN presence.
The market will explain why you need to
stock up before leaving Dili; there’s often
not much on offer although it is known for
cheap eggs and noodles. The independence
struggle and resettlement resulted in a loss
of tradition in much of East Timor, but this
region still produces some fine tais, mostly
with black backgrounds.
From Maliana the westbound road runs
across the Nunura Plains to the Loes River,
crossing the river on a long bridge completed
in the early ’90s. Look west about 500m and
you’ll see a large Indonesian military base just
over the border. The road then climbs back
up into the mountains to Balibo, 26km from
Maliana. Another bridge, also constructed
during the Indonesian era, crosses the river
further downstream near the coast. There are
dodgy parts of this road that can make car
travel problematic.
Sleeping & Eating
Maliana has about the only organised places
to stay between the north and south coasts of
western East Timor.
Motel Aljafil (r US$15) This motel is on the road
that exits town heading to Balibo. Starting
from the roundabout near the market in the
town centre, travel for about 700m until you
pass a church – it’s a little further along on
the left. The five rooms are about as simple
as you can get: just a bed, a table and a candle
for when the power goes off. Washing facili-
ties are Indonesian mandi style – you scoop
water out of a tank or drum to flush the toilet
or wash yourself. Nearby there’s a small café
with decent fresh food.
Restaurante Maliana (meals US$2-3; h7am-8pm)
Try this place, opposite the market in town.
WEST OF DILI
It offers nasi Padang food and dishes like nasi
goreng (fried rice) or nasi campur (rice with
a variety of interesting odds and ends). The
shiny floor in the dining area contrasts with
the dirt floor in the kitchen.
About 60m down a small road behind the
restaurant you’ll find a tidy house (r per person
US$10) with five rooms for rent. It’s a nice little
spot and the family who owns it is charming.
To find it, just wander in its direction and
they’ll find you.
Getting There & Away
Buses from Dili cost US$5 and run along
the coast to Batugade before turning inland
through Balibo. Before independence there
used to be a back-road route across the border
to Atambua in West Timor via Weluli but it’s
long closed.
BALIBO
Balibo has a slightly chilly mountain atmos-
phere. A substantial Portuguese fort sprawls
along the hillside overlooking the market area.
Balibo was the infamous setting for the mur-
der of five journalists by Indonesian soldiers
in 1975 (see p70).
The ‘Australian Flag House’, financed
by the state of Victoria in Australia, has re-
opened as a community centre on the village’s
main square. In fact, this was not the place
 © Lonely Planet Publications
70 I N L A N D R OA D • • B a l i b o lonelyplanet.com 71

THE BALIBO FIVE

On 16 October 1975 the small village of Balibo, close to the East Timor–West Timor border, was
the site of a massacre that has soured Australian–Indonesian relations ever since and caused
considerable embarrassment to the Australian government.
In October 1975 the Portuguese had retreated to Atauro, the Timorese independence party
Timorese Democratic Union (UDT) had made their grab for power and the stronger Fretilin force
had defeated the UDT and controlled most of the country. Another month would pass before
Fretilin formally declared East Timor’s independence but already the Indonesian government
had expressed deep dissatisfaction with the prospect of an unstable, left-leaning government
controlling the eastern half of the island. Following rumours of possible Indonesian incursions
into East Timor, five TV journalists working for Australian TV Channels 7 and 9 – Australians
Greg Shackleton and Tony Stewart, British citizens Malcolm Rennie and Brian Peters, and New
Zealander Gary Cunningham – made their way to Balibo.
On 16 October an Indonesian force crossed the border and soon after dawn attacked the village
of Balibo. Officially the five journalists were killed in crossfire between the Indonesians and the
Fretilin defenders. In fact, they were simply hauled out of their hiding place and executed.
After years of calls for an investigation into the killings, New South Wales launched an inquest
in 2007. NSW police went to the Sydney hotel room of Indonesian Governor Sutiyoso and asked
that he testify at the inquest. Sutiyoso refused.
The findings of the inquest were delivered in November 2007. The coroner concluded that
the men were deliberately shot or stabbed and that the killings could constitute a war crime.
Indonesian General Yunus Yosfiah (now retired) led the attack on Balibo, and has been identified
by Timorese witnesses as one who fired on the journalists.
WEST OF DILI

WEST OF DILI
The Australian government was accused of being partly responsible for the journalists’ deaths.
Alan Renouf, former head of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs, James Dunn, the last
Australian consul in East Timor, and other former officials from the Whitlam government told the
court that they received warnings the Indonesians were going to attack the town of Balibo on the
day the journalists were killed. They also testified that it was the private policy of the Australian
government to support Indonesia to take East Timor by force. Three Portuguese journalists who
were in Balibo with the Australian party left for Dili the day before the massacre, having failed
to persuade the others of their dangerous situation.
If the Australian government made any attempt to warn the journalists of the danger they faced,
it was ineffective. Dunn argues that the government then put large amounts of effort into attempts
to cover up the part it played in the men’s deaths. The coroner found that there was no evidence
that the Australian authorities were forewarned that the journalists were about to be killed.
Since the inquest, there’s been renewed interest in the fate of Roger East, an Australian jour-
nalist who stayed in East Timor after the 1975 invasion to investigate the fate of the Balibo Five.
Witnesses say he was led down to the Dili waterfront with hundreds of others and shot by the
Indonesian army.
There have been several books about the massacre, including Death in Balibo, Lies in Canberra,
by Desmond Ball and Hamish McDonald, and Cover-Up: The Inside Story of the Balibo Five, by Jill
Joliffe. A film called Balibo, starring Anthony LaPaglia and based on Joliffe’s book, went into
production in mid-2008.

where the journalists were killed; they had
stayed their final few nights in this house, but
had retreated to a house beyond the square as
the Indonesians advanced. Displays cover the
incident and there’s a photo of one of the five,
Gene Shackleton, painting an Australian flag
on the side of the building in the vain hope
it would dissuade the Indonesians from at-
tacking. You can see the ghostly outline of
the flag protected by glass on the side of the
building today.
The square still has its now typically shabby
Indonesian Integrasi Monument, showing a © Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
Timorese peasant exuberantly breaking free
of the ropes of Portuguese bondage. restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
From Balibo the road drops steadily down only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
from the hills to reach the coast at Batugade, everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying
14km downhill. It’s mostly in good shape.
the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’
 © Lonely Planet Publications
70 71

South of Dili
Heading south is the easiest way to get a quick change of scenery and weather from Dili.
The hills have grand views back over the capital and islands beyond. As you climb, the
temperature falls by the minute. Soon you’ll be sweat-free and loving it.

The scenery is a lush mix of coffee plantations (this is the heart of East Timor’s famed
coffee industry), fruit trees and dense forest mixed with wide valleys. You are often liter-
ally up in the clouds all the way to the south coast, especially in the old colonial town of
Maubisse. You can climb further above the clouds for yet more views at Mt Ramelau, the
highest peak in the country.

The south coast is a mixture of beaches and salt marshes. It’s thinly populated and as rug-
ged as the roads themselves. In the southwest corner, Suai slumbers on, though constantly
rumoured to be the base of East Timor’s foray into the offshore oil fields.
SOUTH OF DILI

SOUTH OF DILI
HIGHLIGHTS SOUTH OF DILI
You can easily reach Suai and the south coast from Dili in a day, including a few stops. But most
people will want to pause longer in Maubisse (p73) and include a climb of nearby Mt Ramelau
(p73). The road splits and goes through Ainaro and Same before rejoining near the coast. If you
are planning to return pretty much the way you came, you can visit both. Otherwise pick one
and create a circle that includes a return over the magnificent road north of Zumalai to Bobonaro
(see p68). Roads along the south coast can be impassable, so check before you set out. Getting
to Suai is not impossible, although heading east to Natabora often is.
 72 SOUTH OF DILI •• Dili to Aileu lonelyplanet.com Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels SOUTH OF DILI •• Maubisse 73

0 20 km a traditional high-peaked house perched above Dili–Maubisse buses all pass through Aileu; Maubisse Parish Church (per person US$15) About
SOUTH OF DILI 0 12 miles
the road. An unmarked turn-off 7km before the fare is US$1.50. South of Aileu the road 1km north of the market area you’ll see the
Manleo
Omba
r Stra
it To Atauro Island
Nicolau Lobato
Cape
Fatucama Bob's Aileu runs west to Ermera (see p68). This enters a broad valley carpeted with rice pad- town’s grand church. A separate building
Rock
International Airport
DILI
Metinaro road is pretty rugged but it’s popular with dies and accented with cacti. with broad views of the terraced church
Maubara Liquiçá Aipelo Dare hardy mountain bikers who start up here and, grounds and valley beyond has five im-
Railaco
hours of wild riding later, end up on the coast MAUBISSE maculately clean rooms, each with its own
Ermera Gleno
Aileu road west of Dili. About 70km south of Dili, the small town of bathroom. The parishioners extend a warm
Loes
River
Laclubar
Maubisse sits at more than 1400m in rugged welcome and don’t be surprised if someone
Letefoho AILEU mountains and is surrounded by spectacular hands you a beer.
Maubisse
Cailaco
Hatubuilico
The road from Dili drops into a fertile high- scenery. Apart from long walks, Maubisse has There are a couple of very plain places
Aituto
Atsabe
Mt Ramelau land valley and the town of Aileu, which is few attractions, but this old hill town makes around the car park and bus stop area at
Maliana Marobo (2963m)
Ainaro surrounded by rice paddies and garden plots. a delightful break from the heat of the coast the front of the market that offer meals for
Same
Bobonaro This reasonably large town, 47km south of and is a peaceful, cool spot to relax. In July around US$1. The Warung Naroma of-
INDONESIA
Dili, is the capital of the regency of the same and August it can actually get quite chilly. fers local coffee (kopi) that’s a life-saver on
WEST TIMOR
Zumalai Cassa name. The circular houses with conical roofs The views are stunning from the Pousada days when the clouds close in and it gets
Lolotoi
Betano are typical of the Mambai people found all the Maubisse (see below), a fine old Portuguese downright cold.
Fatalolik
way from Dili to the south coast. guesthouse, and ruins of the old fort walls terrace
Suai TIMOR SEA There are few points of interest in Aileu, the side of the hill. Getting There & Away
Tilomar
apart from a very large monument to a massa- Maubisse’s large market is at its most active As everywhere in East Timor, buses from Dili
cre of local Portuguese citizens by the invad- on Sunday, when villagers come from miles to Maubisse (US$2, about three hours) tend to
DILI TO AILEU ing Japanese in 1942. Aileu was a centre for around to sell elaborate displays of carrots, depart early in the morning. Later buses may
From the southern outskirts of Dili the Fretilin activity, particularly in the first few garlic, bananas, beans and more. A few market finish in Aileu, where you should be able to
road immediately begins to climb. You’ll years after the Indonesian takeover. traders sell tais (traditional woven articles), find a mikrolet (minibus) going through to
pass a rather large pink erection, which is After Aileu the road climbs again and runs but most are from Bobonaro (see p68), and Maubisse. Return buses finish around noon
the Chinese-funded and grandiose new through the mountains 25km to Maubisse. the prices are high. (perhaps later on Sunday and Friday market
presidential palace. Look for plant vendors Restaurante Zery (dishes US$2-6) has easily the At the bottom of the hill where the pousada days), or you could take a mikrolet to Aileu
all along the road, selling pots brimming best vittles you’ll find south of Dili. This sits is a memorial to victims of the Japanese and then another to Dili. Buses and mikrolets
with bougainvillea. bright and cheery open-air place has clean occupation in 1943. The road south past the also go to Ainaro, Same and Suai.
Between the 9km and 10km markers (dis- tablecloths and napkins, amenities not to market heads downhill a few kilometres to
tance from Dili), at Dare in the Fatunaba Hills, be taken lightly. The menu has a number of some traditional Mambai villages. MT RAMELAU
is an Australian War Memorial. It was built by the Portuguese classics, a legacy of the UN forces We’d say that climbing this peak is the high
2/2 Independent Company, the Australian from the country who were stationed here Sleeping & Eating point of many people’s trips to East Timor,
guerrilla unit otherwise known as Sparrow around independence. Caldo verde (a rich Pousada Maubisse (%724 9567; r US$20-100) This but you’d think we were joking. About 10km
Force (see p75), which held out against the soup) leads a menu that includes chicken and old pousada (inn) was once the governor’s south of Maubisse by a kilometre marker
Japanese in 1942–43. It’s easy to miss because French fries (frango no churrasco and batata residence; it has a great location with grand stone, an unmarked road turns off west to
SOUTH OF DILI

SOUTH OF DILI
there’s only a small plaque at the roadside and frita), sweet and sour pork (porco agridoce) views. It’s on the hill directly above the town the village of Hatubuilico, 18km from the main
a small shelter. In 1968, surviving members of or a fine chow mein (chaumin). You can even and is impossible to miss. Take the road next road along a fairly rough road. Hatubuilico
the Sparrow Force built a school here com- wash your meal down with a glass of red wine to the market, from where it is 800m to the is the base for climbing 2963m-high Mt
plete with that Australian essential: a swim- (vinho tinto). top; the name ‘Pousada Maubisse’ is arched Ramelau (Gunung Tatamailau), the highest
ming pool. It was damaged in 1999 and the In the same block there are several bare- across the road at the bottom. The eight peak in Timor.
pool was filled in as there was no money to bones chicken-and-rice places that don’t come rooms have private bathroom with hot water The hike up Mt Ramelau is a steady, long
maintain it, although Sparrow Force alumni close to competing. when the power’s on and are clean, although haul to the top, rather than a steep climb, and
money helped rebuild the school. Spurred by plain. The cheaper rooms are in two blocks takes 2½ to three hours if you start right in
the Alola Foundation (see p19), there’s now slightly below the main pousada, where the Hatubuilico village at 1950m. If you have a
a plan to build a new school and include a ROAD CONDITIONS more expensive and slightly more luxurious 4WD you can continue out of the village along
memorial and museum to WWII. South of Dare, the roads become a very rooms are located. There’s a lounge, a res- a trail that in general is no worse – or better
Great views abound from here over Dili mixed bag. Stretches of well-sealed roads taurant and bar, while outside, apart from for that matter – than the road all the way
and across the sea to Atauro Island. The play suddenly change to rough areas where sec- the fine views, there are simple gardens. into the village. After 2.5km you will reach
of light from storms, clouds and sunny areas tions have been washed down cliffs and The restaurant has a Portuguese-influenced a meadow at 2280m, from where it’s only a
is mesmerising. The road continues to climb what remains is mostly potholed. As al- menu heavy on steak (mains US$9). This is two-hour walk to the top (1½ hours if you’re
through dense eucalyptus forest, which in the ways you’re limited by the lowest common a popular – even romantic – escape from in a hurry).
morning is shrouded in fog at higher altitudes. denominator, so although some parts are Dili, although not recommended for affairs The trail is a wide walking path, with plenty
Some of the best viewpoints are 28km to 34km good, other parts require 4WD. And some as you’re likely to see someone you know. of evidence of use by horses, and very easy to
from Dili. A few small villages are spaced out parts may not be passable at all. Rates are lowest midweek, climbing high for follow. At about 2700m there’s a site where
along the road, and 14km before Aileu there’s Saturday night. open-air religious services are held. The top
 74 SOUTH OF DILI •• Aituto Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels SOUTH OF DILI •• Betano 75

