East Timor

Quick Facts

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Local name

Timór Lorosa'e (Tetum), Timor-Leste (Portuguese)

Capital

Dili

Government

Parliamentary Republic

Nationality

Timorese

Population

990,000

Languages

Tetum, Portugese, Indonesian, English

Religions

Christianity (Catholic, Protestant), Islam

Currency

US Dollar (USD)

Calling Code

+670

Time Zone

UTC+9

Contributors

• Peter (72%)
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• Hien (21%)

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Introduction

Fishman

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It was in 2002 that East Timor (officially Timor-Leste) was finally recognized as an independent country, after a bloody conflict with Indonesia. The wounds are fresh and the damage to the Timorese has only been lessened slightly through time. But peace is upon the nation and all are hopeful that the violence is winding to a final close.

Unlike Indonesia, the eastern half of Timor was never occupied by the Dutch during colonial times: Portugal held firm to this little slice of Southeast Asian jungle. The result is a fine glimmer of Portuguese influence breaking through (then) Portugal Timor's capital, Dili, and other towns. This colonial heritage mingled with local culture, as well as the nation's perfect beaches and spectacular mountain range, resemble the basic tourist attractions of most Southeast Asian countries. But do not come to Timor-Leste without being prepared to be confronted and saddened by the war, because its scars are everywhere.

Brief History

Geography

Timor-Leste occupies the eastern half of the island of Timor, the largest of the Lesser Sunda Islands in the Malay archipelago. South of the island, the Timor Sea separates the country from Australia. North of the island are the Wetar Strait and Ombai Strait. To the west lies the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara. At 2963 metres, Mount Ramelau (or Mount Tatamailau) is the highest point in Timor-Leste.

Regions

Timor-Leste is divided into 13 administrative districts.

• Lautém
• Baucau
• Viqueque
• Manatuto
• Dili
• Aileu
• Manufahi
• Liquiçá
• Ermera
• Ainaro
• Bobonaro
• Cova-Lima
• Oecussi-Ambeno

Cities and Towns

• Dili - The capital and largest town.
• Baucau
• Ermera
• Liquica
• Manatuto
• Suai
• Tutuala
• Viqueque

Sights and Activities

Nino Konis Santana National Park

Nino Konis Santana National Park is Timor-Leste's first national park, designated in August 2007. It is located at the eastern most tip of the island and covers 123,600 hectares. 25 endemic bird species call the park home, including the endangered Timor Green-pigeon and the critically endangered Yellow-crested Cockatoo. The park also incorporates 55,600 of the ‘Coral Triangle’, a marine area with incredible biodiversity.

Atauro Island

Atauro Island, just off the coast of Dili has been developing as an eco-tourism destination with some good potential for scuba diving, hiking and cultural immersion

Cape Fatucama

Crowned by a Rio-de-Janeiro'esque statue of Christ, Cape Fatucama is a beautiful area of coast dotted with restaurants and bars.

Events and Festivals

Weather

The Timorese climate is tropical, which generally means hot and humid, although the mountainous areas are a lot cooler. The western monsoon brings rains from December to March, while July to November are hot and dry. The average maximum temperature for the year is 25 °C.

Getting There

By Plane

Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport (DIL) in Dili is the country's only airport with regular public passenger services.

Flights from Darwin in Australia are operated by Airnorth. Flights from Denpasar in Bali, Indonesia are provided by Merpati Airlines. Flights can be booked out weeks in advance, so plans need to be made accordingly.

By Train

There is no rail infrastructure in Timor-Leste.

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Getting Around

By Plane

There are no domestic flights within East Timor at the moment. Baucau has an airport (with a longer strip than the one in Dili in fact) and was used as the main territory under Indonesian occupation, but it is presently unattended. Suai Airport is also unattended.

By Train

There is no rail infrastructure in Timor-Leste.

By Car

Car hire options are available in Dili. Thrifty has a large fleet of cars.

Taxi services are available in the major towns. Standard fares are $1, maybe $2 for longer distances. The cars used are often recycled from other countries and could just look like regular cars.

By Bus

Buses, mikrolets and vans run to many parts of the country, and at $2/3 per trip are an economical means of getting around. The main cities of Dili, Baucau, Maliana, Los Palos and Suai are quite well linked by this infrastructure. Departures are generally early in the morning. Starting looking after 8:30 or so might leave you without luck.

By Motorcycle

Motorcycles can be rented from East Timor Backpackers.

By Boat

There is a ferry connection from Dili to Ataúru Island and the Oekusi Enclave. You can arrange with a ride with local fishermen to visit Jaku Island.

Red Tape

Money

See also: Money Matters

The US Dollar, or "greenback", is the national currency of East Timor. One dollar consists of 100 cents. Frequently used coins are the penny (1¢), nickel (5¢), dime (10¢) and quarter (25¢). 50¢ and $1 coins also exist, but are rarely used. Frequently used banknotes are the $1, $5, $10 and $20 notes. $2, $50 and $100 notes can also be found, but are rarely used.

Work

Study

Language

See also: Portuguese phrasebook, Malay phrasebook

Portuguese and Tetum are the official languages of Timor-Leste. Indonesian is also widely spoken and English is spoken in a limited way. There are several dozen indigenous languages, including Tetum, Galole, Mambae and Kemak.

Eat

Sleep

Most accommodation options in East Timor are in the capital Dili. There are some small options out of the capital, but generally the choice is fairly minimal.

Dili

• Accommodation in and around Dili

Bacau

• Pousada de Baucau provides 10 basic rooms and has its own swimming pool.
• Hotel Melita

Los Palos and Jaco

• Hotel Roberto Carlos
• AFT Hotel
• Com Beach Resort
• Tuatala Eco Resort Hotel
• Poussada Tuatela

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Drink

Health

See also: Travel Health

Safety

See also: Travel Safety

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

Post