Plan Your Trip to Timor-Leste (East Timor)

Plan guides

Visa guide

Timor-Leste (East Timor) visa rules for 2026: the USD 30 visa on arrival, visa-free countries, the online arrival declaration, extensions and land borders.

Getting there

How to get to Timor-Leste (East Timor) in 2026: direct flights to Dili from Darwin, Bali, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, and the overland route from Kupang.

Money and ATMs

Money in Timor-Leste (East Timor): the US dollar and centavo coins, where ATMs work, card acceptance, fees, and how much cash to carry outside Dili.

Costs and budget

What a trip to Timor-Leste (East Timor) costs in 2026: daily budgets, and prices for rooms, food, transport, ferries, diving and a 4WD with driver.

On a budget

How to travel Timor-Leste on a budget in 2026: cheap beds, buses and mikrolets, the USD 4 Atauro ferry, cheap food and realistic backpacker costs.

SIM cards and internet

Staying connected in Timor-Leste (East Timor): local SIM cards from Telkomcel, Timor Telecom and Telemor, travel eSIMs, coverage, Starlink and Wi-Fi.

Health and vaccines

Health advice for Timor-Leste in 2026: which vaccines to get, the rabies emergency, dengue, malaria-free status, hospitals in Dili and medical evacuation.

Safety

Is Timor-Leste (East Timor) safe? Current government advice, crime in Dili, road and sea safety, crocodiles, health care and practical precautions.

When to go

When to visit Timor-Leste (East Timor): dry and wet seasons, Dili weather by month, the best months for diving, hiking Ramelau and whale watching.

Packing list

A practical packing list for Timor-Leste (East Timor): cash, plugs, clothes for heat and the mountains, snorkel gear, medicines and documents.

Getting around

Getting around Timor-Leste (East Timor): long-distance buses, hiring a 4WD with driver, driving yourself, ferries to Atauro and Oecusse, and flights.

Driving and car hire

Self-drive or hire a driver in Timor-Leste? Licence and IDP rules, car and 4WD rental prices, fuel, road conditions, driving times and safety tips.

Tetum phrases

Useful Tetum (Tetun) phrases for travellers in Timor-Leste: greetings, thank you, numbers, shopping, directions and polite words, with tips.

Culture and etiquette

Customs and etiquette in Timor-Leste: greetings, dress, visiting homes, church, sacred houses (uma lulik), photography, betel nut and tais weaving.

History in brief

Timor-Leste's history in brief: Portuguese rule, the Indonesian occupation, the 1999 vote, independence in 2002, joining ASEAN, and the places to see it.

Holidays and festivals

All 18 public holidays in Timor-Leste for 2026, from the official list, plus festivals, pilgrimages and events worth planning a trip around.

Practical information

Practical facts for Timor-Leste: plugs and voltage, time zone, emergency numbers, embassies in Dili, tipping, language, opening hours and phone codes.

Solo and female travel

Is Timor-Leste safe for solo and female travellers? What government advice says about harassment, getting around at night, dress and meeting people.

LGBTQ+ travel

Is Timor-Leste safe for LGBTQ+ travellers? Same-sex relations are legal and Dili has held Pride since 2017, but attitudes are conservative. What to know.

Travelling with kids

Travelling in Timor-Leste with children: vaccines, dengue and rabies precautions, child-friendly beaches, hotels with pools, long drives and what to pack.

Where to start

Start with the visa, then flights, then money. Those three decide most of your plans. Everything else, from SIM cards to packing, can be sorted in a day.

Timor-Leste, also called East Timor, is one of the least-visited countries in Asia. That is a big part of its appeal, but it also means fewer flights, simpler hotels and slower roads than in Bali or Thailand. The guides in this section cover what you need to know before you land.

A realistic first trip

Most first-time visitors fly into Dili for a few days, spend two or three nights on Atauro Island, then either head up into the mountains to climb Mount Ramelau or east along the coast to Jaco Island. Our itineraries turn that into day-by-day plans for 5, 7 and 14 days.