is marked by a 3m-high statue of the Virgin Mary.
When not shrouded in clouds, the views are
superb: south all the way to the coast and if the
weather is clear, north out to Atauro Island
off the coast from Dili.
The walk from the summit does not take
much more than an hour to the meadow and
two hours all the way down to the village.
Bring a coat because it can get very windy and
cold at the top at any time, and if you climb
at night for the sunrise it can be freezing. The
trails are also often wet and muddy.
Sleeping & Eating
Pousada Alecrim Namrau (%724 9567; Rua Gruta
Ramelau Hun 1; r per person US$10) In Hatubuilico,
stay at this five-room inn, where meals can
be arranged for US$2. The uniquely decorated
guesthouse (who knew you could do that with
stuffed animals?) is run by the village chief,
who can arrange a guide (US$5) to get you
up the mountain – and up at 3am in time to
reach the peak for sunrise.
Shops sell only basic supplies so bring food
with you. There’s a very colourful market in
the village twice a week; Timorese come from
all around this mountain district, many of
them arriving by pony.
Getting There & Away
The easiest way to reach Hatubuilico is to
charter a mikrolet in Maubisse and get it to
wait for you, which costs around US$20 to
US$30. Getting back can be a problem as there
is no regular public transport. You might have
to walk the 18km back to the main road. You
SOUTH OF DILI
many traditional houses with thatched roofs,
topped by ritual posts that were decorated
with buffalo and goat horns. There are great
views of the mountains from here.
AINARO
The trip to Ainaro, 40km south of Maubisse,
is stunning, with fantastic views of the sur-
rounding mountains and the wide valley de-
scending towards the south coast. Ainaro is
the capital of the regency of the same name,
and is an orderly, well-laid-out town with a
large, eye-catching Portuguese church and a few
other Portuguese buildings. There is a monu-
ment to Don Aleixo Corte Real (1886–1943),
a Portuguese patriot who led a revolt against
the Japanese during WWII, but was captured
and killed.
Continue 400m west past the church;
on the right side of the road is Hospedaria &
Restaurante Gabmenis (r per person from US$10),
which has simple rooms. The other choice
for food is the very basic Restaurante Vila Clara
(meals from US$1). To find this establishment
continue through town; it’s on the right just
past the centre, en route to Cassa and the
south coast.
Direct buses run from Dili (US$3) and south
to Suai (similar fares); mikrolets run between
Ainaro and Maubisse (around US$1.50).
SAME
Same is 43km from Maubisse along a scenic
route. Given a choice between driving through
Ainaro and here to the south, Same prob-
ably wins. The road clings to the curvaceous
during the late 19th and early 20th centu-
ries. During the Portuguese era there used
to be a pousada at Same, and the town also
had a small airstrip servicing regular flights
from Dili. In those days the road was very
rough, and buses from Dili could take up to
10 hours to make the short trip across the
central mountains.
Friends of Same (www.friendsofsame.org),
a group based in Melbourne, Australia, is a
good example of what small initiatives can
achieve. Working closely with the community
the organisation has helped fund education
and assisted many people locally.
Mikrolets run between Maubisse and Same
at a cost of about US$1.
Sleeping & Eating
Hotel & Restaurant Same (s/d US$25/35; h kitchen
8am-10pm) Just south of the town centre, this
hotel will make you wish the owners would
consider franchising. The 12 rooms are spot-
less and have big beds and private bathroom.
There are fans and hole-free screens on the
windows. The restaurant has a good menu
of curries and standards, such as mie goreng
(meals US$3 to US$4). A genuinely cold Tiger
beer is US$2.
Talik Café (meals US$1.25-1.50) Close to the
roundabout right in the town centre. It offers
a choice of fried rice (nasi goreng), fried noo-
dles (mie goreng) and similar dishes. Simple
rooms may be available here.
BETANO
Betano is a coastal village with a long sweep
of black-sand beach. This was where the
Australian Sparrow Force guerrillas (see
below) were evacuated at the end of their
campaign during WWII. Fragments of the
destroyer HMAS Voyager, which was lost
here in 1942, can still be seen close to the
beach, and there’s good snorkelling. Where
the road south from Same arrives at the coast
there’s a long sweep of black-sand beach and
an Indonesian memorial to all the roads they
built in the 1980s.
From Same in the central mountains the
road south is in surprisingly good condition
as it descends steadily for 24km to Betano.
Regular mikrolets do the 40-minute trip from
Same for about US$1.
Thirteen kilometres south of Same and
11km before Betano, a road branches off west
to Zumalai and Suai.
EAST OF BETANO
Heading east from Betano, the road along the
coast runs through coastal swamps. Flooded
each wet season, this area is known as Sungai
Clere and is rich with wildlife, including a
plethora of birds such as cockatoos and in-
digenous pigeons. The latter enjoy the small
blue fruits produced in profusion by the huge
Canarium trees. With roots radiating in all
directions, these impressive growths dominate
the swamps. The entire 30,000-hectare region

can simplify things by arranging a visit with
one of the tour companies in Dili.
AITUTO
The road south from Maubisse has spectacu-
lar scenery and climbs through coffee planta-
tions into more open country before reaching
a fork 13km from Maubisse. To the east the
road heads down to Same, while the road to
the right goes southwest to Ainaro.
The small village of Aituto, with many
traditional thatched-roof houses, is just north of
the fork in the road from Maubisse. A fine
whitewashed church perches above the road.
Beside it is a beautifully constructed, tradi-
tional circular building on stilts, with a conical
thatched roof. The building is elaborately
carved and painted. During the Portuguese
era in particular, the village was noted for its
SOUTH OF DILI
BETANO & SPARROW FORCE
hillsides, passing through coffee plantations,
Betano played a key role in the struggle of the Australian guerrilla unit known as Sparrow Force
which often squeeze up against both sides of
against the Japanese during WWII. For two months up to 18 April 1942 there had been no con-
the road and sometimes reduce it to a single
tact with the Australian forces operating behind the Japanese lines in East Timor. Radio contact
lane. Bananas and oranges grow everywhere.
was re-established on that night and, after attempts to supply soldiers by parachute drops were
A naive shrine and cross set in boulders over-
unsuccessful and abandoned, Australian navy vessels began to bring in supplies from Darwin.
looks the road at a scenic point about halfway
Between May and September supplies landed at Betano on 10 occasions, by HMAS Kuru, Vigilant
between Maubisse and Same.
and Kalgoorlie.
A few kilometres before Same a small shrine
On 22 September the destroyer HMAS Voyager arrived off Betano with 15 tons of supplies,
on the east side of the road commemorates
thousands of dollars worth of silver coins and 450 troops to reinforce Sparrow Force. Unfortunately
six Timorese ‘barbaramente assassinados
the Voyager ran aground during the unloading manoeuvre and was eventually abandoned; wreck-
pela Fretilin en 27 1 1976’. It’s a reminder
age from the ship can still be seen from the beach at Betano today. The crew were all rescued
that not all the brutality inflicted on East
by other Australian navy vessels.
Timor was a result of the Indonesian inva-
As more Japanese troops were moved into Timor the decision was made to withdraw Sparrow
sion; there was some nasty Timorese blood-
Force. The Dutch destroyer Tjerk Hiddes made three trips to Timor in mid-December and took off
letting as the various factions struggled for
950 Australian, Portuguese and Dutch personnel. Another 300 were evacuated by HMAS Arunta in
control while the Portuguese rule came to its
January 1943, and the final stragglers were taken off in the submarine USS Gudgeon in February.
messy conclusion.
Unfortunately there was harsh retribution for the locals left behind. Hundreds if not thousands
This was a centre for the revolts led by
were killed by the Japanese for collaborating with the Australians.
Boaventura, Same’s liurai (native ruler),

76 SOUTH OF DILI •• Zumalai
has been designated as a protected zone. The
oft-mentioned Timorese crocodile is said to
live in these waters (see below).
Once past the wetlands, the road turns,
then runs parallel to the coast to Natarbora
and Viqueque (p56). There is not a lot to see
and the road is in dire condition. Numerous
unbridged rivers make this route impassable
during the wet season. It takes a few hours
from Betano to Natarbora, and at least an-
other four hours from there to Viqueque. The
road north from Natarbora to Manatuto is
also a challenge.
ZUMALAI
Zumalai is an important crossroad. The
pretty road from Bobonaro (see p68) south-
east over the hills ends here. From the east,
the road from Cassa (where the routes from
Dili via Ainaro and Same merge) should be
a vital link but there are a few problems.
Most notably the road simply vanishes at
a wide river crossing just east of Zumalai.
About half of a huge Indonesian-era bridge
across the Ailua River has been washed away.
Vehicles breeze across the surviving spans
and then must literally fjord the waters to
reach the other side. Because of the river
flow there are no tracks to follow, so vehicles
gingerly wander through the waters looking
for places shallow enough to preclude catas-
trophe. Keep your windows open should you
need to bail out.
The town of Zumalai itself is small and
nondescript. From here the road 30km west
to Suai is smooth in parts and quite rough
SOUTH OF DILI
CROC HUNTING
Should you see any body of water in East
Timor that’s not the ocean you can count
on a local to tell you that crocodiles live
there. Neat! you think, crocs! Well there’s
one small problem: for all the talk about
crocs, not many Timorese have seen them.
Yes they exist, but if there were as many
as people claim, the odds of you surviv-
ing a walk near water would be about the
same as those for a chicken tossed into a
croc cage at a fun park. So when some-
body tells you about crocs in East Timor,
just ask them: ‘Have you ever seen one?’
(Note that some are kept in fenced com-
pounds in Dili.)
lonelyplanet.com
in others. A paving machine that appears to
have self-destructed by the side of the road
speaks volumes.
SUAI
Capital of the Covalima regency, Suai is a
sprawling collection of mostly Tetun villages.
It’s an interesting place with a pretty beach
area. Should oil exploration begin in earnest
in the Timor Sea there are plans to base some
of it here.
During the Indonesian era this was a trans-
migrasi area; large sums were spent to create
a town that could house Indonesian immi-
grants from other islands who would help
begin to make the place less Timorese. Today
broad and crumbling avenues – plus a number
of silly statues – are the major artefacts of
this scheme.
The last large town along the south coast
before the Indonesian border, Suai is a rather
confusing place since it’s a port that’s not
strictly on the coast. Approaching from the
east, the road forks about 4km before the
town; the left fork runs to Suai Loro on the
coast, while the right fork heads inland to the
town of Suai itself. To reach Debos, the town
centre of Suai, take the right-hand fork until
you reach a roundabout with a cartoonish
Indonesian statue, a police station and hotel
about 3km along the road. Turn right here
and then right again; Debos sits atop a hill
1.3km from the roundabout and about 5km
inland from the sea.
In September 1999, during the violence fol-
lowing the independence referendum, more
than 100 people, including three Catholic
priests, were massacred by militia beside the
wooden Ava Maria church in Debos where they
had sought refuge. Just past the market there’s
a memorial to the three priests: Francisco
Soares, Tarsisius Dewanto and Hilario
Madeira. Nearby is the oddly militaristic-
looking and unfinished Suai Cathedral; work
has stalled on this grandiose extravagance. A
great deal of damage was caused around the
town centre in the upheavals, from which Suai
is still struggling to recover.
Suai Loro
Suai Loro (South Suai) is a poor, traditional
village with a spectacular black-sand beach
and expansive vistas. At low tide, rock pools
can be explored and at high tide there’s good
swimming, but currents can be treacherous in
Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels
places. Nearby are the remains of a Portuguese
fort. On the way to Suai Loro the road passes
salty marshes where women crouch in tiny
lean-tos, stoking fires under large tin trays
of water from which salt is extracted. This
area especially is known for its claims of huge
crocodiles (see opposite).
Around Suai
Mikrolets run from the Debos market to vil-
lages in the district. An interesting trip can
be made north to the mountains and Tilomar,
which has an old residence of the Portuguese
governor, and superb views over Suai and
the coast. Further on is Fatalulik, which has a
large, three-level traditional house with hand-
carved posts and beams bound together in
a stylish rope pattern. A fertility goddess is
carved into one panel of the wall.
Sleeping & Eating
Suai once had several hotels and a few good
places to eat. Most were destroyed in 1999; you
can see the remains of a few cottages down by
the beach. Choices these days are slim.
Eastern Dragon (r US$40-55; a) This place is
big with the NGO and UN white-SUV crowd,
who are anxious to find some air-con at the
end of the road. However, it’s in pretty rough
condition and hard to recommend. Instead
of a mint on our pillow we found a turd in
our toilet. Many lights don’t work and the
poorly fitted windows might as well have a
‘welcome’ sign for mosquitoes. However, the
© Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
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© Lonely Planet Publications
S O U T H O F D I L I • • S u a i 77
restaurant (mains US$6) in a separate well-
screened octagon does redeem things a bit. It
has a full bar and decent Chinese food. The
breakfasts are cooked to order and quite tasty.
A small grocery is the only one of its kind on
the south coast.
Religious compound (r US$10) For spotless ac-
commodation in pretty grounds, the Canossian
nuns at this compound in Debos have simple
rooms with four beds.
The nearby market has a couple of very
basic warungs (foodstalls), with vendors sell-
ing a lot of beans and nuts. Political graffiti
in English shows that the locals are not only
aware of Australia’s tough negotiating tac-
tics for the oilfields offshore but that they
don’t approve.
Getting There & Away
From Dili take a bus or mikrolet south to
Maubisse and either Ainaro or Same to
Zumalai. From there catch a mikrolet to Suai.
The trip should cost about US$5 and take
all day.
Getting Around
Fairly regular mikrolets run to the various
centres situated around Suai and then down
to the beach. Mikrolets to places like Tilomar
and Fatalulik will take an hour or two and
cost from US$1. There’s also a collection of
motorcycle jockeys hanging around the mar-
ket; negotiate a fare (US$2 to US$3) and hop
on the back.
SOUTH OF DILI
 © Lonely Planet Publications
78 lonelyplanet.com ATAU R O I S L A N D • • H i s t o r y 79

HISTORY ATAURO ISLAND 0 3 km

Atauro Island
0 2 miles
Like the rest of East Timor, Atauro’s popu-
lation is predominantly Christian, but it’s
not 95% Catholic like everywhere else. Here
North
Protestants outnumber Catholics, and the Point
animism that always underlies East Timor’s Bruce's Drop Off Akrema

Christianity is particularly strong. Some vil- Two Mile Reef

Fatu'u

lages (like Beloi) are predominantly Protestant, Baroana

Enticingly close to Dili, Atauro Island’s siren song can especially be heard when the capital while others (like Vila) are mainly Catholic. It
seems just too steamy, dirty and loud. was only after WWII that Catholicism first ar-
rived on the island. The large Protestant per- Adara
Pala
The 140-sq-km island, which can be reached by ferry or fishing boat, stretches about 25km centage is an important link to the Christian
north to south and is very thinly populated by 8000 people who mostly live in two villages regions of Indonesia, where the population Clam
on the island’s east side, where the only road is. Life here is hard and even in good times also tends to be Protestant. Frank's Crack
Cove

The Portuguese used Atauro as a prison Table Top Beloi

there’s just enough food to go around. But the flip side is that the isolation has also kept
island in the late 16th century, not long after Atekru
many of East Timor’s tensions of the last decade away. The atmosphere is very relaxed and, they first moved into Timor. The location
although it’s clear everyone is poor, they don’t seem desperately so. of the underground prison they constructed Big Fish
Hood's Reef
Makar
in Vila may be pointed out to visitors, but Rock Tua Koin

There are two small and delightful places to stay on Atauro. At either you’ll have time there’s nothing to be seen. On 27 August Anartutu
Vila
Mt Manucoco
to do virtually nothing while you work up the energy for some amazing diving, remote 1975, when the UDT versus Fretilin civil war Shark
Point
(995m)

trekking or intensive reading. swept the island, but still more than three
months before the Indonesian invasion, the Berau
Makili

The land is not densely wooded, large areas are arid and there’s little water. People get Portuguese governor and his administration
by with wells, and electricity is only found in the two main towns, Vila and Beloi, and then fled to Atauro. This was the final chapter of
450 years of Portuguese colonial history. They
only for a few hours.
were still there when the Indonesians arrived
If you like a place where the water is so clear you can see the fish as you arrive, where on 7 December, complete with two modern
corvettes, the João Roby and the Alfonso
you can stay in a simple, thatched beachside hut and where your day’s activities are simply Cerqueira, which would probably have been
up to you, then you’ll love Atauro, where days can turn into weeks. a match for any of the Indonesian warships.
The next day they slunk off to Darwin. Later
Atauro is directly north of Dili, 30km across the Wetar Strait. Its land is similar to the the Indonesians held as many as 3000 prison-
adjacent Indonesian islands of Alor to the west and Wetar to the east. The people are from ers on the island between 1981 and 1986.
three clans – the Adade, Humungili and Manroni – and as well as Tetun, they speak three The 1999 Indonesian violence that devas-
local dialects. tated the mainland had less effect on Atauro,
although close to the jetty at Beloi a memo-
rial records that Antonio Pacheco, the village
chief, was killed on 22 September 1999. The
people remain conservative here. This is a
place to dress modestly, except maybe when
you’re in the water.
AROUND THE ISLAND
Villages are scattered around the coast with
one village, Anartutu, high on the slopes of Mt
ATAURO HIGHLIGHTS Manucoco. The biggest village is Vila (formerly
You can visit Atauro as part of a day trip on the weekly Saturday sailing of the ferry Nakroma. known as Maumeta), which has a number of
ATAURO ISLAND
Dugong Bay
Wetar Strait
To Dili
the mountains. There’s fine coral directly off-
shore from Vila and Beloi. The coral reef ex-
tends most of the way down the east coast and
along the northern stretch of the west coast.
Dugongs, turtles and white-tip reef sharks, as
well as a varied assortment of colourful reef
fish and pelagics, are often seen around the
island. It’s not unusual to see dolphins and
pilot whales between Atauro and the main
island of Timor.
South of Vila, the village of Makili is one
of the most creative in East Timor. Wooden
statues are carved here, and the villagers are
also expert basketmakers. Walet birds, the
swifts whose nests are collected for bird’s
nest soup, nest in the cliffs overlooking the
village. There’s a fine white-sand beach at
Lampia near Makili.
Atauro’s mountainous spine runs the entire

