25 Best Things to Do in Timor-Leste

Islands, reefs and the sea

1. Snorkel and dive Atauro Island. A 2016 survey found an average of 253 reef fish species per site, the highest average recorded at the time. Reefs start a few metres off the beach at Beloi. See the Atauro guide and diving.
2. Spend a day on Jaco Island, the uninhabited, sacred island off the eastern tip, with white sand and clear water. Boats leave from Valu beach; no overnight stays are allowed. See Jaco Island.
3. Watch whales in the Wetar Strait from late October to November, when pygmy blue whales and other species pass along the north coast. See whale watching.
4. Find an empty beach. From Areia Branca near Dili to Com in the far east, most beaches have no one on them. See the best beaches.
5. Dive Dili's shore reefs with a local dive centre, a short drive from your hotel.

Mountains and nature

6. Climb Mount Ramelau (Tatamailau) for sunrise. At 2,963 metres it is the highest point in the country, and on a clear morning you can see both coasts. See Mount Ramelau.
7. Stay in Maubisse, a cool highland town surrounded by green hills, terraced fields and coffee. See Maubisse.
8. Visit a coffee farm around Maubisse, Aileu or Ermera; day tours from Dili cost about USD 60 to 120 per person. Harvest runs from May to September. See Timorese coffee.
9. Explore Nino Konis Santana National Park in Lautém, the country's first national park, which includes Jaco Island, forests and Lake Ira Lalaro, the largest lake in the country, home to many crocodiles.
10. See rock art near Tutuala, in caves inside the national park, with a local guide.
11. Hike around Loihuno and Mundo Perdido (the "Lost World") in Viqueque, in limestone country with waterfalls and forest.
12. Climb Mount Matebian in Baucau, where a Christ the King ceremony draws pilgrims each October.

History and culture

13. Visit the Timorese Resistance Archive and Museum in Dili to understand the 24-year struggle for independence.
14. See the Chega! exhibition in the former Balide prison, which tells the story of the truth commission.
15. Walk to the Santa Cruz Cemetery, site of the 1991 massacre that turned world opinion.
16. Climb to Cristo Rei, the 27-metre statue on the headland east of Dili, with views over the bay. See Cristo Rei.
17. Visit Balibo, with its old Portuguese fort and memorials to the five journalists killed there in 1975. Eat inside the fort at the Balibo Fort Hotel restaurant.
18. Stop at Maubara, west of Dili, for its old fort and a weaving cooperative.
19. Explore Baucau's old town, Timor-Leste's second city, and swim at the beaches below it. See Baucau.
20. Go to Oecusse, the enclave where Portuguese traders first arrived in the early 1500s, on a ferry trip few visitors make. See Oecusse.
21. Read the history first: see a short history of Timor-Leste.

Crafts, food and festivals

22. Buy tais, the hand-woven textile, at the Tais Market in Dili or from village weavers.
23. See Timorese art at Arte Moris in Dili and buy Boneca de Atauro dolls on Atauro.
24. Eat grilled fish by the sea at Dili's evening fish stalls, and try batar da'an. See Timorese food and where to eat.
25. Time your trip for a festival: independence days, the Dili Marathon in August or the October pilgrimages. See holidays and festivals.

Plan your route

Most of these fit into a 5-, 7- or 14-day trip. See our itineraries, getting around and when to go.