Best Beaches in Timor-Leste: From Dili to Jaco Island

The best beaches at a glance

Jaco Island and Valu

Jaco is the beach everyone dreams of: an uninhabited island of white sand and clear water at the eastern tip of the country. It is sacred, so you can visit by day but not stay overnight. Boats cross the 700-metre channel from Valu Beach in a few minutes; strong currents run through the middle of the channel, so do not try to swim across. See Jaco Island.

Near Valu, the caves of Ile Kére Kére hold rock paintings, inside Nino Konis Santana National Park.

Com

Com is a quiet fishing village with a long, calm bay, reef just offshore and a line of simple beachfront guesthouses. It is the most comfortable base in the far east. See Com.

Atauro Island

Atauro's beaches are fringed by some of the richest reefs ever surveyed, so the snorkelling starts a few metres from the sand. Beloi and Vila face east for sunrise; Adara and Doro on the west coast are for sunset; Akrema is at the northern tip; and remote Iliana is reached only on foot, with no facilities. See Atauro.

Near Dili

• Cristo Rei back beach (Dolok Oan): a quieter cove behind the Cristo Rei headland, good for swimming and snorkelling in calm conditions. See Cristo Rei.
• Cristo Rei Beach: at the foot of the steps to the statue; calm and popular.
• Areia Branca: Dili's favourite beach, about 600 metres of sand with free shade huts and cafés, seafood restaurants and coffee across the road. It is very shallow at low tide, which suits children better than adult swimmers, and is crowded on Sundays. See where to eat in Dili.
• One Dollar Beach: about 40 minutes from Dili, with reef beyond the sand, a few beach restaurants, and dolphins often seen offshore.
• Tasi Tolu: west of Dili, near the lagoons.

Baucau and the north coast

Below Baucau, a winding road leads to the white-sand coves of Osolata and to Watabo (Coconut Beach), a palm-lined beach with basic bungalows. Crocodiles are sometimes seen off Watabo. See Baucau.

West of Dili, the beaches around Maubara and Liquiçá make an easy day trip, with lunch beside the old fort at Maubara. See where to eat on the west coast.

Swimming safely

Ask locally before you swim, every time. UK government advice says saltwater crocodiles are frequently seen in inland waterways, on the south coast and in the east, and occasionally at beaches near Dili.

• Avoid river mouths, lagoons and mangroves, and do not swim at dusk or at night.
• Watch for currents, especially in channels such as the one between Valu and Jaco.
• There are no lifeguards. Swim with someone else.
• Wear reef shoes and do not touch coral.

See safety and the best months for the sea in when to go.