You’ll have about four hours to see the two main towns and walk the beach a bit. But to really Portuguese buildings and is the site of the
appreciate the place, stay longer so you can enjoy either or both of the two places to stay. The old Portuguese underground prison. The is-
walks into the hills and along the coast away from Vila and Beloit are rewarding, especially if land’s main market is held here on Fridays.
done outside the arid afternoons. Suss out your underwater equipment and enjoy time in the The streets are shady and make for a good,
crystal-clear waters. Swimming and dive spots abound, many reachable by chartered fishing boat. mellow stroll.
Comforts are few on Atauro, but it rewards the self-sufficient. Beloi has the main jetty on the island, and
from here you can walk to Ekmonu, a spring in
ATAURO ISLAND
length of the island and reaches its highest
point at Mt Manucoco (995m). You can climb
the mountain in about three hours from Vila,
and there are views of both east and west
coasts from the summit. Anartutu, the moun-
tain village, is noted for its traditional weavers.
The villagers also carve wooden bowls, play
 © Lonely Planet Publications
80 ATAU R O I S L A N D • • S c u b a D i v i n g & S n o r k e l l i n g
traditional musical instruments and make
knives and metal tools in a small foundry.
On the south coast of the island, the village
of Berau sits on a pretty little bay.
At the northern end of the island the 4WD
road from Beloi ends at Pala. A little to the
north there’s fine coral offshore at Baroana,
where divers may be able to find fragments
of a crashed WWII Japanese aircraft. Continue
further north to Akrema, which has a fine
white-sand beach.
The west coast of the island is very beauti-
ful and very isolated. Although you can walk
across the island or around the coast, it’s
easier to reach the west coast’s lonely hamlets
by sea. They include Fatu’u, Adara, Atekru, with
its sacred stone ‘drum’, and Makar near cliffs
where walet birds nest.
SCUBA DIVING & SNORKELLING
Check with the Dili dive shops (p43) for regu-
lar trips out to Atauro Island. There are dive
sites all around the island, although the most
popular ones are along the west coast. The
principal sites include Two Mile Reef and Bruce’s
Drop Off to the north of the west coast. Further
south there’s Big Fish Rock and Shark Point, while
Dugong Bay is towards the southeast point.
Schools of dolphins and pilot whales may be
encountered between the island and Dili, al-
though like the crocodile, there’s a lot more
talk than action here. Dugongs (manatees),
the large lumbering sea cows, are regularly
seen around the island, and for a couple
of months a year humpback whales make
an appearance.
If you have your own equipment, you can
stay on Atauro and charter fishing boats to
take you to dive spots around the island. The
sleeping places can help you.
SLEEPING & EATING
Atauro has two sleeping options that are
almost clichés of the remote beach escape.
Both are very simple, have shared outdoor
bathrooms and rooms less than 60 seconds
from the surf. At either you must book in
advance as food on the island is so limited that
ATAURO ISLAND
arrangements will have to be made so you can
Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels 81
eat (meals cost from US$4). You can always
ask what you can bring from the Dili super-
markets before heading over. Don’t expect to
find much for sale here.
Tua Kóin Eco-Village (%723 6085; www.atauroisland
.com; per person Sun-Thu US$13, per person Fri & Sat US$15)
Eight simple thatched-roof cabins are located
in this shady compound on the beach north
of Vila. Operated by Atauro’s NGO, Roman
Luan, this ecovillage runs on solar power,
recycles grey water and has a great beachfront
setting with minor dunes and grasses add-
ing interest. The open-air common area has
games and intoxicating views. A gift shop sells
dark-wood carvings from Makili. The website
is a fantastic source of local info.
Nemas ( % 723 6084; r per person US$15) Just
north of the ferry dock in Beloi. Run by an
Australian named Barry and his extended
Timorese family, there are four sun-drenched
thatched cabins right on the beach (one he
calls his writer’s cabin has idyllic views from
an upper level). The food is quite tasty and, as
Barry says, ‘depending on what’s in the market
it’s lobster one day, rice and beans the next’.
GETTING THERE & AWAY
The island of Atauro is 30km directly
north of Dili. The Nakroma ferry (Map pp36-7;
%728 09638; Av de Portugal, Dili) departs from Dili
every Saturday at 9am and returns at 4pm,
taking two hours each way. Fares in ‘business
class’ (meaning those charged to foreigners)
are US$5 each way. There’s a good concrete
jetty in Beloi, so you can walk right ashore.
A fishing boat also makes the run between
Vila and Dili (US$10, three hours) several
days a week depending on tides. Check details
with one of the accommodation places.
GETTING AROUND
Only Vila and Beloi are linked by road. This
6km bit of tarmac is served by constantly shut-
tling trucks. Flag any down, the cost is about
US$2. If arriving by ferry, scramble aboard the
first one you see before it fills up with chick-
ens, kids and bags of rice. You can arrange for
fishing boats to take you to places around the
ATAURO ISLAND
island, otherwise you’ll be trekking.
© Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying
the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’
 © Lonely Planet Publications
OECUSSI 80 81

OECUSSI
Oecussi
Welcome to one of the most peaceful slices of East Timor. Wait, that’s an understatement.
This 2700-sq-km remote enclave, surrounded on three sides by Indonesian West Timor, a
series of jagged mountain ranges and fronted by the sea, feels like one of the most peaceful
places on earth. Oecussi’s sweet cocktail of wild beauty, isolation, a deliciously slow pace and
the incredible warmth of the mostly Dawan population, whose traditional conical-shaped
lopo and ume kebubu houses dot the landscape from the peaks to the shore, oozes serenity.
There’s a reason the international members of the current occupation force (the UN) consider
this assignment to be a ‘five-star mission’, and it ain’t the luxury lodging.

Pantemakassar is the main population centre, but its deserted, dusty, counter-intuitively
wide streets see far more goat traffic than vehicular movement. The rest of the 50,000 or so
inhabitants are huddled in traditional villages scattered throughout the coastal mountains
and along the Tono River.

When Dominican missionaries settled here in 1556, Oecussi became the first Portuguese
colony in Timor, and this is where Catholicism initially took hold on the island. Portugal
moved its colonial capital to Dili nearly 200 years later, but Oecussi remains aligned with
Dili, regardless of the fact that geographically, culturally, linguistically and economically,
Oecussi actually has closer ties to Indonesian West Timor than East Timor. Alas, religion has
once again trumped logic, and today, travel between these three distinct territories is a bit
complex. Nevertheless, Oecussi is well worth a detour, and if you do make the effort, you
will be handsomely rewarded.
 82 OECUSSI •• History lonelyplanet.com Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels O E C U S S I • • G e t t i n g T h e re & A w a y 83

HISTORY east of town on Pantai Mahata and extends Lily Homestay (Jl Integrasi; r US$10) Friendly Lily
OECUSSI

0 20 km

OECUSSI
A band of Dominican brothers first settled
at Lifau in 1556, on the coast 5km west of
Pantemakassar, but it was not until 1656 that
Oecussi became a colony with a Portuguese
administrator. In 1701 a governor from Lisbon
was appointed, but the Topasses who control-
led Lifau drove out his administration. The
Portuguese returned but, due to the local in-
OECUSSI
0 12 miles
past a stunning red rock headland. There are has by far the best food (think tasty chicken,
beached wooden fishing boats, swaying co- beef or fish dinners, with potatoes and salad;
SAWU SEA conut palms, and if you get lucky you might meals US$5), and a guesthouse with shared
To Dili
see pods of dolphins and migrating orcas and mandi and washroom facilities.
Sacato pilot whales. Snorkellers should jump off the Hotel Oecussi (r US$7) Just across the main
Pantemakassar
(Oecussi town) old wharf at the abandoned Japanese Peace road from the beach, west of town. The loca-
Lifau
Mt Sapo
(1253m) Keepers Compound. The barnacled pillars be- tion is gorgeous with both sea and mountain
Padiae
neath the surface have become a thriving reef views but, sadly, the place is filthy and doesn’t

Ton
Pasar Tono
surgency and a rash of attacks by Dutch forces attracting butterfly fish, huge trevally, and serve meals.

o
Mt Numas
River (1016m)
that were conquering present-day Indonesia Citrana
resident white-tip and grey sharks.
at the time, finally abandoned the colony in Mt Manoleu
(1269m)
Nitibe
Oesilo
Locals prefer to do their beachcombing GETTING THERE & AWAY
favour of Dili in 1769. iver at lovely Lifau, 5km west of Pantemakassar, Air

R
To Batugade
Although the Portuguese always laid claim (101km); which is the site of the original Portuguese The airstrip at Pantemakassar is just 1km or

to the area, it served little purpose and was
not formally part of Portuguese Timor until
the treaty of 1904 was signed with the Dutch,
and The Hague formally drew the border in
1916. Apart from a fort and a small port in
Pantemakassar, it was the forgotten part of
East Timor. In 1911 a rebellion broke out
against Portuguese forced labour policies, and
the brutal Portuguese response sent many
Dawan refugees fleeing to West Timor.
Oecussi was integrated into Indonesia with-
out resistance on 29 November 1975, just one
week before Indonesia’s invasion into greater
East Timor. Despite escaping the horrors of
the independence struggle, the people were
keenly aware of events further east, and po-
litically Oecussi remained very much a part
of East Timor.
Portugal neglected Oecussi and so did
Indonesia. Although good roads were built in
the eastern part of East Timor to transport the
army, Oecussi had just one ramshackle road
from Kefamenanu to Pantemakassar and one
partly sealed coastal road. In 1999, an inferno
of political and ethnic violence, civil unrest
and terrorism swept through East Timor, and
Oecussi suffered one of the worst massacres of
all. On 8 September members of the Sakunar
militia, supported by Indonesian forces, killed
more than a dozen men from the villages of
Tumin, Kiobiselo, Nonkikan and Nibin. The
next day 70 young men were marched out of
the village of Imbate to Passabe where they
were murdered.
PANTEMAKASSAR
Pantemakassar, aka Oecussi town, is a be-
guiling coastal town, a conglomeration of
thatched and rusted tin roofs, cradled by
groves of banana and coconut palms, and
mango and papaya trees. Its wide roads are
i
es
No B Dili via Atambua
el
Passabe
INDONESIA
WEST TIMOR Eban
To Soe (37km);
Kupang (134km)
scattered with goats, cows, pedestrians and
the occasional vehicle (most of which are
white UN SUVs). It’s backed by red-clay
coastal mountains, and there are almost no
street lights, allowing the black night sky to
reveal endless galaxies. Pantemakassar was
the first permanent Portuguese settlement
in Timor, but the mestizo Topasses settlers
rebelled against Portuguese rule, forcing the
colonists to flee to Dili in 1769. The town
was later recaptured by the Portuguese,
who built a fort, garrison and mission. If
you aren’t up on the local dialects, do not
fret. In Pantemakassar you can get by with
broken Bahasa Indonesia, freckled with
Portuguese (or Spanish if that’s all you’ve
got), and a smile.
Information
Oecussi is part of Timor Telecom’s mobile
phone coverage.
Fernando’s General Store You can change rupiah into
US dollars at decent rates here. Directly opposite the sports
complex.
Hospital (Jl Ir Soekarno)
Post office (Rua Jose Osorio)
Timor Telecom (Rua Francisco Mousinho) A three-in-one
stop for international calls, reliable and fairly swift internet
access (per hour US$2), and minimal banking services. East
of the traffic circle.
Sights
Pantemakassar is set on a wide, grey beach,
which is good for swimming. The best stretch
of sand, and most pristine reef, begins 2km
(195km) settlement. A memorial marks the spot where
Kefamenanu
the Portuguese supposedly first landed on 18
August 1540, and a couple of cannons point
To Soe (56km);
out to sea. This is where families descend for
Kupang (154km) Sunday picnics after church.
The most interesting colonial relic is the old
garrison, known as Fatusuba, overlooking the
town from a hilltop 1.5km south. A winding
road climbs up to the decaying, thick walls
of the old fort. The gun turret on the front
west corner was once the local prison, and
miscreants were pushed down into a dank,
black hole from above. Within the courtyard
is a coral grotto housing a statue of the Virgin
Mary. Locals only visit the fort to pay their
respects to her.
The only notable colonial structure in
town is the former concelho (administrative
office) on Jl Gajah Mada, the waterfront
road. Its faded, crumbling façade contrib-
utes to Oecussi’s tumbledown romanticism.
Indonesians didn’t leave much evidence of
their occupation either, apart from yet another
tacky Integration Monument on the west side of
the town close to the waterfront. A Portuguese
Mary statue on the east side offsets it.
There isn’t much in the way of nightlife
unless you stumble into the Hard Rock Cafe
(don’t worry…it’s an impostor) within the
confines of the UN compound, though this
is for hardcore partygoers only. Proceed at
your own risk.
Sleeping & Eating
Lodging is barebones basic.
Rao Homestay (r US$10) The cleanest digs in
town are still a tad scruffy, but they can be
found a block south of the sports complex,
on the opposite side of the street. Rao has
private bathrooms and serves three meals a
day. Management is a tad surly.
so west of town, but at present only UN chop-
pers use the facility. Civilians are very rarely
granted passage (which is free, by the way),
so if you’re gonna try to hitch the hour’s ride
to Dili, make sure you’ve got a good story to
tell, or it’s the night ferry for you.
Land
You cannot enter Indonesia overland from
Oecussi at all. Indonesian visas are granted
in Dili only, which means you must fly or
sail to East Timor proper. But you can enter
Oecussi from Indonesian West Timor. From
Kupang or the East Timor border, take a
minibus to Kefamenanu, West Timor, and
charter a mikrolet to take you to the border
(about one hour). You’ll cross the border on
foot and then hire an ojek (motorcycle taxi,
US$5, one hour) to drive you down the steep
winding road to Pantemakassar on the coast.
See p91 for details on Indonesian visas for
reaching Oecussi.
Sea
The Nakroma ferry (business/economy
US$14/4) travels between Dili and Oecussi
twice a week, departing Dili on Monday and
Thursday nights and arriving in Oecussi
some 12 hours later. The return departure
is around 5:30pm the following evening.
In Pantemakassar the office is opposite the
vaguely functional dock near the Integration
Monument. You can’t miss it. See p49 and
p93 for more details.
PANTEMAKASSAR TO OESILO
From Pantemakassar the road climbs for
12km to Pasar Tono, passing through the
most fertile valley in the enclave. Not far out
of Pantemakassar, the large village of Padiae
sprawls along the road. Life is very traditional
 © Lonely Planet Publications
84 O E C U S S I • • Pa n t e m a k a s s a r t o O e s i l o lonelyplanet.com 85

in this village, which is noted for its potent From Pasar Tono the road crosses the wide
OECUSSI

palm wine, known as sopi in Indonesian.
Villagers are warm and welcoming, so don’t
be shy if you’d like to peek inside their huts
and hang with the locals. En route to the
village of Naimeco, the extensive wet-rice
paddy fields make a glorious carpet of green
in the dry season when everything else has
died off.
Pasar Tono has a colourful produce mar-
ket that attracts villagers in traditional garb
from the hills and the beach to the luscious
shade of giant banyan trees along the Tono
River (Sungai Tono). It’s primarily a pro-
duce market so handicrafts are hard to find.
Serious buyers come early in the morning,
but the crowds linger for hours to socialise.
On other days this is just a small market with
scrappy vegetables and rows of sopi bottles
for sale. Sopi, an alcoholic drink distilled
from pandanus juice, fuels the men who
gather under the trees to play cards and the
dice game known as kupu kupu. The East
Timorese are big gamblers, and cockfights
are also regularly held.
OECUSSI
Tono River. The river carries flash floods in
the wet season, but is otherwise a nearly dry
arroyo trickling with the narrowest of chan-
nels. During the dry season vehicles bump
across the riverbed, an often-impossible task
in the wet. From the river, the road makes a
sinuous and spectacular journey up into the
mountains another 16km to Oesilo, where
the cool yet arid hills are dotted with tradi-
tional Dawan houses that have mind-blowing
mountain panoramas.
Oesilo is perched on a mountainous escarp-
ment that rings the entire Oecussi enclave,
with peaks rising to more than 1200m. The last
town before the West Timor border, Oesilo
has a Portuguese flavour noticeably different
from the Indonesian towns across the border.
Perched above the road, the town’s hospital is
a classic example of whitewashed Portuguese
architecture, and the roof is rimmed with
terracotta tiles. The route to Oesilo from
Kefamenanu, located on the main Kupang–
Soe–Atambua road, is a gorgeous rumble
beneath a range of steep, rocky peaks.

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 © Lonely Planet Publications
84 85

TDHI RU EMCBT OT RA YB
DIRECTORY

Directory
BOOK YOUR STAY ONLINE
CONTENTS
For more accommodation reviews and rec-
Accommodation 85 ommendations by Lonely Planet authors,
Activities 86 check out the online booking service at
Business Hours 87 www.lonelyplanet.com/hotels. You’ll find
Children 88 the true, insider lowdown on the best places
Climate Charts 88 to stay. Reviews are thorough and independ-
Courses 88 ent. Best of all, you can book online.
Customs Regulations 88
Electricity 88
Embassies & Consulates 88 Camping
Festivals & Events 89 East Timor has no campsites but there’s re-
Gay & Lesbian Travellers 89 ally no limit on where you can pitch a tent. In
Government Offices 89 places like Tutuala Beach, the central moun-
Holidays 89 tains and all across the south coast, your only
Insurance 89 accommodation will be a tent. Although the
Internet Access 89 weather is mild except high up in the moun-
Legal Matters 89 tains, you’ll want a tent protecting you from
Maps 89 insects and sudden rain.
Money 89 You should bring your own gear if you
Photography & Video 90 plan to travel off the beaten path, although
Post 90 Mega Tours (%723 5199; www.timormegatours.com)
Telephone 90 in Dili may be able to rent you gear for US$5
Time 90 a day.
Toilets 90
Tourist Information 90 Homestays
Travellers with Disabilities 91 Homestays happen on an ad hoc basis; you
Visas 91 may find yourself someplace where the hospi-
Volunteering 91 tality of others will be your only accommoda-
Women Travellers 91 tion. Remember, people have little, so offer to
help out in any way you can. The Timorese are
ACCOMMODATION really a gracious lot, so someone will usually
There are some good choices among the come forward with an offer if you’re in a rural
places to stay in Dili. But many of the sleep- village and it’s getting dark. The local police
ing options subsist on the long-term resi- station is always a good source of leads.
dence of expats assigned to East Timor and,
thus, haven’t felt competitive pressure to Hostels
offer decent products. Dili has East Timor Backpackers (p45),
Elsewhere, Baucau and Com have some which is the nation’s one hostel – and a very
good choices, as do Maubisse, Viqueque and good one it is too.
Lospalos and a handful of smaller places.
But don’t expect anything swank – if you get Hotels
a clean room with good mosquito nets or Dili has some very good accommodation
screens and a few hours of electricity for read- options at every price point, from budget
ing and a fan, you’re doing well. hotels (rooms for as little as US$10),
Large swathes of East Timor have no or- through midrange (US$25 to US$50) to
ganised accommodation and you’ll be on your top end (often US$100 or more). But it also
own finding a room in a home or a place has many dumps. You won’t feel like your
to camp. US$50 is going far when you find yourself
DIRECTORY 86 DIREC TORY •• Activities
in a windowless ex-shipping container or
stuffy clapped-out room where the furnish-
ings are busted and the decoration is ciga-
rette burns. Compare places, but also note
that the town can fill up fast with foreign-
ers during crises.
Outside Dili the story is not so straight-
forward. A handful of places offer better
standards (Maubisse, Baucau, Com), and
cheap family-run places have opened in a
few other locations, many of which are very
well run. Overall, though, the choice is not
wide and the standards not high. Be grateful
for getting a roof over your head.
Cheaper hotels, where they exist, may not
have running water or showers. Washing
facilities are likely to be Indonesian mandi
style, something with which travellers who
have been off the beaten track in Indonesia
will be familiar. A mandi is a large water
tank, from which you scoop water with a
ladle, jug or what looks like a plastic sauce-
pan. Once wet, you soap yourself down and
then rinse the soap off with more water
from the mandi. You certainly do not climb
into the mandi.
Religious Orders
‘Get thee to a nunnery’ is good advice when
it means an immaculate room in a peace-
ful setting. Churches and other religious
groups offer simple accommodation across
East Timor. Your vow of poverty won’t
be in danger but, for US$10 or so, you’ll
have great shelter for the night. While not
universal, you can find religious accom-
modation in Suai, Maubara, Maubisse and
other locales.
ACTIVITIES
Outside of diving, activities are pretty much
do-it-yourself, although Dili tour compa-
nies can help out. If you’re independent,
you can find excellent trekking, climbing
and cycling. One good way to find out
more is simply to hook up with people in
Dili and hear what others are doing. You
can even rent a kayak at the beach on the
east side of Dili.
MEASURING UP
East Timor uses the metric system.
lonelyplanet.com
Cycling
Reasonably good roads in most of the
country, relatively light traffic and East
Timor’s compact size mean that cycle tour-
ing could develop as an interesting way to
explore the country.
A few expats have started cycling and you
can buy a mountain bike in Dili, but for the
most part you’ll be a pioneer.
Diving & Snorkelling
Divers in the know get a bit giddy when
they talk about East Timor. It has amazing
shore diving and many people who work in
Dili dive daily before work. Elsewhere it’s
estimated that only about 10% of possible
sites have even been named. Reefs teeming
with life line the north coast and Atauro
Island. In the east, the Golden Triangle, a
vast coral reef thought to have the great-
est diversity of sea creatures on the planet,
awaits off Tutuala.
The reefs offer a colourful array of hard
and soft corals, as well as a vivid assortment
of reef fish. Pelagics – open-water species
like tuna, bonito and mackerel – are also
regularly encountered, along with harmless
reef sharks, manta rays and dolphins. There
are even dugongs, the ugly sea mammals
that are said to have been mistaken by sea-
farers for mermaids.
Diving is possible year-round, although
the conditions are smoother and the water
clearer during the March to September dry
season when visibility is typically 20m to
35m. During the wet season from October
to February visibility is still 10m to 20m.
February is probably the worst month of the
year for visibility. It picks up again by late
March, and in April visibility is once again
excellent. September is great for manta
rays and, if you’re lucky, whale sharks.
Some dive sites can experience strong cur-
rents and are more suitable for experienced
divers. The water temperature is typically
26°C to 28°C.
Nusa Tenggara, the island chain that runs
east from Bali through to Timor, is a prime
region for scuba diving, which is already
popular around the Indonesian islands of
Bali, Komodo and Flores.
Given that you can walk right into the
water in East Timor and be at a spectacular
drop-off after just a few strokes means that
lonelyplanet.com DIREC TORY •• Business Hours 87
DIRECTORY
RESPONSIBLE DIVING
Please consider the following tips when diving and help preserve the ecology and beauty of
East Timor’s largely untouched reefs:
„ Never use anchors on the reef, and take care not to ground boats on coral.
„ Avoid touching or standing on living marine organisms or dragging equipment across the reef.
„ Be conscious of your fins. Even without contact, the surge from fin strokes near the reef can
damage delicate organisms. Take care not to kick up clouds of sand, which can smother
organisms.
„ Practise and maintain proper buoyancy control. Major damage can be done by divers de-
scending too fast and colliding with the reef.
„ Resist the temptation to collect or buy coral or shells or to loot marine archaeological sites
(mainly shipwrecks).
„ Ensure that you take home all your rubbish and any litter you may find as well. Plastics in
particular are a serious threat to marine life.
„ Do not feed fish.
„ Minimise your disturbance of marine animals. Never ride on the backs of turtles.
diving will surely lead tourism development Snorkelling is equally accessible, and dive
here, with many enthusiasts migrating from operators will generally take snorkellers along
the islands to the west. on their dive trips.
Dili has two excellent dive shops (see p43)
Walking
that will be able to arrange pretty much any-
thing you wish to do, whether it be shore East Timor has a range of good walking and
trekking possibilities, which will undoubtedly
based or from a boat.
develop as tourism grows. The easy walking
Look for recommendations on where to
ascent of Mt Ramelau (see p73), the highest
dive in the Dili, West of Dili, East of Dili and
mountain in Timor, is the most popular walk
Atauro Island chapters but remember, East
at present.
Timor’s dive sites are still being named so
It’s easy to make a day trip to Mt Ramelau
there’s ample room to freelance. You can have
from Dili, although many visitors combine the
a meaningful experience one hour from Dili,
walk with an overnight stop in Maubisse.
and none of the known great sites require
Towards the eastern end of the island, Mt
more than a day trip.
Matebian (see p58) is another popular ascent,
Experienced divers with their own equip- although it’s more difficult to get to than Mt
ment can rent tanks and explore further afield. Ramelau. It would clearly be possible to walk
Check with the Dili dive shops for ways you between the north and south coast in a few
can get your air replenished at a remote days, and walks along the village routes will
spot like Tutuala – it will require some sort probably develop. There’s good walking from
of delivery. the road to Viqueque; the lodge in Ossu can
The dry season is between April and help (see p56).
October, although the water is sooo clear The Dili tour companies (see p44) can ar-
that other times are not bad at all and there’s range many different walks and treks.
not that many rivers on the north coast to
stir things up. From August to October you BUSINESS HOURS
have the best chance of seeing larger ani- Apart from Dili there are only a handful of
mals, such as sharks and rays, up close to places that keep business hours, typically of
the reefs. the 9am-to-6pm, Monday-to-Friday variety,
East Timor’s official tourism website has sometimes with a long lunchtime siesta as a
an excellent overview of diving by local ex- reminder of the old Portuguese influence,
pert Ann Turner (www.turismotimorleste and maybe with a few Saturday hours to
.com/en/activities/diving). keep busy.
DIRECTORY 88 D I R E C T O R Y • • C h i l d re n
CHILDREN
East Timor is not yet the sort of place you’d
plan to bring children, and there are few fa-
cilities for them. The main concerns are the
limited medical facilities and the necessity of
taking precautions against malaria.
CLIMATE CHARTS
East Timor has extreme wet and dry sea-
sons. The dry season is very dry from May to
November, when the north coast gets virtually
no rain, the hills brown off and agricultural
activity all but ceases. The arid landscapes,
particularly on the north coast, are remi-
niscent of Australia, and temperatures soar
around October to November. The cooler
central mountains and the south coast get an
occasional shower during this time, and are
generally green. This is the season for sitting
around the village, weaving, repairing houses
and trading produce to survive the ‘hungry
season’ until the rains come again and crops
can be planted. To remedy the water prob-
lem, there is an intensive programme of small
earth-dam building.
When the rains come, they often cause
floods, and the wide stony rivers, which are
dusty in the dry season, become torrents.
Roads are cut and landslides are common.
The country is transformed as gardens are
planted and the land turns green. The for-
est areas and the lusher central south coast
is steamy and almost tropical. The end of the
wet season, just after the harvest, is the time
for festivities.
Dili has an average rainfall of around
1000mm, most of it falling from December
to March. The south coast is wetter than
the north, and high rainfall occurs on the
central south coast and in the southern
mountains of East Timor. But weather pat-
terns are erratic, and the mountains create
many microclimates.
DILI 6m (19ft)
°C Temp °F in
40 104 8 200
30 86 6 150
20 68 4 100
10 50 2 50
0 32 0 0
J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MAM J J A S O N D
lonelyplanet.com
Day temperatures are around 30°C to 35°C
(85°F to 95°F) in the lowland areas, dropping
to the low 20s overnight. In the mountain
areas daytime temperatures are still warm
to hot, but night temperatures can drop to a
more chilly 15°C (60°F), or lower at greater
altitudes. At the end of the dry season, parts
of the north coast swelter with temperatures
higher than 35°C (95°F), but humidity is low
compared with further north.
COURSES
The NGO Timor Aid (%331 2260; Ave dos Direitos
Humanos, Dili) has classes in Tetun at its com-
pound near the Hotel Turismo. These are
highly recommended and cost from US$3
to US$8 per hour depending on class size.
You can arrange for private tutoring here
or through many of Dili’s English-speaking
locals. Ask around.
Both Dili dive shops (p43) offer a range of
diving courses.
CUSTOMS REGULATIONS
The usual types of rules (1L of alcohol, 200
cigarettes) apply to arrivals in East Timor.
ELECTRICITY
When electricity is available, it’s 240V. Since
the public supply is so unreliable in the main
centres, and often nonexistent in the rural and
smaller centres, there are lots of generators
chugging away, and some of these supplies are
110V. In Dili you should expect power – except
when it goes off. Many places have back-up
generators. Elsewhere in the country there may
be no electricity or just some for a few hours.
There are a wide variety of power outlets,
so bring a complete selection of converters.
You’ll find Australian power points (angled
pins), standard European and Indonesian out-
lets (two round pins), British outlets (three
large square pins) and quite possibly US out-
lets (flat pins).
Average
Max/Min EMBASSIES & CONSULATES
Rainfall mm Embassies & Consulates in East Timor
A number of countries have representation
in Dili; see p91 for visa information. Citizens
of Canada and the UK should contact their
embassies in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Australia (Map pp36-7; %332 2111; www.easttimor
.embassy.gov.au; Av dos Mártires de Pátria) Unfortunately
located in a part of town prone to rioting and with a
design that looks like an overgrown Indonesian shophouse.
lonelyplanet.com
European Commission (Map pp36-7; %332 5171;
ectimor@arafura.net.au; Rua Santo António de Motael 8, Farol)
Indonesia (Map pp36-7; %331 7107; kukridil@hotmail
.com; cnr Ruas Marinha & Governador Cesar, Farol) After a
reconstruction, the visa services area is actually nice.
Ireland (Map pp36-7; %332 4880; charles.lathrop
@dfe.ie; Rua Alferes Duartre Arbiro 12, Farol) A tiny but
typically cheery operation. Look for the gold harp on the
fence out the front.
New Zealand (Map pp36-7; %331 0087; kiwidili@gmail
.com; Rua Alferes Duarte Arbiro, Farol) Small and efficient.
USA (Map pp36-7; %332 4684; consdili@state.gov; Av
de Portugal, Farol) Typically fortresslike, but very helpful to
citizens and if you can penetrate the walls with the right
invite, there’s an amazing pool.
East Timorese Embassies & Consulates
Abroad
East Timor has diplomatic representation in
only a handful of places overseas:
Australia (%02-6260 8800; tl_emb.canberra@bigpond
.com; 25 Blaxland Cres, Griffith, Canberra, ACT 2603)
European Union (%280 0096; jo_amorim@yahoo
.com; Ave de Cortenbergh 12, 1040 Brussels, Belgium)
Indonesia (%021 390 2978; tljkt@yahoo.com; 11th fl,
Surya Bldg, Jl MH Thamrin Kav 9, Jakarta 10350)
USA (%202 965 1515; embtlus@earthlink.net; 3415
Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington DC 20007)
FESTIVALS & EVENTS
As a staunchly Catholic country, Christian hol-
idays are celebrated with gusto (see following
for dates). During any of the major holidays
there’ll be a church celebration. Easter is par-
ticularly colourful, with parades and vigils.
GAY & LESBIAN TRAVELLERS
There’s no organised network for gays and
lesbians in East Timor, but it’s also unlikely
that there will be any overt discrimination.
Although some unwavering religious types
have fulminated on the subject.
GOVERNMENT OFFICES
East Timor’s government offices are still get-
ting settled whether by plan, lack thereof or
mayhem (the important customs building was
torched in 2007). So you’ll have to ask around if
you have visa, import-related or other issues.
HOLIDAYS
East Timor has a large and growing list of pub-
lic holidays. Many special days of commemo-
ration are declared each year – sometimes on
the morning of what becomes a holiday.
D I R E C T O R Y • • Fe s t i v a l s & E v e n t s 89
DIRECTORY
New Year’s Day 1 January
Idul Adha Muslim day of sacrifice
Good Friday March/April
Labour Day 1 May
Independence Restoration Day 20 May (the day in
2002 when sovereignty was transferred from the UN)
Corpus Christi Day May/June
Popular Consultation Day 30 August (commemorates
the start of independence in 1999)
All Saints’ Day 1 November
All Souls’ Day 2 November
National Youth Day 12 November (commemorates the
Santa Cruz cemetery massacre)
Proclamation of Independence Day 28 November
Idul Fitri End of Ramadan
National Heroes’ Day 7 December
Immaculate Conception 8 December
Christmas Day 25 December
INSURANCE
Travel insurance is vital in East Timor (see
p95 for details). Medical facilities outside
Dili are virtually nonexistent, and the best
facilities in Dili are rather ad hoc (see p39
for details).
INTERNET ACCESS
There are plenty of internet cafés and a few
hotels in Dili with poky access averaging
US$6 an hour. Other than in Baucau, access
is unheard of elsewhere in East Timor.
LEGAL MATTERS
If you are the victim of a serious crime, go to the
nearest police station and notify your embassy.
The Timorese police force is only one of a passel
of national and international groups providing
security in the country. If arrested, you have the
right to a phone call and legal representation,
which your embassy can help locate.
Possession and trafficking of illicit drugs
carries stiff penalties.
MAPS
The Timorese government’s tourism depart-
ment distributes a free and pretty good Timor-
Leste country map (1:750,000), which you’ll
find around Dili. Other than that, accurate
and up-to-date maps are a business opportu-
nity for someone.
MONEY
The US dollar is the official currency of East
Timor. Locally minted centavo coins also cir-
culate, which are of equal value to US cents.
DIRECTORY 90 DIREC TORY •• Photography & Video
Make sure you arrive with US dollars as
there are no exchange services at the airport.
In fact, arriving with any other currency
means you’ll probably be leaving with that
currency as well. You’ll need to make all fi-
nancial transactions in Dili, where ATMs dis-
pense US dollars and banks change travellers
cheques (see p39 for details).
A few establishments in Dili accept credit
cards, though there’s often a hefty 5% sur-
charge attached. Elsewhere in the country it’s
all cash, all the time.
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO
Print film and video cassettes are readily
available in Dili, but specialist film and cam-
era batteries can be hard to find, so if you
have specialist photographic requirements,
it’s wise to bring supplies with you. Getting
film developed is not so easy. Conditions
can be severe in East Timor; it can get dusty,
hot and humid, so take care with sensitive
cameras, particularly digital equipment. The
usual precautions for taking photographs in
intense tropical light conditions apply, but
photographers will find the East Timorese
are happy to be photographed, particularly
children. This is not a country that has been
subjected to a surfeit of photographers,
but, of course, the usual rules apply: don’t
take photographs or video if the subject
doesn’t want to be filmed, and always ask
permission first.
POST
East Timor post offices offer no mail deliv-
ery services to individual addresses in East
Timor. Post-office box delivery is the best
you can expect, and even the number of
post-office boxes is limited. Dili and Baucau
are the only real places for outgoing mail
service. Postage on postcards is US50¢ to
anywhere in the world; deliveries take two
to four weeks.
For express mail, DHL has an agent
in Dili (at Harvey World Travel, see p39
for details).
TELEPHONE
If you’re phoning an East Timor number from
overseas, the international country code is
%670. When making an international call
from East Timor, the access code is %0011.
There are no area codes in East Timor, and
few landline numbers outside Dili. Landline
lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com DIREC TORY •• Travellers with Disabilities 91
DIRECTORY
numbers begin with 3 or 4; mobile numbers TRAVELLERS WITH DISABILITIESt0164 See p88 for a list of embassies and consu-
start with 7. You can make local and inter- East Timor makes absolutely no provisions lates in Dili.
national calls from Timor Telecom offices in for disabled travellers. The East Timorese are
Dili and Baucau. likely to be very helpful – they’ve faced plenty VOLUNTEERING
A mobile phone is useful in East Timor. of problems of their own over the years – Major volunteer organisations active in
You can purchase a SIM card from Timor but there are unlikely to be any facilities East Timor include the following: Australian
Telecom (www.timortelecom.tp) for US$20, which established with travellers with disabilities Volunteers International (www.australianvolunteers
includes US$10 credit. Beware of vendors in mind. .com) and UN Volunteers (www.unv.org). There are
who may say you have to buy a card to go scores more groups working in the country;
with your SIM card – you don’t. All around VISAS visit the links page at www.etan.org for a
Dili you will be besieged by street vendors of- An entry visa (for up to 30 days) is granted voluminous listing.
fering scratch-off cards with additional credit to valid-passport holders for US$30 on arrival
in many amounts. You’ll soon need them as in East Timor. To avoid hassles later if plans WOMEN TRAVELLERS
the monopoly on phone service allows Timor change, always ask for a 30-day visa, even if Women travellers need to be aware of per-
Telecom to charge up to US25¢ a minute for you plan on staying for a shorter period. Visas sonal security issues, particularly in Dili. Do
domestic calls and up to US$2 a minute for can be extended for US$30 a month if the not walk or take taxis after dark, unless you’re
international calls. applicant has a valid reason to do so. in a group. Assault and rape do occur. That
Coverage around the country is good in pop- Some travellers visit East Timor to renew said, respect is part of local culture and overt
ulated areas and mobile use is widespread. their Indonesian visas. An Indonesian visa harassment is bad form (a local guy trying it
Note that calling East Timor from abroad takes three to five working days to process at might well get a stern admonishment from a
can be costly. Even people with discounted the remarkably pleasant and well-organised local woman).
international plans may pay as much as US$3 Dili embassy. A 30-day tourist visa costs Women travellers will attract less attention
per minute. Know that those whispered sweet US$45. A single-entry seven-day transit visa by wearing knee-length or longer clothes, and
nothings will cost you something. costs US$20 and a double-entry version costs may want to cover their shoulders. Bikinis are
US$40 (the latter is useful for land trips to tolerated in only a few locations, such as the
TIME Oecussi as you’ll need a visa both to get there popular beaches in Dili. Wearing shorts and a
East Timor is nine hours ahead of GMT via Indonesia as well as leave). T-shirt is more acceptable beach attire.
(UTC). When it’s noon in Dili, it’s 10am in
western Indonesia (including Bali), 11am in
central Indonesia, 12.30pm in Darwin and
1pm on the Australian east coast. Further
afield, it will be 7pm the previous day in Los
Angeles, 10pm the previous day in New York
and Montreal, and 3am in London.
TOILETS
Hotels and restaurants recommended in this
book will have toilet facilities ranging from
modern Western flush toilets down to a well-
kept hole in the ground with a handy bucket
of water. Elsewhere you’ll be doing OK if
you can find a hole in the ground. Obviously
you’ll want to carry something like toilet
paper around with you to ensure you end up
feeling fresh.
TOURIST INFORMATION
East Timor doesn’t have a tourist office.
However, the expat community is especially
generous with information. Drop by any of
the popular bars, restaurants or dive shops
and soon you’ll be hooked into all sorts of
info. Locals are also very happy to help and –
language differences aside – are usually hon-
oured by your visit and eager to help.
 92
Transport
CONTENTS
Getting There & Away
Air
Bus
Getting Around
Bicycle
TRANSPORT
Boat
Bus & Mikrolet
Car & Motorcycle
Hitching
Taxi
Just getting around East Timor can be the
highlight of any trip. Not only for the adven-
ture and the likely stories that will come out of
it but also because you’ll really see the coun-
try, including its often great natural beauty.
Some backroads traverse lands where people
live as they have for centuries. Locals welcome
your voyeurism with a friendly wave.
GETTING THERE & AWAY
There are no boat services to East Timor from
other countries. Your only way here will be via
one of two air routes or overland from West
Timor. For info on getting to the tiny enclave
of Oecussi, see p83.
AIR
Dili’s Nicolau Lobato International Airport
(DIL) is not an impressive entry to the coun-
try. Dirty toilets, busted light bulbs and just
plain dirt are its hallmarks. There are only
two airline routes to the rest of the world: to
Darwin in Australia’s Northern Territory and
Denpasar in Bali.
Air North (%1800 627 474 in Australia; www.airnorth
.com.au) flies twice daily between Darwin and
Dili (return fares from a shocking US$500,
1½ hours). Merpati (Map pp36-7; %332 1880; www
.merpati.co.id; Landmark Plaza, Av dos Mártires de Pátria) flies
almost daily between Denpasar (Bali) and
Dili (return fares from an almost shocking
US$300, two hours).
Generally, most people will fly via Bali not
only because it makes a delightful stopover
but also because airfares to Bali from much
of the world are more competitive than those
to Darwin.
Overall, the cost of flying to East Timor
92 is pretty high and this holds down both
92 casual travel and people looking to renew
92 their Indonesian visa (it’s cheaper to fly to
92 Singapore from expat-crawling Bali than it
93
is to fly to Dili). If airfares could be reduced
93
from Bali, a quick add-on tour market would
94
likely develop for visitors there. The Darwin
94
airfares are just silly.
94
94
BUS
Overland travellers have one point of entry
into East Timor.
The four-hour bus ride from Dili to the bor-
der town of Batugade costs US$5. You have to
walk 200m across the border to Motoain in
West Timor, from where a mikrolet (minibus)
costs less than US$2 to Atambua. Buses from
Atambua to Kupang cost about US$5 and
take eight hours. Buses to and from Dili stop
running by mid-afternoon, so don’t get caught
at the border where there’s no place to stay.
You’ll need an Indonesian visa before crossing
the border into West Timor (see p91).
Much easier is the through-bus service of-
fered by Timor Tour & Travel (Map pp36-7; %333 1014;
Rua Quinze de Outubro 17, Dili). There’s a daily serv-
ice between Dili and Kupang, which takes 12
hours in an air-conditioned minibus (US$18);
book in advance (%0380-881 543; Jl Timor
Raya 8, Kupang).
GETTING AROUND
Roads are the great limiting factor in getting
around East Timor. They stink and are getting
worse with every rain storm. Even places that
had pretty good access five years ago are often
now a challenge for traveller and vehicle. The
one exception is the coast road all the way
from the Indonesian border through Dili and
Baucau to Com. This is suitable for conven-
tional cars. Elsewhere, regional centres like
Maliana, Suai, Same, Viqueque, Tutuala and
Lospalos are reachable but stretches of bad
road will require a 4WD. The south coast and
more inland towns may not be reachable at all.
lonelyplanet.com GET TING AROUND •• Bicycle 93
CLIMATE CHANGE & TRAVEL
Climate change is a serious threat to the ecosystems that humans rely upon, and air travel is the
fastest-growing contributor to the problem. Lonely Planet regards travel, overall, as a global ben-
efit, but believes we all have a responsibility to limit our personal impact on global warming.
Flying & Climate Change
Pretty much every form of motor travel generates CO₂ (the main cause of human-induced climate
change) but planes are far and away the worst offenders, not just because of the sheer distances
they allow us to travel, but because they release greenhouse gases high into the atmosphere.
The statistics are frightening: two people taking a return flight between Europe and the US will
contribute as much to climate change as an average household’s gas and electricity consump-
TRANSPORT
tion over a whole year.
Carbon Offset Schemes
Climatecare.org and other websites use ‘carbon calculators’ that allow jetsetters to offset the
greenhouse gases they are responsible for with contributions to energy-saving projects and
other climate-friendly initiatives in the developing world – including projects in India, Honduras,
Kazakhstan and Uganda.
Lonely Planet, together with Rough Guides and other concerned partners in the travel industry,
supports the carbon offset scheme run by climatecare.org. Lonely Planet offsets all of its staff
and author travel.
For more information check out our website: lonelyplanet.com.
Be sure to make inquiries before setting out BOAT
from Dili and prepare for being stranded by Ferry transport is available between Dili and
bringing along extra supplies, especially water. Atauro Island (see p80 for details), and Dili
Traffic on the roads is light; your greatest haz-
ard apart from potholes are white SUVs.
and the Oecussi enclave (see p83). The new
German-built ferry Nakroma features three
Get any local talking about the roads and classes of service: economy, business and VIP.
first they’ll deplore their general state. But The seats in all are the same but those in VIP
then they’ll quickly move on to their real beef: are in a small and unpleasant room. In prac-
UN and NGO SUVs (always white) that speed tice, business-class tickets are for foreigners
around the country at haphazard speeds with and economy tickets are for locals. People
little regard for others on or near the road. freely mix across the compact ship. Secure
Don’t follow their example, instead enjoy space on the small top deck to avoid the many
driving at a reasonable pace with your win- passengers who find eruptive discomfort in
dows rolled down, waving greetings to people even the calmest of seas.
you pass. Invariably you’ll get a big smile in
return. By contrast, all you have to do is see
the looks on people’s faces as an NGO or THINGS CHANGE…
white SUV blows past, its occupants hidden The information in this chapter is particu-
behind dark windows, to see how many hearts larly vulnerable to change as East Timor is
and minds are being won. constantly changing. Check directly with
Buses are plentiful to all major places. the airline or a travel agent to make sure
Vehicles can be hired in Dili and you might you understand how a fare (and ticket you
find a driver with a vehicle. may buy) works and be aware of the secu-
rity requirements for reaching the country.
BICYCLE The same goes once you’re in East Timor.
For cycling long distances, new bikes can be Although roads may yet get even worse,
purchased in Dili for around US$175. Road there’s also the likelihood that once oil
conditions away from the north coast can be money starts flowing, a roadworks scheme
brutal, which may appeal to mountain bikers, will see improvements nationwide.
but traffic is usually light.
 94 GET TING AROUND •• Bus & Mikrolet lonelyplanet.com 95

HOW MUCH IS THAT CHICKEN UNDER MY TYRE?

Even though road conditions keep speed down, there’s still the chance that you’ll hit something
unintended while you drive. Boulders are an obvious hazard, but so too are various domestic
animals that have little aversion to the light traffic.
Should you, say, hit a chicken, stop immediately. Small as the fowl is, it’s a significant investment
to most of the impoverished folk living in the countryside. Although you may just want to offer some
money and be on your way, that’s very bad form. Good manners dictate that you allow a pause while
the owner offers a harsh assessment of your driving skills. Eventually you will learn that the chicken
was the smartest one of its kind in East Timor or possibly a gift from a beloved grandmother.
At this point negotiations will begin and you’ll end up paying about US$20 for the chicken’s
demise. Once compensation’s been paid, there will be smiles all around. Other critters that
TRANSPORT

TRANSPORT
come with a price include dogs (US$10 to US$20), piglets (US$20), mature pigs (US$100) and
goats (US$200).
Should you run into one of the enormous and tank-like water buffaloes, it’s likely somebody
else will be paying for you.

There are also reports that on the long
Oecussi run you might be able to secure an
officer’s bunk for roughly US$40. The boat
has a limited snack counter, good for water,
drinks and packaged snacks.
BUS & MIKROLET
Cramped mikrolets operate at least daily be-
tween most towns, and generally depart early in
the morning. Outlying villages are serviced less
frequently by anggunas – flat-bed trucks where
passengers (including the odd buffalo or goat)
all pile into the back. Ask locally for departure
points. Large but still crowded buses run fre-
quently on important runs like Dili–Baucau.
The less mature make take some amusement
from the many buses bearing the legends ‘PP’
and ‘BM’ on the front. These acronyms mean
that the bus runs a return service on its route.
CAR & MOTORCYCLE
Driving in East Timor is optimistically termed
an adventure. Except for Dili and the main road
running along the north coast, most roads are
deeply potholed and rutted. You’ll be lucky to
average 30kph and even then you’ll need to be
on the lookout for kids, goats, dogs etc. Bridges
and entire segments of road wash away or flood
during the rainy season. Check conditions with
the UN (%331 2210 ext 5454, 723 0635).
Rentlo (Map pp36-7; %723 5089; www.rentlocarhire
.com; Fomento-Comoro, Dili) is the main source of
vehicles; it’s 3km from the airport on the main
road. Rentals include 100km free per day and
limited liability coverage is available from
US$15 per day (with a whopping US$6000
deductible) and may be needed, given the
toll the roads take on cars. A compact car
costs from US$40 per day, a small 4WD from
US$70. Consider sharing.
Motorcycles are quite handy, breezing
over bumps at a respectable pace. East Timor
Backpackers (Map pp36-7; %723 8121; Av Almirante Americo
Tomas, Dili) charges US$15 to US$25 per day.
Alternatively you could make arrangements
with a driver so that you can enjoy the scenery
while someone else tackles the potholes (and
brings their local knowledge to bear). Ask
around and expect to negotiate starting from
US$40 per day.
The myriad hazards make driving at night
foolish.
FUEL
Petrol (gasoline) in Portuguese is besin, diesel
fuel is solar; expect to pay at least US$1 per
litre. Petrol is usually sold from used plastic
water containers at roadside stands. The qual-
ity varies. In Dili, Tiger Fuel (see p50 for de-
tails) is a reliable full-service petrol station.
HITCHING
Hitchhiking is never entirely safe, so it’s not
recommended. It’s not uncommon for locals
walking 5km or so into town to ask for a ride.
A traveller doing the same would be expected
to pay a small sum – usually the price of a
mikrolet ride.
TAXI
Dili has a big fleet of often rather tatty taxis,
many with a big hole in the windshield from a
thrown rock. Elsewhere there are no taxis and
almost no private vehicles of any kind.
 94
Health
CONTENTS
Before You Go 95
Insurance 95
Vaccinations 95
Medical Checklist 96
Internet Resources 96
Further Reading 96
In East Timor 96
Availability of Health Care 96
Infectious Diseases 96
Traveller’s Diarrhoea 99
Environmental Hazards 100
Women’s Health 102
A tropical country with low sanitation
standards, East Timor is an easy place to
get ill. The climate provides a good breed-
ing ground for malarial mosquitoes, but the
biggest hazards come from contaminated
HEALTH
food and water. Don’t worry excessively
about this – with some basic precautions and
adequate information, few travellers experi-
ence more than upset stomachs. Travellers
tend to worry about contracting infectious
diseases when in the tropics, but infections
rarely cause serious illness or death in travel-
lers. Pre-existing medical conditions, such
as heart disease and accidental injury (es-
pecially traffic accidents), account for most
life-threatening situations.
The following advice is a general guide only
and does not replace the advice of a doctor
trained in travel medicine.
BEFORE YOU GO
Pack medications in their original, clearly la-
belled containers. A signed and dated letter
from your physician describing your medical
conditions and medications, including generic
names, is also a good idea. If carrying syringes
or needles, be sure to have a physician’s letter
documenting their medical necessity. If you
have a heart condition, bring a copy of your
ECG taken just before travelling.
If you take any regular medication, bring
double your needs in case of loss or theft. It
would also be wise to carry these extra sup-
95
HEALTH ADVISORIES
It’s usually a good idea to consult gov-
ernment travel health websites before
departure.
Australia (www.smartraveller.gov.au)
Canada (www.travelhealth.gc.ca)
New Zealand (www.safetravel.govt.nz)
UK (www.dh.gov.uk)
US (wwwn.cdc.gov/travel)
plies separately. You may be able to buy some
medications over the counter in Dili without a
doctor’s prescription, but it can be difficult to
find some of the newer drugs, particularly the
latest antidepressants, blood pressure medica-
tions and contraceptive pills.
INSURANCE
HEALTH
Even if you are fit and healthy, don’t travel
without health insurance – because accidents
do happen. Declare any existing medical con-
ditions you have – the insurance company will
then establish whether or not your problem
is pre-existing and will not cover you if it is
undeclared. You may require extra cover for
adventure activities, such as scuba diving, and
you should pay particular attention to the
small print if you intend to use a motorcycle.
If you’re uninsured, emergency evacuation is
expensive; bills of more than US$100,000 are
not uncommon. Find out in advance whether
or not your insurance plan will make pay-
ments directly to providers or reimburse you
later for overseas health expenses. Doctors
may expect payment in cash.
VACCINATIONS
Specialised travel-medicine clinics are your
best source of information; they stock all
available vaccines and will be able to give
specific recommendations for you and your
trip. The doctors will take into account such
factors as past vaccination history, the length
of your trip, activities you may be undertaking
and underlying medical conditions.
Most vaccines don’t produce immunity
until at least two weeks after they’re given,
so visit a doctor four to eight weeks before
 96 I N E A S T T I M O R • • Av a i l a b i l i t y o f H e a l t h C a re lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com I N E A S T T I M O R • • I n fe c t i o u s D i s e a s e s 97

departure. Ask your doctor for an International INTERNET RESOURCES

Certificate of Vaccination (otherwise known There is a wealth of travel health advice on RECOMMENDED & REQUIRED VACCINATIONS
as the yellow booklet), which will list all the the internet. Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet The World Health Organization recommends the following vaccinations for travellers to Southeast
vaccinations you’ve received. .com) is a good place to start. The World Health Asia:
Organization (WHO; www.who.int/ith/) publishes a su- Adult diphtheria and tetanus Single booster recommended if none in the previous 10 years. Side effects
MEDICAL CHECKLIST perb downloadable book called International include a sore arm and fever.
Recommended items for a medical kit: Travel and Health, which is revised annually Hepatitis A Provides almost 100% protection for up to a year; a booster after 12 months provides at least another
„ Antibacterial cream, eg Muciprocin and is available online at no cost. Another 20 years’ protection. Mild side effects such as headache and sore arm occur in 5% to 10% of people.
„ Antibiotic for skin infections, eg Amoxi- website of general interest is MD Travel Health Hepatitis B Now considered routine for most travellers. Given as three shots over six months. A rapid schedule is
cillin/Clavulanate or Cephalexin (www.mdtravelhealth.com), which provides com- also available, as is a combined vaccination with hepatitis A. Side effects are mild and uncommon – usually headache
„ Antibiotics for diarrhoea include Nor- plete travel health recommendations for every and sore arm. In 95% of people lifetime protection results.
floxacin or Ciprofloxacin; for bacterial country and is updated daily. The Centers for Measles, mumps and rubella Two doses of MMR are required unless you have had the diseases. Occasionally
diarrhoea Azithromycin; for giardiasis or Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; www.cdc.gov) a rash and flu-like illness develops a week after receiving the vaccine. Many young adults require a booster.
amoebic dysentery Tinidazole website also has good general information. Polio No countries in Southeast Asia have recently reported cases of polio. Only one booster is required in an adult
„ Antifungal cream, eg Clotrimazole for lifetime protection. Inactivated polio vaccine is safe during pregnancy.
„ Antihistamine – there are many options, FURTHER READING Typhoid Recommended; the vaccine offers around 70% protection, lasts for two to three years and comes as a
eg Cetrizine for daytime and Promethaz- Lonely Planet’s Healthy Travel – Asia & India single shot. Tablets are also available; however, the injection is usually recommended as it has fewer side effects.
ine for night is a handy pocket-sized book that is packed Sore arm and fever may occur.
„ Antinausea medication, eg Prochlorper- with useful information, including pretrip Varicella If you haven’t had chickenpox, discuss the vaccination with your doctor.
azine planning, emergency first aid, immunisa-
„ Antiseptic, eg Betadine tion and disease information, and what to These immunisations are recommended for longer-term travellers (more than one month) or
„ Antispasmodic for stomach cramps, eg do if you get sick on the road. Other recom- those at special risk:
Buscopan mended references include Traveller’s Health Japanese B encephalitis Three injections in all; booster recommended after two years. Sore arm and headache
„ Contraceptives by Dr Richard Dawood and Travelling Well are the most common side effects. Rarely, an allergic reaction comprising hives and swelling can occur up to 10 days
„ Decongestant, eg containing pseudoephe- by Dr Deborah Mills – check out the website after any of the three doses.
HEALTH

HEALTH
drine www.travellingwell.com.au. Meningitis Single injection. There are two types of vaccination. The quadravalent vaccine gives two to three years’
„ DEET-based insect repellent (at least protection. Meningitis group C vaccine gives around 10 years’ protection. Recommended for long-term backpackers
25% DEET)
„ Diarrhoea ‘stopper’, eg Loperamide
„ First-aid items, such as scissors, Elas-
IN EAST TIMOR younger than 25.
Rabies Three injections in all. A booster after one year will then provide 10 years’ protection. Side effects are rare –
occasionally headache and sore arm.
toplasts, bandages, gauze, thermometer AVAILABILITY OF HEALTH CARE Tuberculosis A complex issue. Adult long-term travellers are usually recommended to have a TB skin test before
(but not mercury), sterile needles and In Dili a patchwork of medical facilities exists. and after travel, rather than vaccination. Children may be recommended to have the vaccination; only one is neces-
syringes, safety pins and tweezers The Dili Nacional Hospital (Map pp36-7; %331 1008; sary in a lifetime.
„ Ibuprofen or another anti-inflammatory Rua Cicade Viana do Castelo) often has highly skilled
„ Indigestion medication, eg Quick Eze or medical personnel on volunteer rotations from The only vaccine required by international regulations is yellow fever. Proof of vaccination will
Mylanta outside the country assisting local staff. In ad- be required only if you have visited a country in the yellow-fever zone within the six days before
„ Iodine tablets (unless you are pregnant or dition, although not formally organised, the entering Southeast Asia. If you are travelling to Southeast Asia from Africa or South America, you
have a thyroid problem) to purify water various NGOs, UN agencies and embassies should check to see whether you require proof of vaccination.
„ Laxative, eg Coloxyl will network to get assistance for expats. But for
„ Medicine for migraines if you suffer from anything serious you’ll need to be evacuated to
them Darwin or Bali and beyond to Singapore. available, it can be prevented only by avoid- (yellow skin and eyes), nausea and lethargy.
„ Oral rehydration solution for diarrhoea, Outside Dili little medical attention is avail- ing mosquito bites. The mosquito that carries There’s no specific treatment for hepatitis A;
eg Gastrolyte able, but fortunately most common illnesses dengue bites both day and night, so use insect you’ll just need to allow time for the liver to
„ Paracetamol can either be prevented with some common- avoidance measures at all times. Symptoms in- heal. All travellers to East Timor should be
„ Permethrin to impregnate clothing and sense behaviour or be treated easily with a well- clude high fever, severe headache and body ache vaccinated against hepatitis A.
mosquito nets stocked traveller’s medical kit. In some towns (dengue was previously known as ‘breakbone Hepatitis B is spread by body fluids, in-
„ Steroid cream for allergic/itchy rashes, eg you may be able to purchase simple antibiotics, fever’). Some people develop a rash and experi- cluding sexual contact. It can be prevented
1% to 2% hydrocortisone but for anything more serious, or simply to see ence diarrhoea. There’s no specific treatment, by vaccination.
„ Sunscreen and hat a doctor, you’ll need to go to Dili. just rest and paracetamol – don’t take aspirin
„ Throat lozenges as it increases the likelihood of haemorrhaging. Hepatitis E
„ Thrush (vaginal yeast infection) treat- INFECTIOUS DISEASES See a doctor to be diagnosed and monitored. Hepatitis E is transmitted through con-
ment, eg Clotrimazole pessaries or Dif- Dengue Fever taminated food and water, and has simi-
lucan tablet This mosquito-borne disease is becoming in- Hepatitis A & B lar symptoms to hepatitis A but is far less
„ Ural or equivalent if you’re prone to uri- creasingly problematic throughout Asia and is Hepatitis A is a food- and water-borne virus, common. It’s a severe problem in pregnant
nary tract infections common in East Timor. As there’s no vaccine which infects the liver, causing jaundice women and can result in the death of mother
 98 I N E A S T T I M O R • • I n fe c t i o u s D i s e a s e s
and baby. There is currently no vaccine;
prevention is by following safe eating and
drinking guidelines.
HIV
HIV is increasing through much of Southeast
Asia, with heterosexual sex now the main
method of transmission. East Timor has low-
profile prostitution centred in Dili.
Influenza
Present year-round in the tropics, influenza
(flu) symptoms include high fever, muscle
aches, runny nose, cough and sore throat.
It can be very severe in people over the age
of 65 or in those with underlying medical
conditions, such as heart disease or diabetes;
vaccination is recommended for these indi-
viduals. There is no specific treatment, just
rest and paracetamol.
Japanese B Encephalitis
Rare in travellers, this viral disease transmit-
ted by mosquitoes is found in East Timor.
Most cases of Japanese B encephalitis occur in
HEALTH
rural areas, and vaccination is recommended
for travellers spending more than one month
in the country. There is no treatment. A third
of infected people will die, and another third
will suffer permanent brain damage.
Malaria
Malaria is a significant problem in East Timor,
including Dili. Take all possible precautions.
In many parts of Asia the risk of side effects
from antimalarials may outweigh the risk of
getting the disease. But this is not the case
in East Timor, where the risk of contracting
malaria is far more serious than the risk of
any side effects from tablets. Remember that
malaria can be fatal. Before you travel, seek
medical advice on the right medication and
dosage for you.
Malaria is caused by a parasite transmit-
ted through the bite of an infected mosquito.
The most important symptom of malaria is
fever, but general symptoms such as head-
ache, diarrhoea, cough or chills may also
occur. Diagnosis can be made only by taking
a blood sample.
Two strategies should be combined to
prevent malaria: mosquito avoidance and
antimalarial medications. Most people who
catch malaria have taken inadequate or no
antimalarial medication.
lonelyplanet.com
Travellers should prevent mosquito bites
by taking these steps:
„ Use a strong DEET-containing insect re-
pellent on exposed skin. Wash this off at
night, as long as you are sleeping under
a mosquito net treated with permethrin.
Natural repellents such as citronella can
be effective, but must be applied more
frequently than products containing
DEET.
„ Sleep under a mosquito net impregnated
with permethrin.
„ Where possible choose accommodation
with screens and fans (if not air-con).
Check windows and doors for gaps that
let insects in.
„ Impregnate clothing with permethrin.
„ Wear long sleeves and trousers in light
colours.
„ Use mosquito coils.
„ Spray your room with insect repellent
before going out for your evening meal.
TREATMENT
There are a variety of antimalarial medica-
tions available:
Artesunate Artesunate derivatives are not suitable as a
preventive medication. They are useful treatments under
medical supervision.
Chloroquine & Paludrine The effectiveness of this
combination is now limited in most of Southeast Asia.
Generally not recommended.
Doxycycline This daily tablet is a broad-spectrum an-
tibiotic that has the added benefit of helping to prevent a va-
riety of tropical diseases, including leptospirosis, tick-borne
diseases, typhus and meliodosis. The potential side effects
include photosensitivity (a tendency to sunburn), thrush in
women, indigestion, heartburn, nausea and interference
with the contraceptive pill. More serious side effects include
ulceration of the oesophagus – you can help prevent this by
taking your tablet with a meal and a large glass of water,
and never lying down within half an hour of taking it. Must
be taken for four weeks after leaving the risk area.
Lariam (Mefloquine) This weekly tablet suits many
people. Serious side effects are rare but include depression,
anxiety, psychosis and having fits. Anyone with a history
of depression, anxiety, other psychological disorders or
epilepsy should not take Lariam. It’s considered safe in the
second and third trimesters of pregnancy. It’s around 90%
effective in most parts of Asia. Tablets must be taken for
four weeks after leaving the risk area.
Malarone This recent drug is a combination of
Atovaquone and Proguanil. Side effects are uncommon
and mild, most commonly nausea and headache. It is the
best tablet for scuba divers and for those on short trips to
lonelyplanet.com
high-risk areas. It must be taken for one week after leaving
the risk area. It is commonly taken by visitors to East Timor.
Secure your supply before arriving.
A final option is to take no preventive medica-
tion but to have a supply of emergency medi-
cation should you develop the symptoms of
malaria. This is less than ideal, and you’ll need
to get to a good medical facility within 24
hours of developing a fever. If you choose this
option, the most effective and safest treatment
is Malarone (four tablets once daily for three
days). Other options include Mefloquine and
quinine, but the side effects of these drugs at
treatment doses make them less desirable.
Fansidar is no longer recommended.
Measles
This highly contagious bacterial infection is
spread via coughing and sneezing. Most peo-
ple born before 1966 are immune, as they had
the disease in childhood. Measles starts with a
high fever and rash, and can be complicated
by pneumonia and brain disease. There is no
specific treatment.
Rabies
This fatal disease is not believed to be present
in East Timor, although it occurs in nearby
Indonesian island areas. Rabies is spread by
the bite or lick of an infected animal – most
commonly a dog or monkey. You should seek
medical advice immediately after any animal
bite and confirm the local rabies situation.
STDs
Sexually transmitted diseases most com-
mon in Southeast Asia include herpes, warts,
syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia. People
carrying these diseases often have no signs of
infection. Condoms will prevent gonorrhoea
and chlamydia but not warts or herpes. If
after a sexual encounter you develop any rash,
lumps, discharge or pain when passing urine,
seek immediate medical attention. If you have
been sexually active during your travels, have
an STD check on your return home.
Tuberculosis
Although tuberculosis (TB) is rare in travel-
lers, it is prevalent in East Timor. Medical and
aid workers and long-term travellers who have
significant contact with the local population
should take precautions. Vaccination is usu-
ally given only to children under the age of
IN EAST TIMOR •• Traveller’s Diarrhoea 99
five, but adults at risk are recommended to
have TB testing both before and after travel-
ling. The main symptoms are fever, cough,
weight loss, night sweats and tiredness.
Typhoid
This serious bacterial infection is spread via
food and water. It causes a high and slowly
progressive fever and a headache, and may
be accompanied by a dry cough and stomach
pain. It’s diagnosed by blood tests and treated
with antibiotics. Vaccination is recommended
for travellers spending more than a week in
the region or travelling outside the major cit-
ies. Be aware that vaccination is not 100%
effective so you must still be careful with what
you eat and drink.
TRAVELLER’S DIARRHOEA
Diarrhoea is by far the most common problem
affecting travellers – between 30% and 50% of
people will suffer from it within two weeks of
starting their trip. In more than 80% of cases,
traveller’s diarrhoea is caused by a bacteria
(there are numerous potential culprits), and
HEALTH
therefore it responds promptly to treatment
with antibiotics. Treatment with antibiotics
will depend on your situation – how sick you
are, how quickly you need to get better, where
you are etc. ‘Traveller’s diarrhoea’ is defined as
the passage of more than three watery bowel-
actions within 24 hours, plus at least one other
symptom, such as fever, cramps, nausea, vom-
iting or feeling generally unwell. Treatment
consists of staying well hydrated; rehydration
solutions like Gastrolyte are the best for this.
Antibiotics such as Norfloxacin, Ciprofloxacin
(especially effective) or Azithromycin will kill
the bacteria quickly.
Loperamide is just a ‘stopper’ and doesn’t
get to the cause of the problem. It can be help-
ful, for example, if you have to go on a long
bus ride. Don’t take Loperamide if you have
a fever or blood in your stools. Seek medical
attention quickly if you do not respond to an
appropriate antibiotic.
Amoebic Dysentery
Amoebic dysentery is very rare in travellers,
but is often misdiagnosed by poor-quality
labs in Asia. Symptoms are similar to bacte-
rial diarrhoea, ie fever, bloody diarrhoea and
generally feeling unwell. You should always
seek reliable medical care if you have blood
in your diarrhoea. Treatment involves two
 100 I N E A S T T I M O R • • E n v i r o n m e n t a l H a z a r d s
drugs: Tinidazole or Metroniadzole to kill the
parasite in your gut, and then a second drug
to kill the cysts. If left untreated, complica-
tions such as liver abscess and abscess in the
gut can occur.
Giardiasis
Giardia lamblia is a parasite that is rela-
tively common in travellers. Symptoms in-
clude nausea, bloating, excess gas, fatigue
and intermittent diarrhoea. ‘Eggy’ burps
are often attributed solely to giardiasis, but
work in Nepal has shown that they are not
specific to this infection. The parasite will
eventually go away if left untreated but this
can take months. The treatment of choice
is Tinidazole, with Metronidazole being a
second-line option.
ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
Diving
Divers and surfers should seek specialised
advice before they travel to ensure that their
medical kit contains treatment for coral cuts
and tropical ear infections, as well as the
HEALTH
standard problems. Divers should ensure that
their insurance covers them for decompres-
sion illness – get specialised dive insurance
through an organisation such as DAN (Divers Alert
Network; www.danasiapacific.org).
Food
Eating in restaurants is the biggest risk factor
for contracting traveller’s diarrhoea. Ways to
avoid it include eating only freshly cooked
food and avoiding shellfish and food that has
been sitting around. Peel all fruit, cook veg-
etables and be wary of raw vegetables. Eat
in busy restaurants with a high turnover of
customers. Always wipe the top of beverage
cans and bottles with a dry and clean napkin
or cloth; all ice and water is suspect. Bottled
water is readily available.
Heat
East Timor can be very hot and humid
throughout the year. Most people take at
least two weeks to adapt to the hot climate.
Swelling of the feet and ankles is common, as
are muscle cramps caused by excessive sweat-
ing. Prevent these by avoiding dehydration
and too much activity in the heat. Take it easy
when you first arrive. Don’t eat salt tablets
(they aggravate the gut), but drinking rehy-
dration solution or eating salty food helps.
lonelyplanet.com
DRINKING WATER
„ Never drink tap water.
„ Bottled water is generally safe – check
that the seal is intact at purchase.
„ Avoid ice.
„ Be sure to wipe any liquid off the tops
of beverage cans.
„ Avoid fresh juices – they may have been
watered down.
„ Boiling water is the most efficient
method of purifying it.
„ The best chemical purifier is iodine. It
should not be used by pregnant women
or those with thyroid problems.
„ Water filters should also filter out
viruses. Ensure that your filter has a
chemical barrier, such as iodine, and a
small pore size, ie less than four microns.
Treat cramps by stopping activity, resting,
rehydrating with double-strength rehydration
solution and gently stretching.
Dehydration is the main contributor to
heat exhaustion. Symptoms include feel-
ing weak, headache, irritability, nausea or
vomiting, sweaty skin, a fast, weak pulse
and a slightly elevated body temperature.
Treatment involves getting the victim out of
the heat and/or sun, fanning them and ap-
plying cool wet cloths to the skin, laying the
victim flat with their legs raised and rehy-
drating with water containing a quarter of a
teaspoon of salt per litre. Recovery is usually
rapid, although it’s common to feel weak for
some days afterwards.
Heatstroke is a serious medical emergency.
Symptoms come on suddenly and include
weakness, nausea, a hot dry body with a body
temperature higher than 41°C, dizziness, con-
fusion, loss of coordination, fits, and eventual
collapse and loss of consciousness. Seek medi-
cal help and commence cooling by getting
the sufferer out of the heat, removing their
clothes, fanning them and applying cool, wet
cloths or ice to their body, especially to the
groin and armpits.
Prickly heat is a common skin rash in the
tropics, caused by sweat being trapped under
the skin. The result is an itchy rash of tiny
lumps. If you develop prickly heat, treat it
by moving out of the heat and into an air-
lonelyplanet.com
conditioned area for a few hours and by hav-
ing cool showers. Creams and ointments clog
the skin so they should be avoided. Locally
bought prickly-heat powder can be helpful.
Tropical fatigue is common in long-term
expatriates based in the tropics. It’s rarely
due to disease but is caused by the climate,
inadequate mental rest, excessive alcohol
intake and the demands of daily work in a
different culture.
Insect Bites & Stings
Bedbugs don’t carry disease, but their bites
are very itchy. They live in the cracks of fur-
niture and walls, and then migrate to the bed
at night to feed on you. You can treat the
itch with an antihistamine. Lice inhabit vari-
ous parts of your body but most commonly
your head and pubic area. They can be dif-
ficult to treat, and you may need numerous
applications of an antilice shampoo, such as
permethrin. Transmission is via close con-
tact with an infected person. Pubic lice are
usually contracted from sexual contact.
Ticks are contracted after walking in the
bush. Ticks are commonly found behind the
ears, on the belly and in the armpits. If you
have had a tick bite and experience symp-
toms, such as a rash at the site of the bite
or elsewhere, a fever or muscle aches, you
should see a doctor. Doxycycline prevents
tick-borne diseases.
Leeches are found in humid rainforest
areas. They do not transmit any disease, but
their bites are often intensely itchy for weeks
afterwards and can easily become infected.
Apply iodine-based antiseptic to any leech
bite to help prevent infection.
Bee and wasp stings mainly cause prob-
lems for people who are allergic to them.
Anyone with a serious bee or wasp allergy
should carry an injection of adrenaline (eg
an EpiPen) for emergency treatment. For
others, pain is the main problem – apply
ice to the sting and take painkillers.
Most jellyfish in Southeast Asian waters
are not dangerous, just irritating. First aid
for jellyfish stings involves pouring vin-
egar onto the affected area to neutralise
the poison. Don’t rub sand or water onto
the stings. Take painkillers, and anyone
who feels ill in any way after being stung
should seek medical advice. Take local ad-
vice if there are dangerous jellyfish around,
and keep out of the water.
I N E A S T T I M O R • • E n v i r o n m e n t a l H a z a r d s 101
Parasites
Numerous parasites are common in local
populations in Southeast Asia; however,
most of these are rare in travellers. The
two rules to follow if you wish to avoid
parasitic infections are to wear shoes and to
avoid eating raw food, especially fish, pork
and vegetables. A number of parasites are
transmitted via the skin by walking bare-
foot, including strongyloides, hookworm
and cutaneous larva migrans.
Skin Problems
Fungal rashes are common in humid cli-
mates. There are two common fungal
rashes that affect travellers. The first oc-
curs in moist areas that get less air, such as
the groin, armpits and between the toes. It
starts as a red patch that slowly spreads and
is usually itchy. Treatment involves keeping
the skin dry, avoiding chafing and using an
antifungal cream, such as Clotrimazole or
Lamisil. Tinea versicolour is also common –
this fungus causes small, light-coloured
patches, most commonly on the back, chest
HEALTH
and shoulders. Consult a doctor.
Cuts and scratches become easily infected
in humid climates. Take meticulous care of
any cuts and scratches to prevent complica-
tions such as abscesses. Immediately wash all
wounds in clean water and apply antiseptic.
If you develop signs of infection (increasing
pain and redness), see a doctor. Divers and
surfers should be particularly careful with
coral cuts as they become easily infected.
Snakes
Southeast Asia is home to many species of
poisonous and harmless snakes. Assume all
snakes are poisonous, and never try to catch
one. Always wear boots and long pants if
walking in an area that may have snakes.
First aid in the event of a snakebite involves
pressure immobilisation via an elastic band-
age firmly wrapped around the affected limb,
starting at the bite site and working up to-
wards the chest. The bandage should not be
so tight that the circulation is cut off; the
fingers or toes should be kept free so that
the circulation can be checked. Immobilise
the limb with a splint, and carry the victim
to medical attention. Don’t use tourniquets
or try to suck the venom out. Antivenom is
available for most species.
 102 I N E A S T T I M O R • • W o m e n ’ s H e a l t h
Sunburn
Even on a cloudy day, sunburn can occur
rapidly. Always use a strong sunscreen (at
least factor 15), making sure to reapply
it after a swim; and always wear a wide-
brimmed hat and sunglasses outdoors.
Avoid lying in the sun during the hottest
part of the day (10am to 2pm). If you be-
come sunburnt, stay out of the sun until
you have recovered, apply cool compresses
and take painkillers for the discomfort. One
per cent hydrocortisone cream applied twice
daily is also helpful.
WOMEN’S HEALTH
Pregnant women should receive specialised
advice before travelling. The ideal time to
travel is in the second trimester (between 16
and 28 weeks), when the risk of pregnancy-
related problems is at its lowest and pregnant
women generally feel at their best. During the
first trimester there’s a risk of miscarriage,
and in the third trimester such complica-
tions as premature labour and high blood
pressure are possible. It’s wise to travel with
HEALTH
a companion. Avoid travel in rural areas with
poor transport and medical facilities. Most
of all, ensure that travel insurance covers all
lonelyplanet.com 103
pregnancy-related possibilities, including
premature labour.
Malaria is a high-risk disease in pregnancy.
The World Health Organization recom-
mends that pregnant women do not travel
to areas with Chloroquine-resistant malaria
(some Chloroquine resistance has been re-
ported in East Timor). None of the more ef-
fective antimalarial drugs is completely safe
in pregnancy.
Traveller’s diarrhoea can quickly lead to
dehydration and result in inadequate blood
flow to the placenta. Many of the drugs used
to treat various diarrhoea bugs are not rec-
ommended in pregnancy. Azithromycin is
considered safe.
In Dili supplies of sanitary products are
readily available. Birth-control options
may be limited so bring adequate supplies
of your own form of contraception. Heat,
humidity and antibiotics can all contrib-
ute to thrush. Treatment is with antifungal
creams and pessaries such as Clotrimazole.
A practical alternative is a single tablet of
Fluconazole (Diflucan). Urinary-tract infec-
HEALTH
tions can be precipitated by dehydration or
long bus journeys without toilet stops; bring
suitable antibiotics.
 102 103

Language
Twenty-five years of neglect meant that the
number of Portuguese speakers had inevi-
CONTENTS tably declined and were principally elderly.
At independence it was estimated that less
Which Language? 103 than 5% of the population spoke the lan-
Tetun 104 guage, down from a still-not-impressive
Pronunciation 104 15% during the Portuguese era.
Accommodation 104 In addition, Portuguese was always the
Conversation 104 language of East Timor’s economic and po-
Emergencies 104 litical elite and was used to keep the Tetun-
Numbers 104 speaking rabble in their place. A recent
Services 104 survey shows that less than 50% of those in
Time & Days 104 parliament have a working knowledge of
Transport 105 Portuguese and both the UN and the offi-
Bahasa Indonesia 105 cial 2006 census show Portuguese fluency
Accommodation 105 at 5% and holding.
Conversation 105 Still, making Portuguese an official lan-
Emergencies 105 guage has helped East Timor maintain its
Numbers 105 cultural ties with Portugal and the country
Services 105 has a burgeoning foreign exchange student
Time 105 programme with Brazil. Perhaps most im-
Transport 106 portantly, it’s not the language of either of
the two countries that have been most vex-
ing to locals: Australia and Indonesia.
WHICH LANGUAGE? However, in making Portuguese the sec-
Just like Switzerland, there are four lan- ond official language, East Timor has ig-
guages in use in East Timor. They are nored a couple of realities. Most importantly,
Tetun, Portuguese, Indonesian and English. Indonesian is spoken by a huge number of
Unlike Switzerland, East Timor does not people. It was the only language taught from
have a well-funded school system to ensure 1975 to 1999 and, as a result, it’s understood
that most citizens are polylingual. In fact, by over 40% of the population. Although
in a good year, it barely has the resources not typically used by locals in everyday dis-
LANGUAGE

to ensure that its children can be educated
in one language.
How did this situation come about? The
story is almost a metaphor for the country.
Tetun is the language spoken by a majority
of East Timorese. It’s an amalgam of vari-
ous local dialects with a heavy dose of Por-
tuguese influence (eg thank you, obrigadu/a,
is very close to the Portuguese obrigado/a).
At least 15 variations can be found around
the country. It’s primarily a spoken rather
than written language.
After independence in 2002, the govern-
ment decided to designate another official
language and the choice, Portuguese, re-
mains controversial. The reasons for this
are many. During the Portuguese era the
official language was, of course, Portuguese.
LANGUAGE
course, vast numbers of Indonesian words
flavour conversations. A visitor fluent in
Indonesian would have no problem com-
municating anywhere in East Timor.
Ever the pragmatists, both Xanana Gus-
mão and José Ramos-Horta have called for
Indonesian to remain an official ‘working
language’ and have recognised that fluency
is important for dealing with East Timor’s
large and previously restive neighbour.
Meanwhile, English, which many had
hoped would be chosen as an official East
Timorese language, is the other ‘working
language’. Advocates had hoped its selection
would help the country in its international
dealings, but this seems to be happening
anyway, as it’s an almost mandatory choice
for East Timorese in higher education. Still,
 104 T E T U N • • P r o n u n c i a t i o n lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com B A HA S A I N D O N E S I A • • A c c o m m o d a t i o n 105

outside of foreigner-frequented haunts in today ohin

Dili, English isn’t much use elsewhere. EMERGENCIES – TETUN tonight ohin kalan EMERGENCIES – BAHASA
On a final note, fans of the I Love Lucy Help! Ajuda! tomorrow aban Help! Tolong!
episode in which a Parisian café becomes a It’s an emergency. Ne emerjénsia. yesterday horseik Call a doctor! Panggil dokter!
Tower of Babel will appreciate that, due to I’m ill. Hau moras. Call the police! Panggil polisi!
a lack of people who speak both Indonesian Call a doctor! Bolu dotór! Monday segunda I’m ill. Saya sakit.
and Portuguese, translation between the Call the police! Bolu polísia! Tuesday tersa I’m lost. Saya kesasar.
two are usually done via English. I’m lost. Hau lakon tiha. Wednesday kuarta Go away! Pergi!
Where are the Sintina iha nebé? Thursday kinta
toilets? Friday sesta
TETUN Saturday
Sunday
sábadu
dumingu
Thank you (very
much).
Terima kasih (banyak).

Tetun is the most widely spoken lingua You’re welcome. La (iha) buat ida./(De) nada. Yes. Ya.
franca in East Timor. For a comprehensive Excuse me. Kolisensa. TRANSPORT No. Tidak/Bukan.
What’s your name? Ita-nia naran sa/saida? When does the ... Tuku hira maka ... Excuse me. Maaf/Permisi.
guide to the language, get a copy of Lonely
My name is ... Hau-nia naran ... leave/arrive? ba/to? I don’t understand. Saya tidak mengerti.
Planet’s East Timor Phrasebook, which of- Do you speak English? Ita koalia Inglés?
fers an excellent introduction to Tetun. bus bis/biskota Do you speak English? Bisa berbicara bahasa Inggris?
I don’t understand. Hau la kompriende.
minibus mikrolet
For more in-depth coverage of the multi-
faceted local language scene, the National plane aviaun NUMBERS
NUMBERS 1 satu
Institute of Linguistics (www.asianlang.mq.edu.au/ Larger numbers are given in Tetun, Portu-
bus station terminál bis nian 2 dua
INL/) in Dili has a number of specialised texts guese or Indonesian.
road to (Aileu) dalan ba (Aileu) 3 tiga
available.
Go straight ahead. Los deit. 4 empat
0 nol 5 lima
PRONUNCIATION 1 ida
To the left. Fila ba liman karuk.
To the right. Fila ba liman los. 6 enam
j as the ‘s’ in ‘pleasure’ (sometimes as 2 rua 7 tujuh
the ‘z’ in ‘zebra’) 3 tolu near besik
far dok 8 delapan
r trilled 4 hat 9 sembilan
x as the ‘sh’ in ‘ship’ (the more 5 lima 10 sepuluh
traditional, Portuguese-style spelling
is ch, but it’s always pronounced as
6
7
nen
hitu BAHASA INDONESIA 11
20
sebelas
duapuluh
‘sh’); sometimes pronounced as the 8 ualu
‘s’ in ‘summer’ 9 sia ACCOMMODATION 21 duapuluh satu
guesthouse losmen 30 tigapuluh
10 sanulu
bathroom kamar mandi 50 limapuluh
ACCOMMODATION 11 sanulu-resin-ida
12 sanulu-resin-rua bed tempat tidur 100 seratus
I’m looking for a ... Hau buka hela ... toilet WC (way say)/kamar kecil 1000 seribu
guesthouse losmen/pensaun 20 ruanulu
2000 duaribu
LANGUAGE

LANGUAGE
hotel otél 100 atus ida
1000 rihun ida Is there a room Adakah kamar kosong?
available? SERVICES
Do you have any Ita iha kuartu ruma mamuk? May I see the room? Where is a/the ...? Dimana ...?
rooms available? SERVICES Boleh saya melihat kamar?
Where is a/the ...? ... iha nebé? one night satu malam bank bank
bank banku two nights dua malam post office kantor pos
I’d like ... Hau hakarak ...
general store loja telephone telepon
a single room kuartu mesak ida market basar/merkadu CONVERSATION public toilet WC umum
to share a room fahe kuartu ida post office koreiu; kantor pos Good morning. Selamat pagi.
telephone telefone; wartel Good day. Selamat siang. What time does it Jam berapa buka/tutup?
CONVERSATION toilet sintina/WC Good afternoon. Selamat sore. open/close?
Hello. Haló. (polite)/Olá. (informal) Good evening/night. Selamat malam. How much is it? Berapa harganya ini?
Goodbye. Adeus. What time does ... Tuku hira maka ... loke/taka? Goodbye. (to person Selamat tinggal. It’s too expensive. Terlalu mahal.
Yes. Sin/Diak/Los. open/close? staying)
No. Lae. How much is it? Folin hira? Goodbye. (to person Selamat jalan. TIME
Please. Favór ida/Halo favór/Faz favór/ going) When? Kapan?
Por favór. TIME & DAYS How are you? Apa kabar? At what time ...? Pada jam berapa ...?
Thank you (very Obrigadu/a (barak). What time is it? Tuku hira (ona)? I’m fine. Kabar baik. today hari ini
much). (It’s) one o’clock. Tuku ida. Please. Tolong. tonight malam ini
 106 B A HA S A I N D O N E S I A • • T r a n s p o r t lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com

PORTUGUESE BASICS My name is ...

Other than a few pleasantries and familiarity Meu nome é ... me·oo no·me e ...
with numbers, you’re unlikely to need much Where are you from?
Portuguese in East Timor. De onde você é? de ong·de vo·se e
I’m from ...
Hello. Eu sou (da/do/de) ... e·oo so (daa/do/de)
Olá. o·laa
Good day. 0 zero ze·ro
Bom dia. bong dee·aa 1 um oom
Good evening. 2 dois doys
Boa noite. bo·aa noy·te 3 três tres
See you later. 4 quatro kwaa·tro
Até mais tarde. aa·te mais taarr·de
5 cinco seen·ko
6 seis says
Goodbye.
7 sete se·te
Tchau. chau
8 oito oy·to
How are you? 9 nove naw·ve
Como vai? ko·mo vai 10 dez dez
Fine, and you? 11 onze ong·ze
Bem, e você? beng e vo·se 12 doze do·ze
Do you speak English? 13 treze tre·ze
Você fala inglês? vo·se faa·laa een·gles 14 quatorze kaa·torr·ze
Yes. 15 quinze keen·ze
Sim. seem 16 dezesseis de·ze·says
No. 17 dezesete de·ze·se·te
Não. nowng 18 dezoito de·zoy·to
Please. 19 dezenove de·ze·naw·ve
Por favor. por faa·vorr 20 vinte veen·te
Thank you (very much). 21 vinte e um veen·te e oom
(Muito) obrigado/ (mween·to) o·bree·gaa·do/ 30 trinta treen·taa
obrigada. o·bree·gaa·daa (m/f) 40 quarenta kwaa·ren·taa
You’re welcome. 50 cinquenta seen·kwen·taa
De nada. de naa·daa 60 sessenta se·seng·taa
Excuse me. 70 setenta se·teng·taa
Com licença kom lee·seng·saa 80 oitenta oy·teng·taa
Sorry. 90 noventa no·veng·taa
LANGUAGE

LANGUAGE
Desculpa. des·kool·paa 100 cem seng
What’s your name? 200 duzentos doo·zeng·tos
Qual é o seu nome? kwow e o se·oo no·me 1000 mil mee·oo

tomorrow besok I want to go to ... Saya mau pergi ke ...

yesterday kemarin How far? Berapa jauh?
near dekat
TRANSPORT far jauh
What time does Jam berapa ...
straight ahead terus
the ... leave/arrive? berangkat/tiba?
bus bis/bus left/right kiri/kanan
boat kapal north utara
south selatan
bus station setasiun bis/terminal east timur
ticket karcis/tiket west barat
 © Lonely Planet Publications
108 G L O S S A R Y 109

ume kebubu (T) – traditional house Unpol – United Nations Police, the international police

Glossary Unamet – United Nations Mission in East Timor, which

This glossary is a list of Indonesian (I), Portuguese (P) and
Tetun (T) terms, and acronyms you may come across in
East Timor.
ABRI – Indonesian Army and National Police Force until
1999 when it was divided into two separate forces
Apodeti – one of the three political parties that appeared
after the collapse of the military government in Portugal in
1974; pushed for integration with Indonesia
ASDT-PSD – coalition of two parties with roots in the
resistance years; placed third in the 2007 parliamentary
elections
Maubere (T) – an indigenous Timorese word used
in a derogatory fashion to refer to the people of East
Timor; often used by Fretilin to mean the people of the
resistance
Merah Putih (I) – Red White in Indonesian (the colours
of the Indonesian flag); many of the pro-integration
militias incorporated the words into their name
mestizo – person of mixed Portuguese and Timorese
ancestry
mikrolet (T) – minibus
NGO – nongovernment organisation
operated in 1999
Unmiset – United Nations Mission in Support of East
Timor, assisted with security after independence, in opera-
tion 2002–05
Unmit – United Nations Integrated Mission for Timor-
Leste, the beefed-up UN security force operating after the
2006 political turmoil
Unotil – United Nations Office in Timor-Leste, a low-level
UN security force in operation 2005–06
force that handles police duties
Untaet – United Nations Transitional Administration in
East Timor, in place 1999–2002
VOC – Dutch commercial company that administered the
Dutch East Indies until it went bankrupt in 1799 when the
Dutch government took over directly
warung (I) – an Indonesian expression for a small food
stall; a step below a rumah makan

CNRT – National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction,
the current party of Gusmão; finished second in 2007’s
parliamentary elections and formed the government in
coalition
deportado – a Portuguese exile from the Salazar
dictatorship period
deuhoto (T) – large conical Bunak houses
Falantil – military wing of Fretilin; formed the guerrilla
army in the anti-Indonesian struggle; after independence
helped the International Peace Keeping Forces patrol the
Indonesian border area
F-FDTL – Timor-Leste Defence Force; the army and navy
Fretilin – left-wing political party that played a major
part in the early struggle against Indonesia and now one
of two major parties; finished first in 2007 parliamentary
elections with 29% of the vote, but couldn’t form a
government
godown (I) – warehouse
IDP – Internally Displaced People, the acronym for
refugees from political violence
ladang (I) – destructive slash-and-burn agricultural
system; still widely utilised in East Timor
likurai (T) – Tetun dance to welcome warriors returning
from battle; today performed by married women as a
courtship dance
liurai (T) – local chief during the Portuguese period
GLOSSARY
OPMT – women’s organisation that supported the
independence struggle from 1975
pousada (P) – traditional Portuguese inn; the pousada at
Maubisse has survived from the Portuguese era
PKF – international Peace Keeping Force
PNTL – Timor-Leste National Police; often clashes with the
F-FDTL over jurisdiction
prato do día (P) – dish of the day
rumah makan (I) – literally ‘house to eat’; Indonesian
expression for a restaurant
salendang (T) – tais woven as a sash
Sparrow Force – Australian guerrilla force that fought
the Japanese for nearly a year after the Japanese invasion
of Timor in 1942
Suara Timor Lorosae – East Timor newspaper; known
as Suara Timor Timur during the Indonesian period
sungai – river
tais (T) – weaving, and the articles produced by that
weaving: shawls, blankets, scarves
Tetun – most widespread local language; spoken by a
majority of East Timorese
Tim-Tim – the shortened form of Timor Timur; East Timor
in Indonesian
timur (I) – east in Indonesian
Topasses – Christian, Portuguese-speaking descendents
of intermarriage between the Solorese, Portuguese and
slaves from Portuguese colonies in India and Melaka;

losmen (I) – a small, usually family-run hotel
mandi (I) – a bathroom water tank; you scoop water out
of the tank to wash with; you definitely do not climb into
a mandi to wash
mane tais (T) – a tais piece worn by men as a sarong
called ‘Black Portuguese’ by the Dutch
UDT – right of centre political party; came into being
following the collapse of the military government in
Portugal in 1974
uma lulik (T) – traditional sacred houses
GLOSSARY
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 © Lonely Planet Publications
114 115

Index
A Belo, Bishop Carlos 12, 14, 35 culture 18-23
accommodation 85-6 Beloi 79 customs regulations 88
activities 86-7, see also individual Benteng Daralari 58 cycling 86, 93
activities Berau 80
Aileu 72-3 Betano 75 D
Ainaro 74 bicycle travel, see cycling dance 22
Aipelo 65 birds 26 Dare 72
air travel 92, 93 bird-watching 43 Dawan people 8
Aituto 74 boat travel 93-4 Debos 76
Akrema 80 Bobonaro 68 Desa Rasa 59
Alkatiri, Mari 14, 15, 16 books 6, 16 diarrhoea 99-100
Alola Foundation 19, 49 border crossings 83 Dili 34-50, 36-7
Anartutu 79 Buibela 58 accommodation 44-6
animals 25 bus travel 92, 94 activities 43-4
crocodiles 76 business hours 87 beaches 42-3
archaeological sites 62 drinking 46-8
architecture 22-3 C entertainment 48
arts 21-3 camping 85 food 46-8
crafts 23, 49 Cape Fatucama 43 galleries 41-2
dance 22 car travel 72, 94 historic buildings 40, 42
INDEX

INDEX
music 22 rental 94 history 35
tais 19, 21-2, 49 safety 6, 93, 94 museums 41
Atabae 66 Catholicism 21 shopping 48-9
Atauro Island 78-80, 79 cell phones 90 sights 40-3
ATMs 90 children, travel with 88 travel to/from 49
Atsabe 67 Christ statue 43 travel within 50
Australian involvement 10, 15, 16, Christianity 21 Dili Allstars 22
18, 75 churches disabilities, travellers
Ainaro 74 with 91
B Aituto 74 diving, see scuba diving
Baguia 58 Baguia 58 drinking water 100
Bahasa Indonesia 105-6 Ermera 67 drinks 31
Bairo Pite Clinic 39 Laleia 53 coffee 16, 31, 32, 67, 71
Balibo 11, 69-70 Lospalos 60 driving, see car travel
Bandeira waterfall 67 Maubara 65 Dutch occupation 8-10
Baroana 80 Suai 76
bathrooms 90 Vemasse 53 E
Batugade 66-7 climate 88 economy 5, 13, 16-17
Baucau 53-5, 54 cockfighting 23 coffee 16, 32
beaches coffee 31, 67, 71 oil & gas reserves 10, 16
Betano 75 economy 16, 32 tourism 16
Com 59, 61 Com 59, 61 Ekmonu 79
Dili 42-3 consulates 88-9 electricity 88
Jaco Island 63 costs 5, 6 embassies 88-9
Laivai 58-9 courses emergencies 104, 105
Osolata 55 language 88 environmental issues 28-9,
Pantemakassar 82-3 scuba diving 88 93
Suai Loro 76 crafts 23, 49 Ermera 67, 68-9
Tutuala 62-3 credit cards 90 etiquette 18
Beaçu 57 crocodiles 76 events 89
 © Lonely Planet Publications
116 Index (F-P) I n d e x ( P - Z ) 117

F history 8-17 Liquiçá 65, 66 photography 90 Liquiçá 66 Topasses 8-9

Falantil 12, 17, 35, 41, 56 Australian involvement 10, 15, Liquiçá massacre 65 planning 5-7, 85-91 Maubara 66 tourism 28
Fataluku houses 62, 72 16, 18, 75 Lobato, Nicolau 11, 12, 35 health 95-6 safety 100 economy 16
Fataluku people 60 Balibo 11, 69-70 Lobato, Rogerio 15 plants 27 Tutuala 63 tourist information 90
Fatalulik 77 books 6, 16 Loes River 66 political unrest 5-6, 12, 13-16, 35 west of Dili 66 tours 44
fence of legs 12 Dutch occupation 8-10 Lospalos 60-1 population 12, 19-20 shopping 48-9 travel to/from East Timor 92
festivals 89 early history 8 Portuguese language 106 snorkelling 86-7 travel within East Timor 92-4
food 30-3 Falantil 12, 17, 35, 41, 56 M Portuguese occupation 8-11, 35, Atauro Island 80 trekking 87
Chinese 30-1 Fretilin 11-15, 17, 35, 56, 70 Makili 79 56, 79 Betano 75 Tutuala 61-3
customs 32 independence 10-16, 35 malaria 98-9 postal services 90 Com 59 TV 20
Indonesian 30-1 Indonesian invasion 11-13, 35 Maliana 68-9 Dili 43-4
markets 30 Indonesian occupation 13, 20 Manatuto 53 Q east of Dili 60-1 U
Portuguese 31 Japanese invasion 10, 20 Manleo 52 Quelicai 58 Liquiçá 66 UN 15, 35
vegetarian travellers 32 Portuguese occupation 8-11, 35, maps 89 Maubara 66
forts 56, 79 marine life 26-7 R Pantemakassar 83 V
Baguia 58 WWII 10, 75 markets 30 radio 20 Tutuala 63 vaccinations 95-7
Balibo 69 holidays 89 Marobo 67-8 Ramos-Horta, José 12, 15, 17, 35, 43 west of Dili 66 vegetarian travellers 32
Batugade 66 Maubara 65-6 Reinado, Alfredo 15, 16 Soeharto 13 Vemasse 53
Benteng Daralari 58 I Maubisse 73 religion 21 Sparrow Force 10, 72, 75 Venilale 56
Laga 57 independence 10-16, 35 measures 86 responsible travel 28, 93 Suai 76-7 Vila 79
Lautem 59 indigenous peoples 19-20 medical services 96 Suai Loro 76-7 Viqueque 56-7
Maubara 65 Fataluku people 60 Mehara 62 S Suai massacre 14, 76 visas 91
Maubisse 73 Tetun people 8, 19, 76 Metinaro 52 safety 5-6, 39-40 Sungai Clere 75 volunteering 91
Pantemakassar 83 indigenous religions 21 mikrolets 94 car travel 6, 93, 94 Sword Gusmão, Kirsty 6, 17, 19
Suai Loro 77 Indonesian invasion 11-13, 35 mobile phones 90 diving 100 W
INDEX

INDEX
Fretilin 11-15, 17, 35, 56, Indonesian language 105-6 money 5, 6, 89-90 drinking water 100 T walking 87
70 Indonesian occupation 13, 20 motorcycle travel 94 heat 100-1 tais 19, 21-2, 49 water 100
Fuiloro 62 infectious diseases 96-9 Mt Manucoco 79 theft 6 Tasitolu Peace Park 43 weather 5, 88
insurance 89 Mt Matebian 58 Same 74-5 taxis 94 women in East Timor 19, 21
G health 95 Mt Ramelau 73-4 sandalwood 27 telephone services 5, 90 women travellers 91, 102
galleries 41-2 internet access 5, 89 museums 41 Santa Cruz massacre 12, 35, 40, 42 Tetun language 104-5 WWII 10, 75
gay travellers 89 internet resources 7, 96 music 22 Santos, Gil 22 Tetun people 8, 19, 76
geography 24-5 scuba diving 86-7 theft 6 X
geology 24-5 J N Atauro Island 80 thermal springs 66, 67 Xanana Gusmão Reading Room 40
government offices 89 Jaco Island 63 national parks 27-8 courses 88 Tilomar 77
Gusmão, Kirsty, see Sword Japanese invasion 10, 20 Ninos Konis Santana National Dili 43-4 time 90 Z
Gusmão, Kirsty Park 27 east of Dili 60-1 toilets 90 Zumalai 76
Gusmão, Xanana 12, 15-17, 21, K Sungai Clere 75
35, 40 Konis Sanatana, Nino 67 Tasitolu Peace Park 43
newspapers 20
H L Ninos Konis Santana National Park 27
Habibie, BJ 13 Laga 57 Nunura Plains 68
Hatubuilico 73 Laivai 58-9
health 95-102 Laleia 53 O
insurance 95 Lampia 79 Oecussi 81-4, 82
vaccinations 95-7 language 20, 32-3, 103-6 Oecussi massacre 82
women travellers 102 courses 88 Oesilo 84
hiking 87 Indonesian 105-6 oil & gas reserves 10, 16
historic buildings 40, 42, 56, 65, 74, Portuguese 106 Osolata 55
see also churches Tetun 104-5 Ossu 56 © Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
architecture 22-3 Lautem 59 restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes
Fataluku houses 62, 72 legal matters 89 P only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
Lena 58 Padiae 83
lesbian travellers 89 Pantemakassar 82-3 everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying
000 Map pages
Lifau 83 Pasar Tono 84 the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’